Ochs gets high marks for keeping wits about him (Missoulian).
---
Extra Point - Week Eight: Southern Hospitality (Dougherty, TSN).
Georgia Southern #1, Griz #6 in Gridiron Power Index - GPI (I-AA.org).
I-AA West: Surprises and Disappointments (Schmidt, I-AA.org).
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Fourth-and-goal? Just the way MSU lineman likes it (Great Falls Tribune).
Carroll College: From the wing-T to winging it (Independent Record).

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Ochs gets high marks for keeping wits about him

By FRITZ NEIGHBOR of the Missoulian

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004 ... orts02.txt

You can call it luck or skill, but when Montana quarterback Craig Ochs was chasing down that fumbled shotgun snap at Eastern Washington, he did know where his receivers Levander Segars and Jefferson Heidelberger were.

Ochs grabbed the ball, dodged one tackler, then fired a nearly blind pass downfield while getting hit. Segars broke off his route, came back to the ball and a 17-yard loss turned in a 25-yard gain on third-and-18. It was one of the more memorable plays in Montana's wild 31-28 win Saturday.

"Craig made a good play to get the ball, and then threw it in the open area," Montana coach Bobby Hauck said Tuesday. "It looked a lot like the touchdown Dane Oliver had at Sac State last year (in a 26-0 Griz win), where he came back for the ball and the defenders couldn't get back. There were really two Eastern defenders who had a chance to make the play, and Levander is the guy who made the play."

Ochs said Tuesday that if the pass was intercepted, "It was as good as a punt," but that he was confident Segars could come back on the ball. Hauck gave Ochs high marks for the play, which probably seemed chancy to some.

"We got on him for dropping the shotgun snap," Hauck said. "But throwing the ball for a big gain, where only our guy could get to it, that's a good play."

It was a deflating play for Eastern Washington, although the Eagles, who trailed 21-13 after Lex Hilliard capped the drive with the second of his three touchdowns, soon tied the score.

The Grizzly staff is looking forward to a solid week of practice and some recruiting this weekend while the team is idle. The Grizzlies' next game is Oct. 30 at Portland State. Getting players over their injuries is another concern, but not a major one, Hauck said.

"You know, we're pretty healthy now," he said. "We're getting healthier every week, so that's not a major issue. Right now it'll be a chance to get back and work on some fundamentals, which when you get into October sort of get left behind, to a degree."

Hauck has several Grizzly Scholarship Association commitments this week, but said the staff will be watching football games around the state on the weekend.

While Montana is off this weekend, a pair of former Grizzly defensive backs will battle Saturday at 1 p.m. on Rocky Mountain College's Klindt Field. Vernon Smith, who transferred out of Montana after getting his degree this summer, is making big plays for Eastern Oregon University, an NAIA school in LeGrande. The Mountaineers are visiting Rocky this week, and the host Bears boast Chris Colvin, who just celebrated his 26th birthday on Oct. 12, in their defensive backfield.

Colvin, a junior out of Inglewood, Calif., was named the NAIA national special teams player of the week by Don Hanson's Football Gazette for his work in Rocky's 24-12 win over Montana State-Northern on Oct. 2. He had three punt returns for 127 yards - including a 64-yarder - and one kickoff return for 37 yards in the win. Colvin, who also plays some receiver, caught a 43-yard touchdown pass on Rocky's first play from scrimmage. He also had two of his three interceptions on the year in that game. It was the lone win for the 1-5 Bears, in their first season under former Griz player and assistant coach Dave Reeves.

Smith, a senior out of San Diego, had three interceptions for Eastern Oregon, and returned two of them for touchdowns. He has 22 tackles, two for losses, and has seen time on special teams and on offense. He's averaged 38 yards on three kickoff returns and has two receptions, taking one 39 yards for a TD.

Smith was first-team All-Big Sky and an honorable mention All-America at safety for Montana in 2002, but sat out the latter part of '03 with a neck injury that required surgery. After that he was suspended for six months after a January off-field incident involving a gun.

Colvin was an honorable-mention all-Big Sky pick at corner in 1998, then left after his sophomore season after becoming academically ineligible.

Quick kicks: According to the latest NCAA statistics, Sam Houston State, the lone team to beat Montana this season, is first in Division I-AA in passing efficiency. The BearKats are followed by, among others, run-first Georgia Southern in second and Eastern Washington in sixth. Hofstra is rated 12th, and Montana is 14th nationally. ... In net punting, Montana's average of 38.85 yards in ninth nationally, just ahead of Montana State's 38.40. First is Northern Arizona at 44.39. ... Sam Houston State, Idaho State and Hofstra rank 2-3-4 in passing yards per game and Eastern Washington is eighth. The good news is that the Grizzlies' next opponent, Portland State, is ranked 86th. ... Portland State and Montana are 1-2 in the Big Sky in rushing defense, at 117.2 and 118.4 yards. That ranks the Vikings and Griz 23rd and 24th nationally. ... Montana's turnover margin of plus-11 is fifth in I-AA.


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Extra Point - Week Eight: Southern Hospitality

By Matt Dougherty, The Sports Network

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.as ... 558219.htm

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - My travel schedule reminds me of the movie "Groundhog Day" every weekend.

At first, I was a little confused and disoriented like weatherman Phil Connors. I drive to the Philadelphia airport on Saturday before the break of dawn after little sleep, travel for about four or five hours, watch a football game, sleep a little bit or not all, and fly right back to the City of Brotherly Love before the break of dawn Sunday. By about the third trip, the routine was becoming all too familiar. I was always looking for a Ned Ryerson to punch out at the airport.

But now, I've moved into the midpoint of the movie. You know, the fun part. After Connors figured out he was going to keep living the same day over and over, and before the picture turned into a love story and came to a predictable conclusion. I'm at that part when he was eating whatever he wanted, taking the groundhog and driving off a cliff, stealing money and going after random girls in town.

That's where I'm at with these trips. I figured out in a hotel room in Lexington, Kentucky at about 2 a.m. that I might as well just go all out because the two or three hours of sleep was meaningless. I put the plan into action and had a great time on the town in St. Louis with a college friend after the Southern Illinois game, and stepped it up a notch with the best trip of the season last weekend in Natchitoches.

I say the best trip of the season, but it was the worst game. Northwestern State pummeled a poor man's McNeese State, and the game was ugly and sloppy to boot. The teams combined for 31 total penalties and 270 total yards in penalties. In one stretch, a pair of Northwestern State offsides calls and a pair of McNeese State false start penalties only served to even each other out. The Demons had a fumble return for a touchdown called back on a penalty. Even the game's prettiest play, a 46-yard scamper for a score by Northwestern State quarterback Davon Vinson, was tarnished by a 15-yard unsportsmanlike call when Vinson dove into the endzone.

Even before I went out Saturday night, I was impressed with the gameday scene at Northwestern State. I was able to tailgate with a Northwestern State message board regular and the pre-game scene with both fans of the rival teams was a great atmosphere.

