Because it is so late this week, I have my picks for the week ready to go, but they will be abreviated. I wanted to spend some time researching the playoffs this week, so I spent some of my normal writing time on that.

Here we go for this weeks forecast.


Winona State (5-1) at Wayne State (4-2)
Last Year: 27-24, Winona State

There are playoff implications all over the place in this matchup that takes place in Wayne, Nebraska this weekend. Winona sits at 5-1, while Wayne State is at 4-2 on the season. This is likely the matchup of the week in the NSIC South Division. That said, the Wayne team that I saw last weekend has some serious deficiencies. They are not able to come from behind to beat teams.

The biggest thing that Southwest did to the Wildcats was keep scoring, and once the Mustangs got up 10-7, Wayne was not able to mount a serious come back. As much of a concern especially playing Winona State this week, was what happened to Wayne's ability to stop the run. They gave up 324 yards on the ground to Southwest, who many people around the conference view as a passing team.

I would hate to be the bearer of bad news for the Wildcats but this week, for an encore they get Rayon Simmons, who is the best running back in the conference, along with Winona's power based attack.

These are teams that I think are going different directions today, I like the Warriors to get the victory.


Minnesota Crookston (1-5) at MSU Moorhead (0-6)
Last Year: 29-22, MSU Moorhead

Hey I don't know if anyone else noticed this or not last week, but in terrible field conditions on a cold day, the Golden Eagles kept their game against St. Cloud State, who I think still is alive for a playoff spot in the region, pretty competitive.

Earlier this season, they ended their long NSIC losing streak over Southwest Minnesota State, and now this is a group that is playing with more confidence.

Richard Haley is the difference maker today, the Dragons give up way to many yards on the ground (239-per week). Even though you know that the Golden Eagles are going to run, Haley can be tough to stop. Add to that, Aj Barge's ability to make plays with his feet on the ground, and even a full back in Keith McBride who can keep teams off balance, I like the Golden Eagles to go to Moorhead Saturday and get the victory, and get their second conference victory of 2012.


Augustana (2-4) at Upper Iowa (2-4)
Last Year: 38-7, Augustana

I have to admit, I thought the Peacocks were ready to show the league, they were contendors last week, then disaster struck at Concordia. If there is a year, where the Peacocks have a chance to upset the Vikings, this would be it.

I don't even know how much of an upset it would be at this point, the Vikings and Peacocks have more in common than you would have thought at the start of the season. Through six games, both teams are 2-4, and both are 0-2 in NSIC South Division play. What's more, the Vikings have fallen on hard times, since they walloped Minnesota Crookston at home, the Vikings have lost three straight (granted they have played some tough teams).

Looking over this one, if Upper Iowa hadn't played so badly last week, I would maybe consider picking them today. That said, Augustana still has a lot of fire power on the offensive side of the ball, and that will challenge the Peacocks this week. Viking quarterback Josh Hanson has thrown for more than 1,600 yards and 19 touchdowns already on the season.

Nothing shocks me in this game on Saturday, but I like the Vikings to come out of this with the win, and end their three game losing streak.


University of Mary (3-3) at St. Cloud State (4-2)
Last Year: 45-24 St. Cloud State

On the surface it looks like St. Cloud State is getting hot at the right time, winners of three straight games, coming into a key home matchup with the University of Mary. Every win is precious, but I would start voting for the Huskies as a top 25 team just yet, even with their victory over Minnesota Duluth.

St. Cloud State has won those three games by a combined total of 20-points, what that means is they have three pretty hard fought games. This could be another one, but what we saw last week, was just how valuable Craig Bagnell is to the Marauder offense. Mary has found themselves going in the wrong direction without him. They have been compeltely unable to run the ball consistently this season, in fact since the Marauders Dariouse Gravely ran for over 150 yards against Southwest Minnesota State, as they moved to 3-0 to begin the season, they have struggled to find any consistency in that attack.

Last week, the Marauders leading rusher was their receiver Elby Pope, who ran one time for 26-yards. Not to mention that Zach Roberson who started for Mary last week, threw four interceptions in the game.

St. Cloud has to have this game, so I have to believe at home, with or without Bagnell for Mary, the Huskies find a way to win the contest.


