Three top-ten teams tumble (although one of them was to North Carolina, so it doesn’t quite count), three SEC teams pay out appearance bonuses to FCS teams next week, two teams remain ranked despite falling to 4-4, two teams which actually deserve it don’t get ranked, one FCS game draws over 60,000 in paid attendance, and one conference champion is crowned. All that, and partially-surprising conference realignment news, after the jump.
Colonial:
at North Carolina 21, #3 William & Mary 17 (non-conference/FBS)
at #5 Villanova 28, #14 Richmond 7
#18 Massachusetts 21, at #15 James Madison 14
Rhode Island 30, at Towson 20
#6 Delaware, Maine, and #10 New Hampshire idle
at South Alabama 39, Georgia State 34
Old Dominion 28, at Hampton 14
Seriously, what’s it going to take to get James Madison and Richmond out of the poll? I’m not saying the Colonial isn’t the class of this division, but 4-4 and ranked? No, I’m sorry. Robert Morris and Lehigh deserve better.
Saturday:
Still tons of football to go here, although this might be moving day. William & Mary, despite being firmly in control of the race and wholly in control of their own destiny thanks to wins over both Delaware and Villanova, is in the most danger this week. The other two should have no trouble moving to 5-1. None of the three teams have an easy path to decision day; the Tribe’s three remaining games are all against ranked teams, and the Hens and Wildcats face the same problem their final two weeks (including the Villanova at Delaware showdown on Nov 20).
Here’s now messed up things really are: Towson can’t even clinch last place with a loss.
#3 Villanova (6-2, 4-1) at Rhode Island (3-5, 2-3)
#4 William & Mary (6-2, 4-1) at #8 New Hampshire (5-3, 3-2)
Towson (1-7, 0-5) at #5 Delaware (7-1, 4-1)
Maine (3-5, 2-3) at #15 Massachusetts (5-3, 3-2)
#22 James Madison (4-4, 1-4) at #20 Richmond (4-4, 2-3)
Lamar (3-5) at Georgia State (5-4)
Savannah State (0-8) at Old Dominion (5-3)
Southern:
at #1 Appalachian State 37, Furman 26
at #9 Wofford 35, The Citadel 0
Elon 49, at #20 Chattanooga 35
Samford 20, at Georgia Southern 13
Western Carolina idle
Furman put up a fight against the Mountaineer juggernaut, but fell short. Amid the battle, a season first: Appalachian State QB DeAndre Presley threw an interception. All of Furman’s losses this year have been to ranked teams.
Saturday:
Straightforward: if Appy beats Wofford in Boone next week, Appy wins the conference, regardless of what happens this week. If Wofford wins this week and next, they win. If they both lose this week and Wofford wins next week, Chattanooga at Wofford becomes the deciding game, but a Chattanooga win there would set up a convoluted three-way tie with a transitive chain.
#1 Appalachian State (8-0, 6-0) at Georgia Southern (4-4, 2-3)
#7 Wofford (7-1, 5-0) at Samford (4-4, 2-3)
Chattanooga (5-3, 4-2) at Auburn (9-0, FBS) (non-conference)
Western Carolina (2-6, 1-4) at Furman (4-4, 2-3)
Elon (3-5, 2-3) at The Citadel (2-7, 0-6)
Big Sky:
at Weber State 30, #7 Montana 21
#8 Eastern Washington 50, at Portland State 17
#13 Montana State 23, at Idaho State 20 (OT)
Sacramento State 40, at #25 Northern Arizona 10
at South Dakota 34, Northern Colorado 6 (non-conference)
The big news this week: the Big Sky will expand again. The conference had already announced that it would be welcoming Cal-Davis and Cal Poly aboard; Southern Utah and North Dakota have now accepted invitations to become full members as well, and South Dakota is currently negotiating the same. Southern Utah’s move was widely expected; North Dakota, on the other hand, was expected to be looking east.
In on-field news, Montana shot themselves in the foot this week, letting Weber’s Vaingamalie Tafuna rumble for 129 yards and four touchdowns. EWU’s Taiwan Jones rolled up 199 yards and three TDs in the first half, then took a seat to watch the Eagles pummel Portland State. And Montana State frosh QB Denarius McGhee threw for 402 yards, but the highlight of his day was the 25-yard TD run in the second overtime which overcame an Idaho State field goal to avoid a calamitous upset.