But it was the postgame experience that made my trip to Northwestern State a memorable one. Northwestern State SID Doug Ireland convinced a few dedicated students on his staff to take me out for a few drinks and some fried alligator for a half-hour or so. I am just a year and a half out of college, and now I was out on the town with post-game partying going on. A half-hour became six hours pretty quick.

Thanks to a lovely hostess and eventually group of hostesses, I partied like it was May 2003 all over again. Known as Matt from Philadelphia for the night, I learned more about Louisiana than I ever imagined possible. I found out the entire state is actually not Cajun and I think I even pronounced Natchitoches correctly on one occasion. I made a visit to a college bar/club for the night, and even got to see a catfight (always a plus). If there's any question how good the night was, I only have to say one thing. I actually danced. Doesn't happen often and without some outside influences.

After a few hours of relaxing, it was back to Shreveport to catch the 6:30 a.m. flight to Memphis. Seeing Hulk Hogan in the terminal capped off a great weekend, and sleeping on the three-hour flight from Memphis to Philadelphia made Sunday at least manageable.

The sleep came in handy when I had to respond to e-mail after e-mail from Montana fans. You'd have thought I was about 40 points off on the prediction as opposed to the touchdown or so that I missed by. I'll give credit to Montana fans, though. None of the magic words were included when discussing my failed pick against the Griz (and believe me, they have been before) and the tone of the e-mails was very upbeat even while mocking my prognostication.

Now that we're approaching the middle of the week, I think I've recovered from Saturday night. I realize now much I underestimated the importance of sleeping until noon on Sundays and taking naps almost whenever I wanted during the college days. This weekend, I won't have the same early morning flights and long hours with just an hour and a half drive to Delaware. I might not spend the night and Newark might not get a chance to live up to Natchitoches, but hopefully I can have another great time and not move toward the end of my personal "Groundhog Day" anytime soon.

WEEK SEVEN NOTEBOOK

Co-Teams of the Week: James Madison, Montana, Stephen F. Austin

What about Georgia Southern? What about Southern Illinois? For anyone asking those questions, I understand. But the Eagles and Salukis have distanced themselves from the rest of the I-AA pack enough that the lopsided final scores this weekend were just not all that shocking. And no, I don't simply pick these three teams because they all proved me wrong by winning. Actually, I figured each would be locked in a close battle that would come down to the final minutes, and for the first 58 minutes or so of each game that analysis was right. But most times when a play needs to be made at the end of the game, the home team has the edge. All three of these teams made crucial plays at the end of the game and captured huge road victories over their ranked opponents. James Madison trailed Maine, 20-10, but controlled the fourth quarter for the victory. The Dukes pulled to within 20-17 in the opening seconds of the quarter, but appeared to have lost their opportunity to pull out the game when they turned the ball over on downs with 2:21 to play. The last two minutes were nearly perfect for James Madison. A 35-yard punt return led to a four-play, 55- yard drive that spanned just 24 seconds. The Dukes grabbed the win 23-yard touchdown pass from Justin Rascati to D.D. Boxley with 48 seconds remaining. While James Madison was coming back, Montana and Stephen F. Austin both held on in the final minute. The Grizzlies led the back and forth game with Eastern Washington, 31-28, but the Eagles had all the momentum and the ball in the final minute. But Montana halted the Eastern Washington drive inside the red zone, and for a second straight week the Grizzlies won behind a blocked field goal in the final seconds. Shane MacIntyre got his paw on the ball and the Grizzlies moved to 6-1. Stephen F. Austin took a 14-0 lead at Davis, but fell behind 19-14 in the second half. The Lumberjacks responded with an efficient 10-play, 79-yard drive and took a 22-19 lead with a touchdown and two-point conversion with about six minutes to play. After forcing an Aggie punt, the Lumberjacks offense did the job and ran out the clock behind running back Derek Farmer. All three teams have just one loss, so they wouldn't have been fighting for their playoff lives even if they fell Saturday. But with big road victories, all three are sitting pretty comfortable and added a quality road win to show to the playoff selection committee in November.

Mid-Major Team of the Week: Monmouth

In their last road game of the season, the Hawks escaped with a win at Albany and are in great position to keep the heat on Dayton in the race for the Sports Network Cup. Albany was only 2-4 and ranked ninth in the Sports Network Mid- Major Top 10, but the Great Danes had played a host of tough I-AA teams and were considered by many as one of the top NEC teams. Down 24-22, the Hawks won their second game on the final play of the season when Joe Andriola nailed a 23-yard field goal. Monmouth plays Georgetown this week, and has its chance to make a run in the Mid-Major race if Dayton falters.

Best Top 25 Win: No. 1 Southern Illinois 38, No. 4 Western Kentucky 10

Tough call between Georgia Southern and the Salukis, but I think we all found out what Georgia Southern was capable off when it thrashed Wofford a month ago. The Salukis, even though they have been at No. 1 for over a month, we were not so sure about just yet. Southern Illinois was winning and winning most of its games big, but just got by Northern Iowa in the only game against a ranked opponent. With the Hilltoppers in town, the Salukis had a chance to make a statement and they did. Southern Illinois more than doubled Western Kentucky's output in the running game took a 28-3 lead by the end of the third quarter. The Salukis won the turnover battle against a team making its living on other teams mistakes. If the game was much closer, the Salukis might not be No. 1 right now. As it is, the statement win kept them in the top spot for at least one more week.

Worst Top 25 Loss: Massachusetts 38, No. 7 New Hampshire 21

The Minutemen were too talented to stay in a funk forever, but the Wildcats sure helped them break out of it with a very subpar effort at home. New Hampshire was supposed to struggle to make the playoffs because of seven road games and only four at home, but now the Wildcats are 4-0 on the road and 0-2 in Durham. Freshman Ricky Santos struggled for the first time in his young career and the Wildcats turned to Mike Granieri for part of the game. New Hampshire was able to cut the Minutemen's lead to 24-21 in the third quarter, but managed just 99 yards and committed four turnovers the rest of the way. The Wildcats are far from done with two losses and three strong wins, but the losses are both in the Atlantic 10 and New Hampshire leaves itself with little margin for error the rest of the way.

Game of the Week: Montana State 31, Portland State 24 (OT)

In a week filled with contests decided in the final minutes, this game had a little bit of everything. Two teams needing a win badly, a stellar individual performance, a comeback, a last second play and overtime all combined to make it the best of the week. Portland State scored on its first two drives and still held a 21-10 edge going into the fourth quarter. Quarterback Travis Lulay got on fire for the Bobcats in the final quarter. Lulay found Rick Gatewood for a 42-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 21-17, but Portland State added a field goal and led, 24-17, with under two minutes remaining. Starting at his own 18, Lulay completed seven passes including a 28-yard strike on third and 10. On the last play of regulation, Justin Domineck scored from one yard out to tie the game. In overtime, Domineck scampered in from 17 yards out and Montana State went on to the victory. The Bobcats moved to 4-2 and stayed undefeated in conference, and sit tied in the loss column with rival Montana for the Big Sky lead.

