Around the FCS: It's Primetime for top teams in FCS

NCAA Football Betting Lines

09/14/2007 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's just week three of the college football season and already we've seen an FCS team (Appalachian State) playing an "Instant Classic" on ESPN Classic.

We've watched Northern Iowa not just beat, but beat up on, an FBS squad (Iowa State) and Nicholls State totally shut down Rice's offense (welcome to FBS, David Bailiff).

We've witnessed Southern Illinois pull off a great comeback at Northern Illinois and we've even seen Rhode Island come within a play of an FBS upset over Army.

Just imagine what's in store for us as the 2007 season continues.

Week three in a sense turns a corner on the new season. We have the unveiling of those eight Ivy League teams and a schedule that includes three matchups between Top-25 schools.

And there are many other showdowns worth watching as the new campaign revs up to high throttle.

LAS VEGAS CLASSIC

Two of the most prominent teams in FCS were finalizing discussions this week for opening the season next year against each other. Montana and Grambling would play in the Las Vegas Classic on Aug. 30, 2008.

Both Montana and Grambling have been criticized in recent years for scheduling.

Critics of Montana have complained about the Grizzlies being unwilling to leave the friendly confines of Washington-Grizzly Stadium for non-conference contests, canceling return games on the road with several opponents and playing too many squads like Fort Lewis, last weekend's foe.

Grambling, like several other SWAC schools, has taken hits for its lack of competition in non-conference games.

But with a 12th game available to teams next season, Montana and Grambling have a chance to play exactly the type of game that their critics want to see. Games like this one, that match teams with strong traditions and from different regions of the country, are a great addition to FCS.

SUPPORT FOR A TEAMMATE

While preparing for their season-opening game against James Madison, players and coaches from New Hampshire were stunned last week to learn that a warrant had been issued for backup quarterback Hank Hendricks in California for murder and assault and battery.

Hendricks returned to California late last week to turn himself in and pleaded not guilty on Monday. Police allege that Hendricks and four others were involved in the case of a professional surfer that was beaten to death in May in a gang-related incident.

Hendricks was suspended from the team as part of New Hampshire's student- athlete policies.

New Hampshire coach Sean McDonnell made a brief statement at the beginning of his postgame news conference Saturday, following the 41-24 loss to JMU, and claimed that Hendricks' problems had not been a distraction. McDonnell said that the program was stunned that Hendricks, a player who had never been involved in any problems while at UNH, was involved in such a case.

Players showed their support for Hendricks this week.

"We know what type of kid Hank is," UNH starting quarterback Ricky Santos, one of Hendricks' closest friends on the team, said to a New Hampshire newspaper. "We're hoping it's just a wrong-place, wrong-time type of thing. That's how we feel it is right now and we're just trying to move forward."

WELL-DESERVED REWARD

Norfolk State coach Pete Adrian received a vote of confidence this week when school officials signed him to a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the Spartans at least through the 2010 season.

Adrian is just 9-14 in his third year at Norfolk State, but has made significant strides in a program that was one of the worst in FCS before he arrived.

The Spartans opened the season with a 33-7 victory over rival Virginia State on Sept. 1.

"We've been pleased with the progress that has been made in our football program, both athletically and academically," said NSU athletic director Marty Miller.

LOSING PROPOSITION

It's been an uneven first year in FCS for North Carolina Central. The Eagles lost their first game in Division I to Albany State three weeks ago on national television before struggling to wins over Fayetteville State and St. Augustine's.

But the news this week is that NC Central and West Alabama had both lost a game without even taking the field. The two were scheduled to play on Oct. 6 in Birmingham, Ala.'s historic Legion Field, but the game was cancelled when the promoter of the game, Varsity Sports Marketing Group, had breached its contract with the two schools.

"We are disappointed that our football program and its fans will not have the opportunity to travel to Alabama for this event," NCCU athletic director Bill Hayes said in a released statement. "All possible efforts were exhausted by NCCU and UWA before having to come to this decision."

