With just two weeks gone of the season, we're at that point where it's too early to see if preseason predictions are completely founded, but certainly at the point where trends are noticeable.

Western Oregon (1-1, 1-0 GNAC) vs. Central Washington (0-2, 0-1 GNAC), 1 p.m. Pacific Time

It has been 12 years since Central Washington opened the season with two losses and if the trend of close games with Western Oregon continues, Central Washington could be looking at starting 0-3 on the season. Players and coaches can look at the stat sheet to refer to very close games over the past five years. The Wildcats have dominated the Wolves in wins and losses (going 8-0), but a closer look at those scores will show wins of five-, 19-, 14-, two-, seven-, seven, 35- and seven-point margins. Take away the three double-digit margins and it's been a one-possession ballgame a handful of times these past few years.

What does that show? Both teams have been competitive, but Central Washington has shown enough poise to get the team over the hump against a rival time and time again. There's nothing that says this weekend's contest will be anything different than a close contest that comes down to the fourth quarter.

Western Oregon has displayed a problem in stopping the run, yielding 260 to Simon Fraser and 150 to Grand Valley. The only silver lining for WOU is the fact that Central Washington hasn't put together an intimidating ground game (61 against Kingsville and 74 versus Humboldt) yet this season. Is that the lack of athletes on the offensive line or young talent behind the quarterback? It is too soon to tell. One of two things will happen. CWU may find success against the Wolves defense and hit well beyond the century mark for the first time this season, or WOU may be another team to prove that CWU has a long ways to go before it can rely on its rushing attack.

What both squads have, however, are efficient quarterbacks that might not be able to win the game on their own, but are certainly veterans with experience in CWU's Ryan Robertson (233 yards per game, 3 TDs) and WOU's Evan Mozzochi (186 ypg, 2 TDs). CWU junior receiver Anthony Spain had a coming out party against Humboldt State last week (11 receptions, 166 yards and two TDs). WOU senior Trevor Gates had five receptions for nearly 100 yards last week at Simon Fraser. Gates has unfairly been put in the shadow of former receivers Damario Ballard and Justin Ore. Gates is clearly a talented receiver.

Even with Central Washington's continued success against Western Oregon, it's unfair to say that until a team gets beat, it should always be favored. Central Washington, however, still has more proven weapons on both sides of the ball (even if the Wildcats certainly aren't as dominant as year's past) and will come out with the win, 31-23.

Dixie State (0-2, 0-0) vs. Simon Fraser (1-1, 0-1), 6 p.m. Mountain Time

Dixie State needs a momentum shift in its third straight game at home to start the 2011 season. Simon Fraser has shown glimpses of momentum by winning on the road and putting up major yards on the ground in both games thus far this season. A win for Dixie would stop some early-season bleeding. A win for Simon Fraser would be the program's first league "W" as a Division II member.

Like Western Oregon, Dixie State is poor at stopping the run (200 yards per game). Odds are that Simon Fraser will continue to put the hurt on the Red Storm on the ground.

SFU's Clan probably won't do it, but they could get away with putting the ball in the air no more than five times on Saturday. Putting the weight of the offense on the shoulders of running backs Bo Palmer (152.5 ypg) and Gabriel Ephard (98.5 ypg), Simon Fraser has averaged 259.5 ypg on the ground. That statistic might be misleading as those yards were amassed against a new NCAA Division III team (Pacific) and Western Oregon, which doesn't look to be too strong against the run this year. However, Dixie doesn't look to be that competitive against the run either, giving The Clan a noticeable advantage in this area this weekend.

As poor as Dixie has been against running attacks, so far this year, the Red Storm have faired well in preventing an aerial game. In two games (Adams State and Colorado Mesa) Dixie has held opponents to less than 140 yards per game in the air, with just two touchdowns. Simon Fraser hasn't had a solid passing attack since the team jumped to Division II play last year and continues to try and find its way.

For Dixie, protecting the football must be a renewed focus. In two games, the Red Storm have lost three fumbles and been picked off eight times, gaining only three fumbles on the other end for a turnover margin of -8.

While both teams need much improvement over the course of the season to be competitive against the upper echelon of the GNAC, Simon Fraser looks to be closer to that point than Dixie. Simon Fraser will get its second road win of the season with a 23-14 victory.

Jon Guddat covers the GNAC for D2football.com.