Games' final minutes have taken UM, PSU in different directions (Great Falls Tribune).
Griz wake up to new season (Missoulian).
---
Extra Point - Week Nine: Heart of a Champion (Dougherty, TSN).
Gridiron Power Index (GPI): Griz #6, Georgia Southern #1 (I-AA.org).
I-AA West: Southland Symmetry (Schmidt, I-AA.org).

***

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***


Games' final minutes have taken UM, PSU in different directions

By GEORGE GEISE, Great Falls Tribune

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/p ... 70312/1006

The Portland State Vikings aren't the best football team in the Big Sky Conference,
and they certainly aren't the worst, either.

But coach Tim Walsh's Vikings might be the unluckiest.

Portland State (1-3 conference, 3-4 overall) has lost its last two games at the wire
- falling 31-24 in overtime at Montana State on Oct. 16, and 21-20 at Northern
Arizona last Saturday. Both defeats were of the cruelest kind - the Vikings blew
significant leads in the final minutes.

"We feel like we were the better football team for 55 minutes in both of those
games," Walsh said Tuesday, "but we have to do it for 60 minutes.

This week, the Vikings face a Montana team that has squeaked out victories in its
last two outings - blocking late field goals to beat Idaho State 24-22 Oct. 9 and
Eastern Washington 31-28 a week later. The Grizzlies were idle last Saturday.

"That's really the difference between a mature team like Montana that finds ways to
win, and a young team like ours that has found ways to lose," Walsh said.

"I told the kids (Monday) that we have the No. 4 team in the country coming in here
this week and we have a chance to show the doubters that we have a good football
team," said Walsh.

The Vikings were good enough to lead Montana State 21-10 in the fourth quarter in
Bozeman, only to give up a tying touchdown on the final play of regulation, PSU also
was good enough to lead Northern Arizona 20-10 with seven minutes left in Flagstaff,
but a successful onside kick gave NAU the opportunity to boot a game-winning field
goal with 12 seconds left.

The Grizzlies (3-0 league, 6-2 overall) visit PGE Park Saturday afternoon (4:35
kickoff Mountain time). UM coach Bobby Hauck doesn't expect Portland State to keel
over for his team, which shares the Big Sky lead with Montana State.

"Portland State has been very unfortunate the last two weeks," Hauck said before
practice Tuesday. "They probably should have won both games, but things didn't
bounce their way.

"When you play Portland State, there are three things you know - they're going to
run the ball, they're going to stop the run, and they're going to play hard. You do
those things and you have a chance to win every game."

This will be UM's final road game of the season, since the Griz play their final
three games in the friendly confines of Washington-Grizzly Stadium. With continued
success, there will be I-AA playoff games in Missoula, as well.

"We've been gone a lot in October, but we're not looking at next month," Hauck said.
"The only team on our schedule this week is Portland State."

The Grizzlies had little trouble with PSU a year ago, beating the Vikings 42-14 in
Missoula. Quarterback Joe Wiser completed only 11 of 27 passes for 183 yards and
threw two interceptions in that game, but he connected twice for TDs.

"Wiser at times is a very good thrower," said Hauck, "and I was impressed with their
receivers, too."

Wiser ranks seventh among Big Sky passers with only 158 yards per game, and he has
thrown more interceptions (eight) than touchdowns (seven)."

Walsh said his 6-3, 210-pound senior has been more efficient lately.

"Other than his last pass of the first half in Bozeman and his last throw (in
Flagstaff), he hasn't thrown any to the other team," said Walsh. "We dropped a
touchdown pass in both games, too.

"That's part of our problem, the guys aren't catching the football as well as we
have to."

PSU starts two freshmen on the offensive line, including a 17-year-old from Hawaii,
Brennan Carvalho (6-1, 280). They open holes for two of the top five rushers in the
Big Sky, senior Ryan Fuqua (607 yards) and junior Joe Rubin (426).

"We've been going with who's the healthiest at running back," said Walsh. "We've
been pretty banged up, but I expect both guys will play against Montana."

PSU is second in the league in rush offense at 185 yards per game, and will be going
against a rush defense that allows only 118 yards per game.

"It's our strength against their very good front four," said Walsh.

UM leads the series 21-10 and has won the last four games between the rivals.

***


Griz wake up to new season

By BOB MESEROLL of the Missoulian

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004 ... orts01.txt

The University of Montana men's basketball team looked a tad tired by the end of its
Maroon-Silver scrimmage Tuesday night at Dahlberg Arena.

It's hard to blame the Griz. It was nearly past their bedtime.

First-year coach Larry Krystkowiak has been holding morning workouts since practice
began on Oct. 16. Some begin as early as 5:30 a.m.




"It's what Krysko wants, maybe a little change, a little discipline on the team,"
Griz junior Kevin Criswell said of the pre-dawn workouts. "I think it's helping us."

It certainly hasn't hurt their shooting. Ten players scored in double figures in the
40-minute scrimmage played in front of several hundred fans.

"I think we made more than our fair share of shots, which helps make a scrimmage
look a little better," said Krystkowiak. "I don't know what it says for our
defense."

Acrobatic sophomore Matt Dlouhy led the way with 21 points, followed by freshmen
Matt Martin with 19 and Jordan Hasquet with 17.

"It was exciting," said Hasquet, a 6-foot-8 Missoula Sentinel product. "It's a whole
new level, that's obvious. I'm not the biggest guy on the court any more. You've got
to out-quick those bigger guys and play hard all the time."

Martin, from Spearfish, S.D., and sophomore Brian Lynch (10 points) handled the
majority of minutes at point guard. That's a role the Griz will need to fill after
the graduation of Derrick Mansell.

"Those guys don't have a whole lot of time under their belts," Krystkowiak said.
"They're being asked to do a lot. They're settling in and getting more comfortable
each day."

Another newcomer, guard Virgil Matthews from Centralia (Wash.) Community College,
added 16 points, as did junior center John Seyfert. Last season's leading scorers,
senior Kamarr Davis and Criswell, had 15 and 13 points, respectively. Junior Corey
Easley, with 12, and freshman Andrew Strait, with 10, rounded out the double-figure
scorers.

Krystkowiak ticked off a number of reasons for holding the red-eye practices. There
are conflicts with facilities at this time of the year, it frees up the afternoon
for studying, and the coaches have the rest of the day for planning.

"One of my favorite sayings in life is to do your work early in a lot of different
ways," Krystkowiak said. "It just feels awfully good when we're done, the guys
walking out at 8 o'clock in the morning and the sun's just coming up."

The Griz will play their first exhibition game Nov. 4 against the University of
Great Falls.

"Now it's time to look at some film and break down where some of our weaknesses
are," Krystkowiak said. "We need to get in better shape. Guys got a sense for how
tired they can get tonight."