WHERE'S DAVE?

I've been off to a good start to my schedule thus far, witnessing Omar Cuff's seven TD performance in Delaware's win over William & Mary, Appalachian State's incredible victory at Michigan and James Madison's 41-24 shootout triumph against New Hampshire.

This week, I get my first in-person experience of Ivy League football when I travel to Princeton to see the defending Ivy co-champs take on Lehigh.

There are some big questions for both teams heading into this contest.

Can coach Roger Hughes and the Tigers recreate the magic of last year's 9-1 team? And can Hughes find a quarterback to replace the leadership ability of Jeff Terrell?

Lehigh had high hopes heading into 2007, with senior quarterback Sedale Threatt leading what was expected to be a high-powered offense. But the Mountain Hawks struggled to finish off drives last Saturday in a season- opening 30-20 loss to Villanova.

Villanova built a 20-3 lead before Threatt and the Mountain Hawks got going. Threatt finished with 302 yards passing and 360 yards of total offense.

It is a huge game for Lehigh, which needs to build confidence for Patriot League play and also for Princeton, which could use a quick start to 2007.

With Lehigh having a game under its belt and with Threatt's athleticism, the Mountain Hawks should be able to put up enough points to win this one.

Lehigh 31, Princeton 17

BATTLE OF THE BLUEGRASS

The game between Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky is always an entertaining one, but it is even more notable this year because of WKU's move to the FBS ranks.

These are two schools and fan bases that hate each other, and the heat has been turned up with the Hilltoppers' decision to go to 85 scholarships. EKU is coming off a good win over Western Carolina and this could be one of the best bets for an FCS over FBS win this weekend.

Mark Dunn and Bobby Washington are a great duo on the ground for EKU, with a combined 354 yards rushing already. Allan Holland has just one interception thrown in two games, cutting down on the mistakes that often killed the Colonels last season.

EKU has already survived a loss to Kentucky, so nothing that the Hilltoppers do should be surprising.

Eastern Kentucky 24, Western Kentucky 21

OTHER FCS VS. FBS GAMES

Missouri State at Kansas State

Missouri State's young team is fresh off an upset of then-No. 20 Tennessee- Martin. Can Terry Allen's crew score an even bigger upset this Saturday?

It isn't likely, but keep an eye on the Bears, who could score an upset or two more when Gateway Conference play begins.

Kansas State 35, Missouri State 14

Also...

Oregon State 49, Idaho State 14 Baylor 28, Texas State 17 Alabama-Birmingham 52, Alcorn State 10 Memphis 42, Jacksonville State 14

RANKED TEAMS VS. RANKED TEAMS

No. 23 Towson at No. 3 Massachusetts

For all of its recent success, the one thing lacking on Towson's resume is a signature win against a playoff-caliber opponent. And the Tigers get their chance again as they take on UMass in a key Colonial Athletic Association battle.

This is a matchup of two of FCS's most efficient passers, Sean Schaefer of Towson and Liam Coen of UMass. As happens in many CAA games, whoever plays better and makes the fewest mistakes will likely win this showdown.

Coen has the benefit of a stronger defense to support him and that should prove to be the difference in this game.

Massachusetts 31, Towson 21

No. 17 Illinois State at No. 14 Eastern Illinois

Another team looking to prove itself, despite its ranking, is Eastern Illinois. The Panthers, like their compatriots from the Ohio Valley Conference, have fared poorly in their annual match-ups with the Gateway Conference.

Defense will be a key for EIU in this one. The Panthers need a huge game out of Buchanan Award candidate Donald Thomas and could use some big plays from wide receiver Micah Rucker and quarterback Cole Stinson.

Illinois State is looking for quarterback Luke Drone to cut down on his interceptions. Linebacker Kye Stewart is off to a great start this season in leading the Redbird defense.

