eGriz
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Joined: 27 Mar 2002
Posts: 3620
Location: Missoula, Montana
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Numbers don't favor Griz opponent (Missoulian).
Hauck knows one bad loss won't flatten Jacks (Great Falls Tribune).
Jacks in search of answers (Arizona Daily Sun).
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Extra Point - Week 10: Bag Full of Tricks (Dougherty, TSN).
Griz #10 in GPI, Georgia Southern #1 (I-AA.org).
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Numbers don't favor Griz opponent
By FRITZ NEIGHBOR of the Missoulian
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004/11/03/sports/sports02. txt
Just like that, the numbers don't add up for the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks.
They're 0-3 away from the Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff, Ariz., this season. They're 11-26 all-time against the Montana Grizzlies, who they visit Saturday at 12:05 p.m. in Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
Lead running back Roger Robinson has been held under 50 yards in their last two games. Montana has suffered just two home Big Sky Conference losses since early in the 1992 season, and hasn't lost to NAU since former Griz defensive coordinator Jerome Souers took over the 'Jacks seven seasons ago.
And the Lumberjacks are coming off what is unofficially their worst loss in their 25-year Big Sky history, 60-14 at home to Montana State.
The MSU rout brought back memories of 2003, when Montana went into the Walkup Skydome and cruised 59-21. That was NAU's worst home loss until last weekend. After that loss to the Griz, however, the Lumberjacks rallied to win their final two Big Sky games and make the I-AA playoffs. There, they stunned top-seeded McNeese State in the first round.
"We kind of look at that as an example of how resilient this team can be," said Robinson, who has rushed for 649 yards in eight games for NAU (3-2 in the Big Sky). "But the reality is that we're a whole different team than that team. We're a lot younger, and you don't know how guys are going to react. But we can hopefully bounce back from this. We have no choice - it needs to happen."
For once Montana will be playing an opponent that hasn't been at or near the top of its game. Instead, the 10th-ranked Grizzlies get one stinging from a big loss.
"The only thing it makes me think is that they're going to be a really, really motivated group," Montana defensive end Lance Spencer said. "They're going to be hugely motivated to not let that happen again, and nobody wants to lose two in a row."
Including the Grizzlies, who are coming off a 35-32 loss at Portland State. At 3-1 in league play, they're suddenly looking up at Montana State (4-0) in the Big Sky standings.
"Portland State's a very good team," Montana quarterback Craig Ochs said. "If they win those two games they're supposed to win, they're actually on top of the conference right now. You hate to say there's such a thing as a loss that doesn't hurt us bad, but that one's OK, because hopefully we can refocus ourselves. We've got three games at home, against three very quality opponents, but all our goals are in front of us."
Sacramento State follows NAU into Washington-Grizzly on Nov. 13, and the MSU Bobcats come in on Sept. 20. It was MSU that handed Portland State its first of back-to-back final-minute losses. Northern Arizona did it the next week, before the Vikings played 60 minutes of ball to beat the Griz.
"We were fortunate the last two teams had miraculous comebacks against Portland State, and got them," Griz coach Bobby Hauck said. "Or else we could be sitting here not in control of our destiny. They were a veteran, good football team that got us on their field."
Now comes NAU, which is 4-16 with eight straight losses at Montana. And Souers is 0-6 against UM in his tenure at NAU.
"Coach Souers isn't going to make it a personal vendetta," Robinson said. "But I know personally, I'd like nothing more to get a win over Montana for him."
Hauck summed up last week's loss succinctly.
"It goes back to field position," said the Grizzlies' second-year coach. "We didn't cover punts well. We didn't cover kicks well. We had penalties in our return game that put us back inside our 10-yard line, or our 20, darned near every time.
"We killed ourselves with our kicking game, and our turnovers back in our end. And that's the story of the game. You can digest it or dissect it any way you want, but that was the issue."
Ochs took responsibility for the turnovers, including a fumbled exchange with running back Justin Green that set up PSU's first touchdown.
"It was something where the play started off goofy," Ochs said. "It's a read for me - it's a pull-read. And sometimes I don't always look the ball into Justin's pocket if I'm giving it to him. I just lost focus, and I just didn't give him a good ball in his pocket. It was my error.
"I'm not going to make any excuses. I just need to play better, I need to protect the ball better. So those three turnovers in the game (Ochs threw a fourth-quarter interception) were all my fault."
Quick kicks: Since a 27-21 loss to Eastern Washington in 1992, the Grizzlies' two home Big Sky losses came to Eastern Washington again in 1997, and Montana State in 2002. Northern Arizona's last win at Missoula was 34-28 in 1986, Don Read's first year as coach. S In 1992, the Lumberjacks lost just 28-27 in Missoula, and 33-26 in double-overtime in 1988. The last five Griz home wins over NAU have been in the 10-14 point range. S Through eight games Montana's opponents are now a combined 29-37. The Grizzlies, 6-2, have beaten two .500 teams in Maine and Hofstra, lost to another in Portland State, and have beaten one team over .500 in Eastern Washington, which is 6-3. Their next opponent, NAU, is like Maine, Hofstra and PSU at 4-4. S Maine and Hofstra, by the way, are ranked ahead of Montana in the latest Sagarin NCAA football ratings. The ratings, which include all 239 Division I-A and I-AA schools, factor in strength of schedule and won-loss against teams in the top 10 and top 30 in the respective divisions, among other things. S Sagarin ranks Georgia Southern first among I-AA teams, at 41st overall. James Madison is ranked 47th, followed by Southern Illinois, ranked first in the Sports Network I-AA Top 25, at No. 58. Hofstra is ranked 93rd, while Maine is 95th and Montana 96th. They are Nos. 12-13-14 among I-AA teams. S There are other glitches, like Idaho State being ranked higher (No. 169) than Weber State (181) despite the Bengals' home loss to the Wildcats last week.
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Hauck knows one bad loss won't flatten Jacks
By GEORGE GEISE, Great Falls Tribune
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20 041103/SPORTS/411030336/1006
A lot of Big Sky Conference football fans are probably wondering how Northern Arizona can possibly bounce back from one of the most devastating losses in school history - a 60-14 thrashing last Saturday at home against Montana State.
The Lumberjacks trailed 53-0 at halftime and were never in the game against the Bobcats.
Montana head coach Bobby Hauck isn't wasting too much time pondering NAU's problems. He's seen the Lumberjacks deal with similar issues.
"We went down and beat them about that bad a year ago," Hauck said Tuesday, "and all they did was go out and win three or four in a row, including beating McNeese State in the playoffs when they were ranked No. 1."
Hauck's recollection is accurate.