Notes: Junior center Chris McKay did not play in the scrimmage. McKay, who was
recently cleared to practice after a knee injury, had a conflict with a class. ...
In addition to the three freshmen and two junior college transfers recruited to the
team, the Griz have two walk-ons - 5-10 guard Nick Thierry of Beaverton, Ore., and
6-2 guard Richard Stapleton of Marietta Ga. Thierry did not score and Stapleton had
two points. ... Sophomore Mike Chavez played in the scrimmage and will continue to
practice, although he is academically ineligible for competition this semester. ...
The Lady Griz will hold their Maroon-Silver scrimmage next Wednesday evening.

Composite box - Jon Wilkins 4, Virgil Matthews 16, Kevin Criswell 13, Brian Lynch
10, Matt Martin 19, Jordan Hasquet 17, Mike Chavez 4, John Seyfert 16, Andrew Strait
10, Matt Dlouhy 21, Lamarr Farr 5, Kamarr Davis 15, Corey Easley 12, Richard
Stapleton 2.


*** ***


Extra Point - Week Nine: Heart of a Champion

By Matt Dougherty, The Sports Network

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.as ... 569555.htm

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Think of Steve Kerr making the winning jump shot
for the Chicago Bulls. Or every time the Yankees brought out another no- name middle
infielder to get a gamewinning hit during their past dynasty.

With those pictures in your mind, you'll get a good vision of Delaware's Joe
Bleymaier.

When Bleymaier came into the postgame press conference after the Blue Hens defeated
William & Mary, 31-28, my first thought was he must be a manager accompanying the
other Delaware stars and head coach K.C. Keeler. From right to left, there was
Sidney Haugabrook, the Buck Buchanan candidate and top cornerback and kick returner
for the Blue Hens. Next to him was Justin Long, who continues to emerge as a top
receiver. With coach Keeler in the middle, Sonny Riccio, the transfer quarterback
from Missouri, came next. And there, at the end of the table, was Bleymaier.

Already out of uniform, the 5-10, 185-pound wide receiver didn't look like a player
that had just made the winning catch for the second straight week. But that's
exactly what he did. Bleymaier caught a six-yard touchdown pass on fourth down in
the fourth quarter to push Delaware past Hofstra, 20-19. On this day against the
Tribe, Bleymaier went over the middle and caught a 25-yard pass from Riccio with
4:41 left in the game for the winning score.

Bleymaier might not be the biggest or fastest player on the field, but like other
great champions the best guy doesn't always have to make the biggest play.

"He's a guy nobody would look at or want, but he comes in and makes the big play for
us," Keeler said of Bleymaier.

Bleymaier is representative of the whole Delaware team so far this season. On the
surface, the Blue Hens might not scare anyone in I-AA. They haven't played great in
any one game, and have shown flaws throughout. But they have heart, and they just
keep making the plays to win.

Since losing to New Hampshire, the Blue Hens have been finding a way to win.
Delaware scored in the fourth quarter to come back and beat Towson. The Blue Hens
scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to topple Massachusetts. Delaware faced a huge
comeback from Maine, and then came right back to score themselves in the final
minute and win again. The Blue Hens had two fourth quarter touchdowns to come back
and beat Hofstra, 20-19.

The win against William & Mary was the most impressive. The Tribe are a contender
this year. With Lang Campbell slinging the ball and a good defense, William & Mary
has a great shot to make a run at the playoffs. William & Mary jumped out to a 21-7
first quarter lead, and had the Delaware defense on its heels. The Tribe had the
ball and still a 21-7 lead in the second quarter, but the Blue Hens started to make
plays again.

Delaware forced a William & Mary fumble to gain possession just inside Tribe
territory. After being soundly booed by the home faithful, Riccio caught fire. The
Blue Hens went down the field for a touchdown, and stayed hot the rest of the half
to take a 24-21 lead.

The teams played a scoreless third quarter, but William & Mary jumped back ahead
with a 64-yard catch and run by Dominique Thompson, who caught four touchdown passes
and was generally amazing in the game. Then, Delaware's heart and ability to make
plays showed again. Riccio threw for a big gain to David Boler. Running back Lonnie
Starks broke into Tribe territory. And the plays all led to the heroics of
Bleymaier.

"I spoke to my agent after the game and we're going to work a cardiologist into the
contract," Keeler said.

Keeler's heart might be pumping, but his team is still winning. With a roster full
of players that have been there before, Delaware is finding a way to get the job
done. They have some imperfections, but don't overlook the proven winners this
December.

WEEK EIGHT NOTEBOOK

Team of the Week: Appalachian State

The traditional "big three" of the Southern Conference includes Georgia Southern,
Furman and Appalachian State. But after winning the conference title last year,
Wofford moved into consideration as a Southern power. The team that moved down a
bit, at least according to the polls this season, was the Mountaineers. After
defeating Furman earlier in the year and beating Wofford Saturday, the Mountaineers
sent a message that the lower ranking might not be accurate. Appalachian State
didn't just win against Wofford, either. The Mountaineers cruised in just about
every phase of the game, holding a 558-256 edge in total yardage and jumping out to
a 17-0 lead that Wofford could never recover from. The pass and catch duo of Richie
Williams and Davon Fowlkes was brilliant again and the Mountaineers came up big in a
game they absolutely needed to win to have a shot at the playoffs. Now at 5-3 and
with an easy schedule remaining, Appalachian State is in great shape to make the
postseason for the sixth time in seven years.

Best Top 25 Win: No. 17 Hampton 52, No. 20 South Carolina State 36

The Pirates are only a few wins away from erasing the disaster at Delaware State
from their minds. Hampton would have been effectively done in the MEAC race with a
loss to the first-place Bulldogs, but the Pirates moved into the driver's seat for
the conference title with a win that was more lopsided than the final score
indicates. Hampton has a dynamic, quick strike offense and one of the best return
games in the nation that makes the Pirates capable of scoring from anywhere on the
field. On this day, the defense forged into the act, too. Hampton's defense scored
four touchdowns on the day. The first, a 23- yard interception return by Dirul
Diaab, made the score 14-0 in the first quarter and the lead ballooned to 24-0 by
halftime. The Bulldogs got as close as 38-22 before Hampton's defense shut the door.
The Pirates "D" scored the last three touchdowns, and gave the team a comfortable
52-22 lead before South Carolina State added two late scores. Hampton, South
Carolina State and Bethune-Cookman are now in a three-way tie, and a win over the
Wildcats in two weeks should effectively punch Hampton's ticket to the playoffs.