Illinois State beat Eastern Illinois twice last year, 44-30 in the regular season at home and 24-13 in the playoffs at EIU.

Illinois State 34, Eastern Illinois 24

OTHER TOP-25 GAMES

Northern Arizona at No. 1 Appalachian State

Northern Arizona follows up on a 45-24 loss to Arizona with a game that may be even tougher, a trip to Appalachian State. The Lumberjacks have a pair of two- hour bus rides bookending a cross-country plane ride, just to get to Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Once there, NAU faces an ASU squad that has won 28 consecutive home games and figures to have nearly 29,000 fans in attendance. And we haven't even mentioned Mountaineer quarterback Armanti Edwards, running back Kevin Richardson, or the rest of the high-powered Appalachian State offense.

NAU quarterback Lance Kriesien was 22-of-39 for 187 yards last week, but he will need an even bigger game to knock off ASU. The Jacks will also need some great work from a suspect defense and a better performance from running back Alex Henderson, who was limited to 17 yards against Arizona to have a chance at an upset.

Appalachian State 38, Northern Arizona 21

No. 4 Northern Iowa at South Dakota State

Coming off a 23-13 thrashing of Iowa State, this might be a dangerous game for Northern Iowa. The Panthers have been prone to letdowns in the past and face a South Dakota State club that was ranked in the preseason.

South Dakota State has suffered two losses already to tough Gateway teams, falling in four overtimes to Western Illinois and falling 23-17 to Youngstown State. New quarterback Ryan Berry played better against the Penguins, but has been intercepted four times already this season.

The Jackrabbits also have struggled to get their running attack started thus far, though the defense has kept them in both games.

Northern Iowa is always hard-nosed on defense and has shown great balance between the passing game, with senior quarterback Eric Sanders, and the running game, with Corey Lewis leading the way.

Northern Iowa 21, South Dakota State 13

Stony Brook at No. 6 Youngstown State

Stony Brook is transitioning from its former place in the non-scholarship ranks towards becoming a full-63-scholarship program. The Seawolves move to the Big South next year, but this is a major test for them this season.

YSU did just enough to win against South Dakota State after losing to Ohio State in its opener. The Penguins showed a stout defense against the run, led by linebacker James Terry, and a balanced offense with quarterback Tom Zetts.

Stony Brook beat Bucknell 48-20 behind 233 yards passing from Josh Dudash and will need that and more to stay in this game.

Youngstown State 42, Stony Brook 21

No. 7 Southern Illinois at Southern Utah

Southern Illinois is another team that must avoid a letdown after its dramatic win over Northern Illinois. The Salukis are normally known for their strong running game, but used 238 yards and three TDs passing from Nick Hill to beat NIU.

SIU has always put offense first, and still shows some vulnerability on the defensive side of the ball. The Salukis gave up 430 yards to Northern Illinois, struggling at times both against the run and the pass.

Southern Utah is in the midst of the toughest schedule in FCS, having already lost to Montana and a future FCS squad in North Dakota. North Dakota piled up 550 yards of total offense against the Thunderbirds, not a pleasant thought when you are about to face an offense like that of Southern Illinois.

Southern Illinois 49, Southern Utah 21

No. 8 McNeese State at Louisiana-Lafayette

McNeese State's defense is imposing enough on a normal day, but the wet conditions expected from this Saturday's tropical storm could give the Cowboys even more of an advantage in their war with Louisiana-Lafayette.

The Cowboys have had two weeks to prepare for the Ragin Cajuns after an impressive 35-12 victory over Portland State in the season opener. Bryan Smith was a force in that game and the Cowboys need another big performance from him to keep this contest close.

McNeese State quarterback Derrick Fourroux is erratic at times in directing the offense, but he managed to post 255 yards in the first game. The Cowboys will need another big effort from him and plenty of ball security to knock off the school that McNeese State fans still refer to as Southwestern Louisiana.

