FB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[RFMichigan]

Total congrats to Benedictine. They came out Saturday after playing two lackluster games in the previous weeks, played smashmouth football, and just took the game to CUC.

Now I have always been of the opinion that you just don't make turnovers and penalties out of the blue - your opponent usually forces them. But darn it if CUC doesn't need to do something to get a control over the turnovers and penalties. To wit:
1) Dropped screen pass the play after a BU punt after CUC had taken an early lead that looked as though may go for big yards but instead goes into the arms of a BU player deep in CUC territory.
2) Fumbled snap the punter tried to drop-kick out of the endzone but is instead called for a safety (although my 1938-playing dad would have been proud)
3) Fumble by Koehler early in the second half at the BU 15 after running for what would have been a first down.
4) Personal foul at the BU 17 which turned a 2nd and 10 into a 2nd and 25. Drive killer.
5) Holding penalty right after CUC recovers an onside kick. Another drive-killer. (CUC has GOT to cut out the penalties. Four late-hit 15-yarders are gifts they can't afford to give a team like BU, plus other assorted holding penalties - when your margin of error is slim, you can't give away that many yards.)
6)  Total of 5 interceptions, most forced by getting lots of pressure on Koehler - the same issue that CUC had with Adrian. The new O-line guys are playing hard, but now they are playing four new linemen from last year and it's showing in their running game and pass protection versus decent defenses.

CUC's defense had a hard time dealing with the size of BU's line, and Borselino & Co. took advantage. It didn't help that CUC's defense was on the field an awful lot in the first half - the two consecutive big plays BU scored on in the second half to salt the game away seemed at the expense of a warn out defense - both physically and mentally. And Brown is a VERY accurate passer - impressive passing and some highlight catches by the tall SE - Schultz I believe. I realize that CUC's Koehler was not as accurate, but a few of his passes which would have been  "difficult catches" need to be caught.  A big possession TE or checkdown receiver would certainly be helpful.

I don't know what to say about this conference. The non-conference results were not pretty, but it is what it is.

Hopefully CUC can right the ship in the coming weeks. The offense is still breaking in all its skill position guys and the line is learning on-the-fly, so hopefully they can return to the form they showed against Chicago. However, I can't see anyone in the conference taking out BU at this point, but you never know. Good luck to everyone this week.

[old 40]

Two big suprizes last week. The margin of victory by BU and AU's lost.

Games this week to Guess;
CUW@MBBC- This will be ugly if you are a MBBC fan, CUW wins 52-0. This may be the team to challenge BU, The stats look like they have a very good Defense.

LC@RC- Should be a close game,RC is scoring more points this year and the LC defense has given up alot of points/ LC wins 20-19.

CUC@WLC- Both teams can throw based on last week stats and CUC will be hungry and wins 38-31

AU@BU- A real grudge game for the game of the week. AU has to bounce back from last weeks mistake to stay in the running.  AU wins 28-24 in OT

Good Luck to everyone's team.

[d3fan1515]

CUW
LC
CUC
I think BU wins this game if, and only if they come out hungry.  If they play like they played last week, it will be a happy Homecoming, but If BU plays complacent they will get their nose pushed in! Stay Hungry BU! BU Wins!

[WLCALUM83]

WLCALUM83's guesses:

CUW
Rockford
CUC  (Warriors need to play a full 60 minutes, could be a "trap" game for them if they're still thinking about the win over   Maranatha-it'll be a tight one, but I'm putting my head above my heart on this one.)

Benedictine in a tight one

[RFMichigan]

My picks:

CUW 52-7 over MBBC
BU 27-16 over Aurora
LU 23-13 over Rockford
CUC 32-27 over WLC, but I've got a bad feeling about this. I'm afraid that CUC's mistakes and difficulties scoring the last two weeks are not just a hiccup vs. good teams but may be a season long issue. 