Play of the Week: With both teams trying to preserve a perfect record in Patriot League play, Lafayette made two great stops on one play to hold off Bucknell and win, 14-13. On the last play of the game, Bucknell kicker Ryan Korn lined up for a field goal. Lafayette's Joe Ort blocked the kick, but it didn't end there. Korn picked up the ball and headed toward the endzone. Lafayette's Torian Johnson made a second game-saving stop and tackled Korn inside the one and preserved the win for the Leopards.

Stat of the Week: -5

On 36 carries (including six Northwestern State sacks), McNeese went backwards five yards in the rushing game. The Cowboys best rusher, Kris Bush, took 15 carries to gain his 22 yards. The Purple Swarm defense of the Demons showed why it is No. 1 in the country, but McNeese also gave more reason to believe it's going to be a long final month in Lake Charles.

Quote of the Week: "I was embarrassed by the way we played in every aspect of this game. This was a championship-caliber game and we didn't show up."- Appalachian State head coach Jerry Moore after the Mountaineers lost, 54-7, to Georgia Southern

Now let's take a look at the week that was, and the week that will be, in I-AA football:

TWO STREAKS STOPPED, ONE STILL GOING

After 15 games and 13 months worth of losing, the prayers were finally answered at Holy Cross. At McNeese State, three years of winning came to an end while Penn's three-year run continued for at least one more week. Holy Cross ended its 15-game losing streak in resounding fashion, winning on the road at Dartmouth, 24-0. Senior tailback Steve Silva scored two touchdowns and the Crusaders posted a shutout for the first time since 1991. The Crusaders had not win since a 42-34 triumph over Georgetown on September 13, 2003. Texas Southern, which has lost its last 10 games dating back to October of last season, now assumes the nation's longest losing skid. While Holy Cross was celebrating the end of its agony, the McNeese State Cowboys were no doubt sulking in the end of their 16-game Southland Conference winning streak. The Cowboys lost a Southland game for the first time since the 2001 opener, and don't appear ready to start another winning streak anytime soon in the competitive league. The Ivy League is also tougher this season, with Harvard, Yale and Princeton primed to challenge Penn for the title. For now, the Quakers' conference streak continues. Penn defeated Columbia, 14-3, on Saturday and moved to 2-0 in the league. The Quakers have won their last 17 Ivy League games, though that streak will face a stiff test this weekend when Penn visits Yale.

NO CROOKED NUMBERS IN THE WIN COLUMN

Dartmouth's loss to Holy Cross kept the Big Green winless, but they have some company. The Big Green and Columbia both come in at 0-5, though one of the two will put one in the victory column when they meet this weekend. But the 0-5 mark is actually the best of the winless squads. Texas Southern, VMI, Austin Peay and Weber State are all of to 0-7 starts, while Chattanooga and Iona are both 0-6. None of the defeated teams is lucky enough to face a fellow winless squad, so they'll have to find a way to scrounge out a win in the season's final month or go 0-for-the season. Cal Poly, Harvard and Jacksonville State are I-AA's only remaining undefeated teams.

HOW'S THAT FIRST IMPRESSION?

When a coach is replaced, most schools are looking for a long-term turnaround to the direction of the program. If the switch pays dividends right away, all the better. Sixteen teams have new coaches this season, and like expected most have not produced a huge change in season one. The group has a composite record of 36-63 (.363) and most are not in playoff contention. The biggest headliner of the offseason, Massachusetts' Don Brown, has led the Minutemen to a 3-4 mark while Rocky Hager, who replaced Brown at Northeastern, has his club at 3-3. Fordham's Ed Foley and Arkansas Pine-Bluff's Maurice Forte are the only two with winning records right now, and Forte is the clear leader for biggest impact in the first season. Predicted to finish fourth in the SWAC west, the Golden Lions are a perfect 4-0 in the SWAC and are battling Southern for a spot in the SWAC title game.

TAKE THAT, MAC

Remember last year, when the Mid American Conference was the talk of college football. Not so this year. The Atlantic 10 is ranked ahead of the MAC in the latest Sagarin Rankings for the first time since the final rankings of the 1998 season, released on Sunday. The A-10 has a rating of 60.23, tops among I-AA Conferences for the seventh consecutive week, while the MAC has a rating of 60.06. The Atlantic 10 did finish ahead of the I-A Sun Belt Conference at the conclusion of the 2001 and 2003 seasons.

HUNTING FOR BUCK

Deer season is only about a month away, and in some places of Pennsylvania and New York that means a day off from classes and a week's worth of getting acquainted with the wilderness. Around the same time groups of orange clad hunters go searching for the prized buck, a group of elite I-AA defenders will be after a Buck of their own. And just like the journey for a real deer, the road for the Buck Buchanan Award is wide open. Five of the previous nine winners were linebackers, though no 'backer has won the honor since Derrick Lloyd of James Madison in 2001. While there is no clear leader right now, a collection of talented players at the linebacker position appear to be readying themselves for a run at the prestigious award. Here's a list of the top five candidates for the Buchanan Award right now, listed alphabetically because there no player deserves that No. 1 spot to himself. Don't forget, there's also a group of great players right below that could make a push over the final month.

Jordan Beck, Cal Poly: 62 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 1 sack, 3 INT, 5 PBU; Liam Ezekiel, Northeastern: 78 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks; William Freeman, Furman: 61 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 1 INT, 3 PBU, 1 FF; Boomer Grigsby, Illinois State: 80 tackles, 6.5TFL, 3 sacks, 2 FR, 2 FF, 2 PBU; Kevin Talley, Norfolk State: 105 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 3 FF, 1 FR

A WEEK FULL OF "TRAPS"

Take a quick look at the schedule's for the teams in this week's Sports Network top 25. There are only three games between ranked opponents, with only Delaware and Wofford among top 10 teams that face off with another ranked squad. But a closer inspection shows some very challenging games, especially on the road, for most of the top 25 teams. Seven of the nine top 10 teams that are in action take to the road, with Delaware playing at home against No. 14 William & Mary. Overall, 16 of the top 25 teams are on the road this weekend, and at least half of those teams have their hands full to bring home a victory. It starts with No. 1 Southern Illinois, which visits almost ranked Southwest Missouri State (5-2). No. 6 Cal Poly goes to the Fargodome to take on North Dakota State, and No. 8 Stephen F. Austin and No. 9 Northwestern State have to go on the road in the Southland. James Madison, Penn, Harvard and UC Davis all have challenging road trips against unranked yet talented conference foes. This week might not feature that many top contenders squaring off, but a loss to a lesser-ranked team could be a damaging blow come November 21st.

THE GAMES

I've already documented the Montana fans, but they weren't the only ones, just the most vocal. I also received e-mail from James Madison and Montana State supporters, both of whom saw their teams win close games in the final minute where I predicted them to lose close games in the final minutes. I also just missed on close wins by Lafayette, Stephen F. Austin and Southwest Missouri State. Before reading this week's picks and sitting behind the computer to send me a "you're wrong again" e-mail, keep this little quote handy:

"Predictions are right, or they are wrong, but the cutoff line for them being taken as vitally important should be age 14," Patrick Reusse, Columnist, Minneapolis Star Tribune, 10/18.

