Week 4 and going strong

Here comes another week of FCS football.  

It is a bit slow, but the Ivy League finally kicks off.  Most of the Ivy League schools are taking on Patriot League schools, so it will be fun to get the first look at these teams.  Harvard is the exception as they take on San Diego.

The Big Sky sees only one conference game with Southern Utah taking on Sacramento State in what should be a win for Southern Utah.  Eastern Washington and Cal Poly are taking a bye and Montana basically is playing a team a division down while Montana State travels to SF Austin.  

Big South is looking very interesting, as Charleston Southern and Coastal Carolina are undefeated with Liberty's only loss coming to Kent St. and Gardner-Webb's to Marshall.  This week the first two should win and Liberty gets Richmond, who just lost to Gardner-Webb while Gardner Webb travels to Wofford.  This is going to be an exciting conference.

The Colonial Athletic Association is always entertaining and newcomer Stony Brook travels to Villanova, who is struggling this year.  Rhode Island goes to William and Mary.  However the favorites to win the CAA, Towson plays out of conference against NC Central and ought to win, Delaware hosts Wagner, which should be a win, and undefeated Maine goes to Northwestern where they will lose.  Still to early to tell who is for real and who is not.

The MEAC conference is all out of conference and a lot of playing FBS teams as Bethune Cookman plays Florida St and Florida A&M plays Ohio State.  and Savannah State goes to Miami.  So we need to wait another week before we start to see North Carolina A&T who is off can dethrone Bethune Cookman as the odds on favorite to win this league as A&T are off this week.  In a quirk of the schedule, NC A&T does not play Bethune Cookman this year.  Could this mean that both teams make the playoffs?  MEAC fans can only hope.

The Missouri Valley ought to have its big names win this week as NDSU and Youngstown St and Northern Iowa all have very winnable games.  SDSU is the real interesting one as they travel to Nebraska, a team that looked very bad this past week, especially at stopping the run (Zack Zerner is averaging 180 for SDSU), and the starting quarterback is down for Nebraska.  This is the best bet for an upset.  I should note that I am looking forward to South Dakota versus Northern Arizona as well.  That could be a good game.  

The NEC is fairly uninteresting this week with Robert Morris and Bryant off.  Sacred Heart, who is undefeated ought to stay that way hosting a team down a division.  The others are going to lose. 

The Ohio Valley Conference is another interesting conference in the long run.  Eastern Illinois is undefeated including a big win over the FBS team, San Diego State.  They have another shot at one this week against the much better Northern Illinois.  Jacksonville State ought to win this week.  Murray State is 2-1 as are Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and Tennessee Martin.  Tech plays Tennessee State in a game that has potential to be the game of the week.  

The Pioneer conference and new automatic bid is still up for grabs.  San Diego should win over Harvard and Mercer is playing a team down a level as is Stetson.  These are teams to watch for when league play heats up.

The Southern Conference is mostly out of conference too.  Wofford hosts Gardner-Webb and Samford hosts SE Louisiana.  Both teams need to win to hope to make the SoCon a two bid league this year.  The in conference match up to watch is Elon and App. State.  Both teams are underperforming and desperate for a win.  It is really a must win for both teams.

The Southland is a good conference this year and Sam Houston State and McNeese State should continue on the path to their head to head showdown.  NW St. may have the best chance to upset a FBS team as they go to UAB.  Worth keeping an eye on.  Central Arkansas needs a win over Missouri State to stay hopeful of post season play.  

The SWAC does not have an automatic bid, but Jackson State is looking like a championship team as they destroyed Texas Southern Thursday night.  Alcorn State maybe their only obstacle, who also ought to move up to 2-0 in conference after they play AR-Pine Bluff this week.  For those keeping track, Grambling State has yet to win and Southern only has one win.  Both are playing winnable games this week, both on the road.  

Week 3

There are some real interesting games this weekend.  In fact, I am betting some more FCS over FBS upsets.  Here are a few that I am picking.

1. Cal Poly over Colorado St.    The Rams are awful and Cal Poly is not.  This is a probable upset.

2. Eastern Washington over Toledo.     I know that Eastern Washington has already done it once this year, but Toledo is ripe for the picking . I think they pull off the rare, beat two FBS teams in one year.

I do think Navy beats Deleware and Southern Utah comes up short.  Stony Brook versus Buffalo is a possibility, but Buffalo was okay against Ohio State, so I am not going to pick it.

The most interesting game is easily Georgia Southern at Wofford.  Wofford was awful the first week, but great last week.  This game counts despite Georgia Southern having more scholarships, but it is at Wofford.  The SoCon is going to be fun, and if Wofford wants an early inside track, then this week is vital.

Another interesting one is NC A&T hosting Elon.  NC A&T destroyed App St. last week in a huge surprise.  It was their first game, so are they for real?  SoCon hopeful Elon is a stern test, and we will see if they are or not.  Also if Elon wants postseason tickets this is a must win.

Eastern Kentucky hosting Coastal Carolina is an important one, as is Central Arkansas visiting Tennessee Martin.  Both big games for the OVC.