Worst Top 25 Loss: Tennessee Tech 16, No. 12 Jacksonville State 13

The Gamecock faithful were talking big things. Jacksonville State had the schedule
set up for an undefeated season, and a move high enough up the polls could even
garner a home game for the Ohio Valley Conference champion. Now, Jacksonville State
needs help just to get the OVC automatic bid after falling to the Golden Eagles.
Jacksonville State's offense was shut down in the second half, and Tennessee Tech
rallied from 10 points down to win with a last second field goal. The Golden Eagles,
not the Gamecocks, now control their own destiny in a three-team tie for first place
in the OVC. If the Gamecocks aren't able to grab the automatic bid, they would still
have a shot to make the playoffs with a 9-1 record. But with Cal Poly already likely
to take a bid away from the top conferences and a weak non-conference schedule, the
chances of the Gamecocks making the postseason as an at-large don't look very
promising.

Best Game: Samford 42, Tennessee State 36 (OT)

On selection Sunday, the Bulldogs win against the Tigers won't mean a thing. But the
fans at this game got their money's worth and more. The overtime win by Samford
featured extraordinary individual efforts from two of the best talents in the
country, a thrilling Tennessee State comeback, and an overtime finish. Samford
quarterback Ray Nelson actually made a mistake early, throwing an interception that
was returned 56 yards by Dominique Rodgers to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead. For the
rest of the half, Nelson owned the game. The Bulldogs scored the next five
touchdowns, which included two Nelson runs and two passes, to go up, 34-7. Tennessee
State's Charles Anthony burst in from 10 yards out to make the halftime score 34-14
and foreshadow his dominance of the second half. Anthony scored on a 38-yard run in
the third quarter and 59-yard reception early in the fourth to cut the deficit to
34-28. After a Samford safety, Anthony ran in from 25 yards out with seven minutes
left and the Tigers converted the two-point conversion to send the game to overtime.
In the extra session, Nelson had the last laugh. The quarterback ran in from five
yards out to earn the victory, as Samford broke through with its first win in three
overtime games.

Best Play: Same story, different week. The Cal Poly defense made a huge play to win.
North Dakota State held a 7-6 lead late in the second quarter and were on the move
for another score. Cal Poly's Karl Ivory had other ideas, and intercepted a Tony
Stauss pass and went 73 yards for the touchdown and a 13-7 lead. Cal Poly held off
North Dakota State, 13-10, and moved to 7-0 with another win behind a stifling and
opportunistic defense.

Stat of the Week: 159

Cal Poly accumulated a season-low 159 yards of total offense, but it was good enough
to win again.

Quote of the Week: I'm glad we won, but I've had enough of this tomfoolery. We can
not continue to win this way." - Montana State head coach Mike Kramer, after his
team won in the final seconds for the third straight week

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

HIGH HONORS

A few times this season, the player of the week award has come down to one or two
players that stand above the rest. Other times, no one player sticks out among great
but not spectacular performances. This past Saturday, nearly every league in I-AA
had at least one player that put on a show that would normally be deserving of a
national player of the week award. William & Mary's Dominique Thompson caught six
passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns in the Tribe's 31-28 loss at Delaware.
Montana State's Travis Lulay led the Bobcats to another last-second win with a
33-51, 411-yard, three-touchdown performance against South Dakota State. Morgan
State's Bradshaw "The Big Show" Littlejohn threw for 240 yards and two scores and
ran for 127 yards and three touchdowns in the Bears' 34-30 win against Delaware
State. Charleston Southern's Colin Drafts threw for five touchdowns against North
Greenville. Four conferences had two great performances that left one player out of
even league recognition. In the Ivy League, Penn running back Sam Mathews edged
Harvard counterpart Clifton Dawson for player of the week honors. Mathews 243 total
yards and two touchdowns in a win against Yale beat out Dawson's 201 yards rushing
and three scores in a victory over Princeton. 2003 Walter Payton Award winner Jamaal
Branch ran for 208 yards and four touchdowns, but lost out for Patriot League player
of the week honors to Lehigh quarterback Mark Borda (385 yards, five touchdowns
against Bucknell). Georgia Southern quarterback Chaz Williams had four total
touchdowns, and Tennessee State's Charles Anthony had an unbelievable day with 360
total yards, including 285 rushing, and four touchdowns. Williams and Anthony only
fell victim to two unbelievable individual efforts, and the two that eventually
deserved the top honor of national player of the week above all others. Appalachian
State's Davon Fowlkes had a school-record 15 receptions and career-high 202 yards
and scored twice to carry the Mountaineers over Wofford, 38-17. Samford's Ray Nelson
accounted for five touchdowns, two passing and three rushing, and had 457 total
yards in the Bulldogs exhilarating, 42-36, overtime win against Tennessee State.

FAMILIAR NAMES

The list of names with spectacular individual efforts includes some recognizable
players for fans following the Walter Payton Award watch. And with the performances
by Fowlkes, Anthony, Branch and Dawson, the final push for the award figures to be a
great horserace to the end between a group of strong candidates. Quarterbacks Dustin
Long (Sam Houston State), Ricky Santos (New Hampshire) and Erik Meyer (Eastern
Washington) all have similar stellar numbers and have their teams in position to
make a run for the playoffs. Western Illinois' Travis Glasford joins the previously
mentioned trio of running backs with huge numbers, and Northern Colorado wide
receiver Vincent Jackson has been a bright spot in a bad season. The next change to
the Payton watch list comes on Nov. 3, and look for Chaz Williams and other worthy
candidates to come on and further clutter the Payton race. With no clear leader,
I'll be very happy to hold off my ballot for another four weeks. If I was forced to
pick a winner right now, I'd go with Long. The transfer from Texas A & M has nearly
2,000 yards passing and 21 touchdowns. More importantly, he's been the catalyst in
turning last season's 2-9 record at Sam Houston State into a 6-1 start and No. 8
national ranking. If Long puts up big numbers on the road against Northwestern State
and Stephen F. Austin and leads the Bearkats into the playoffs, he'll have a good
shot to travel to Chattanooga as the Payton winner.

NOT BEHAVING NICELY

Last week's newspaper clippings won't go up on the family refrigerator anytime soon
for Portland State's Scott Weaver and Massachusetts' Michael Torres. Weaver was
suspended for the first three quarters of Saturday's loss at Northern Arizona after
a videotape review showed him punching a Montana State player in the Oct. 16 game in
Bozeman. Weaver's actions were considered to be a fight by the NCAA 2004 Rules of
Football, and he was suspended three quarters instead of a half because the referees
did not catch the punch with eight minutes, four seconds left in the game. Torres
received an interim suspension as a result of his conduct during a disturbance
following the Red Sox-Yankees game on Tuesday, October 19. He is not eligible to
participate with the football team while the suspension is in effect.