The Grizzlies trounced NAU 59-21 at the Walkup Skydome on Nov. 1 a year ago, but coach Jerome Souers' team didn't exactly go in the tank. NAU proceeded to beat Idaho State 46-31 and Sam Houston State 34-18 to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. The Lumberjacks then pulled off the upset of the year in I-AA, spanking McNeese 35-3 in Louisiana.
Northern Arizona travels to Missoula this week to battle the Grizzlies, who are also coming off a disappointing 35-32 loss at Portland State. NAU is 3-2 in league play, 4-4 overall and most likely out of the playoff picture.
"You won't see Northern Arizona give up," said Hauck. "That's not who they are, regardless of what happened last week."
This will be the first of three straight home games to close the regular season for Montana, which is 3-1 in Big Sky play, 6-2 overall, and ranked No. 10 in I-AA. Sacramento State (1-4, 2-6) and Montana State (4-0, 6-2) visit Washington-Grizzly Stadium in the following weeks.
"It seems like a long time since we've been home," said Hauck, whose team beat Idaho State on Oct. 9 in Missoula, but hasn't been seen locally since.
"We've actually had a lot of fan support our last few games (in Cheney, Wash., and Portland)," said Hauck. "But it's not the same as being home."
Despite the loss at PSU, Montana still controls its own destiny. With three straight victories, the Griz will win the Big Sky championship, although either Eastern Washington (4-1) or Montana State could claim a share.
Montana turned the ball over three times at Portland, and the Grizzlies had poor efforts in both their punt and kickoff teams. Those factors allowed Portland State to gain favorable field position.
"We didn't punt well, we didn't kick off well, and we committed some big penalties on our kick returns," said Hauck. "Those are areas where we have been good, but they cost us against Portland. They (Vikings) are a good football team and with a little luck they could be in the driver's seat."
PSU is 2-3 in league play and can be no better than a spoiler.
Montana didn't suffer any major injuries at PSU. Defensive tackle Alan Saenz missed some snaps but should be ready to play Saturday.
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Jacks in search of answers
By ED ODEVEN, Arizona Daily Sun
http://www.azdailysun.com/non_sec/nav_includes/story.cfm?story ID=97172
Which Northern Arizona football team will show up Saturday in Missoula, Mont.?
Will it be the Lumberjack squad that made a big-time stand against Portland State in the fourth quarter Oct. 23 and produced a riveting comeback triumph? Or will it be the one that stumbled out of the blocks and was outplayed in every facet by the Montana State Bobcats last Saturday in a 60-14 loss.
That question cannot be answered yet, but Lumberjacks coach Jerome Souers expects his team to rebound, something NAU did last year after falling to Montana 59-21 in Game 9 (the Jacks won three in a row before closing out the season with a loss in the Division I-AA quarterfinals to Florida Atlantic.)
"I can assure you the same type of recovery will have to take place with our football team in the way that we bounce back from that game," Souers said. "And I know that we are capable of doing it.
"We're going to go about what we need to do to make the changes and adjustments and bring about a better effort to the next ballgame."
Confidence, or lack of it, played a key role in the blowout loss that got worse by the minute in the first half against MSU.
Just ask Souers.
"I think a lot of that was lost in the first quarter," Souers said of the team's confidence.
The Jacks trailed 22-0 after a disastrous opening stanza. It only got uglier in the second quarter as the Bobcats tacked on 31 more points before the break.
SKY WATCHING
Saturday's Big Sky contests produced the following results: Montana lost its first league game of the season, falling to Portland State 35-32 in the Rose City.
Though the Vikings (4-4, 2-3) are out of the race for the conference title, Saturday's triumph erased some of the painful memories of their back-to-back losses to Montana State and NAU.
"I've never seen a team work so hard and not get any rewards for doing it," PSU coach Tim Walsh told the Missoulian.
"And this is the best reward we could possibly have right now."
The Vikings led 21-7 at the 6:33 mark of the second quarter on Allen Kennett's 1-yard TD run.
"We put ourselves in a hole to start the game and it was uphill all night," Grizzlies coach Bobby Hauck told the Missoulian. "I thought our kids were emotional, so flat isn't what I'd say (they were). But I'd say we didn't execute well enough."
PSU quarterback Joe Wiser benefited from the all-around brilliance of a stellar offensive line as the Vikes racked up 402 yards of total offense.
"This line is phenomenal. ... It's the best line I've ever played behind," Wiser told The Oregonian. Weber State earned its first victory of the season, topping Idaho State 26-14 in Pocatello.
The Wildcats (1-8, 1-5) ran the ball often -- and with great ease -- as they picked up 252 yards on 46 carries. They are 16-2 in their last 18 games against ISU.
"Startling lack of effort marks Bengals' loss to Wildcats" was the headline in Sunday's Idaho State Journal.
"We weren't prepared, we just didn't come out to play," Bengals linebacker Kris Kosch told the Journal. "In college football, you have to play every play as hard as you can. We didn't do that." Eastern Washington hammered Sacramento State 45-10.
The Hornets' Fred Amey made 15 receptions for 156 yards, topping a school record for catches set by Tom Powell in 1968.
EWU led 38-3 in the third quarter. By that point Eagles quarterback Erik Meyer had completed 20 of 33 passes for 261 yards and two TDs, both of which wound up in the hands of Eric Kimble. Meyer watched the rest of the game from the sideline.
Sac State (2-6, 1-4) was held to 12 first downs and never got its running game going (minus-34 yards on the day).
"Defensively (the Eagles have) improved a ton from a year ago," Hornets coach Steve Mooshagian told the Sacramento Bee. "They have great quickness, and they swarm to the ball."
MISCELLANY
NAU had more penalty yards (104) than rushing yards (66) against the Bobcats. It had more punts (7) than third-down conversions (3). It did not convert a fourth-down play (0-for-3), and had zero sacks. ... Center Zac Niesen started his second game of the season, filling in for Julian Diaz, who missed three practices last week while tending to a family emergency in California.
THE LAST WORD
"We know that we're not that bad of a team and what happened here shouldn't happen, and it won't happen ever again. Something went wrong tonight, I don't know what it was. Like Coach said, we've just got to figure it out and move on from here," Lumberjacks quarterback Jason Murrietta said after Saturday's defeat.
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Extra Point - Week 10: Bag Full of Tricks
By Matt Dougherty, The Sports Network
http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page= cfoot2/news/AGN3580292.htm
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - You could excuse I-AA players and coaches from five teams if they felt like throwing some eggs and smashing some pumpkins on Halloween Eve.