[Zeus51]

CUW vs MBBC.... wins big
LU vs Rockford...... Rockford meets a team coming off a huge win
CUC vs WLC.... Too many offensive weapons for WLC to handle, CUC in a good game

~Game of the Week~
BU vs AU.... This has the making of being an excellent game, AU meets a team coming off a dominating performance and doesn't have enough to stop Borsellino and CO. Ill take BU in a close one! Also BU's homecoming, should be fun...

[d3fan1515]

Well, the first half, BU played complacent!! The 2nd half, a completely different story... After the first drive of the 2nd half it seemed like the BU Defense finally woke up and started playing Football and they held AU scoreless for the rest of the game.  The offense, whom didn't have the ball much in the first half, finally got their chances in the 2nd half and took advantage of it scoring 26 points in the 2nd half!! Borsellino and Austin took over the game and have BU one game closer to the NAC Championship! However, no time to rest BU as you have CUW coming up next, what a tough stretch for BU, CIRF, AU and then CUW! If you pull out a win out at CUW, you are truly in the drivers set to repeat! No time to rest BU!! Predictions coming later in the week.

[old 40]

Certainly surprised watching the AU game last week. IMHO they let the last two games get awqy from them. Congrats to BU for taking it.

Games this week for guessing;

MBBC@AU- This will be ugly AU wins 51-6

WLC@LC- WLC has to much offense for LC- WLC wins 35-18

RC@CUC- CUC beats them up 45-18

GAME of the week;
BU@CUW- This will be a Great Game. BU has had their number for a few yeats but this could be the CUW break out year, Looks like CUW is starting a Frosh QB. This could be the BU edge with their great D-line. CUW wins in OT 34-31.

[WLCALUM83]

WLCALUM83's guesses:

Aurora
WLC     (Methinks it'll be a bit closer than old 40's projected score)
CUC
Benedictine

[Zeus51]

Games this week;

MBBC@AU- AU wins big coming off 2 conf. losses....

WLC@LC- I like LC in this game, could be a close one!

RC@CUC- CUC rolls the regents!!!

GAME of the week;
BU@CUW- BU came out very flat last week and it nearly hurt their conference hunt! If they do that this week @ CUW they could be in trouble. That being said if they come out and play their game from start to finish.... look out falcons... they have way to many weapons on offense to get stopped, the way Borsellino, Brown and Austin  (of course with help from the offense line) took the game over last week was awesome to watch.... Im going to say BU stays hungry and comes ready to play....BU wins this one and continues the quest for a repeat!!!!

Good luck to all teams this week and most important stay healthy!

[d3fan1515]

MBBC@AU- AU wins big

WLC@LC- I like LC in this game, I think it will be a close game mainly bc LC is such a hard place to play at and their defense seems to be pretty strong.

RC@CUC- CUC rolls the regents!!!

GAME OF THE WEEK
BU@CUW I'm going to take BU in a tight one, they need to come out and play fast, especially on the defensive side of the ball! If BU can force some three and outs early and give their offense more time to settle in they can really take it to CUW! Another great challenge for BU! Go Eagles!

[RFMichigan]

I'd like to hear some details about the BU-CUW game besides from what I got from the schools' websites. It sounds like it was Big-play Bennie in this one, but CUW made it close at the end. Did it seem like the game was in doubt for much of the game or was BU in control the whole way?

[d3fan1515]

BU wasn control the whole game it should've been a 20-0 ball game! But to CUWs credit they didn't give up an kept playing hard and scored two scores at the end of the game.

[old 40]

This weeks guesses

BU@MBBC- No Game here BU wins 46-7. They are getting ready for the playoffs.

CUC@LC- Stats say CUC throws the ball all over and wins 36-34.

WLC@RC- This will not be close. WLC wins 28-14.

AU@CUW- Both teams need this win. The team who can control the clock wins. AU comes back and wins 24-21OT.

Good Luck to everyones team.

[WLCALUM83]

My guesses:

Benedictine
CUC
WLC
CUW  (giving the home squad the nod)