September 25th, 2012 12:00am
Last weekend Minnesota-Crookston ended its 39-game NSIC losing streak by beating Southwest Minnesota State. This was obviously huge win for the Eagles, and a step in the right direction for a program that has struggled mightily since moving to D2 in the late 90s.
The problem for UMC is that the big win last weekend is just a minor blip on the radar compared to the national press the school is getting for a far more embarrassing reason: a student group mistakenly painted the schools logo at the 45-yard line instead of at midfield. A picture of the mistake has gone viral on the internet, and has been mentioned on ESPN, among other national outlets.
I admit that when I first heard about this gaffe I probably had the same reaction as most of the general public: I laughed. But after seeing and reading some of the press reports my laughter has turned to more of a cringe. The reason is that most of these reports make sure to refer to Minnesota-Crookston as a D2 school, almost insinuating that this is the type of ridiculous stuff that commonly happens at this level.
Then I got to thinking about the two nationally televised D2 games that have been on CBS College Sports network so far this season. Two weeks ago it was Midwestern State ripping a part a bad and disorganized looking Texas A&M-Commerce team 65-14. Last week it was Central Missouri throwing four interceptions and fumbling the ball six times - and the Mules still hammered a punchless Truman State team by 21 points. Both of these games looked bad on TV and certainly could not have done much to improve the perception of D2 football with the casual observer.
Ken Sparks 300th win earlier this season also received a great deal of attention from the national press. And that is a very good thing as the other national attention this division is receiving so far this season has been far from flattering.
Random Observations from Last Week
-Surprising Newberry is off to a 4-0 start-- matching last seasons win total - after a convincing 47-22 win over Carson-Newman last season. But Newberry has yet to play a road game, and five of its last seven will be away from home. This Saturdays game against Mars Hill will go a long way towards determining whether the Wolves are contenders in the SAC or if they will fade back to the pack.
-Equally as surprising is Southern Connecticut States 0-4 start. The Owls have been remarkably consistent winning program over the years and have not had a losing record since 1993. That streak appears to be in real jeopardy this season.
-What a remarkable job Reginald Ruffin is doing in just his second season as the head coach at Miles College. He led his team to a 7-5 record and the SIAC West Division title last season. After coming within a missed 2-point conversion of knocking off North Alabama in the season opener this year, Miles (3-1) has rattled off three straight wins including a 41-6 thrashing of traditional SIAC power Albany State last week. Keep in mind that this is a program that suffered through a 46 game losing streak from 2004 to 2008.
-Is there a better receiver in this division than Saginaw Valley States Jeff Janis? The junior caught 12 passes for 300 yards in his teams win over Lake Erie last week and already has 37 catches for 691 yards and six touchdowns this season. This is the same guy that torched Minnesota-Duluths secondary for three touchdowns in a playoff game last fall.
-The University of Sioux Falls quest to reach the playoffs in their first season of eligibility took another step forward with a 21-5 win over Bemidji State last week. The Cougars (4-0) continue to appear as if they will be a great addition to the NSIC and D2.
-West Alabama has established themselves as the favorite in the GSC and Super Region Two after a 39-28 win at Valdosta State last weekend. The Tigers lack of an effective passing game could hurt them if they make it deep into the playoffs, but a strong rushing attack and a dominating defense make this a very tough team.
Top Games this Week
Stonehill (3-1) at Bentley (3-0)
Both teams are unbeaten in Northeast 10 play and the winner of this game will emerge as the favorite to challenge New Haven for the league title. The problem for Stonehill is that Bentley has a solid defense and Falcon quarterback Danny Guadagnoli is a big play specialist that has thrown eight touchdown passes in just 61 pass attempts this season. Bentley 30 Stonehill 17.
Newberry (4-0) at Mars Hill (2-2)
Do not be fooled by the Mountain Lions two early losses as they both came at the hands of FCS teams. The winner of this game will take early control of the SAC race. MHCs Shaikel Davis (483 rushing yards) has proven to be a more than adequate replacement for 2011 Harlon Hill winner Jonas Randolph and he will be going up against a Newberry defense that has had trouble stopping the run. Mars Hill 35 Newberry 24.
West Chester (3-1) at California (4-0)
The Rams appear to be rejuvenated after knocking off Kutztown last week. They will going up against a California team that has more talent, but may be due for a letdown after an emotional win over Indiana last week. I think the Vulcans win, but this should be a pretty good game. California 31 West Chester 26.
Humboldt State (4-0) at Central Washington (3-1)
The two best teams in the GNAC will meet with much on the line. The Lumberjacks seem to be a bit stronger on both sides of the ball but as an equalizer CWU always seems to play well at home. This game could go either way. Humboldt State 30 Central Washington 27.
Grand Valley State (4-0) at Michigan Tech (3-0)
The Lakers are the third ranked team in the country, but I feel they are the underdog in this game. And it has nothing to do with the Heath Parling injury. The Lakers are giving up an astonishing 249 yards per game on the ground and that will not cut it against an MTU offense that likes to grind it out on the ground. Michigan Tech 35 Grand Valley State 31.
Indianapolis (2-2) at Missouri S&T (4-0)
These would appear to be the two best teams in the GLVC and with both 2-0 in league play, the winner of this game will take control of the conference title race. Both teams feature standout quarterbacks in Chris Mills for Indy and Josh Firm for S&T. I do think the Greyhounds have a bit more talent but with the way the Miners force turnovers (18 forced in just four games) I will take them to win a tight game at home. Missouri S&T 24 Indianapolis 23
Mailbag
[Q] I was curious what you think about Shepherd and the schools that will make up the new Mountain East Conference and whether you feel it is a good thing or a poor decision.
Chris
[A] From a football standpoint, I do not really think this move will mean much in the long run. The three programs that were essentially added to what was the WVIAC-- Notre Dame College, Urbana, and Virginia-Wise-- will not do much to move the needle as far as making the league more competitive nationally.
Ultimately you still have a situation where there are nine relatively small schools in a small state (West Virginia) all competing for talent and indirectly at least, resources. I do not see this as a situation where the Mountain East will be a significant competitive upgrade over the WVIAC because of this.
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