There had to be some pent-up aggression for five teams in the 13-19 range of last week's top 25. Stephen F. Austin, Northwestern State, Appalachian State, Colgate and Maine all suffered losses that either finished off their playoff chances or put their season in serious jeopardy. The "teens" went just 1-5 last week, and now have daunting tasks to make the playoff field.
Stephen F. Austin lost to Sam Houston State in a close game and has to win the remaining games to have a chance. Northwestern State fell on the road for the second straight week, and now has to win out to have a chance at a playoff berth. Maine lost in a mild upset at Massachusetts and is probably out of playoff contention, and Appalachian State saw its chances go away with a shocking loss at Chattanooga.
Colgate had the best effort of the group of fallen teens in a loss at Lehigh's Goodman Stadium. About Goodman Stadium, I must say the atmosphere was absolutely enjoyable. With carnival-like concessions and a hill behind the goalpost for extra seating, the stadium had the feel of a minor-league baseball park. Lehigh's strong alumni attendance at the game and general party pre-game atmosphere in the parking lot added to the great experience.
Moving on to the game itself, the teams played very evenly in two very different halves. In the first half, both offenses moved up and down the field on a long, methodical drives. Each team scored two touchdowns, and each missed mid-range field goals. The Raiders and the Mountain Hawks went to the half tied, 14-14.
The second half was dominated by the defenses. Lehigh intercepted Chris Brown three times, and cashed in on one of the picks for the only score of the half. Lehigh's Julian Austin picked off Brown in the endzone to end Colgate's final threat, and put at least a severe damper on the Raiders chances going forward.
"We'll have to see what happens (with the playoffs)," said Colgate head coach Dick Biddle. "We just need to get a win, we're not worried about the playoffs."
Colgate at least has hope. So does Stephen F. Austin and Northwestern State. But if these teams don't turn it around very quickly, it will be tricks instead of treats again on the third weekend in November.
WEEK NINE NOTEBOOK
Team of the Week: Montana State
Talk about seizing on an opportunity. The Bobcats moved into prime playoff position by beating Northern Arizona and moving seven spots in the polls through losses of five teams ahead of them in the rankings. The "Cardiac" Cats had to go down to the wire for their last four victories, but could have skipped the final 50 minutes in a thorough 60-14 thrashing of Northern Arizona. Montana State jumped out to a 22-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, which ballooned to a remarkable 53-0 by halftime. Coming into the game, the Bobcats were just one game up on Northern Arizona in the standings. With just two losses and three games remaining, the Bobcats are in the enviable position of still being able to afford another loss and still make the postseason. Montana State had to hold on and survive for a month, but plenty of teams in I-AA would love to switch positions with the Bobcats now.
Best Top 25 Win: No. 8 Sam Houston State 31, No. 13 Stephen F. Austin 28
In a heated rivalry, the Bearkats walked away with a huge road victory to solidify their chances at a top four seed in the playoffs. Sam Houston State got the Lumberjacks best effort, but kept responding by making plays and holding on. Stephen F. Austin took the lead twice in the second half, but each time the Bearkats answered within three minutes with a Dustin Long touchdown pass to reclaim the advantage. The Lumberjacks moved down the field with a chance to tie or take the lead in the final minutes before the Bearkats defense held and defensive lineman Steven Hagler blocked a field goal attempt to preserve the victory. Stephen F. Austin now has to win out to have a shot at the postseason, while Sam Houston State is only a win or two away from punching its ticket.
Worst Top 25 Loss: Chattanooga 59, No. 17 Appalachian State 56
Appalachian State got through the meat of its schedule and only had to win three games against the bottom of the Southern Conference to basically assure a playoff berth. It only took one game to effectively eliminate the Mountaineers from any talk of the postseason. Like expected, Appalachian State scored at will against one of the worst defenses in the country. But the Mountaineer defense made Chattanooga look like the 1980's 49ers and Cedric Stevens played the role of Joe Montana. Stevens passed at will and the Mocs rallied from 28-7 down to defeat the Mountaineers. Appalachian's road woes and defense are ultimately its undoing this year. The Mountaineers surrender 36 points per game and have yet to win even one game away from home, a place they'll now be staying at on Thanksgiving weekend.
Best Game: UC Davis 36, No. 5 Cal Poly 33
Cal Poly finally losing was not a shock, but the way the Mustangs fell to UC Davis was a surprise. Plagued by offensive woes all season, Cal Poly played one of its best games on offense but for once the defense faltered in what became a second half shootout. After falling behind, 21-7, at halftime, the Mustangs stormed back and took a 24-21 lead early in the fourth quarter. UC Davis regained the lead at 28-24 with 10 minutes left, but Cal Poly came back again with a touchdown and a field goal to take a 33-28 lead. The Mustangs defense had faced the situation of stopping an offense late in the game before, but was not up to the task this time around. Davis gained possession on its own 47-yard line with just 40 seconds left and no timeouts, and then moved to the Cal Poly 14 after a pass interference call and a 24-yard completion. Jon Grant, who threw for 393 yards, hit Tony Kays with a 14-yard strike with 13 seconds left to provide the winning margin.
Play of the Week: On a day of upsets, New Hampshire's Corey Graham made sure that his team would not fall victim. Graham led the Wildcats with 13 tackles, but it was his interception with 5:24 left in the game that decided the outcome at Northeastern. Graham picked off Northeastern quarterback Shawn Brady and raced 25 yards for the gamewinning score in a 27-23 UNH win. With just two losses and three quality wins, New Hampshire remains in good shape to earn a playoff bid.
Stat of the Week: 1337
Combined yards in Chattanooga's 59-56 win against Appalachian State. The Mocs gained 695 yards, while the Moutaineers garnered 642.
Now, let's take a look at the week that was, and the week that will be, in I-AA football:
MID-MAJOR SHAKEUP
With losses by the top two teams in The Sports Network Mid-Major top 10, the race for The Sports Network Cup changed greatly Saturday. No. 4 Drake went into Dayton and defeated the top-ranked Flyers, 13-6. No. 3 Monmouth held off No. 2 Central Connecticut State, 9-6. With the wins, Monmouth moved up to No. 1 in the country and Drake now holds the No. 2 position. If Monmouth wins out, the Hawks figure to hang on and win The Sports Network Cup. Monmouth would be a very worthy champion with a 10-1 record and a win against Georgetown, but it's a shame that Monmouth and Drake (if they win out) can't play it out on the field like the rest of I-AA does. If the Mid-Majors accept the fact that they are not going to be considered for the I-AA playoff field, a title game after the final week of the season would be an excellent way to decide a champion. Politics and money will probably get in the way of this becoming a reality, but it would be nice to play it out on the field instead of going to a I-A style poll.