Last week's record: 23-10 (.697) Season record: 166-67 (.712)

THURSDAY

No. 9 Northwestern State (5-1) at Nicholls State (3-3), 7:00

The Demons have become pretty comfortable in Natchitoches. Northwestern State has a five-game winning streak, with the last four of those victories coming on home turf. This week, the Demons go on the road for the first time since Sept. 11 and winning away from home in conference play is never an easy task. But the Colonels are a very favorable matchup for Northwestern State and its stifling run defense. The Demons have held three of their last four opponents to negative yards rushing and lead the nation in rushing defense with just 52 yards per game and 1.54 yards per carry surrendered. Those statistics spell trouble for Nicholls State, which makes its living on offense through the ground game. The Colonels are in the top 10 nationally in rushing offense but are second from last in passing, so if the running game is held in check Nicholls State will have some trouble attacking through the air. Northwestern State also boasts the fifth-best rushing offense in the nation, and the ground game on both sides will be the difference in the Demons sixth straight victory. Prediction: Northwestern State 34, Nicholls State 13

QUICK HITS

Lafayette (5-2) at Fordham (4-2), 1:00

No one knows better than Lafayette that football is a game of inches. Earlier in the season, the Leopards held on to a 21-16 win at Richmond when the Spiders' last-second pass for a score was called back. Last week, Lafayette held a 14-13 edge at Bucknell. The Leopards' Joe Ort blocked a field goal, and Torian Johnson tracked down Bucknell kicker Ryan Korn inside the one-yard line to preserve another road win. The Leopards were outgained by more than 100 yards in both games but still came away with the win. The Leopards are 4-1 away from Easton, PA, and a win over the Rams would put them in great shape to make a surprising run at the Patriot League title with just one road game remaining. Fordham has played well to this point as well, with just a one-point loss and an overtime defeat keeping the Rams from a perfect record. I like Lafayette to put up big numbers on the ground with Joe McCourt, and do just enough yet again to hold on to the victory. Prediction: Lafayette 21, Fordham 20

Eastern Kentucky (3-3) at Vanderbilt (1-5), 2:00

This offseason could end up being a case of what could have been for the Colonels. Eastern Kentucky started the season 0-3 against three nationally ranked opponents, but has seen its offense get on track in a big way with Matt Guice back from injury at quarterback. With Guice at quarterback and C.J. Hudson at running back, the Colonels have scored 35 points or more in the last three games, all wins. The problem at this point is they may already be doomed in conference play because of a loss to undefeated Jacksonville State, and the OVC is highly unlikely to see two teams reach the playoff field. If they lose here, any slim chance for an at-large bid will be gone. Vanderbilt is one of the worst SEC teams, but it is still an SEC team. Eastern Kentucky's skill position players could keep them in the game for a while, but Vanderbilt will be too physical and too tough to handle on the lines for the Colonels to pull out the victory. Eastern Kentucky puts on a good performance in one of the few remaining games against a BCS level I-A team, but the Colonels will fall in the end. Prediction: Vanderbilt 35, Eastern Kentucky 27

Southern (5-2) at Alcorn State (4-2), 3:00

The Jaguars had to be a bit worried to start the season after last year's star quarterback, Quincy Richard, exhausted his eligibility. At the beginning of the year, it looked like Southern would struggle to approach the 2003 numbers on offense as the Jaguars looked very ordinary in a 2-2 start. But in the last three games, Thomas Ricks has exploded on the scene. Ricks passed for more than 400 yards and accounted for six total touchdowns in a comeback win against Alabama State, threw and ran for a touchdown against Alabama A & M, and finished just shy of 400 yards of total offense and had four touchdowns in an easy win against Jackson State. Alcorn State is second in the conference in points allowed, but other SWAC defenses had nice numbers before Ricks and the Jaguars got a hold of them. Ricks will stay hot and the Jaguars will move into a half game lead in the SWAC West with a fourth straight victory. Prediction: Southern 38, Alcorn State 20

South Dakota State (4-2) at Montana State (4-2), 3:05

By no means have the Bobcats been overwhelming, but they are winning the games they have to win. With only two losses, Montana State is the No. 2 team in the Big Sky and tied with Montana for the conference lead with a 3-0 mark. Montana State gutted out wins against Idaho State, Weber State and Portland State and will have to do the same against the Jackrabbits to have a good shot at the playoffs down the stretch. If the Bobcats lose, they could be in trouble with Northern Arizona, Eastern Washington and Montana still remaining on the schedule. South Dakota State had a week off after a close, last minute win over North Dakota State. The Jackrabbits have already knocked off Southern on the road and played Cal Poly tough to the end, so Montana State must be wary of yet another Great West team coming in and beating a Big Sky foe. I like Montana State's defense and the way Travis Lulay is playing, and the Bobcats will find a way again before a very tough close to the season. Prediction: Montana State 20, South Dakota State 17

Eastern Washington (4-3) at Weber State (0-7), 3:05 The first quarter or maybe even the first half of this game will be very interesting to watch. The Eagles might have some trouble getting up for the game in the early going after what transpired last weekend against Montana. The Eagles missed a great opportunity when Montana held on for a 31-28 win on a blocked field goal in the closing seconds at Cheney. If Eastern Washington had come away with the win, it would probably be in the top 15 and would have the inside track to the automatic bid in the Big Sky. As it is, Eastern Washington is not finished for a Big Sky title or at-large playoff berth, but it has some work to do on both fronts. The Eagles did still play well in spurts against Montana, and with their offensive firepower Eastern Washington should be able to overwhelm Weber State. The Eagles finish the year with Cal Poly and Montana State, and if they get by Weber State this week and Sacramento State next week they'll have a shot to stay in the playoff race by winning out. As coaches always say, let's take it one game at a time. The Eagles complete step one by whipping up on the Wildcats. Prediction: Eastern Washington 41, Weber State 17

Western Illinois (4-3) at Northern Iowa (2-4), 4:05

With games remaining against Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois, the Leathernecks have a very slim shot at making a run to the playoffs. Considering the defense routinely surrenders at least 30 points a game, their chances are probably closer to none than slim. But the Leathernecks are worth keeping an eye on with the numbers Travis Glasford is putting up at running back. Glasford leads the nation with 219 all-purpose yards per game, is third in rushing yards per game and second nationally with 12 touchdowns. If he can continue that production against the challenging remaining schedule, Glasford will keep himself very much in the race for the Walter Payton Award. Northern Iowa's playoff hopes are probably even worse than Western Illinois, but the Panthers can show some pride and prove how talented they are by winning out. Northern Iowa just escaped Youngstown State with a win last week, but they'll play better at home and at least contain Glasford enough to come away with the win. Prediction: Northern Iowa 31, Western Illinois 27