OVERRATED/UNDERRATED

After nearly two months of games, the polls have sorted out and teams that are
playing the best have moved up to a rightful spot and preseason favorites that
struggled have seen their stock plummet. In most cases. When it comes to Wofford and
Harvard, the current ranking is still a case of too much and too little respect. The
Terriers are not the 11th best team in the country. Wofford is beat up, has only one
good win, and has been blown out twice in a 5-2 campaign thus far. The Terriers were
not even competitive against Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, and barely held
off a Western Carolina team that is winless in conference play. Wofford has remained
high because of its preseason reputation (No. 4 ranking) and the time of its losses.
The Terriers lost at Georgia Southern on Sept. 18, and won four easy games before
falling to Appalachian State Saturday. Wofford was able to work all the way back up
to No. 5 by winning the cakewalks, and only dropped to No. 11 with the loss to the
Mountaineers. If the Terriers don't start playing like a top 15 team, they won't be
part of the playoff picture in a few weeks. While Wofford is benefiting from its
reputation, Harvard is suffering from little preseason recognition and possibly a
poor view of the level of play in the Ivy League. The Ivy League is not one of the
top leagues in the country, but is at least on par with conferences like the Patriot
and MEAC that have their best teams in the top 15 despite one loss. Harvard is one
of just two remaining undefeated teams, and with double-digit wins over one top 25
team at the time (Northeastern) and two others that are now receiving votes
(Lafayette and Princeton) the Crimson deserves a much better standing. Take
Harvard's case in comparison to the other undefeated team, No. 5 Cal Poly. Cal Poly
beat one ranked team, Montana State, and a group of others that have received
moderate consideration throughout the season. The Mustangs and Crimson have played
pretty much the same against comparable schedules. Seven of eight computer rankings
have Harvard in the top five, and the other puts the Crimson No. 6. One of the
systems even has Harvard at No. 1. Those numbers may be a little gaudy, but the
Crimson are at least deserving of a spot in the top 15 right now.

THE GAMES

I have to say it felt good leaving Newark, Delaware. I predicted the Blue Hens would
beat William & Mary, 31-28, and that's exactly what happened. Only a few misses for
the week meant a good e-mail box to return to on Sunday afternoon. I'm not counting
on this success every week, but it sure felt good last Saturday.

Last Week's Record: 25-4 (.865) Season Record: 191-71 (.729)

QUICK HITS

South Carolina State (5-2) at Delaware State (2-6), 1:00

Maybe the beatings they took from Southern Illinois and Massachusetts have actually
resonated with the Hornets. Delaware State has a 2-2 record in MEAC play and just
missed getting off to a 3-1 start with a close, 34-30, loss at Morgan State. The
Hornets own wins over last year's champion, NC A & T, and this year's favorite,
Hampton, and have been tough at home. They are better, but everything didn't just
change overnight. South Carolina State should win this game, and with games against
Bethune-Cookman and Hampton already past the Bulldogs should win out the rest of the
way. If they do, South Carolina State will be on track for the MEAC title with one
more Hampton loss. The Bulldogs are better than Delaware State in every phase of the
game, and remain in a tie for the MEAC lead with a road victory. Prediction: South
Carolina State 35, Delaware State 14

Bethune-Cookman (4-2) at North Carolina A & T (3-5), 1:30

The situation for the Wildcats is similar to South Carolina State, but a bit
tougher. Bethune-Cookman needs to win out, including a win at Hampton next week, and
have South Carolina State lose one more time to come away with the MEAC title. It's
a tall order, but first things first the Wildcats needs a win against the defending
conference champion Aggies. For North Carolina A & T, last year probably seems like
a very distant memory. The Aggies offense ranks among the worst in the country and
the defense has not been able to carry the team. A & T has also shot itself in the
foot with 21 turnovers, and the carelessness with the ball could be a real problem
against the Wildcats. Bethune-Cookman is second to only Hampton nationally with 25
turnovers forced, and turnovers will lead to scores that the Aggies won't be able to
keep up with. Prediction: Bethune-Cookman 27, North Carolina A & T 14

Coastal Carolina (6-1) at Gardner-Webb (3-4), 1:30

Coastal Carolina received 33 votes in this week's Sports Network poll and is now the
33rd ranked team in the nation. I can't imagine teams at 34 through about 60 would
be too scared of playing the Chanticleers. The numbers look good, especially with a
top 10 ranking in defense, but Coastal Carolina has played a schedule that a
mediocre Division II team would feast on. Wins include Davidson, North Greenville,
Charleston (WV), VMI and Morehead State, with a loss to Newberry. That's the same
Newberry that sits in last place in the South Atlantic Conference with an 0-5 record
and five straight defeats. The "big" win for the Chanticleers was last week's 33-6
pasting of Liberty, which did signify the arrival of Coastal Carolina as a contender
in the Big South. In time, Coastal Carolina will develop the program and probably
even move up to the Southern Conference. They aren't top 25 material right now
though, even if they end up winning out the rest of the way. Gardner-Webb is down
from the past two seasons and is playing without defensive star Mario Williams, but
the Bulldogs aren't ready to hand over the Big South crown to the new kid on the
block just yet. Prediction: Gardner-Webb 20, Coastal Carolina 17

Murray State (4-4) at Eastern Kentucky (3-4), 3:00

The Racers and the Colonels have new life, thanks to Tennessee Tech. With four
losses each, both teams are out of the mix for an at-large bid. Of course, with the
way the Ohio Valley Conference has played as a whole an at-large spot could be out
of the reach of any team. Eastern Kentucky is especially back in the hunt, as the
Colonels have just one loss and a 3-1 mark overall in conference play. The loss is
to Jacksonville State, so it's likely the Colonels have to win out and hope the
Gamecocks lose somewhere along the line to have a shot at the OVC title. The
Colonels put up a good effort in a 19-7 loss to Vanderbilt, and freshman quarterback
Josh Greco played one of his efficient games of the season. If Matt Guice can't go
here, Greco will need to come up big again. Murray State is hanging on by a thread
in the OVC race already, and Eastern Kentucky will put an end to those hopes with a
Homecoming victory. Prediction: Eastern Kentucky 27, Murray State 20

Tennessee Tech (5-2) at Samford (3-5), 3:00

You have to give a tip of the proverbial cap to the Golden Eagles. Tennessee Tech
struggled last season, and not much was expected to change this year. The Golden
Eagles were picked eighth in the nine-team OVC in the preseason, and didn't change
any perceptions with a 34-15 loss to Murray State in the OVC opener. Since that
game, Tennessee Tech has won three straight and now controls its own destiny for the
conference title after defeating Jacksonville State. The winning comes after the
burden of the emotional and serious injury to wide receiver Drew Hixon, whose loss
was an impact on the field and off. The defense has been the biggest key in the
turnaround for the Golden Eagles. Tennessee Tech is allowing just over 300 yards per
game defensively, and held Jacksonville State to under 100 yards in the second half
of last week's upset win. Chances are they won't hold the dynamic Samford offense to
such low numbers, though. Ray Nelson and Efrem Hill have led a Bulldog team that
could just as easily be 5-3, and with two straight wins the Bulldogs are playing
their best football of the season. I love the story at Tennessee Tech, but don't
think they have enough offense to keep up with Samford. Prediction: Samford 31,
Tennessee Tech 21