GREAT GAME, UGLY ENDING
Sam Houston State defeated Stephen F. Austin in a classic meeting against rivals, but unfortunately the game turned sour after the final seconds ticked away. The teams got into an ugly brawl at midfield following Sam Houston State's win, and though who and how started the fight is up for debate the ramifications are serious for both teams. The Southland Conference suspended 16 players following the contest, league commissioner Tom Burnett announced on Tuesday. Stephen F. Austin's Brandon Garrett, Robert Castillo, Rodney Fuller, Erik Wilson, Ryan Smith, Jeremy Davis, Miguel Toulon and Cedric Reescano shall serve a one-game suspension during SFA's Nov. 6 game at Nicholls State. Sam Houston's Bernard Campbell, Scorpio Babers, Elijah Simon, Steve Pickering, Ryan Dretke, Adam Karas, John Griffin and Brad Baca shall serve the same suspension during Sam Houston's home game Nov. 6 versus McNeese State."Per the bylaws of the Southland Conference, the league cannot and will not tolerate such unsportsmanlike acts, no matter the degree of rivalry between institutions," Burnett said following a review of the incident. "This conference has devoted a great deal of time to improving sportsmanship, and has developed thorough guidelines to address such poor behavior."
JUST FOR FUN
Sometimes the best part of following sports is just to make guesses and speculation for fun. I know, I'm kind of a dork with these things, but I think I've done a mock field of 64 before the college basketball field is announced every year since I was about 13. When life moved on to college, the joy of mock brackets even moved on to who might get married first (Nick, you got it buddy). Now on the I-AA scene, I have a new group of brackets to try to project before they are released. Complicating matters is questions over who will get the first round home games, but with the regional setting I should be able to come up with a decent guess for what the committee would come up with on Nov. 21. The following is my current projections for the bracket, using the field of 16 projected earlier in the week:
Region I; New Hampshire at Lehigh; Hampton at No. 4 Delaware.
Region II; Wofford at James Madison; William & Mary at No. 1 Georgia Southern.
Region III; Montana State at No. 2 Southern Illinois; Cal Poly at Montana.
Region IV Jacksonville State at No. 3 Sam Houston State; Furman at Western Kentucky.
THE GAMES
I braved the storm of top 25 upsets and came out in decent shape with a 70 percent rate of winners. I almost left Lehigh's Goodman Stadium with an exactly right prediction, but a missed field goal by both teams meant my 24-17 call was off by three points each way. I have hit all the marquee matchups in the past two weeks, though that could be a challenge this week with four games pitting ranked opponents on the schedule.
Last Week's Record: 22-9 (.710) Season Record: 213-80 (.727)
QUICK HITS
Massachusetts (4-5) at Northeastern (3-5), 12:00
The meeting in suburban Boston still has plenty of sizzle, but the meat of the matchup is not as strong with both teams eliminated from playoff contention. Massachusetts head coach Don Brown left Northeastern to coach the Minutemen in the offseason, and his exit was not graceful to say the least. Northeastern was upset about the way Brown left, and eventually the schools compromised and Brown was suspended for the first three games of the season. The Huskies figure to be fired up to beat their ex-coach, but both teams could use some wins to salvage what's left of what was once a promising season. Both teams were ranked for most of the season but have been casualties of the brutal Atlantic 10 schedule. UMass hasn't stopped the run all season and the offense has been spotty, while Northeastern has scored but hasn't stopped opponents in the past couple games. A player to watch in this game is Northeastern running back James West, who earned the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honor with a strong performance against New Hampshire. If West can have success running, the Huskies should win. Neither team has much left to play for, and that situation usually tilts in the advantage of the team playing in front of its home crowd. Throw in the extra motivation of facing their ex-coach and the Huskies should come away with the victory. Prediction: Northeastern 31, Massachusetts 24
Fordham (5-3) at Bucknell (4-4), 1:00
Fordham is hanging around in the playoff picture with just one loss in Patriot League play. Part of the reason for their position is games with Lehigh and Colgate still await, but the Rams have a chance nonetheless. Fordham could still be technically alive with a loss to Bucknell, but dropping the contest to the Bison will probably put the Rams away. Fordham has had its problems stopping the run, and that could be a huge task against the Bison. Bucknell quarterback Daris Wilson rushed for 252 yards and five touchdowns in last week's win at Holy Cross. Fordham needs to put up points with Derrick Daniels to keep up, but the Rams might not see the ball enough with Bucknell controlling play on the ground. The Bison will get a home win and cripple the Rams playoff hopes. Prediction: Bucknell 27, Fordham 20
Eastern Kentucky (3-5) at Tennessee-Martin (2-7), 1:00
With last week's overtime loss to Murray State, the Colonels are on the verge of playoff elimination. Even with a win, Eastern Kentucky could end the week barely hanging on to its Ohio Valley title hopes. It might have been a different story if quarterback Matt Guice was healthy all year, because Eastern Kentucky has moved the ball and put up points at a much better rate when he's at the helm. Wide receiver Andre Ralston was also out in the loss to Murray State, and if either is out against UT-Martin the offense could struggle to produce. It won't matter much here, as Eastern Kentucky is a much better team. Prediction: Eastern Kentucky 27, Tennessee-Martin 16
Howard (5-3) at South Carolina State (6-2), 1:30
By the end of the day, the MEAC race could be wide open or and open and shut case. If Howard can knock off the Bulldogs, both teams will have two losses. The Bethune-Cookman/Hampton loser will also have two losses, and if the Wildcats defeat the Pirates, Howard would still have a shot. That's a lot to ask for the Bison, but at least they still have a shot. Howard has played some pretty good football since an 0-2 start, and has a chance to come in and knock off the Bulldogs. The formula for South Carolina State is even simpler. The Bulldogs just need to win out and have Hampton lose once to win the MEAC automatic bid, and would even have a shot as an at-large entrant with a 9-2 record. South Carolina State has played well in every game except one, and can run and stop the run. That Bulldogs keep their MEAC and at-large postseason hopes going with a win. Prediction: South Carolina State 30, Howard 20
Northern Iowa (4-4) at Indiana State (4-5), 1:30
Northern Iowa is peaking. The Panthers are looking like the juggernaut they were expected to be when the season started with a healthy Terrance Freeney and a strong defense leading to double-digit victories. In the end, UNI will probably just end up as the most talented team not to make the playoffs with four close losses to very good teams. Indiana State is going in the other direction. The Sycamores had a great run in non-conference play and won their first Gateway game of the season, but have not played well at all since. The trends will continue, and UNI will win by a big margin again. Prediction: UNI 38, Indiana State 17