Portland State (3-3) at Northern Arizona (3-3), 6:35

In game seven of the season, the Lumberjacks didn't expect to face an elimination game. But at 3-3, Northern Arizona cannot afford to suffer a fourth overall loss and second loss in conference and still have any legitimate plans to play in the postseason. Portland State is in the same predicament, and though not much was expected of the Vikings they have played reasonably well in five of their six games so far this season. Other than their games against Eastern Washington, both teams have played well on the defensive side of the ball. I expect the defenses to come to play again, but Northern Arizona has better playmakers on offense with Jason Murrietta and Roger Robinson. It will probably come down to fourth quarter execution, but Murrietta will find a way to get the job done and keep the playoff hopes alive. Prediction: Northern Arizona 27, Portland State 21

No. 25 UC Davis (5-1) at Southern Utah (2-4), 9:00

UC Davis earned a lot of respect last week, maybe even more than the Aggies earned in winning their first five games of the season. When the wins come over the bottom of the Big Sky and mediocre Great West teams, not many in the national media seem to notice. But with a good performance and near victory against Stephen F. Austin, UC Davis should have no image problems the rest of the way. The Aggies have another chance to prove themselves next week against Cal Poly, but have to get past a tough test from Southern Utah first. The Thunderbirds are only 2-4, but they've played five of the first six games on the road and have lost every game by a touchdown or less. Casey Rehrer and the Southern Utah offense will provide a stiff test for the strong Aggies' defense, and the game should once again come down to the final minutes for the Thunderbirds. UC Davis got some good close-game experience last week, and sometimes losing becomes contagious for teams that are always on the brink and can't break through. That might be the case for Southern Utah right now, and UC Davis will slide by and set up the best game of the year in the Great West next week at Cal Poly. Prediction: UC Davis 27, Southern Utah 24

Towson (3-3) at No. 24 Villanova (4-3), 3:00

Villanova finally got it all together with a 49-10 win against Richmond. Quarterback Marvin Burroughs appears to be turning the corner after his third straight strong outing, and the defense recovered from a two-game slump to hold the Spiders under three yards per carry and below 300 yards of total offense. Remember, Villanova was the preseason pick to win the A-10 South and has enough good players to make a final playoff push in the last four games of the season. The Wildcats will have their work cut out in the final two games against William & Mary and Delaware, but have an excellent shot to put themselves in position by beating Towson and Rhode Island. After starting the season with a good effort at Delaware, Towson has been blown out by Northeastern and Rhode Island and is playing more like the last-place team it was picked to be. The Wildcats win a second straight game and both units play well for a second straight week. Prediction: Villanova 35, Towson 13

Holy Cross (1-5) at No. 18 Colgate (4-2), 1:00

What a difference a win makes for Holy Cross. The Crusaders had given up more than 30 points in the first five games, all losses, and were staggering with the nation's longest losing streak at 15 games. Last week at Dartmouth, the Crusaders' fortunes took a huge turn. Holy Cross shutout Dartmouth, and ended the losing streak in surprisingly easy fashion with a 24-0 victory. I don't expect the Crusaders to suddenly become the hottest team in the nation, but they might be able to hang in with Colgate for a while. The Raiders haven't shown enough consistency to convince me they can blow anyone away, and are not playing like a top 25 team at the moment. Still, Colgate is one of the top two teams in the Patriot League and has pulled through the last two weeks with close victories. Colgate sets up a big matchup at Lehigh with a win against the Crusaders, but Holy Cross continues its improved play and keeps it close. Prediction: Colgate 24, Holy Cross 10

Bucknell (3-3) at No. 16 Lehigh (5-1), 1:00

Last week's comeback victory at Yale was absolutely huge for the Mountain Hawks. In a worst-case to make the playoffs scenario, the Lehigh might be able to afford a second loss this season and still have a shot at an at-large bid if it doesn't win the Patriot League. If they win out the rest of the way, which is possible against a favorable schedule, Lehigh might even end up with a case for a first-round playoff game. But enough with the long-term picture, because Bucknell will not be an easy victory for the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh has the most complete team in the league, but Bucknell has a strong defense and unique rushing offense that can be tough to stop. The Bison were a play away from defeating Lafayette and also coming into this game with an unblemished record in Patriot League play. The Bison will prove to be a challenge, but Lehigh is looking good right now. Mark Borda has played well of late at quarterback and the Mountain Hawks defense is still the best in the league. Lehigh will win by a few touchdowns and set up next week's first-place showdown with Colgate. Prediction: Lehigh 27, Bucknell 14

No. 13 James Madison (5-1) at Richmond (2-4), 3:00

With one of the best defenses in the nation and an ability to make timely plays, James Madison has emerged from the Atlantic 10 pack as one of the three leading playoff contenders. The Dukes rank sixth nationally in total defense and are allowing less than 100 yards per game on the ground. They did give up a big chunk to Maine's Marcus Williams last week, but the offense came through in the fourth quarter and James Madison remained perfect in the A-10 and against I-AA competition. After a surprising win to open conference play at Massachusetts, Richmond has gone in the wrong direction in a hurry. The Spiders lost close home games to Lafayette and Maine, and were blown out by Villanova a week ago. Richmond does most of its damage in the rushing game, and will have trouble putting up much yardage against the tough Dukes' defense. The Spiders do defend the run pretty well and could keep the game close for a half or so, but James Madison has too much on both sides of the ball. Prediction: James Madison 31, Richmond 17

No. 12 Jacksonville State (6-0) at Tennessee Tech (4-2), 8:00

Tennessee Tech has played a bit better than predicted with a 4-2 record, but they haven't exactly faced the toughest competition. The Golden Eagles have two victories against winless teams and have not faced anyone near the caliber of Jacksonville State in their I-AA games. Tennessee Tech did put up a pretty good effort at South Florida, so a close game against the Gamecocks is not out of the question. But it will take a huge defensive effort to slow down Jacksonville State right now. The Gamecocks are clicking on offense, and running back Oscar Bonds has stepped in to lead the nation with 13 touchdowns in his first year as a starter. I would not bet against Jacksonville State running the table and staying undefeated with a pretty easy schedule left, and we won't know how good the Gamecocks really are until the playoffs. The Gamecocks win another OVC game by double digits. Prediction: Jacksonville State 34, Tennessee Tech 13

Northern Colorado (1-6) at No.11 Sam Houston State (5-1), 2:00

If I were told before the year that one team is 1-6 and the other 5-1 coming into this game, I would have bet the other way around. Not that I thought either team would be so bad or so good, but Northern Colorado is one of the nation's biggest disappointments while Sam Houston State is among the country's biggest surprises. The Bearkats already own a win over Montana and only suffered a close loss to Southwest Missouri State, and are in great shape for a run at the playoffs even if they lose another game or two along the way. Dustin Long has been as good as advertised and transformed the Bearkat offense from a solid unit with quality running back and receivers to an almost unstoppable force. The quarterback play has been a big difference for Northern Colorado as well, but not in a positive way. Tony Christensen has struggled with just eight touchdown passes and 12 interceptions, and only Payton Award candidate Vincent Jackson has been a bright spot for the Bears. Jackson and Long both have a shot to play on Sundays in the future, so fans at Sam Houston State will be treated to two of the most skilled individual players in I-AA. They'll also enjoy a fifth straight Bearkat victory. Prediction: Sam Houston State 42, Northern Colorado 21