Saturday:
Montana’s loss messes everything up in theory, as it’s still possible for a three-way tie at 6-2. There is, of course, a major problem with this proposition, as it depends on EWU losing to Idaho State in two weeks. A final resolution to the matter will become clear after MSU and Weber conclude their business. If one assumes Idaho State’s not going to beat EWU, then a Weber win would give EWU the title, while an MSU win sets up the Brawl of the Wild as their chance to steal the crown with a win, regardless of Idaho State’s potential pluck.
Weber State (5-3, 4-2) at #12 Montana State (7-2, 5-1)
Portland State (2-6, 1-4) at Sacramento State (4-4, 3-3)
Northern Arizona (4-4, 2-3) at Northern Colorado (2-7, 1-5)
Idaho State (1-7, 0-6) at Georgia (4-5, FBS) (non-conference)
#6 Eastern Washington (7-2, 6-1) and #13 Montana (6-3, 5-2) idle
Ohio Valley:
at #11 Southeast Missouri State 24, Tennessee-Martin 17
at Eastern Kentucky 28, Murray State 21
at Eastern Illinois 28, Austin Peay 10
#2 Jacksonville State, Tennessee Tech, and Tennessee State idle
Saturday:
The only thing standing in SEMO’s way is their final conference game, which is against Jax State next week. Unless Jax somehow loses to both EKU and Tennessee Tech, in which case SEMO wins the crown regardless, the winner of that game wins the conference title.
#2 Jacksonville State (8-0, 5-0) at Eastern Kentucky (3-5, 2-2)
Southwest Baptist (7-2, D-II) at #9 Southeast Missouri State (8-1, 7-0) (non-conference)
Tennessee Tech (4-4, 3-2) at Murray (3-5, 2-3)
Tennessee-Martin (4-5, 3-3) at Austin Peay (2-6, 0-4)
Eastern Illinois (1-8, 1-6) at Tennessee State (3-5, 0-3)
Southland:
Texas State 27, at #4 Stephen F. Austin 24
at Northwestern State 23, Sam Houston 20 (2OT)
at McNeese State 24, Nicholls State 14
at Central Arkansas 30, Southeast Louisiana 23
at North Dakota 31, Lamar 6
Talk about your epic failures. With 9:21 to go, Stephen F. Austin led Texas State 24-0. Exactly what the #4 team in the nation should be doing to a team playing under .500 football. Eight minutes and eleven seconds later, the Lumberjacks were down by three. Oops.
Saturday:
Didn’t see that one coming, did we? The conference race is now in full froth, and there’s really nothing we can forecast until this week shakes out. SFA remains in control of their own destiny here, but if everyone wins out and SFA loses to Northwestern State, it’s a three-way tie with a chain.
#10 Stephen F. Austin (6-2, 3-1) at Nicholls (2-6, 1-3)
McNeese (4-4, 3-1) at Sam Houston (4-4, 2-2)
Northwestern (4-4, 3-1) at SE Louisiana (2-6, 1-3)
Central Arkansas (5-3, 2-2) at Texas State (4-4, 1-3)
Lamar (3-5) at Georgia State (5-4)
Missouri Valley:
#19 Northern Iowa 34, at Youngstown State 30
at Western Illinois 65, Illinois State 38
at Indiana State 41, South Dakota State 30
at Missouri State 51, Southern Illinois 41
North Dakota State idle
The Big Sky news obviously affects the MVFC (and, more directly, the Summit League, who had a scheduled site visit with North Dakota next week which UND cancelled). In fact, UND’s move to the Big Sky actually endangers South Dakota’s already-announced plans to join the Summit next year, as they’re now in negotiations with the Sky themselves to become a full member.
Western Illinois QB Matt Barr tossed six TD passes and racked up 452 yards on 22-25 passing as the Leathernecks trashed Illinois State.
Saturday:
Western Illinois actually has the clear path here despite trailing by half a game, and Northern Iowa has to run a gauntlet through the league’s two-loss teams to get to the finish line. This week should at least shake things out a bit.