Elon (2-6) at Appalachian State (5-4), 2:00
The Mountaineers are one of the most unpredictable teams in I-AA football. Appalachian State is great at home and terrible on the road. They look like a top 10 team one week then play like a mediocre team the next. The defense played well against Furman and Wofford, but came one point away from giving up 60 to Chattanooga. The biggest reason to keep following the Mountaineers is Richie Williams and Davon Fowlkes. The duo puts on a show every week and deserve a better fate than a season without the playoffs. While Appalachian State has been inconsistent, Elon has just been consistently bad. The Mountaineers finish 6-0 on their home turf with an easy win. Prediction: Appalachian State 42, Elon 14
Hofstra (4-4) at Maine (4-4), 2:00
Another of the disappointing four-loss teams, Maine's fall from the playoff picture was not altogether shocking because of the Black Bears very difficult schedule. But looking back on the season and the losses, Maine should not be on the outside looking in at the playoffs right now. Maine surrendered two leads in the final minutes and lost on a blocked extra point at Massachusetts. The loss to the Minutemen was particularly disheartening because Maine was through the tough part of the schedule and still only had three losses. The Black Bears have the talent of a top 15 team, and should at least close out the season strong. Hofstra has played everybody tough so don't expect a blowout, but the Black Bears should at least do enough to hold on to the win. Prediction: Maine 28, Hofstra 21
Eastern Illinois (4-4) at Tennessee Tech (5-3), 3:00
For a team with a 4-4 record and two conference losses, Eastern Illinois has a good amount of control over its playoff chances. The Panthers can drop a third conference loss on Tennessee Tech, and have an opportunity to deal Jacksonville State a second conference defeat next week. They already beat two-loss Murray State, so winning out would leave Eastern Illinois with a very good shot to earn the OVC's automatic bid. The Panthers are one of the more unpredictable teams in the conference so far. They had great efforts against Murray State and Tennessee State, but lost bad to Eastern Kentucky and fell by 18 to lowly Tennessee-Martin. Tennessee Tech moved into contention with a win against Jacksonville State two weeks ago, but saw its opportunity to win out and make the playoffs go away with last week's loss at Samford. The Golden Eagles have played great defense, and the offense has been there most of the way. Eastern Illinois has been too inconsistent to expect a four-game win streak to close the season, but the young roster is getting better and will get the job done on the road. Prediction: Eastern Illinois 24, Tennessee Tech 17
No. 17 Montana State (6-2) at Sacramento State (2-6), 7:05
The Bobcats are peaking at the right time. In the first three games, the offense stumbled and Montana State was off to just a 1-2 start. The offense didn't exactly look great against Idaho State and Weber State, but the Bobcats found a way to gut out victories. In the last three contests, Travis Lulay and the Montana State offense has gotten hot to complement a solid defense. It all came together with Saturday's 60-14 whipping of Northern Arizona, and Montana State needs two more strong efforts in the last three games to earn a playoff berth. The last two games are against Eastern Washington and Montana, so the 'Cats could really use a win at Sacramento State. The Hornets haven't shown too much in the Big Sky, and don't figure to prove too much of a problem for Montana State. Prediction: Montana State 31, Sacramento State 14
Columbia (1-6) at No. 16 Harvard (7-0), 12:00
And then there was one. The Crimson are the only undefeated team left in I-AA, though they just survived in a 13-12 win at rival Dartmouth. The Big Green defense did a good job of bottling up Payton candidate Clifton Dawson and held the star running back without a touchdown for the first time this season. Harvard needs to get the offense going again with a big Ivy matchup with perennial conference power Penn coming next week. Columbia's 83rd ranked defense is a good unit to get going against, and the Crimson will play well on both sides of the ball to go into the Penn showdown with an 8-0 record. Prediction: Harvard 27, Columbia 10
Gardner-Webb (3-5) at No. 12 Wofford (6-2), 1:30
The Terriers could pose one of the most challenging dilemmas for the committee on selection day. If Wofford beats Gardner-Webb and VMI yet loses to Furman, the Terriers would finish 8-3 with losses to three ranked opponents but no wins over top 25 teams. Take last year's playoff success into account, and the Terriers fate in that situation would be tough to determine. The Terriers can put any doubt to rest by defeating Furman next week, and Gardner-Webb should serve as little more than a tune-up for that game. The Bulldogs haven't stopped any of their better opponents this year, and Wofford will have a chance to fine-tune its ground game before next week. Prediction: Wofford 35, Gardner- Webb 13
No. 9 Lehigh (7-1) at Georgetown (2-6), 12:30
The Mountain Hawks are shooting for win No. 600 in the program's history, and should have no problem reaching that mark against pitiful Georgetown. The Georgetown game comes at a good time for Brown and White, who played rival Colgate last week and still have Fordham and rival Lafayette left on the schedule. Georgetown's offense has scored single-digit points five times and has not scored more than 21 points in any game since the season opener. Lehigh's Mark Borda is peaking at quarterback, and the Mountain Hawks have had no trouble disposing of some of their weaker competition easily. That trend should ring true again in an easy Lehigh victory. Prediction: Lehigh 38, Georgetown 10
GOOD GAMES
No. 25 Alabama State (6-1) at Grambling State (4-4), 2:30
After winning the SWAC East division in his first season, Alabama State head coach Charlie Coe could be on his way to another title. The Hornets came from 11 points down to defeat Alabama A & M, 24-20, last week and have a one-game lead in the East division. With the win and a 6-1 record, the Hornets became the first SWAC team to crack the Sports Network top 25 since Grambling State fell out after the first week of the season. The Tigers struggled a bit after Bruce Eugene went down for the season with an injury, but they've rebounded to win four of the last six and two straight. The Tigers have the advantage of playing in front of the Homecoming crowd, and the offense has played well in the latter half of the season. But Alabama State may be the most balanced and most talented team in the conference, leading the league in total offense and placing second in total defense. SWAC rushing leader Keldrick Williams will have a good effort against the Tigers defense, and the slight edge on both sides of the ball will be enough for Alabama State to overcome GSU's homefield advantage. Prediction: Alabama State 31, Grambling State 27
Lafayette (6-2) at No. 24 Colgate (5-3), 12:30