Jackson State (2-5) at Arkansas Pine-Bluff (5-1), 3:30

It's been a quiet story because they won't be in the playoffs, but Arkansas
Pine-Bluff has put together one of the most surprising seasons in the country. The
Golden Lions finished just 4-7 and 3-8 the last two seasons, but Moe Forte has
turned things around in his first season and has his team in great shape to win the
SWAC West. At 4-0, the Golden Lions are just a half game behind Southern for the
divisional lead. Jackson State is not what it used to be, but showed some very good
progress with a win at Grambling State last weekend. The Tigers got off to a big
first quarter lead and never looked back in the victory. Still, the numbers all
point to an Arkansas Pine-Bluff victory. The Golden Lions are second in the SWAC in
total offense and total defense and have two of the top three rushers in the league.
They'll keep the heat on Southern and tie the Jaguars for the West lead with a
victory. Prediction: Arkansas Pine-Bluff 34, Jackson State 17

Alabama A & M (4-3) vs Alabama State (5-1), 4:00 (Birmingham, AL)

State bragging rights are always on the line when the Bulldogs and Hornets hook up,
but this season is about more than just bragging rights. The teams are tied atop the
SWAC Eastern division with 3-1 conference records and the winner is in great shape
to win the division and advance to the SWAC title game. Alabama State has played
great thus far, leading the conference in scoring offense and scoring defense and
outscoring opponents by an average of 39-17 each game. Keldrick Williams is among
the leading rushers in the country and Tavarius Jackson is among the leaders in
total offense. Alabama A & M does lead the conference in total defense, so expect
the Bulldogs to provide the toughest test yet to the Hornets offense. Rivalry games
are always close, and the Hornets will be looking for payback after last year's
20-17 loss. Alabama State will get that payback and take the lead in the East
division with a close win. Prediction: Alabama State 27, Alabama A & M 24

Southwest Missouri State (5-3) at Northern Iowa (3-4), 5:05

It's right there in the NCAA guidelines. Championship selection guideline C says:
"The won-lost record of a team will be scrutinized to determine a team's strength of
schedule; however, more than three losses will place a team in jeopardy of not being
selected." Under this premise, Northern Iowa could have just folded up after losing
its fourth game a few weeks back against Western Kentucky. After a convincing win
against Western Illinois, the Panthers are playing their best football of the
season. I doubt they'll be able to make the playoffs with the four losses, but UNI
looks like a playoff caliber team still. The Panthers lost three games by a
touchdown or less to ranked opponents, but winning the final six could at least make
some committee members think about the Panthers if UNI gets a ton of help between
now and November 21. The next step in the possibly futile journey is beating the
upstart Bears, who would be dealt a crushing blow to their playoff prospects with a
loss. SMS was exposed last week by Southern Illinois as the Salukis ran all over the
Bears defense and cruised to a 27-3 victory. The Bears gained some respect with a
win against Sam Houston State, but look more like one of many mediocre Gateway teams
now and will fall out of the race with a loss at the UNI Dome. Prediction: UNI 31,
SMS 20

Texas State (3-4) at McNeese State (3-4), 8:00

Both teams had huge wins for the program last week, but for different reasons. Texas
State had been real close all season. The Bobcats lost by just a touchdown against
Baylor, Appalachian State and Florida Atlantic, and appeared to be a clearly
improved team from last year's 4-8 squad. The Bobcats broke through in a close game
with a 17-14 win against Stephen F. Austin, and more importantly got off to a 1-0
start in the short Southland five-game season. If Texas State moves to 2-0, it will
move into position to make a run for the Southland automatic bid. McNeese State has
been at the top and came down this season, but the Cowboys showed they are not all
the way down by coming from 24-0 behind and winning, 30-27, at Florida International
last week. Junior Chris Jones came off the bench to lead the comeback and will get
another starting chance this week. Texas State's defense could make life tough on
Jones. Though the Bobcats are not ranked among the best in the country, Texas State
held good offense at Florida Atlantic and Stephen F. Austin in check for much of the
game. Barrick Nealy brings more experience at the quarterback position, and the
Bobcats will move to 2-0 in conference play with a road win. Prediction: Texas State
21, McNeese State 17

Sacramento State (2-5) at No. 25 Eastern Washington (5-3), 5:05

Eastern Washington quarterback Erik Meyer leads the nation in passing efficiency,
but he could have stayed in Cheney last week and the 51-7 score against Weber State
wouldn't have been much different. Meyer only had to throw seven passes as the
Eagles running game, return game and defense scored at will against the winless
Wildcats. Meyer will need to bring his top game after the personal bye week because
Sacramento State is playing some pretty good defense, at least as far as defense
goes in the Big Sky. The Hornets held Idaho State well below its average in yardage,
but couldn't muster enough offense to get the job done. It's kind of surprising that
a team with a good player at every skill position has been shut out twice already
this season, but that is the case at Sacramento State. Talent wise, Eastern
Washington might be a top 15 team but lost bad at Nicholls State and couldn't get
past Montana. The Eagles are on the edge of playoff elimination, and have two tough
games left after playing the Hornets. Eastern Washington's offense is too good and
the defense will do enough to shut down the Hornets and stay in the playoff hunt.
Prediction: Eastern Washington 34, Sacramento State 14

Brown (4-2) at No. 22 Penn (5-1), 1:00

Penn continues to roll in the Ivy League. The Quakers raised their conference-
winning streak to 18 with an impressive 17-7 road victory at Yale. Sam Mathews is
running extremely well and Pat McDermott has been practically mistake-free at
quarterback. The Quakers still have games remaining at Princeton and against
Harvard, and even this game with Brown is not a walkover. The Bears have shown a
good ability to win close contests by taking their last three that were decided
within a touchdown. Penn has shown the same knack for playing close games and
winning down the stretch, so expect the game to come down to the fourth quarter.
Brown has a great weapon in running back Nick Hartigan, but the Quakers are more
balanced on offense and I'm not going to bet against that winning streak.
Prediction: Penn 20, Brown 13

No. 21 Harvard (6-0) at Dartmouth (0-6), 12:30

After looking at the records, you might not believe that Dartmouth actually went to
Harvard and won last season. It's a new year and a different story for both teams,
as Harvard has cracked the top 25 with a great offense and strong defense and the
Big Green have played poorly. Clifton Dawson is emerging as a bona-fide Payton
candidate with 14 touchdowns in just six games and a 145.17 average per game
rushing. The Big Green defense has been the bright spot of the 0-6 team, but
Dartmouth will have a tough time stopping the multi-faceted Crimson attack of Dawson
and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Big Green offense has been dreadful and
doesn't figure to welcome the sight of a tough Harvard defense. This rivalry game
could get ugly quick. Prediction: Harvard 31, Dartmouth 10