McNeese State 20, Louisiana-Lafayette 17

VMI at No. 9 James Madison

The improvement at VMI is often measured in inches, rather than yards and this one has the makings of a blowout as the Keydets rebound from a 63-16 loss in their opener to William & Mary.

The positive from the loss was that VMI rushed for 249 yards. The negative was that the Keydets allowed 524 yards of total offense.

JMU was impressive down the stretch in outlasting New Hampshire. The defense stopped the Wildcat rushing game and pressured quarterback Ricky Santos into a pair of key interceptions.

The Dukes got a top-notch performance from athletic quarterback Rodney Landers, both throwing and passing, but will play without running back Eugene Holloman, who is out with a separated shoulder.

James Madison 48, VMI 10

Rhode Island at No. 10 Delaware

Rhode Island was probably one of the last teams that fans would have thought of when they were considering possible FCS over FBS upsets. But the Rams were in position to beat Army at the end of the fourth quarter before losing 14-7 in overtime.

This one will be tougher for URI as it plays one of the most dangerous offenses in FCS. Joe Flacco has a laser-like arm and Omar Cuff gives the Blue Hens one of the best rushers in FCS.

The question will be how well Delaware will play on defense? The Hens struggled against William & Mary's passing attack. Fortunately for Delaware, URI is an option-based running team, which plays into the strength of the Blue Hen defense.

Delaware 49, Rhode Island 24

No. 11 Wofford at North Carolina State

Wofford gave South Carolina fits last season, taking the ball to the Gamecock 10-yard line in the final minute before losing by a touchdown. If the Terriers can play keep-away with their wingbone attack, they might make things tough against NC State, too.

The Terriers need big games from running back Kevious Johnson and quarterback Justin Collier and some of those tricks from coach Mike Ayers, in addition to a fine defensive effort.

North Carolina State 27, Wofford 17

No. 12 New Hampshire at Marshall

This is an intriguing matchup between two teams coming off of emotional losses. Marshall, the one-time I-AA powerhouse, lost at home to cross-state rival West Virginia, while UNH dropped its opener to James Madison.

If the Wildcats can pull themselves off the mat, Marshall will definitely be vulnerable. The Thundering Herd isn't the same team it was when it blew through the 1996 season on the way to a championship.

New Hampshire has been at its best in matchups against FBS teams in recent years, such as last season's battering of Northwestern. But the Wildcats will be hurt by the fact that Marshall just played another spread option team, perhaps the best one out there, in West Virginia.

Santos is still trying to find a deep threat to loosen up defenses and the Wildcats also need to get dangerous runner Chad Kackert back in the lineup from a leg injury. UNH also showed some large holes in its secondary.

Marshall 34, New Hampshire 27

No. 13 Hampton at North Carolina A&T

Hampton survived a scare in its season opener at Howard, needing 21 points in the fourth quarter to win, 31-24. The Pirates should have an easier time against an NCAT squad that is still trying to recover its glory days.

T.J. Mitchell was spectacular for Hampton, hitting 19-of-36 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns - all three of those scores coming in the fourth quarter. But the Pirates expect more out of running back Kevin Beverly, who was held to 39 yards rushing.

The Aggies must improve on special teams. NCAT lost 22-7 to Prairie View, but had three kicks blocked and two of them returned for touchdowns. They also gave up a safety.

Hampton 42, North Carolina A&T 7

No. 15 Furman at Clemson

Furman may be lacking a bit of confidence after Hofstra shut the Paladins down in the second half last week to win 32-17. That won't help against a Clemson squad that will have a decisive speed advantage.

The Paladins need a big-time defensive effort and huge games from fullback Jerome Felton and quarterbacks Reynaldo Gray or Jordan Sorrells to stay in this one.

Furman was held to an uncharacteristic 85 yards rushing in the loss to Hofstra, with Felton being limited to 28 yards on 10 carries.

