September 14th, 2010 12:00am
Why didn't Hillsdale take a knee?
In cased you missed it; the Chargers had top-ranked Grand Valley State on the ropes Saturday night. Hillsdale led 35-34 with about 1:30 remaining in the game and could have essentially run the clock out by simply taking a knee twice.
But instead, Hillsdale coach Keith Otterbein elected to keep running the football. The Chargers scored a touchdown, but the ensuing PAT kick was blocked and returned for two points by the Lakers to make the score 41-36. It left GVSU with enough time to take the kickoff and march down the field and score with 16 seconds left to win the game, 44-41.
I don't get it. Hillsdale is a class program, so I don't think the Chargers were simply trying to score more points to rub it in. The PAT being returned for two points might be considered a fluke, but even if that had not happened, it still would have left the Lakers trailing by eight, which of course could have been covered by a touchdown and 2-point conversion. Plus, on the play previous to scoring the touchdown, HC running back Joe Glendening (who had a great game by they way) fumbled and the Chargers were fortunate to recover. Otterbein kept messing with football karma and it came back to haunt his team.
It will be very interesting to see how these two teams react from this game. The Chargers ended GVSU's conference winning streak in making the playoffs last season, but another win over the Lakers this year could have catapulted Hillsdale to a conference title. HC may still end up being a playoff team, but this loss could be very difficult for this team to shake.
The Lakers, on the other hand, are a very fortunate 2-0. New starting quarterback Kyle McMahon has been reasonably effective, and the Lakers have some playmakers on offense. But the GVSU defense has been sub par, giving up 1018 yards of offense in two games so far. Granted, West Texas A&M and Hillsdale might be two of the better offenses in D-II, but Lubbers Stadium has traditionally been where great offenses have been overmatched. GVSU might be the top-ranked team in the country, but as of right now, I'm not so sure the Lakers are even the favorite to win their own region.
News and Notes from Week Three
-Winston Salem State knocked off North Carolina Central 34-27 last week, the Rams' second straight win over an FCS opponent. Keep in mind that the WSSU is coming back to D-II this year after aborting its move to D-I. The Rams may have an advantage over the rest of the CIAA because of this and could be a team to watch as the season goes on.
-Clarion was hammered 41-13 by Bloomsburg last week, leaving the disappointing Golden Eagles with a 0-2 record. Many thought the Eagles would push California in the PSAC West this season.
-In addition to Clarion, it's pretty shocking to look at a list of teams with two losses already this season. The list includes Saginaw Valley State, Nebraska-Omaha, defending PSAC champion Shippensburg, Southern Connecticut State, Central Washington, West Chester and Tarleton State.
-Tusculum (3-0) has cracked our Top 25 after blowing out D-I FCS Western Carolina 54-30 on Saturday. The Pioneers were a playoff team in 2008 but won just three games last year, making them a very difficult team to assess. It appears though, that TC just might be the favorite in the SAC going into conference play.
Games to Watch this Week
Albany State (2-0) at Tuskegee (2-0)
These two teams have combined to win every SIAC title going back to 2002. Needless to say, this is a very important game. Tuskegee has won four straight in the series and I like the streak to continue as the Golden Tigers seem to be a bit more explosive on offense. Tuskegee 27 Albany State 20.
Delta State (1-1) at Valdosta State (2-0)
The Statesmen are trying to rebound from a down season, but they haven't shown much so far. VSU, on the other hand, has been fairly impressive in beating two SAC teams and should be the favorite playing at home. Valdosta State 28 Delta State 24.
UNC Pembroke (2-0) at Wingate (1-1)
UNC Pembroke's 24-13 win over Wingate last year was a signature win that catapulted the Braves to a playoff appearance while the Bulldogs just missed. This game is probably bigger for the Bulldogs because they already have a loss and face a tougher schedule, but I feel the UNCP running game will control this one. UNC-Pembroke 27 Wingate 13.
Wayne State (NE) (2-0) at Minnesota-Duluth (2-0)
These could be the two best teams in the NSIC this year, but it would be hard to pick against Isaac Odim and the Bulldogs at home. It will be interesting to see how WSC quarterback Cyle Schultz (185 pass efficiency rating so far) fares against he Bulldog defense. Minnesota-Duluth 28 Wayne State 16.
Northwest Missouri (0-1) at Nebraska-Omaha (0-2)
It's not often that two winless teams merit mention among the games to watch, but when the winless teams are programs of this stature, people are going to pay attention. The Bearcat offense struggled badly in the season opener, but they will have had 16 days to straighten things out and will be going against a UNO defense that has holes. Northwest Missouri State 38 Nebraska-Omaha 21.
Missouri Western (2-0) at Washburn (1-1)
MWSU has put up video game type numbers so far against a pair of weak opponents, while the Ichabods have been in a pair of four-quarter battles. The Griffons won on a last-second field goal last year, and I like WU to turn the tables this season. Washburn 30 Missouri Western 27.
Mailbag
[Q] I was wondering what you think of Shepherd's chances of making it to the playoffs this year? We beat a very good Shippensburg team that went deep into the playoffs last year, and destroyed St. Joseph's last week.
Dwight
[A] Well I'm not so sure that the win over a 0-2 Shippensburg team means much… also keep in mind that Shepherd beat the Red Raiders last season.
That said, I don't think it would be wise to ever doubt a Monte Cater coached team. Shepherd is averaging nearly 265 yards per game on the ground so far this year, which is a very good sign. The running game hasn't been that good the past two seasons, and as a result, the program hasn't had the success it did from 2005-07. I still think West Liberty is the favorite in the WVIAC, but if the Rams keep running the ball this well, they will be a major factor in the conference race and playoff picture.
[Q] Why is it that new teams like UNC-Pembroke can have so much success right away while so many D-II programs that have been around for years stink?
John
[A] It has to do with institutional commitment. Most schools that have started new football programs recently have done so with new facilities, plenty of scholarship money, large coaching staffs, etc. No university administration is going to give an expensive and visible sport like football the green light to start a program if it's not going to be successful.
The problem with the existing programs that lose is, in most cases, apathy. If there is no pressure from alumni to improve struggling programs, it's easy for administrators to just let them rot. Unfortunately, this is a problem that is fairly rampant in D-II, in my opinion.
Contact
Feel free to contact me at with any comments or criticisms or if you have a question you'd like answered in the Mailbag.