No. 8 Stephen F. Austin (5-1) at Texas State (2-4), 8:00

Statistically speaking, these teams are very close. Texas State is 29th in total offense and 78th in total defense, while the Lumberjacks are 41st in total offense and 69th in total defense. They've both played schedules that are among the best in the country. So how is Stephen F. Austin three games better than the Bobcats? The Lumberjacks just find a way. After the way they've won four of their five games this season, there's no other way to explain it. Stephen F. Austin has three wins over ranked opponents, two on the road, and every game was within a touchdown. They also defeated Southern Utah by a field goal. With Michael Williams, Tony Tompkins and Derek Farmer, the Lumberjacks have three players that can make big plays on offense and the defense always seems to come up huge at the right time. Texas State did knock off Southeastern Louisiana in double overtime, but has three losses by a touchdown. The Bobcats are usually good at hanging around, but have had a tough time closing the deal and pulling out victories. We're far enough into the season to believe the trends will continue, and the Lumberjacks will win by a touchdown or less again. Prediction: Stephen F. Austin 24, Texas State 17

No. 7 Furman (5-2) at Elon (2-4), 6:00

Furman recovered nicely after the loss to Appalachian State by beating up on The Citadel Saturday. The Paladins get to beat up on another one of the Southern Conference's doormat teams before taking a week off to prepare for the showdown with Georgia Southern. The Georgia Southern and Wofford games will show a lot about Furman, as the Paladins have hung in with the good teams they've played but lost games to Pittsburgh and Appalachian State by the smallest in margins. Furman has proven an ability to thrash teams that are much less skilled, and Elon falls into that group. The Paladins' offense has posted at least 29 points in every game, and Elon's 95th ranked defense doesn't stand much of a chance to slow down that success. Furman wins in another blowout before the bye week and very difficult close to the season. Prediction: Furman 38, Elon 10

No. 2 Georgia Southern (6-1) at The Citadel (1-4), 2:00

The Citadel's own website gives a great indication of how tough the schedule has been for the Bulldogs. The headline "No rest in sight for weary Bulldogs" sums it up pretty well. The Citadel has the nation's 53rd toughest schedule. That includes all of I-A football as well, and is tougher than South Carolina, Virginia and Texas. The Bulldogs have already lost at Auburn, Duke and Furman, and still have Georgia Southern and Wofford before the brutal slate finally comes to an end. With the exception of Auburn, the Eagles are probably the toughest opponent in that stretch for The Citadel. It's well documented that Georgia Southern is an absolute machine right now, and the Eagles are doing pretty much whatever they want to every opponent. Georgia Southern will add to The Citadel's misery and come away with another easy win. Prediction: Georgia Southern 52, The Citadel 10

GOOD GAMES

No. 22 Harvard (5-0) at Princeton (4-1), 1:00

The underrated Ivy League boasts four legitimately good teams. It's a shame we'll never get to find out how good they are, but that's another topic altogether. If the Ivy League had a playoff berth, the Crimson and Tigers would be engaged in a battle for first-place in the conference and the inside track to that playoff spot right now. As it is, the game is still huge in the standings and matches two teams that are almost both undefeated. Harvard does have the perfect record, and the Crimson are getting better from week to week. After an escape in a win against Brown, the Crimson were impressive against Lafayette and Cornell and nearly perfect in a blowout win against Northeastern. Clifton Dawson and Ryan Fitzpatrick are forming one of the best duos in the nation at running back and quarterback, and the defense stepped up to shut down a good Northeastern offense. Dawson has already ran for 670 yards and Fitzpatrick has stepped in when he has too. Princeton's defense has a very tough chore to stop the hot Harvard offense, but the Tigers have been up to the challenge so far this season. After finishing 2-8 with a number of close calls and tough losses last season, Princeton has turned it around this year. The Tigers have won most of the close games and are playing with confidence on both sides of the ball. Last week, Princeton held a very good Brown offense to just two yards per carry on the ground. The Tigers will need that confidence in the end against Harvard, but I like the Crimson's offense to overcome Princeton's defense. Harvard stays undefeated with a 10-point win. Prediction: Harvard 31, Princeton 21

No. 21 Penn (4-1) at Yale (3-2), 12:00

Penn's 17-game conference winning streak is second to only Duquesne for the longest current streak of any team, but the Quakers will face their greatest challenge in years to keep that streak alive this season. Later in the year, Princeton and Harvard will both provide a challenge to Quakers. That's if they even get past Yale and its talented offense. The Elis had Lehigh on the ropes last week with a 14-point lead, but could not finish off a second win over a ranked Patriot League opponent. Alvin Cowan is capable of taking the game over and Robert Carr has been very effective at running back. However, Yale has yet to face a defense as good as the Quakers. Penn has given up just three points in two Ivy League games, and the defense has posted a solid effort in every game so far this season. The Quakers' offense is nowhere near as explosive as last season, but quarterback Pat McDermott has progressed every week and has done a great job controlling the ball with just one interception. The teams are very closely matched, and often times the intangible advantages go to the home team. But someone has to beat Penn before the Quakers lose their confidence, and I like Penn's chances in what will be a close game. Prediction: Penn 21, Yale 17

Northeastern (3-3) at No. 19 Maine (3-3), 2:00

A pair of very good teams meet in Orono, Maine, and by the end of the day one will be effectively out of the playoff race. The Huskies have lost a close game to Navy and another in overtime, while Maine has lost its three contests to top 15 teams and fell twice in the final minute of the game. With Maine's schedule, the Black Bears might have a very outside shot with a fourth loss but they don't want to go down that road in the middle of the season. Both defenses should be playing a lot better than they currently are. Northeastern was torched by William & Mary, Villanova and Harvard and can't seem to get it together for 60 minutes. Maine's defense has put up some better performances, including a great effort at Mississippi State, but has failed twice with the game on the line. Not surprisingly, the offenses for both teams are also very comparable. And not surprisingly, both teams have had good but not great production from the offense. It's been enough to win some games and hang in most of the rest, but not enough to get over the hump. Maine's Marcus Williams had his biggest game of the season last week against a tough James Madison defense, and if he keeps it up the Black Bears have a shot to get on a nice winning streak. Maine knows what's ahead of them, but the Black Bears have played everybody tough and just haven't closed the deal enough. Maine is due for a complete game, and the Black Bears figure to come out with an inspirational effort after assistant coach Jeff Cole passed away this week. Prediction: Maine 28, Northeastern 13