The Leopards success in the Patriot League is really pretty remarkable. Lafayette had the deck stacked against it with four conference road games and only two at home, but the Leopards have already posted wins at Georgetown, Bucknell and Fordham and can sweep the road part of the Patriot League schedule with a victory at Colgate. If they do, Lafayette can win out at home and win the Patriot League outright. Even with a loss, the Leopards will likely still have a chance to force a three-way tie by defeating Lehigh in the season finale. The Raiders are in a much more dire situation. With a loss, Colgate will be done in the Patriot League and will see its playoff hopes dashed a year after making the national title game. The Raiders last three games are all tough, but if they win out Colgate might have an argument for an at-large at 8-3 considering last season's success. With that in mind, Colgate should have an inspired effort to stop the potent Lafayette ground game. The Raiders have talented skill players on offense too, and aren't going to see their playoff hopes go away by losing on their home turf. Prediction: Colgate 28, Lafayette 17
Texas State (4-4) at No. 22 Northwestern State (5-3), 5:00
What a difference two weeks makes in the college football season. Two weeks ago, Northwestern State was sitting at 5-1 and No. 9 in the country, and a 3-2 record the rest of the way would probably be enough to make the playoffs. The Demons then proceeded to lose at Nicholls State and North Dakota State the last two weeks, and now have to sweep the remaining three games against the best teams in the Southland. Texas State has gone the other way in the past two games. The Bobcats were close in their losses earlier in the season, but at 2-4 couldn't be considered a serious contender for the Southland championship. Texas State then upset Stephen F. Austin, and last week ended a 17-game road- losing streak by trouncing McNeese State. Northwestern State appears to have the better roster and should win the game, but the Demons have given away games with penalties and have not played well in the second half the past two weeks. If Northwestern State can cut down on its near 100 yards per game average in penalties, it would have a shot to win out the rest of the way. The Demons are much better at home than on the road, and they'll stay in the race with a win against Texas State. Prediction: Northwestern State 30, Texas State 17
No. 20 Penn (6-1) at Princeton (4-3), 1:00
Penn's defense led the way again as the Quakers extended their Ivy League winning streak to 19 games. Sam Mathews ran for a score early in the fourth quarter, and the defense held off Brown the rest of the way. Penn's offense isn't always dynamic, but Mathews has produced at running back, Dan Castles has made big plays at wide receiver, and Pat McDermott has made very few mistakes at the quarterback position. The ball-control offense serves as a great compliment to the stout defense, and the Quakers have shown week after week they have a penchant for winning games down the stretch. Princeton struggled in the close games department last year, but has turned it around this year until last week's 21-20 loss at Cornell. Princeton still has hopes for an Ivy League title, but the Tigers are a little behind Penn on both sides of the ball and the Quakers always seem to find a way to get the job done. Penn will find a way again. Prediction: Penn 20, Princeton 17
No. 18 Stephen F. Austin (5-3) at Nicholls State (4-3), 7:30
Hopes were high a few weeks ago, but the Lumberjacks are on a downward spiral after two losses and a ugly postgame altercation following the loss to Sam Houston State. As a result of the postgame problems, stud linebacker Jeremy Davis is suspended for the contest with the Colonels. With running back Derek Farmer already injured, the Lumberjacks will need to find a way to win without two of their top players. The loss of Davis at linebacker could be significant with a Nicholls State team that loves to run the ball right at its opponents. Nicholls State is a tough team to figure. The Colonels lost bad to Western Carolina, but posted big home wins against Eastern Washington and Northwestern State. Nicholls State has lost just once at home, and is getting Stephen F. Austin at the right time. The Colonels end the Lumberjacks playoff hopes and keep their chances in the Southland alive with an upset victory. Prediction: Nicholls State 24, Stephen F. Austin 20
Samford (4-5) at No. 15 Jacksonville State (6-1), 5:00 Jacksonville State just had the best bye week of the season. After losing to Tennessee Tech and losing control of the Ohio Valley Conference, the Gamecocks are right back alone in first place in the league after Tennessee Tech and Eastern Kentucky both suffered their second OVC loss of the season last week. If Jacksonville State can control the style of play against Samford, the Gamecocks will get back on the winning track. If the game turns into a wide- open shootout, Samford has the track style offense to cause the Gamecocks defense some problems. Jacksonville State has the ability to run all over a poor Samford defense, and should win the time of possession battle significantly. Jacksonville State's pass defense has struggled some, but the Gamecocks figure to stop Samford a lot more than the other way around. The defensive stops will be enough to lead to a Gamecock win. Prediction: Jacksonville State 34, Samford 24
Bethune-Cookman (5-2) at No. 14 Hampton (7-1), 2:00
Hampton could have the MEAC title sown up by the end of the day. If the Pirates defeat the Wildcats and Howard beats South Carolina State, the MEAC title would be Hampton's because it would win all the tiebreakers. Even if that scenario doesn't happen, the Pirates are in great shape to win the MEAC title. Part of the reason for their position, and the 7-1 record, is that Hampton just doesn't do much of anything wrong. The Pirates are among the nation's leaders in turnover ratio, are in the top five in kick and punt returns, have an explosive run game and an efficient quarterback. Bethune-Cookman is ranked high in many of those categories as well, which probably indicates as much as anything about how down the bottom of the MEAC is. The winner of this game may well come down to who has a better game at the quarterback position between Bethune-Cookman's Jarod Rucker and Hampton's Princeton Shepherd. I say Shepherd does a bit better on his home field, and Hampton's advantage in balance in other phases of the game will lead to the victory. Prediction: Hampton 31, Bethune-Cookman 24
Northern Arizona (4-4) at No. 10 Montana (6-2), 2:05
The Grizzlies loss to Portland State puts a damper on hopes of a top four seed, but if Montana regroups it is still in good shape to win the Big Sky conference. The Grizzlies play the final three games at home, starting with a Northern Arizona team that looked downright awful against Montana State last week. The Lumberjacks, unofficially ranked No. 30 in the Sports Network top 25, hosted Montana State and got obliterated. The Bobcats held a 53-0 advantage by the half in a game that was never a contest. I don't think Montana can duplicate that success, but the Grizzlies should be able to pounce on a team that is suddenly down and out of the playoff picture. Montana needs to get a good effort from its defense to feel confident about its chances going forward in the playoffs (or even getting there for that matter). The defense hasn't shown any signs of being able to completely shut another team down, but can have a better effort against a Northern Arizona offense that has very little skill at wide receiver. Montana's offense has played well all season and will put up enough points to knock off Northern Arizona. The Grizzlies will rebound from last week's loss with a good effort. Prediction: Montana 31, Northern Arizona 20
No. 8 New Hampshire (6-2) at Rhode Island (4-4), 12:00