No. 17 Appalachian State (5-3) at Chattanooga (1-6), 6:00

The Mountaineers did enough to stay playoff eligible in a very difficult eight- game
stretch to start the season. Considering the schedule and wins against Furman and
Wofford, Appalachian State should not have to sweat it out on selection day if it
can win the final three regular season games against seemingly inferior teams. The
Mountaineers have looked terrible at times and great at others. The consistency must
improve or one of the also-rans of the Southern Conference could pull an upset.
Richie Williams and Davon Fowlkes have to like their chances against the porous
Chattanooga defense, which ranks last in the nation with 47.9 points surrendered per
game. The Mocs offense is a bit better, and a few early scores against an erratic
Appalachian State defense could get some people in Boone nervous. Even if they do
score some, Chattanooga won't be able to slow the Mountaineers at all and
Appalachian State will move one game closer to a playoff berth. Prediction:
Appalachian State 42, Chattanooga 20

No. 16 William & Mary (5-2) at Towson (3-4), 6:00

Towson's pass defense against William & Mary's spread offensive sets makes for an
intriguing game within a game. William & Mary quarterback Lang Campbell is seventh
in the nation in passing efficiency and has thrown just one interception with 11
touchdowns. Towson has hung in games with a strong secondary that has 12
interceptions, including six by Allante Harrison. If the Tigers can at least slow
Campbell down, they have a chance to stay in the game. The biggest problem for the
Tigers will be scoring on William & Mary's defense. The Tribe "D" should be able to
contain the weak Towson attack. Towson's defense might do a better job against the
William & Mary passing game than others have, but won't be able to slow Campbell and
company enough to keep up on the scoreboard. Prediction: William & Mary 27, Towson
10

The Citadel (1-5) at No. 11 Wofford (5-2), 1:30

The Citadel ends a brutal stretch that included games against Auburn, Duke,
Appalachian State, Furman and Georgia Southern. Of all the tough games against
ranked opponents and I-A teams, the matchup at Wofford has to be the most winnable.
The Citadel defense has already faced top-notch running attacks at Auburn and
Georgia Southern and will be ready for the rushing attack of the Terriers. Wofford
is banged up too, with linebacker Timmy Thrift out for the season and injuries in
the secondary. The Terriers season will probably come down to the Furman game on
Nov. 13 if they hold off The Citadel, but Wofford does not look like a playoff team
right now. Wofford's defense will do just enough to get past The Citadel, but the
Terriers still have a lot of improving to do before the Furman game. Prediction:
Wofford 13, The Citadel 10

VMI (0-8) at No. 9 James Madison (6-1), 3:00

VMI might not even score on James Madison. Predicting a shutout is never easy and
late scores always complicate matters, but the VMI offense is going to have trouble
doing anything against a dominating Dukes defense. James Madison is in the top five
in total defense, while VMI is in the bottom 10 of total offense. The Dukes have
faced good offenses from the Atlantic 10 all season, while VMI has not seen anything
near the caliber of the James Madison defense. James Madison averages just 2.49
yards allowed per carry, and VMI runs for a little more than three yards an attempt.
The passing numbers don't look much better for VMI. Add in the fact that James
Madison figures to control the clock on the ground, and we could see a shutout. I'll
say VMI gets a late touchdown, but James Madison wins with ease. Prediction: James
Madison 35, VMI 7

GOOD GAMES

No. 24 Montana State (5-2) at Northern Arizona (4-3), 8:05

Northern Arizona got a taste of what life's like for Montana State last week. The
Lumberjacks trailed Portland State, 20-10, in the fourth quarter but staged a
furious rally and won, 21-20, on a field goal with 12 seconds left. For Montana
State, the last second finishes are becoming all too familiar. The Bobcats came back
to beat Weber State and Portland State, but actually had a chance to end the streak
with a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter last week against South Dakota
State. Montana State made life tougher on itself and had to break a tie with yet
another last second field goal. The teams are very closely matched. The Montana
State defense has played well in every game, and the Northern Arizona unit has
matched its counterpart in every game except one. Travis Lulay and Jason Murrietta
basically cancel each other out at quarterback, so once again both teams will have a
close finish. Montana State knows how to win the close ones, but winning on the road
can be different than surviving at home. Northern Arizona has not lost at home to
the Bobcats since 1979, and is too good to fall out of the playoff picture before
November. Prediction: Northern Arizona 24, Montana State 21

No. 23 Villanova (5-3) at Rhode Island (4-3), 12:00

Villanova is starting to remind people why it was ranked in the top ten earlier in
the season. The Wildcats have won they last two games by a combined 90-16 score and
get their final shot at one of the A-10's lesser teams with this game. Rhode Island
is at least better than Towson and Richmond. The Rams feature a running attack that
few A-10 teams can match, but the ground game plays into the strength of the
Wildcats defense. In two of Villanova's losses this season, New Hampshire and
Northeastern used the passing game to dissect the Wildcats defense and go on to
victory. The Villanova offense gets better every week too, and the Wildcats will use
the Rhode Island game as a tune-up for season-ending trips to William & Mary and
Delaware. Prediction: Villanova 31, Rhode Island 13

No. 19 Maine (4-3) at Massachusetts (3-5), 1:00

Massachusetts has to be happy to come home after a four-game road trip that
effectively eliminated the Minutemen from any thoughts of postseason play. UMass has
now lost five of the last six since a 2-0 start and its only real bright spot in
that stretch is the passing defense. In the Minutemen's victory against New
Hampshire, they held Walter Payton Award candidate Ricky Santos to under 100 yards
passing and three interceptions in an upset victory. Maine matches up a bit better
with the Minutemen. The Black Bears have played a brutal schedule, but still have a
chance to win out and make the playoffs. Running back Marcus Williams figures to see
a bulk of the load against the Massachusetts defense. Williams has eclipsed the
100-yard mark in the last two games and is picking up steam as the season goes on.
Maine is used to playing on the road, and the defense will do enough to slow the
Minutemen attack. With Maine's remaining schedule, the Black Bears have a decent
shot to keep winning until the season finale against New Hampshire. Maine takes the
first step to that goal by knocking off the Minutemen. Prediction: Maine 27,
Massachusetts 17