Northern State (3-3) at Bemidji State (3-3)
Last Year: 14-0, Northern State

Northern has come a long ways from their 0-3 start to begin the season. The Wolves have won three straight games, Jared Jacobson last week showed a different side. Going into last week, he had primarily been a run first quarterback, but he had a different idea last week.

Coach Tom Dosch opened up the air attack against Minot State at home, and Jacobson responded by throwing for 330 yards and four touchdowns against the Beavers. Well this week, the Wolves will see a different group of Beavers, Bemidji State. They seem to have something cooking after going into Bismarck and coming out with a victory over the University of Mary.

Bemidji State has won two straight themselves, over Minnesota Crookston and Mary.

These teams have a few things in common, despite Northern last week, the Wolves remain primarily a running team, as do the Beavers, and both do something else that is becomming a lost art in college football, they play defense.

So I would be surprised if either team scored more than 20-points this week, but I like Bemidji State at home to win their third straight.


Minnesota Duluth (5-1) at Minot State (1-5)

Minot being the new addition to the NSIC North this season, obviously these two teams didn't play last year. Minot is a better team than their 1-5 record shows, they have been in some other games, but haven't had a chance to close them out yet.

Minot has been getting hurt by the pass this season, they have been giving up about 261-yards to opponents through the air. Obviously if you want to win games in this conference that is too many. On the other side, the Bulldogs are 5-1, but there are some problems defensively.

The Bulldogs like to run the ball first and foremost and with their stable of runningbacks, and size upfront, argueably the best left side of an offensive line unit in division two college football, the problem is that the Beavers are ok against the run.

Don't look for a huge point spread here like you might expect when a 5-1 and 1-5 team meet up, but I like the Bulldogs to win a tough one in Minot.



Southwest Minnesota State (2-4) at Minnesota State University (6-0)
Last Year: 38-0, Minnesota State

Last week Southwest Minnesota State shocked Wayne State at home, and getting a big win for their program. The problem for the Mustangs, over the years has been being able to get a win like that two weeks in a row, to show that the program has turned around.

Well off the big win last week over Wayne, the task for the Mustangs doesn't get any easier. Here is why, in their 40-plus year program history, Southwest has never beaten Minnesota State. Now they didn't play for a lot of years during that time, but the Mustangs have never found a way to get a victory against the Mavericks. While, Southwest ran for 324 yards last week against a tough Wayne State defense, they now get to try to repeat that feat against Division II's best defense, in Minnesota State.

Southwest has also had problems handling the Mavericks ability to get their quarterback loose the last couple of seasons. While it has been Jon Wolf in those two games, who has hurt the Mustangs, Mitch Brosovich is just as scary with his legs as Wolf is, so that task won't be made any easier, even if Wolf is unable to go.

The Mavericks though are too strong upfront to think that anyone will run for 324 yards in a single game against them. I think if Southwest gets to 180 yards on the ground they'll be in the game, but that won't be easy either, so I am going to take that defense of the Mavericks, to come out of Mankato with the win, and remain unbeaten.



Concordia (2-4) at Sioux Falls (5-1)

Concordia picked a good week to turn it on and get a win, the most impressive part about the Golden Bears victory, was their play on the defensive side of the ball, as they held Upper Iowa to just six points while forcing six turnovers in the game.

Sioux Falls last week, took the trip to Winona State and played a tough game against the Warriors, only to come up short. The Cougars have nothing to hang their heads about, a lot of good teams have gone into Winona and lost over the years. Now though, its time to get serious for the Coo, if they want to make the playoffs, they effecitvely start now.

At times, the Cougars have gotten a little careless with the football. So that is one area they will need to be very careful. The only other thing the Cougars need to worry about is their mentality. Coach Jed Stugart preaches going 1-0 this week, and tries to keep the team focused on the game at hand. Never at any other time in his career at USF, will that mentality be tested. Let's face it, there is a really big game on their schedule next week, and keeping those young men focused on what lies ahead this week will be tested

As long as the Coo don't turn it over, and they stay focused on the task at hand this week, I think Sioux Falls should come out of this with the win.