With a huge win at Northeastern, the Wildcats are in great shape for a playoff berth. New Hampshire has wins against Delaware, Rutgers and Villanova, and has very winnable games in the next two with Rhode Island and Towson before finishing the season at Maine. At least New Hampshire gets to take on Rhode Island on the road. The Wildcats are a perfect 5-0 away from home for the first time since 1994, and a 6-0 road record with a win against Rhode Island would make the Wildcats one win away from a playoff berth. The New Hampshire passing offense, led by quarterback Ricky Santos and wide receiver David Ball, will have a field day against the Rhode Island pass defense. The Rams can put up some yardage on the ground against the Wildcats, but it won't be enough to keep up with what Santos and Ball do. Prediction: New Hampshire 38, Rhode Island 27
No. 5 Western Kentucky (6-2) at Southwest Missouri State (5-4), 2:00
With the No. 5 ranking in the country, it's not out of the question for the Hilltoppers to move up to a top four seed in the playoffs. It would be tough to get a second team in the top four from the same conference, but if James Madison and Sam Houston State lose a second game it might be tough to keep Western Kentucky out of the spot with losses to only Kansas State and Southern Illinois. Of the three remaining games, winning at Southwest Missouri State is probably the toughest test. The final game is at I-A transitional team Florida International, but the Golden Panthers are 2-4 with a loss to McNeese State. Even this game should not be that difficult. A few weeks ago, going to SMS would have looked tough but the Bears have been brought back to reality after playing Southern Illinois and UNI. Both Gateway powers beat the Bears by more than 20, and SMS has dropped four of the last six since starting 3-0. The Bears have also given up 27 points or more in the last six contests, so this will be a good opportunity for Western Kentucky to get the offense rolling after an ordinary effort against Illinois State last week. The Bears have some talent on offense and usually put up a pretty good number on the scoreboard, though that will be difficult against the Hilltoppers defense. Western Kentucky will do enough to stay on track for a possible top four seed. Prediction: Western Kentucky 28, SMS 13
McNeese State (3-5) at No. 4 Sam Houston State (7-1), 3:00
Sam Houston State seized control of the Southland Conference with a win at Stephen F. Austin. When Delaware, Cal Poly and Montana all lost last week, the Bearkats also moved into great position to gain a top four seed in the playoffs. As usual, the main reason for the win against Stephen F. Austin was the passing game of Dustin Long and a great trio of receivers. That's not to discount a defense that has improved greatly since last season, but the offensive potential at the skill positions is what scares people about the Bearkats. McNeese State is just down this year. The Cowboys are turning towards the younger players like Chris Jones at quarterback and Chris Thomas at running back to try and get better for the future. The program has too much tradition and the fan base is too strong to be down for long, but the Cowboys are struggling this year. With eight players suspended for the Bearkats after last week's altercation with Stephen F. Austin, the outcome could be a little closer but Sam Houston State still has enough to get the win. Prediction: Sam Houston State 35, McNeese State 21
No. 1 Southern Illinois (8-1) at Illinois State (4-4), 2:30
I'll say it right now, and I'm not exactly going out on a limb here. If Southern Illinois is not in the national championship game (along with Georgia Southern), someone is going to have to play a near perfect game to knock them off. The Salukis just have too many ways and too many players that can beat anybody. You could shut down the top four running backs, who as a group average about six yards per carry. If that happens, quarterback Joel Sambursky has a strong cast of wide receivers and can easily beat you with his arm. If the offense gets shut down, scoring on the Salukis defense will be a challenge in and of itself. Southern Illinois is getting better right now, too, which is a pretty impressive feat for a team who was a play away from beating a very good Northern Illinois team. The last four Gateway wins have all come by at least 24 points, and the Salukis have surrendered just five total points in two conference road games. Illinois State had a very commendable effort last week at Western Kentucky, but that might be too much to ask for two weeks in a row. Prediction: Southern Illinois 38, Illinois State 7
MARQUEE MATCHUPS
No. 11 Cal Poly (7-1) at No. 21 Eastern Washington (6-3), 5:05
Eastern Washington is a really, really good team. I won't say they're underrated, because with three losses at this point it's hard to be ranked much higher than No. 21. But look at some of the final scores for the Eagles this season against Big Sky competition: 47-22, 41-21, 45-14, 51-7 and 45-10. The problem for the Eagles is the one non-blowout game in conference play came against Montana, and that was a loss. And losing the first two games of the year continues to haunt the Eagles, so Eastern Washington will need wins over very strong Cal Poly and Montana State teams to have a good shot at making a playoff run. Cal Poly's defense is easily the best Eastern Washington has seen since playing Air Force earlier in the season, but the Mustangs do give up some yardage in the passing game. Last week, UC Davis quarterback Jon Grant tallied nearly 400 yards against the Mustangs as Cal Poly lost for the first time this season. Eastern Washington's defense has played well in most games, and Cal Poly's offense has struggled this year. But the Mustangs may have uncovered a gem in quarterback Anthony Garnett. Garnett had a great game in earning Sports Network player of the week honors against Texas State, struggled against North Dakota State, and played very well despite the loss to UC Davis. While Garnett has shown great flashes, Meyer already has a track record and is playing too well right now to have a bad game even against a good defense. It's going to be tough for Cal Poly to put up big numbers on the scoreboard for a second straight week, and Eastern Washington will score too much for the Mustangs to keep up. Prediction: Eastern Washington 27, Cal Poly 17
No. 19 Villanova (6-3) at No. 13 William & Mary (6-2), 1:00
Here's something to remember about Villanova. The Wildcats were picked by the coaches and media, over defending national champion Delaware, to win the Atlantic 10's South division. They went through some injury problems in the secondary and on the offensive line and it took Marvin Burroughs a few games to really settle in at quarterback, but now the Wildcats appear to be peaking. Villanova used games against Richmond, Towson and Rhode Island to get healthy in a big way, beating the three downtrodden opponents by a combined 138-28 score. The Wildcats offense is nothing like the unit that stumbled through the first four games, and the defense has recovered after playing sluggish games against New Hampshire and Northeastern. Villanova is playing with its back against the playoff wall for the fourth straight game, so being in a must-win situation is nothing new for the Wildcats. It's not a must-win game for William & Mary, but the Tribe would sure feel better about their playoff chances if they can get a victory. Lang Campbell has been extraordinary at quarterback, and only close road losses to North Carolina and Delaware go against the Tribe. Passing teams have had more success than rush-oriented teams against Villanova this season, so the Tribe also have a decent matchup there. But Villanova's offense is on a roll and the defense is getting back into the form it started the season with. William & Mary's offense is just as good or better than the Wildcats, but Villanova will come up with more stops on defense and keep their playoff hopes alive with a road upset. Prediction: Villanova 27, William & Mary 24