#17 Northern Iowa (5-3, 4-1) at Indiana State (5-3, 3-2)
Southern Illinois (3-5, 2-3) at #25 North Dakota State (5-3, 2-3)
Missouri State (4-4, 3-2) at South Dakota State (3-5, 3-3)
Youngstown (3-6, 1-5) at Illinois State (4-5, 3-4)
#24 Western Illinois (6-3, 4-2) idle
Mid-Eastern:
at #12 Bethune-Cookman 67, North Carolina A&T 17
Saturday:
#17 South Carolina State 38, at Delaware State 21
Old Dominion 28, at Hampton 14 (non-conference)
at Florida A&M 31, Morgan State 17
Norfolk State 10, at Howard 9
at North Carolina Central 20, Edward Waters 7
Savannah State idle
Interim head coach Darryl Bullock got his first career win in NCCU’s victory over Edward Waters.
Saturday:
It’s not quite over yet. With a win, Bethune can eliminate Hampton from anything save the hope of a very convoluted three- or four-way tie at 5-2. BCC would also then only need a win at FAMU on the 20th to clinch the title, regardless of their result next week. Otherwise, this is still very much a live fuse of a race.
#11 Bethune-Cookman (8-0, 5-0) at Hampton (5-3, 4-1)
Howard (1-7, 0-5) at #16 South Carolina State (6-2, 4-1)
Florida A&M (5-3, 4-1) at North Carolina A&T (1-8, 1-5)
Morgan State (4-4, 3-2) at Norfolk State (3-5, 2-4)
North Carolina Central (3-5) at Delaware State (1-7, 1-5) (not a conference game yet)
Savannah State (0-8) at Old Dominion (5-3)
Great West:
at #22 Cal Poly 41, St. Francis (PA) 33 (non-conference)
Southern Utah 55, at Cal-Davis 24
at South Dakota 34, Northern Colorado 6 (non-conference)
at North Dakota 31, Lamar 6 (non-conference)
The conference was already doomed, but the announcement that North Dakota and Southern Utah would be joining the Big Sky officially confirms it. South Dakota would be the lone remaining team, but they’re also in talks to join the Big Sky.
Cal Poly won at homecoming, in a game memorializing the 16 Mustang players who lost their lives in a plane crash at Toledo 50 years ago. 13 surviving members of that ill-fated team were on hand for the ceremonies.
Saturday:
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2010 Great West Football Champions, the Southern Utah Thunderbirds. They finished running the table with last week’s victory, led by Brad Sorensen’s 397 yards and five TDs.
#19 Cal Poly (6-3, 1-1) at South Dakota (4-5, 1-2)
Dixie State (2-7, D-II) at Southern Utah (5-4, 4-0) (non-conference)
Cal-Davis (3-5, 1-1) at North Dakota (3-5, 0-3)
Big South:
#16 Liberty 34, at Presbyterian 24
at Stony Brook 41, Charleston Southern 21
Coastal Carolina 30, at Gardner-Webb 27 (OT)
at Army 29, VMI 7 (non-conference/FBS)
Saturday:
Considering the conference leaders could both still finish 4-2, we’re too far out to get any read. They meet in the season finale, and for now that’s where this looks to be decided. Nobody else controls their own fate, and it would take some serious chaos for anyone else to have a reasonable shot (although G-W does play both in the next two weeks, and could send this spinning into lunacy all on their own).
Gardner-Webb (3-5, 1-2) at #14 Liberty (6-2, 3-0)
Stony Brook (4-4, 3-0) at Presbyterian (1-7, 1-3)
Coastal Carolina (3-5, 2-1) at VMI (3-5, 2-2)
Charleston Southern (2-6, 0-4) at Kentucky (4-5) (non-conference)
Ivy:
at #21 Penn 24, Brown 7
at Yale 31, Columbia 28
Harvard 30, at Dartmouth 14
at Cornell 21, Princeton 19
Saturday:
Assuming a Penn win, either Yale or Brown goes bye-bye Saturday. That’ll set up a huge game at Franklin Field next week as Harvard visits the Quakers, and the title will most likely be on the line for Penn.
#18 Penn (6-1, 4-0) at Princeton (1-6, 0-4)
Yale (5-2, 3-1) at Brown (4-3, 3-1)
Columbia (3-4, 1-3) at Harvard (5-2, 3-1)
Dartmouth (4-3, 1-3) at Cornell (2-5, 1-3)
Pioneer:
#24 Jacksonville 61, at Morehead State 17
Dayton 37, at Davidson 13
at Drake 38, San Diego 17
Marist 42, at Campbell 14
Butler 48, at Valparaiso 0
Jacksonville had not trailed since losing in week two to Appalachian State. That ended this week, as Morehead State took an early lead. Seven Josh McGregor touchdown passes later, that was all forgotten.