Hofstra (3-3) at No. 15 New Hampshire (4-2), 12:00

I don't know if Ricky Santos felt the pressure of Mike Granieri's return as the backup, or if he was just due for a bad day against a pretty tough Massachusetts pass defense. But the redshirt freshman looked like a different player than the one we saw the first five weeks with a three-interception outing against the Minutemen. Santos has been named the starter this week, and will be challenged to honor the confidence shown in him against an improving Hofstra defense. The Pride held down the Delaware offense for the better part of three quarters before bowing out and surrendering the final 13 points in a 20-19 loss. Bobby Seck was knocked out of that game with the Blue Hens, and if he can't go here the Pride offense loses quite a bit of its explosiveness. New Hampshire will have to run the ball better as well, or at least try some running plays after throwing more than 60 times against Massachusetts. Santos has played too good this year to come all the way down after one game, and still has a great target to throw to in wide receiver David Ball. Some people might think last week was the beginning of the end for the surprising Wildcats and Santos, but right now I believe that was more of an aberration than a trend and New Hampshire will bounce back with a strong performance. Prediction: New Hampshire 35, Hofstra 17

Indiana State (4-3) at No. 10 Western Kentucky (4-2), 5:00

Western Kentucky's 38-10 loss to Southern Illinois wasn't quite as bad statistically as the score indicated, but the Hilltoppers found out what happens when you lose the turnover battle. The team that had made a living off holding on to the ball and forcing opponents to turn it over gave the ball away four times and only forced one turnover by the Salukis. Even after the tough outing, Western Kentucky still leads the nation in turnover margin, though that may not play a huge role in the matchup with Indiana State. The Sycamores are +9 in turnover margin and have forced just one less turnover than the Hilltoppers. Both teams are also closely matched on the offensive side of the ball, but the Hilltoppers defense has been much better than Indiana State's. Even with 21 forced turnovers, Indiana State has surrendered 30 touchdowns and 430 yards per game. The Sycamores have been competitive in every Gateway game despite a 1-2 record, and have just run into trouble in the final minutes the past two weeks. They'll stay close again, but Lerron Moore and Justin Haddix will lead the Hilltoppers to a big day on offense and a home victory. Prediction: Western Kentucky 34, Indiana State 24

No. 6 Cal Poly (6-0) at North Dakota State (5-2), 2:00

If Anthony Garnett is for real at quarterback for the Mustangs, watch out. Cal Poly won its first five games mostly through a strong defense and special teams, and was only lacking consistent play at offense, and especially the quarterback position, to be considered as a serious contender. Garnett threw for 326 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for 74 more and another score in Cal Poly's 38-21 win against a pretty good Texas State team. Garnett was making just his second career start, and it's pretty safe to say he has secured the starting position for the time being. Looking at the teams on paper, the Mustangs appear to have a pretty good advantage. North Dakota State is just 2-2 against playoff level I-AA opponents, and the Bison offense has been inconsistent in those games. They do have wins against Southern Utah and Nicholls State, but North Dakota State has not played anyone near the caliber of Cal Poly to this point. The "X" factor is the Fargodome, where North Dakota State is 4-0 and always seems to put up its best effort. The Bison will put up a great effort again, and eventually Cal Poly's undefeated regular season will come to an end. But this week, Cal Poly will inch ever closer to a playoff berth and earn a hard-fought, road victory. Prediction: Cal Poly 24, North Dakota State 20

No. 1 Southern Illinois (6-1) at Southwest Missouri State (5-2), 2:30

The Salukis had been blowing people out; they just hadn't done it to a top 10 team. Now they have. Southern Illinois' running attack buried Western Kentucky and the Salukis forced four turnovers to run away with a 38-10 win and maintain the No. 1 ranking over red-hot Georgia Southern. But the Salukis can't get caught up in the press clippings right now, because a loss to SMS would put Southern Illinois in a tie for the conference lead. As good as SMS has been, the matchup with Southern Illinois does not look favorable. The Salukis have a top five rushing offense at least, and the Bears are among the bottom 25 teams in the nation at stopping the run. SMS has run the ball well itself and played pretty well on offense, but defenses from Indiana State and Western Illinois are like a JV squad compared to Southern Illinois. This could be the toughest game left in the Gateway for Southern Illinois, and it won't even be all that close. Prediction: Southern Illinois 38, Southwest Missouri State 14

MARQUEE MATCHUPS

No. 17 Hampton (6-1) at No. 20 South Carolina State (5-1), 1:30

Some in I-AA might not agree with two ranked teams out of the MEAC, but both the Pirates and the Bulldogs deserve their current standing. Outside of an odd loss to Delaware State, the Pirates have won every game by double digits and scored 38 points or more in every victory. Hampton's offense has been a juggernaut with 43 points per game and almost 440 yards of total offense per contest. And the Pirates have been proficient in both the running and passing game. Alonzo Coleman is averaging more than five yards per carry on the ground, while Princeton Shepherd ranks seventh in the nation with a 156.0 passing efficiency rating. Throw in the nation's No. 1 kickoff return man, Jerome Mathis, and No. 4 punt returner, Marquay McDaniel, and the Pirates boast a dynamic offense that can score from almost anywhere on the field. South Carolina State ranks a bit behind the Pirates on offense, but is still in the top 20 in scoring offense and total offense. But the Bulldogs have the best defense Hampton has seen all season. Last week in a showdown against Bethune- Cookman, South Carolina State shut down the Wildcats in the second half and went on to a 28-14 win. The Bulldogs have nine interceptions against just four touchdown passes allowed, and it will be a challenge for Hampton to approach their offensive numbers against such a tough unit. Both teams have largely put up the gaudy numbers against inferior competition, and the Hampton offense will be the biggest test for the SC State defense and vice versa. I'll give the slight edge to the Hampton offense, and Hampton's defense will do enough to hold down Brett Young and the Bulldogs. Hampton needs the win more with one loss already in conference play, and will prove that the Delaware State loss was just a fluke. Prediction: Hampton 31, South Carolina State 24

No. 5 Wofford (5-1) at No. 23 Appalachian State (4-3), 3:00

We might only be in October, but I'll go out on a limb and say Appalachian State's playoff fate is effectively sealed after this weekend. The Mountaineers are already at the critical three-loss mark, but the defeats came on the road against three good teams in Wyoming, Northwestern State and Georgia Southern. A win over Wofford would be the Mountaineers' second over a top five team, and with the remainder of the schedule Appalachian should win out and finish 8-3 with a victory here. That record would be good enough to get in, and a 7-4 mark would not. And if the Mountaineers do somehow lose to Chattanooga, Elon or Western Carolina for that devastating fourth loss, they would have no business talking about the playoffs anyway. Right now, it's hard to express a ton of confidence in either of these teams. Wofford is No. 5 in the country, but all we know about them is they lost big to Georgia Southern (which everyone has) and won against the lesser teams in the Southern Conference (which every good team would probably do). The Terriers do have a win at South Carolina State, which looks better by the week with the way the Bulldogs are playing. The Terriers are run, run, run and hardly ever pass. That's not necessarily a bad thing against an Appalachian State run defense that ranks among the worst in the country, but the Mountaineers should be prepared for the run-first attack after getting a heavy dose of it from Georgia Southern last weekend. Wofford's attack isn't exactly as productive as Georgia Southern's either, as the Terriers had trouble getting on track against a good Western Carolina defense last game. Wofford's pass defense has been very good, and has nearly three times as many interceptions as touchdowns allowed (11-4). But the Terriers have not faced an aerial attack like Appalachian State's to this point. In home games so far this season, Richie Williams, Davon Fowlkes and the Mountaineers' offense has lit up the scoreboard. Williams figures to have a bounce back game after struggling against Georgia Southern last weekend. I like the intangibles for Appalachian State in this game, too. The Mountaineers are playing at home, know they absolutely have to win the game, and have already faced tough opponents all season. Wofford is making a huge step up in class after four easy wins, and the Mountaineers will come out firing after last week's debacle. Wofford will have trouble coming from behind with the rushing offense, and the Mountaineers will earn a much-needed win. Prediction: Appalachian State 28, Wofford 17

GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 14 William & Mary (5-1) at No. 3 Delaware (5-1), 1:00

A nice, easy drive to the game of the week is just one of the highlights I'm looking forward to when I attend the critical matchup between the Tribe and the Blue Hens this weekend. It will be nice to wake up while it's light out on Saturday morning. It will also be refreshing to sleep on a Saturday night. Ah, the luxuries of having the best game in I-AA within just an hour and a half drive are numerous. But all that aside, the best plus in attending this game is seeing the teams that have emerged as two of the top three in the A-10 (along with James Madison) in person. The Tribe and the Blue Hens aren't far and above better than the rest of the conference, but they have found a way to win all season. William & Mary has a two-point win at New Hampshire, overtime win against Northeastern, and won by a touchdown last weekend against Rhode Island. Delaware won by a point against Hofstra last weekend to go with a four-point win over Towson and last-minute victory against Maine. Lang Campbell has been extremely efficient at quarterback for the Tribe, and has thrown just one interception with seven touchdown passes. But the Delaware pass defense is the best Campbell has faced all season. The Blue Hens have seven picks and have allowed just five touchdowns, and outside of a big second half by Maine the pass defense has been very good since the opener. The other units are much tougher to predict. Delaware's offense looked great against Maine, but hasn't put together a complete effort in any other game this season. Sonny Riccio has shown the potential to have big numbers at quarterback, but has yet to display the consistency. William & Mary's defense was great against New Hampshire, but had trouble shutting down Northeastern and was only mediocre against Rhode Island last week. When two teams are winning all the close games, it's very tough to say which will come out on top. Campbell has shown an ability to make plays at the end, but Delaware still has the character of a champion. The Blue Hens know how important this game is with three tough road contests up next, and I'm not going to be the one to bet against the defending champions, at home, in a game they need to win. Prediction: Delaware 31, William & Mary 28

MID-MAJOR GAME OF THE WEEK

Georgetown (2-4) at Monmouth (6-1), 1:00

A blowout loss to Stony Brook not withstanding, the Hawks have been just as good as last year. Ranked No. 3 in the Mid-Major poll, Monmouth has road wins against Robert Morris, Albany and Wagner and has its first chance to make a big statement against Georgetown. The Hoyas are having a tough year and have already lost big at Duquesne, but they've played better of late and have a win over VMI. Monmouth has the last four at home, and a win over the Hoyas will keep the Hawks in good shape for a run at the Sports Network Cup. Monmouth will keep up its ability to win close games and pull it out against Georgetown. Prediction: Monmouth 24, Georgetown 21

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Gridiron Power Index (GPI) through 10/16/04, Georgia Southern #1

I-AA.org

Georgia Southern remains ranked #1 for the third straight week in the Gridiron Power Index (GPI), the BCS-style ranking for I-AA and top indicator of at-large playoff selection. The Atlantic 10 Conference led the way with eight teams in the top 25; the Southern Conference placed four; the Southland Conference placed three; the Gateway Football Conference, the Big Sky Conference, the Great West Football Conference, and the Ivy League placed two each; the Ohio Valley Conference and the Patriot League placed one each. (Games through 10/16/04)

Rank Team
1 Georgia Southern
2 S Illinois
3 Cal Poly
4 Delaware
5 James Madison
6 Montana
7 William & Mary
8 Sam Houston St
9 Harvard
10 Furman
11 New Hampshire
12 W Kentucky
13 Jacksonville St
14 SF Austin
15 Maine
16 Northwestern St
17 Northeastern
18 Villanova
19 UC Davis
20 Wofford
21 E Washington
22 Appalachian St
23 Penn
24 Lehigh
25 Hofstra
26 Montana St
27 S Dakota St
28 Princeton
29 N Dakota St
30 Brown
31 Massachusetts
32 S Carolina St
33 Lafayette
34 SW Missouri St
35 SE Louisiana
36 Portland St
37 Rhode Island
38 Colgate
39 Hampton
40 Texas St
41 N Iowa
42 E Kentucky
43 N Arizona
44 Alabama St
45 Bucknell
46 Illinois St
47 Idaho St
48 Richmond
49 Towson
50 W Illinois
51 Indiana St
52 T S Utah
52 T Yale
52 T Fordham
55 Nicholls St
56 Bethune-Cookman
57 Southern Univ
58 E Illinois
59 W Carolina
60 N Colorado
61 The Citadel
62 Ark Pine Bluff
63 Dayton
64 T Cornell
64 T Murray St
66 Howard
67 Tennessee Tech
68 Sacramento St
69 Youngstown St
70 McNeese St
71 Tennessee St
72 Drake
73 Central Conn
74 Duquesne
75 Gardner Webb
76 San Diego
77 Liberty
78 T Weber St
78 T Florida A&M
80 Alcorn St
81 Alabama A&M
82 Elon
83 Samford
84 SE Missouri St
85 Grambling
86 Columbia
87 Monmouth
88 Robert Morris
89 Coastal Car
90 Jackson St
91 Georgetown
92 T Delaware St
92 T Morgan St
92 T Albany
95 Holy Cross
96 Charleston So
97 Stony Brook
98 Dartmouth
99 NC A&T
100 Chattanooga
101 Wagner
102 MS Valley St
103 Savannah St
104 T Prairie View
104 T Sacred Ht
106 Norfolk St
107 VMI
108 TN Martin
109 St Francis
110 Davidson
111 Morehead St
112 Valparaiso
113 T Jacksonville
113 T Marist
115 La Salle
116 TX Southern
117 Butler
118 St Peter's
119 Iona
120 Austin Peay

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I-AA West: Surprises and Disappointments

Kent Schmidt, I-AA.org, Western Columnist

http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=62283

Every year it seems like in football, regardless of division, we have surprise breakout teams. And on the other hand, we also have those head-scratchers; those teams that don't live up to their supposed potential.

This season is no different than any past season. Both the positive and negative areas have teams that fit the criteria this year in the I-AA West so far -- just past the mid-point in the season. Some teams are playing above their heads, while others are not living up to expectations.

Let's see who is where and what might happen the rest of the way in the I-AA West -- the Big Sky, Great West, and Southland Conferences.

Who are the