Montana taking a trip to play North Dakota could be entertaining as well as NDU has gotten better, but it should still be a Montana victory.

Enjoy the games!

Week 2

There are not as many upset possibilities of FBS teams this week, although expect New Hampshire to be the best bet.  Expect the FBS guys to be ready this time.  But there are still several very important games.

Wofford vs. Citadel is a big game.  With two teams not eligible for the SoCon title, these two teams have post season dreams.  Wofford got destroyed by Baylor, and needs to be able cover the pass.  Citadel has this early season test to be a legitimate contender.

Delaware vs. Delaware St is always important, but Delaware ought to roll in this game.  They need to improve in pass defense to be a serious contender this year in the CAA. 

Stony Brook vs. Rhode Island is the first game for Stony Brook.  I am interested to see how they look this year, and they are opening on the road. 

Enjoy the weekend.

10 Things to Watch for in the FCS this year

1 Three-Peat.
    You have to watch to see if NDSU can win three straight times.  They are returning enough starters and in key positions that this looks likely.  Brock Jensen, Crockett, and a host of other players including a very tough defense.  It is going to be a good season.

2. Can Sam Houston State get over the hump?
    A related question to the first is Sam Houston State.  They have had the best offense in the country the last two years, and they have dropped the national title game the last two years.  Two years ago they were favored, and lost.  Last year they were the underdog and they lost.  Is the third time the charm?

3. Wild wild Southern Conference.
    The SoCon is strange this year.  Georgia Southern and Appalachin State are not eligible for the Conference automatic bid because in preparation for their jump up next year they have given away more than the FCS scholarship limit.  However, they are still going to play this year and losses to them count in the SoCon standings.  Can someone step up and beat them?  Wofford has tied them the past couple of years for SoCon Titles, so maybe.  But who else will step up?  Will the SoCon drop from a three bid league to a one bid league? 

4. Which Conference will be best?
    The battle for the best conference is always entertaining.  The three usual suspects are the SoCon, Colonial Athletic Association, and the Big Sky.  Last year the Missouri Valley laid claim to be the best, and looks to be a permanent part of that equation.  However, the Big Sky looks reloaded with an improved Montana, and the CAA is as good as ever too. 

5. Who will win the first ever automatic bid from the Pioneer Conference?
    The automatic bid will be given out to the Pioneer league for the first time.  It should be a highly competitive league to boot.  San Diego probably has the inside track, but it will be something to keep your eye upon all year.  Then we can see how they do in the Playoffs as well. 

6. South Dakota State Jackrabbits.
    If I am a school president and was supposed to have a list of names for athletic director in my drawer just in case something happens, my list includes only one name.  That names is the athletic director of South Dakota State University.  In just a few short years of Division I competition he has the Jackrabbits good in many places.  They made the FCS playoffs last year and won a game.  They are in the top 10 this year.  They have made the field of 64 in both mens and women's basketball, and I think they have made the tournament in women's volleyball too.  Seeing how they continue to improve is a feel good story no one should over look.

7. Post Season Awards.
    It is always fun to see who is going to win the Walter Payton Award and the Buck Buchanan and Jerry Rice Awards.  This year there is a host of new candidates.  These award winners can come from anywhere, so they are hard to predict. 

8. NFL prospects.
    Yes this is a completely different question than the pervious question.  J.C. Sheritt was Buck Buchanan Award winner a few years ago and did not get drafted (he since has set the single season tackle record in the CFL).  2011 saw Bo Levi Mitchell win the Walter Payton, but not get drafted and Brian Quick be the first pick in the 2nd round.  So, watching pro-prospects is different altogether than Award winners.  Some of the states with no FBS school always seem to have prospects.  See Billy Turner, OL, and Marcus Williams, DB, of NDSU and Jordan Tripp, LB, along with Danny Kistler, OL, of Montana.  Delaware always seems to get transfers from FBS schools that end up as prospects, and this year is no exception with Zach Kerr a transfer from Maryland.  App State always seems to put people in the NFL, so just watch their games and take their best player.  They put as many people in the NFL draft last year as Nebraska, so scouts know about the program.  It seems every year there are more and more.  Keep an eye out.

9. Beating the FBS.
    We know now that this has already happened a few times.  NDSU beat K-State, and Southern Utah defeated South Alabama.  More are sure to follow, and these games make a lot of fun.  It does not always translate into FCS success, but it is fun to try and predict.  And it is always a big moment for that program.  (7 in week one)

10. Great Rivalries.
    There is always discussion about the greatest rivalries in sports every year, and the FCS is overlooked in those conversations.  "The Game" between Harvard and Yale has to be in that discussion.  And "The Bayou Classic" between Grambling and Southern is not to be missed for more than just the battle of the bands.  This year we also get to see Delaware and Delaware St. face off, and the history behind that one is amazing.  Add in Montana vs Montana State, which seems to have title implications every year, and NDSU vs. SDSU which is starting to have the same implications and you have several big games to watch.