Clemson 42, Furman 17

No. 18 Nicholls State at Nevada

Can Nicholls State do it again? After a great defensive performance keyed a 16-14 victory in the season opener against Rice, the Colonels get another chance at an FBS squad.

Nevada will feature a much more diverse attack than Rice, but the Wolfpack doesn't see an offense like that run by Nicholls State very often. The Colonels are one of a handful of teams still using the Georgia Southern triple-option, and this could cause Nevada problems.

The key for Nicholls State will be to avoid turnovers and to control the clock to keep coach Chris Ault's potent attack off the field. Nevada had a rich I-AA history when it competed in the Big Sky Conference, so Ault won't go into this game overlooking the Colonels.

Nevada 28, Nicholls State 14

No. 19 Hofstra at Albany

Hofstra had one of the top defenses in the CAA last season, despite a losing record. And it could be even better this year, as shown in an impressive upset of Furman last Saturday.

Linebacker Gian Villante showed a return to his pre-knee injury form, with 12 tackles, three tackles for loss, two passes defended and a forced fumble.

But even more notable was the work of the Pride offense in the win. Bryan Savage passed for 285 yards and Kareem Huggins balanced things with 116 yards rushing.

Albany will be a tough opponent. The Great Danes battled Colgate before losing 15-13 and knocked off Fordham 23-20. Dave McCarty rushed for 143 yards to spark the offense against Fordham and Jason Fralicker kicked a clutch 20-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to win it for Albany.

The Great Danes are not as likely to move the ball on the ground against Hofstra and must have a big game from quarterback Vinny Esposito.

Hofstra 24, Albany 14

Dixie State at No. 20 Montana State

Montana State got an extra week to work on things after a loss to Texas A&M, and will be looking to improve on execution against Dixie State.

Jack Rolovich and Chris Carpenter combined for 304 yards against Texas A&M, but the Bobcats need to improve their rushing attack to balance the attack, something they should be able to do against Dixie State.

Montana State 45, Dixie State 14

No. 21 Yale at Georgetown

Expectations are as high as they have been in years at Yale, which returns the bulk of a squad that tied Princeton for the Ivy League title in 2006.

Georgetown has two games under its belt, but lost both of them, 35-28 to Stony Brook and 28-7 to Lafayette. Matt Bassuener has passed for over 300 yards already, but the Hoyas have been inconsistent running the ball.

Yale should be able to close off the run against Georgetown, with Bobby Abare and Brandt Hollander leading a solid defense. Mike McLeod has established himself as one of the top running backs in FCS.

Yale 31, Georgetown 10

St. Francis (Ill.) at No. 22 Western Illinois

Western Illinois should have little trouble getting back on track after its shutout loss to Illinois last week. But the Leathernecks need to get tailback Herb Donaldson on track before heading into Gateway play.

Donaldson is averaging less than three yards per carry after being one of the top runners in FCS last season. Quarterback Matt Barr has had some good moments running and throwing thus far, but needs to develop some consistency.

All of those things should come together for WIU in this game, which should tune the Leathernecks up for non-conference clashes with Stephen F. Austin and North Dakota State in the next two weeks.

Western Illinois 56, St. Francis (Ill.) 7

No. 24 Delaware State at Kent State

Coach Al Lavan has done a remarkable job in a short amount of time as the Hornets have gone from one of the MEAC's worst teams to a national ranking. With plenty of size on both lines and a balanced offense, Delaware State could be a dangerous opponent for Kent State.

Running back Kareem Jones, receiver Shaheer McBride and quarterback Vashon Winton are all weapons on the DSU offense. But the defense must hold up against a good running game from the Golden Flashes.

Delaware State 31, Kent State 28

No. 25 Lafayette at Penn

Lafayette has a couple of easy wins under its belt over Marist and Georgetown, but steps up in competition against the always-solid program from Penn.