No. 6 Delaware (6-2) at No. 7 James Madison (7-1), 1:30
When looking at the wins and schedules of both teams, I really need to commend the slate every Atlantic 10 team has to face. Of the playoff contenders, Delaware, James Madison, William & Mary, Maine and New Hampshire all played a major I-A team in addition to the rigors of the Atlantic 10 schedule. For a team like Maine and possibly at least one more, the schedule proved too much and the playoff prospects don't look good. As of now, the Blue Hens and the Dukes have been able to brave the difficult schedules and are still in good shape for a playoff berth. James Madison especially deserves credit. The Dukes are one of only four teams that have not lost a game to a I-AA opponent. Two of the others, Southern Illinois and Georgia Southern, are ranked No. 1 and 2 and the third, Harvard, is undefeated and ranked No. 16. Based on wins against Maine and Villanova on the road and a 6-0 record against I-AA teams, a case could easily be made that the Dukes have performed as the No. 3 team in the country so far this year. James Madison gets the job done with a great running game and great defense, but that formula could be tough this week. Delaware does a good job against the run, for one. More importantly, the depth of the James Madison backfield has been hit hard with injuries. Alvin Banks went down a few weeks ago, and Maurice Fenner got hurt in the last game against VMI. If neither can go, the Dukes coaching staff has some shuffling to do at the running back position and losing continuity is never good for a team that is playing well. While James Madison's defense is still one of the top units in the nation, Delaware is looking like a refined offense more and more every week. The Blue Hens have two good running backs with different styles in Niquan Lee and Lonnie Starks, good receivers and a quarterback, Sonny Riccio, that is getting better with each game. Delaware's offense will be tough to shut down from here on out like it was earlier in the year. The Dukes have played great this year and found a way to win, but without the top two runners the offense might have trouble finding its way and Delaware will take advantage on the road. Prediction: Delaware 24, James Madison 20
GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 2 Georgia Southern (8-1) at No. 3 Furman (6-2), 2:00
Furman is No. 3 in the country. The Paladins only losses are to Pittsburgh in overtime and against Appalachian State by just one point. Furman has five wins of 20 points or more in its six victories. The Paladins had a rash of injuries to star players that hurt their chances to come away with wins against Pittsburgh and Appalachian State, and many of those players, though not all, are now back on the field. Furman ranks just behind Georgia Southern in most offensive and defensive categories, and the Paladins have the talent to make a title run in the I-AA playoffs. So, in summation, Furman is good, and deserves a spot in the top 10. All that said, the Paladins are going to have trouble even hanging with Georgia Southern. The Paladins provide Georgia Southern's toughest test since a game at Georgia, but what does that really mean? Wofford and Appalachian State were supposed to be challenges, too, but Georgia Southern still won both of those games comfortably enough to sit the starters for most of the second half. Along with Southern Illinois, Georgia Southern is head and shoulders above the rest of I-AA. The proof showed in this week's poll ballots, when only three voters out of 108 had someone other than Georgia Southern and Southern Illinois in the top two. The Eagles are No. 41 in all of Division I football in the Sagarin ratings, placing them ahead of Nebraska, Florida and Colorado. My hunch is Georgia Southern could go win those early bowl games in Hawaii and random places like Shreveport without much trouble at all. The Eagles running game is just an unbelievable force right now. Whether it's quarterback Chaz Williams or any of a host of running backs, the Eagles are running at a rate of six yards per carry. Furman is one of the most equipped teams to shut down that attack, but it's hard to imagine the Paladins completely stopping the Eagles Georgia Southern also has played great on defense, especially against the pass, and Furman's Ingle Martin and his receivers have the work cut out to move against the Eagles. This is nothing against Furman at all, but when a team is winning by 50 points seemingly every game, I'm not going to be the one to go out on a limb and pick against them. Furman will be closer than anyone else this season, but it won't be enough to earn the victory. Prediction: Georgia Southern 35, Furman 20
***
Gridiron Power Index (GPI) through 10/30/04, Georgia Southern #1
I-AA.org
http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=62964
Georgia Southern remains ranked #1 for the fifth 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 nine teams in the top 25; the Big Sky Conference and the Great West Football Conference placed three each; the Gateway Football Conference, the Ivy League, the Southern Conference, and the Southland Conference placed two each; the Ohio Valley Conference and the Patriot League placed one each. (Games through 10/30/04)
Rank Team
1 Georgia Southern
2 S Illinois
3 James Madison
4 Delaware
5T New Hampshire
5T Sam Houston St
7 Cal Poly
8 William & Mary
9 Harvard
10 Montana
11 W Kentucky
12 Furman
13 Villanova
14 Lehigh
15 Penn
16 Montana St
17 E Washington
18 Maine
19 UC Davis
20 Hofstra
21 SF Austin
22 Northeastern
23 Jacksonville St
24 N Dakota St
25 Massachusetts
26 Wofford
27 N Iowa
28T Portland St
28T Appalachian St
30 Texas St
31 Lafayette
32 Hampton
33 Brown
34 S Dakota St
35 Rhode Island
36 S Utah
37 Northwestern St
38 Princeton
39 Nicholls St
40 Colgate
41 N Arizona
42 SW Missouri St
43 Bucknell
44 Alabama St
45 S Carolina St
46 SE Louisiana
47 Richmond
48 Yale
49 Illinois St
50 Towson
51T Fordham
51T E Kentucky
53T Murray St
53T Southern Univ
55 Cornell
56 Bethune-Cookman
57T Idaho St
57T Tennessee Tech
59 W Carolina
60 Coastal Car
61T N Colorado
61T Youngstown St
63 W Illinois
64 Drake
65 Indiana St
66 E Illinois
67 McNeese St
68 Samford
69 Dayton
70 Weber St
71 Citadel
72 Sacramento St
73 Chattanooga
74 Monmouth
75 Howard
76 Alcorn St
77 San Diego
78T Florida A&M
78T Ark Pine Bluff
80 Central Conn
81 Liberty
82 Elon
83 SE Missouri St
84 Duquesne
85 Albany
86T Tennessee St
86T Gardner Webb
88 Jackson St
89 Columbia
90 Alabama A&M
91 Robert Morris
92 Morgan St
93 Delaware St
94 Dartmouth
95 Grambling
96 Wagner
97 Holy Cross
98 Sacred Ht
99 NC A&T
100 Charleston So
101 Stony Brook
102 Georgetown
103 TN Martin
104 MS Valley St
105 Morehead St
106 VMI
107T Savannah St
107T Norfolk St
109 Marist
110 Prairie View
111 Davidson
112 St Francis
113 Valparaiso
114 Jacksonville
115 La Salle
116T TX Southern
116T Butler
116T Iona
119 St Peter's
120 Austin Peay
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