No. 15 Northwestern State (5-2) at North Dakota State (5-3), 2:00

The Demons found out why you can't lose games to teams at the bottom of the
conference. After falling to Nicholls State last week, Northwestern State now
already has one loss in a five-game Southland season and has two losses overall with
games against Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin still remaining. And before
they even get there, the Demons have to travel up to a North Dakota State team that
is very tough to beat at the Fargodome. North Dakota State's defense played great
against Cal Poly Saturday, but the offense couldn't get going enough against the
stingy Cal Poly defense and the Bison fell, 13-10. It will be tough for the Bison to
produce much more offense this week against a Northwestern State defense that is at
least as good as Cal Poly's. Last week, the Demons just did not play up to
capabilities. The offense turned the ball over and the defense was burned by big
plays. Northwestern State needs to take the running game at the North Dakota State
defense and cut down on penalties to have a chance to win in such a tough
environment. It's Harvest Day at North Dakota State, so winning at the Fargodome
could be even tougher than usual. The trip will be tough, and playing in this venue
will be even tougher. But Northwestern State has better players on both sides of the
ball, and playoff caliber teams are supposed to win games like this. The Demons
avoid a damaging third loss by winning at North Dakota State. Prediction:
Northwestern State 24, North Dakota State 14

No. 10 New Hampshire (5-2) at Northeastern (3-4), 12:30

The Wildcats survived a major scare last week against Hofstra, and their play has
slipped a bit in the last two games. New Hampshire lost to Massachusetts and had to
come from eight points down in the fourth quarter against Hofstra to win and move to
5-2. Ricky Santos had a nice bounce back performance against the Pride, but he's got
the bulls-eye on his back from opposing defenses the rest of the season. Luckily for
Santos and the Wildcats, they're back to what works best: road games. New Hampshire
has won at Delaware and Rutgers and is 4-0 away from home this season and just 1-2
at home. Northeastern's Parsons Field is a very tough venue for the visitors though,
and the Huskies have won both of their home games this season. The Huskies have
suffered some tough-luck losses this season, but their defense has been surprisingly
ineffective. Maine, William & Mary, Harvard and Villanova all went over the 30-point
mark, and Northeastern went just 1-3 in those games. The Huskies offense has usually
kept up and made the game stay close, but it hasn't been enough. Santos has been
great on the road all year and New Hampshire's offense has the capability to keep
the Northeastern defense on its heels. The Wildcats will score a big win toward
their playoff chances by taking down Northeastern. Prediction: New Hampshire 34,
Northeastern 28

Illinois State (4-3) at No. 7 Western Kentucky (5-2), 8:00

It's probably an understatement to say Illinois State's playoff hopes are on life
support. The Redbirds have already reached the three-loss mark and still have to
play Western Kentucky, Southern Illinois and Florida Atlantic before the end of the
season. Boomer Grigsby has lived up to the hype at linebacker, but the rest of the
defense has been a disappointment. Illinois State is allowing nearly 400 yards a
game and has already given up more than 30 points in five of seven games, including
three of the first four in the Gateway. The Redbirds did have a better effort the
last time out against Youngstown State, but the Hilltoppers have a better offensive
attack than the Penguins. With games remaining against Southwest Missouri State and
Western Illinois, the Hilltoppers have a good shot to get on a run and get the
offense rolling going into the postseason. The defense has already been solid in
every game except Southern Illinois, and wins in the final four games should lift
the Hilltoppers into the top five going into the postseason. Justin Haddix has been
efficient throughout the season and has a chance to really get hot now. Western
Kentucky's offense will have a second straight strong effort and help lead the
Hilltoppers to a second straight win. Prediction: Western Kentucky 31, Illinois
State 17

UC Davis (5-2) at No. 5 Cal Poly (7-0), 9:00

Every week I wonder how Cal Poly is going to keep surviving. And every week the big
"0" remains in the loss column. Against North Dakota State, the Mustangs used the
defense for the go-ahead score as Karl Ivory returned an interception for 73 yards
in the second quarter. The defense shut down the Bison the rest of the way and hung
on for a 13-10 win, even though quarterback Anthony Garnett struggled mightily in
his third career start. Maybe they'll get by with the offense struggling again, but
Cal Poly will likely need a better effort from the offense against UC Davis. The
Aggies are a rival and the most balanced team Cal Poly has played all season. Jon
Grant and the Aggies offense have taken a few steps back in the last two games, but
Grant still has a 64 percent completion ratio and almost 2,000 yards. The Aggies
defense has been tough all season and will make it tough for Cal Poly to get on
track. Last season, the Mustangs won when Jordan Beck's fumble return for a
touchdown in the third quarter proved to be the difference. Cal Poly has been
winning with defense and big plays long enough to know that it's not just a fluke,
and the Mustangs have an unbelievable ability to make the big plays at the right
time. But Cal Poly's offense has really only played good twice this season, and UC
Davis has the more complete team. The Aggies have suffered two close losses the past
two weeks or they would also be undefeated, and the Mustangs are just due to not
make a play eventually. UC Davis in an upset. Prediction: UC Davis 20, Cal Poly 17

No. 4 Montana (6-1) at Portland State (3-4), 6:35

You can't like Portland State's state of mind coming into the game against the
Grizzlies. The Vikings have played good enough to win the last two games, but lost
in overtime to Montana State two weeks ago and blew a 10-point lead before falling
in the final seconds at Northern Arizona last week. With two heartbreaking losses,
the Vikings have went from possibly being 5-2 and playing Montana for first place in
the Big Sky to a 3-4 record and pretty much done in the playoff race. Montana is
supposed to be everyone's Super Bowl in the Big Sky, but with the way they've lost
in the past two weeks human nature would indicate the Vikings will have a tough time
getting as focused as they have to be to play the Grizzlies. The Vikings don't
really match up that well with Montana, either. The pass defense will struggle
against Montana's attack and Portland State's passing offense will be a breath of
fresh air for a Montana defense that has already faced Dustin Long, Erik Meyer and
Bobby Seck. If all goes well for Montana, this could be the last time they leave the
state until sometime in December. The Grizzlies will take a step towards securing a
high playoff seed by winning their final road game. Prediction: Montana 28, Portland
State 17

South Dakota State (4-3) at No. 2 Georgia Southern (7-1), 1:00

Welcome to I-AA, South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits have made a pretty nice
impression in their first seven games as a I-AA team, and played well in road losses
to Cal Poly and Montana State and a win at Southern. Now the Jackrabbits get to find
out how they stack up against the team playing the best in I-AA. And the answer for
the Jackrabbits will be the same as it has been for everyone in I-AA so far: not
very well. The only question around Georgia Southern right now is when they decide
to call off the hounds and what final score they are satisfied with. It really feels
like the Eagles could win every game by 60 if they wanted to. Next week against
Furman, we'll get a chance to see if Georgia Southern is that much better than
everyone else in I-AA. This week, the Eagles will run all over another hapless
opponent in Statesboro. Prediction: Georgia Southern 52, South Dakota State 10