The Leopards have had the chance to ease new quarterback Michael DiPaola into the lineup, and have shown a nice one-two rushing punch with Maurice White and Anthony D'Urso. The defense has also been strong, allowing just 17 points in two wins.

Penn set an NCAA record that coach Al Bagnoli and the Quakers would just as soon forget when they dropped three consecutive overtime games last season, part of a season where Penn lost four Ivy League games by a total of eight points.

The Quakers return one of the Ivy League's top offenses with quarterback Robert Irvin and a deep group of running backs in hand. But a more experienced defense needs to show a lot of improvement.

This is a game of contrasts that could be one of the most entertaining of the weekend.

Lafayette 21, Penn 17

BEST OF THE REST

Tennessee-Martin at Central Arkansas

For a team that some felt was close to being a top-10 caliber squad, last week's loss by Tennessee-Martin against upstart Missouri State was disastrous. The Skyhawks fell behind early and couldn't slow down the Bears enough to complete a comeback in the 51-44 defeat.

UTM lost a competitive game with Southern Miss, 35-13, in their opener.

All-American runner Donald Chapman is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry so far, but quarterback Derrick Anoka have been better than expected.

Central Arkansas, like UTM, is off to a tough 0-2 start. The Bears were beaten 28-7 by Louisiana Tech in the opener and fell on the final play to Northwestern State 31-28 after blowing a big lead.

Nathan Brown is always a threat at quarterback for the athletic Bears, but UCA needs one of their runners to step up and establish himself as a go-to guy.

The stakes are higher for a Skyhawk team that has playoff aspirations, but this is a tough challenge on the road.

Central Arkansas 41, Tennessee-Martin 38

GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 16 Sam Houston State at No. 5 North Dakota State

For those of you wondering how quarterback Rhett Bomar will fair against a top-notch FCS defense, here is your first chance to see the heralded passer get a big test.

Sam Houston State hasn't exactly challenged itself yet with two mediocre Division II opponents, so the shift in intensity could be tough for the Bearkats on Saturday.

North Dakota State held off Stephen F. Austin in its opener last week and found a new rushing star in Tyler Roehl, who ran for 238 yards and three touchdowns.

The Bison have to hope that Steve Walker gets back on track, however. The senior quarterback threw four interceptions in his first game after throwing only four all last season.

The Fargo Dome gives the Bison a nice home advantage and that might be enough to push North Dakota State to the win.

North Dakota State 28, Sam Houston State 24

OTHER SATURDAY GAMES

Brown 24, Duquesne 21 Colgate 17, Dartmouth 10 Northwestern State 31, Northeastern 17 Harvard 34, Holy Cross 31 Dayton 28, Central State 7 Davidson 28, Lenoir-Rhyne 14 Valparaiso 20, Kalamazoo 10 Wagner 17, Marist 14 Bethune-Cookman 48, Savannah State 14 Sacred Heart 24, Iona 14 Butler 28, St. Joseph's (IN) 10 Robert Morris 24, St. Francis (PA) 10 Charleston Southern 54, Johnson C. Smith 10 Drake 56, UW-Platteville 14 North Carolina Central 28, Elizabeth City 10 Morgan State 24, Winston-Salem State 21 Central Connecticut State 30, Southern Connecticut 10 Fordham 24, Columbia 17 Villanova 26, Maine 14 Cornell 31, Bucknell 28 Georgia Southern 28, Coastal Carolina 24 William & Mary 38, Liberty 28 Southern 37, Prairie View 23 Southeast Missouri State 24, Indiana State 20 Tennessee State 31, Austin Peay 20 Murray State 48, Lambuth 7 Southeast Louisiana 45, Kentucky Wesleyan 3 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 24, Alabama State 21 Morehead State 35, West Virginia Tech 7 Alabama A&M 35, Mississippi Valley State 24 San Diego 42, Northern Colorado 21 Eastern Washington 31, UC Davis 21 Portland State 24, Sacramento State 14 Cal Poly 28, Weber State 17