Saturday:
A reminder that Jacksonville and Dayton miss one another this season. Dayton faces a stern test at home against Drake, and a not-improbable upset here is exactly what Jacksonville is hoping for. On the other hand, a Dayton win will eliminate Drake from any chance at the title.
#23 Jacksonville (8-1, 6-0) at Butler (4-5, 2-4)
Drake (6-3, 5-1) at Dayton (8-1, 6-0)
Morehead State (3-5, 2-3) at San Diego (3-6, 3-3)
Davidson (2-6, 2-4) at Marist (3-5, 2-4)
Valparaiso (0-9, 0-6) at Campbell (2-6, 1-4)
Southwestern:
#23 Grambling State 35, at Arkansas-Pine Bluff 25
at Texas Southern 38, Mississippi Valley State 7 (crossover)
at Jackson State 30, Prairie View A&M 13 (crossover)
at Alcorn State 27, Southern 20 (crossover)
Alabama State 31, Alabama A&M 10 (at Legion Field, Birmingham AL)
A whopping 62,000 people were on hand at Legion Field for the Alabama State-Alabama A&M contest.
Saturday:
Grambling still cannot win the West, even with a Texas Southern loss this week. They’ll have to take care of that business on their own next week when they meet (or later events might accomplish the same result). In the East… Jackson can get rid of Alabama State once and for all this week, but they’ll have to handle Alcorn in two weeks to seal the deal.
Concordia (AL) (3-3, n/a) at #21 Grambling (7-1, 7-0) (non-conference)
Jackson State (6-2, 4-2) at Alabama State (5-3, 4-3)
Texas Southern (5-3, 5-1) at Southern (2-6, 1-5)
Alcorn State (4-4, 3-3) at Alabama A&M (2-6, 1-5)
Mississippi Valley (0-8, 0-7) at Ark-Pine Bluff (4-4, 3-2) (crossover)
Prairie View (5-4, 4-3) idle
Northeast:
at Robert Morris 34, Duquesne 11
at Central Connecticut State 38, Wagner 20
Sacred Heart 26, at Monmouth 25
at Bryant 24, Albany 7
at Cal-Poly 41, St. Francis (PA) 33 (non-conference)
Myles Russ became RMC’s all-time leading rusher Saturday in a win over local rival Duquesne. He’s now sitting at 3,868 yards with at least two more games to pad that total.
Saturday:
It may seem strange to see the division’s game of the week way down here, especially between two unranked teams, but this really is the highlight of the schedule. Robert Morris, who quite frankly should be ranked (see the top of the page), would clinch the conference title (and a playoff spot) with a win this week. CCSU can clinch a tie for the title, but they’d have to shake Monmouth next week to secure it.
Central Connecticut (6-2, 5-0) at Robert Morris (7-1, 6-0)
Monmouth (3-5, 3-2) at Wagner (4-4, 2-3)
Bryant (5-3, 2-3) at St. Francis (PA) (1-7, 1-4)
Albany (3-5, 1-4) at Sacred Heart (3-6, 1-5)
Duquesne (5-4, 3-3) idle
Patriot:
at Fordham 24, Georgetown 19
at Lehigh 44, Colgate 14
Lafayette 33, at Bucknell 22
Holy Cross idle
Fordham’s Darryl Whiting muscled 30 carries for 252 yards in the Rams’ win over Georgetown.
Saturday:
Nobody can even possibly clinch until next week; indeed, only Colgate is at risk of elimination this week. That said, if Lehigh and Colgate were to win Saturday, the Mountain Hawks would only need to win one of their final two games to walk away with the championship.
Lehigh (6-2, 2-0) at Holy Cross (4-4, 1-1)
Lafayette (2-6, 1-1) at Colgate (4-4, 1-2)
Fordham (4-5) at Bucknell (1-7, 1-2) (not a conference game)
Georgetown (3-6, 2-2) idle
Independent:
at South Alabama 39, Georgia State 34
Saturday:
Henderson State (6-3, D-II) at South Alabama (8-0)