Western Illinois (4-4) at No. 1 Southern Illinois (7-1), 7:00

A common belief around I-AA is that Georgia Southern has been by far the best team,
but a pretty compelling case could be made for Southern Illinois as well. The
Salukis have been, at worst, just a little bit behind Georgia Southern. The defense
has been just as good and the offense has only been a bit behind the Eagles pace.
Since a close win against Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois has outscored its last
three opponents 98-15 with wins over then No. 4 Western Kentucky and 5-2 Southwest
Missouri State included in that stretch. The Salukis rush defense, allowing under
three yards per carry, gets to try its luck against Payton candidate Travis Glasford
and his 5.4 yard per carry average. For Glasford, games remaining against Western
Kentucky and Southern Illinois will probably determine his chances of winning the
Payton Award for a team that figures to finish with a losing record. Southern
Illinois will at least slow Glasford, and score at will against a bad Western
Illinois defense. Prediction: Southern Illinois 45, Western Illinois 13

MARQUEE MATCHUPS

No. 3 Delaware (6-1) at Navy (6-1), 1:30

If Delaware wins, Navy might have to start re-thinking its homecoming game. The
Midshipmen scheduled Delaware for two straight homecoming games, but the Blue Hens
have already made them pay once with a 21-17 win last season. Delaware rallied from
14-0 down in that game, and has shown the same penchant to come back this season.
The Blue Hens have rallied from double digit deficits in the last two games and are
in great shape for the Atlantic 10 conference automatic bid with a 5-0 record. Going
to Navy is almost a no-lose situation for Delaware. If they lose, they probably
won't fall any more than a couple of spots at this point in the season. If the win,
Delaware will be considered as a legitimate contender for the No. 1 spot in the
country. Winning two years in a row at Navy will not be easy, though. The Midshipmen
feature a running game that Delaware does not see often in the pass-oriented
Atlantic 10. Navy already has a win at Air Force and is off to a 6-1 start in the
third season under former Georgia Southern head man Paul Johnson. You can bet the
Midshipmen will be fired up to avenge last year's loss, and the Blue Hens will have
their work cut out to hold down Navy's running game again. Navy just got by
Northeastern earlier in the year, so there's reason to believe Delaware will stay
close. But Navy has the home edge and has played well all season, and will put an
end to Delaware's six-game winning streak. Prediction: Navy 20, Delaware 17

No. 18 Colgate (5-2) at No. 12 Lehigh (6-1), 1:00

No offense to the rest of the Patriot League, but the Raiders and the Mountain Hawks
are probably playing for the league title Saturday in Bethlehem. Choosing which
Patriot League game to go to in the preseason was not a difficult task for me, and
on Saturday I'll be seeing the two top teams in the league. Lafayette has moved into
the conversation a bit with a 3-0 start, but the Leopards still have to play both
Colgate and Lehigh this season. The fact is the winner of the Colgate-Lehigh game
has gone on to at least share the Patriot League title in each of the past seven
seasons. Each team rolled to victory in conference play last week, and the Mountain
Hawks especially have been hot lately. Since losing on Sept. 11 to Villanova, Lehigh
has rolled off five straight victories with all but one coming by double digits.
Quarterback Mark Borda, who many Lehigh fans were unconvinced in earlier in the
season, has emerged into one of the most consistent players in I-AA in the last
month. Borda leads the Patriot League and ranks fourth nationally with a 163.5
passer rating. The Lehigh defense also ranks seventh nationally with just 15.6
points per game allowed. Colgate is the best team Lehigh has played since Villanova,
though. The Raiders played their most complete game of the season in a 41-7 win
against Holy Cross and Jamaal Branch looked like the defending Walter Payton Award
winner with 208 yards and four touchdowns. Getting Branch going will be a key for
the Raiders. If Branch can run and set up the passing game with Chris Brown and Luke
Graham, the Raiders offense could have a good day against the Lehigh defense. I
think Branch will play well, but the Lehigh defense is too strong for Colgate to
have a field day against. The difference between this year's Lehigh team and last is
the offense. The Mountain Hawks are rolling behind Borda, and Colgate's defense has
looked suspect against its better opponents this season. The game will be as good as
advertised and probably will decide the Patriot League winner once again, but this
time Lehigh will prevail at home. Prediction: Lehigh 24, Colgate 17

GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 8 Sam Houston State (6-1) at No. 13 Stephen F. Austin (5-2), 3:00

The tale of two Texas A & M transfers comes full circle in Nacogdoches. Running back
Derek Farmer has been good when healthy for the Lumberjacks. The key word there is
when healthy. Farmer did not play against Southern Utah and ran sparingly in losses
to Florida International and Texas State. Stephen F. Austin fans have to be
wondering if Farmer is ever going to be fully healthy, and it doesn't look like he's
going to be able to go against the Bearkats. At Sam Houston State, transfer
quarterback Dustin Long has turned last year's 2-9 record into a 6-1 start. Long has
been one of the most valuable players in the nation, if not the most valuable, in
throwing for nearly 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns. The Bearkat offense has been a
force with Long, running back Jason Godfrey and wide receiver Jarrod Fuller. Sam
Houston State is averaging almost 500 yards and 40 points per game. Of course, those
numbers are meaningless without a defense and the Bearkats "D" has played better
each week. Last week, Sam Houston State held Northern Colorado to just seven points
after spotting Nicholls State only 10 the week before. Stephen F. Austin still has
Tony Tompkins and Michael Williams to lead the offense and should do better than the
last couple of opponents against the Bearkats defense. The Lumberjacks showed a
great ability to win close games at the beginning of the season, but have now lost
two of the last three and haven't put together a great effort in any one game this
season. The Lumberjacks offense will score some on the Bearkats defense, but Stephen
F. Austin doesn't have the firepower to keep up with Long and company the entire
game. I like the way Sam Houston State is coming together right now, and the
Bearkats will win their sixth straight behind another great effort from Long and
another solid game from the defense. Prediction: Sam Houston State 31, Stephen F.
Austin 21

***


Gridiron Power Index (GPI): Griz #6, Georgia Southern #1

I-AA.org, http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=62590

Georgia Southern remains ranked #1 for the fourth 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 Big Sky Conference, the Ivy League, and the Southern Conference placed
three each; the Gateway Football Conference, the Great West Football Conference, and
the Southland Conference placed two each; the Ohio Valley Conference and the Patriot
League placed one each. (Games through 10/23/04)

Big Sky Conference: 4th in I-AA BSC (33.14)
6. Montana (6.33)
17. E Washington (18.56)
20. Montana St (20.56)
39. Portland St (32.89)
40. N Arizona (34.22)
45. Idaho St (37.22)
67. Sacramento St (54.67)
77T. Weber St (60.67)

I-AA

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

***


I-AA West: Southland Symmetry

Kent Schmidt, I-AA.org

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