Newberry and Catawba are poised for a heavyweight prize fight at Setzler Field this Saturday night. Both SAC teams are undefeated in league play, as Catawba has upended Carson-Newman and Wingate with quick jabs, while Newberry delivered a fierce uppercut to Tusculum last weekend.

You could say both teams bring quarterbacks with good footwork (sound running games) and strong right hands (reliable passing attacks) to the ring. Catawba quarterback Mike Sheehan has 144 yards and four scores on the ground, while Newberry's Raleigh Yeldell has picked up 279 yards and four touchdowns under center. Through the air, Sheehan has amassed over 700 yards and three passing touchdowns for the Indians. Yeldell is one of the country's leaders in passing touchdowns with 10 strikes and nearly 1,300 yards.

The winner of this 'Thrillberry in Newberry' tussle is bound to be the odds-on favorite to win the conference championship belt and earn a playoff berth in Super Region II. Saturday night's game on ESPN3 will show which team is blocking punches and which one is delivering counter shots.

Which teams in the SAC are "against the ropes" currently in terms of postseason chances?

I would have to go with both Wingate and Carson-Newman right now. Although Wingate has only suffered its first loss recently in a turnover plagued 46-28 loss to Catawba, the Bulldogs cannot afford another mid-season loss prior to tough matchups against Newberry and Carson-Newman near season's end. With two Division II losses already, the Eagles could be knocked out of the picture with another league loss. An undefeated UNC-Pembroke (Independent League) has "floated like a butterfly" out out of the gate with a 4-0 mark, and faces a tough matchup at Tuskegee this Saturday. The Braves could "sting like a bee" against the SAC if they shore up an impressive resume in an already stacked region.

Which teams are "out for the count"?

Although it is early, I must say that Brevard, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Tusculum have received many blows thus far in 2016. Brevard did hand The Apprentice School a 38-7 bruising in their latest game, however that was a very favorable matchup for the Tornados. Their real test is on the horizon. Three upcoming October conference games are against the trio of members that made the playoffs last year. Lenoir-Rhyne may be 1-0 in SAC play, but that is only because they faced Tusculum in the opening weekend of conference play. The Bears were beat convincingly by Limestone 31-13 in Hickory, NC, over the weekend. You could say the Saints won in a "unanimous decision" by scoring 31 unanswered points until Lenoir-Rhyne tacked on a late rushing touchdown in the final minutes. Tusculum is 0-2 in the SAC, and 0-4 overall in 2016. This Pioneer team has taken some body shots early and often, and I do not forsee an early bell saving them any time soon.

Week 5 2016 SAC Football Schedule
Last Week's Prediction Record (5-0)
Overall Prediction Record (20-6)

Lenoir-Rhyne (1-3)(1-0 SAC) at Carson-Newman (2-2)(1-1 SAC)
Saturday, October 1st. 1:00 PM
Jefferson City, TN

Carson-Newman: 49 Lenoir-Rhyne: 20
The Scoop: No one is predicting a Lenoir-Rhyne win this weekend. Carson-Newman leads the SAC in total offense by a long shot with 566 yards per game. The next closest team is Newberry with 477 yards per contest. Eagle Coach Ken Sparks will work on team discipline on costly mistakes and penalties in my opinion. Carson-Newman ranks as the fifth most penalized team in the country with 49 penalties. On the bright side, Carson-Newman did intercept Mars Hill on four different occassions and rolled up 672 yards of total offense in their 52-27 win. Look for the Eagles to go well over 600 yards of total offense in the Bear's first away game this calendar year.

Wingate (3-1)(1-1 SAC) at Limestone (3-1)(0-0 IND)
Saturday, October 1st. 1:00 PM
Gaffney, SC

Wingate: 24 Limestone: 16
The Scoop: Lawrence Pittman looked human against Catawba last weekend, rushing for over 150 yards, but did fumble on three carries and did not reach paydirt. Senior Kyle Johnson threw a touchdown pass and a pair of interceptions on the day against the Indians, while freshman James Whitaker came in late and completed five passes for 63 yards. If Johnson continues to throw picks, perhaps Whitaker comes into this Saturday's contest more permanently. Limestone's Ivan Corbin continued his steady play for the Saints, connecting on 69% of his passes for 224 yards and two scores. For what it's worth, Limestone is 3-0 on the road and is still waiting to notch their first home victory. They will be waiting even longer after Saturday.

Brevard (1-3)(0-1 SAC) at Tusculum (0-4)(0-2 SAC)
Saturday, October 1st. 1:30 PM
Greeneville, TN

Tusculum: 24 Brevard: 21
The Scoop: This is the toughest contest to predict in Week 5. Brevard running back Isaac German came alive last weekend in their snapping of a 25-game losing streak. The Tornado rusher recorded 20 attempts for 104 yards and three touchdowns. Brevard junior linebacker Jinsley Jhon ranks as the SAC's top tackler with 41 stops, ranking slightly ahead of Tusculum junior linebacker L'Keith Brown and his 36 tackles. The difference in this game is if players like Jhon and Brown will be tackling players behind the line of scrimmage or only after big yardage gains. I could see this game going into overtime at Pioneer Field.

Catawba (2-2)(2-0 SAC) at Newberry (3-1)(1-0 SAC)
Saturday, October 1st. 6:00 PM
Newberry, SC

Catawba: 35 Newberry: 34
The Scoop: Last year's matchup between these two teams did not feature Newberry quarterback Raleigh Yeldell due to injury. Catawba does own a two game winning streak against the Wolves, but it must be noted that the Indians needed overtime the last time these two squared off at Setlzer Field. I am shocked by Romelo Doctor's pedestrian numbers on the ground so far this year, gaining only 66 yards in their easy 37-10 over Tusculum. Yeldell made it look easy again, completing 30 of 39 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns. Pass catchers Cole Watson and Braxton Ivery did most of the damage for the Wolves, combining for 18 catches and 188 yards. Catawba's offense looks to be gaining momentum in recent weeks, and it is hard to pick against the added offense that Indian corner Case Woodard brings. Woodard has scored touchdowns via an interception and fumble return the past two games en route to back to back SAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Mars Hill (2-2)(0-1 SAC) at North Greenville (2-2)(0-0 IND)
Saturday, October 1st. 7:00 PM
Tigerville, SC

Mars Hill: 31 North Greenville: 27
The Scoop: Two straight losses by North Greenville has certainly soured the mood for the Crusaders after a high-octane beginning to 2016. Mars Hill's season began on a forgettable note to Samford in a 77-7 loss, but their offense did show signs of improvement despite four interceptions against Carson-Newman last Saturday. Lion receiver Keshaun Taylor made his season debut in the 52-27 setback, hauling in 10 grabs for 162 yards. If the trio of Gilbert Johnson, Craig Rucker, and Taylor can assist quarterback David Salmon in deep ball situations, Mars Hill has the edge in my mind. Jamel Harbison is still running hard for Coach Tim Clifton's team, averaging 7.5 yards per attempt and going for 113 yards in his last outing. North Greenville quarterback Will Hunter eclipsed the 300 yard passing mark in their wild 49-35 loss to UNC-Pembroke. A loss to Mars Hill this Saturday and a showdown at The Citadel the following week could spell a four game losing streak for North Greenville.