FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

I am starting to like the Black Jersey over White Pants look:

http://www.mtunionfootball.com/2005season/05mountstjoseph.htm

And Yes, I was wrong in predicting that we wouldn't wear the Black Jerseys for the MTSJ game. But just ask my wife, I am wrong most of the time.

[reality check]

kirasdad

Don't like the black over white.  I always dislike it when the helmet is one color, the jersey another and the pants a third.  I like ONU's orange jerseys but hate the white pants/black helmet they often pair up with.  I think MUC looks best with all purple or purple/black/purple. 

[2minuteO]

Kive Kraft is def a tight end.  He lines up on basically all run plays and many of his routes begin at the TE position.  Congrats to Kive on giving Capital a TE threat.  He has been the primary Capital TE for a year and a half.

[BashBacker#16]

Good article on the Wabash/Capital match up from the Wabash website...

http://www.wabash.edu/news/displaystory.cfm?news_ID=3016

[matblake]

I have a real strong feeling this Raider defense will find the right combination to stop a team that has only passed 33 times the whole season. Not much to the tendency chart here. They may not play against their style of offense all that often but they have seen it enough times to know what is coming.

Coming from a Wheaton fan, you know exactly what you are getting with Augustana.  The question is are you able to stop it.  Over on the CCIW board, many former players have commented on how the defense was screaming the exact play that was coming.  The Viking offense is not a mystery.

This game will come down to the same factors of every game Augie has played since the late 70's.  1) Will the Viking defense be able to stop a quick score?  2) Will the Viking offense run enough time off the clock?  If the answer to both is no, then a long Saturday lies in wait for the Vikings.  If yes to #1 and no to #2 then I think the Raiders win.  If no to #1 and yes to #2 then I still have to give the edge to Mount but the game will be much closer scorewise.  However, if yes to both questions then Augie has executed its gameplan and will come out a winner.  

The edge has to go to Mount, after all they have home field and are perrenial contenders.  Hopefully (for the CCIW anyway) it will be a close game to truly remember!

[Shark]

Matblake

                  I agree with your comments. I know Augie has lost to MUC before while controlling the clock but as HS Coach pointed out possessions may be far and few bewteen for MUC if Augie has their way. Mount must execute early and take advantange of each possession and put the pressure on Augie to catch up with their ball control offense.  I know we are focusing on the MUC defense stopping the Augie offense but it is imperative that MUC's "O" gets the job done or it maybe a long afternoon regardless of what the MUC defense does.

I know, having watched the 99 game how frustrating it can be to try to pry that thing away from Augustana.

Should be a good one!

[Pat Coleman]

Does anyone know how to check up on the status of the playoff pickem sheets?

I'm an NCAC'er, but since it's past midnight I figured I'd throw this question out on a few boards to hopefully get a quick response.

Last year D3football.com sent out emails with the standings. I haven't received one this year.

I don't know why they haven't gone out. They were supposed to go out yesterday.

[skunks_sidekick]

   You know, it's kind of funny.  I will admit that IF the Raiders handn't lost to SJU in the Stagg, IF they woudn't have lost to MHB last year in the semis, and IF they hadn't lost the regular season game to ONU this year, I would be posting that there is no way the Raiders get beat by ANY team that is so one dimensional as Augie has shown to be.  Darn it sucks to have a team that is finally HUMAN!   

Ok, enough of this respect stuff.  Mount ROLLS over Augie on Saturday due to the following:

1.  Mount's offense is finally rolling on all facets, and Augie will not be able to effectively stop them at any time.
2.  Mount will do "just enough" on D to get the ball back, and that will mean point #1 is back in effect.

I predict the Purple Raiders win 42-21. 

Then again, I am towards the bottom of the playoff "pic-ems", so obviously don't go betting any beer money on my picks.

[Woodinsider]

Kive Kraft is def a tight end.  He lines up on basically all run plays and many of his routes begin at the TE position.  Congrats to Kive on giving Capital a TE threat.  He has been the primary Capital TE for a year and a half.

If Kive Kraft is a tight end, then why is he listed as a wide receiver on every roster, box score, and press release?  Sounds to me like Capital wanted to ensure that both, Howes and Kraft (their two starting receivers) made first team.  Thats like taking a linebacker who plays two plays a game at the defensive end spot and saying he plays defensive end to get him first team.  I saw a few games on Capital, and it doesn't appear that Kraft should be considered a tight end.  I dont know, if I was Kive Kraft, if I would appreciate an award at a position that I didn't play.  But I guess the coaches voted it that way.  

GO MOUNT UNION! ROLL RAIDERS ROLL!

[jdean]

Interesting comments in the local paper by the Lakeland coach regarding Mounts next opponent. His observations don't sound much different than what has been posted here.

Did I see that Garcon was 2nd team OAC? The guy misses half the season, a Soph in his first year in the conf,  but is so highly regarded he still makes 2nd team. Amazing

About the forecast for this week. Is this Green Bay?

[OU#25]

jdean,

I'm coming up from Cincy this weekend...What's the forecast for Alliance???
I'm guessing not shirts & shorts???

[raiderpa]

I seriously think the first team to get a 14 point lead in the Mount/Augie game will be at a decided advantage.  However, considering the playing styles, Mount can afford to get behind more so than Augie.  I do not recommend it, though.
I have watched Augie just bust us physically everytime we play them.   Maybe not overwhelm, but physically beat us up. Even when we won, we came out bruised and battered.  The only other team that has done this to Mount, if I remember correctly is Wisconsin LaCrosse...

Whatever the score, both teams will come out of this game black and blue....and hopefully purple wins....

[Cap99Fan]

Wood:

Although you might think they put Kraft in as a TE only to get the award you are sadly mistaken. His lines up in the position and blocks on running plays and had caught most of his TD's from the position I would say that makes him a TE. I sounds like sour grapes to me.

Go Crusaders!!!!!

[4u]

I'm beginning to contemplate the Wabash/Capital match-up.  This looks like it could be a good game.  Playing in hostile San Francisco, Indiana is never easy.  The Wabash QB, Jim "Captain Comeback" Harbaugh, had a nice run as QB of the home-state Colts but is having even more success (completing 72% of his passes) for the Ho-ho-ho... Little Giants.  But, like all good things that are NCAA, there is definitely a conspiracy theory unfolding.  Children's toymakers and McDonalds have already purchased the rights to the North Region Championship and expect to see an all-Purple final.  Capital will wear their new Barney uniforms and look for the Raiders to have Grimace's image on their helmets.  "I'll have a #3 Super-sized with a coke, please..." (and Doeder will gladly hand my meal to me as I pull through the second window).  Now, assuming neither teams QB pulls a Roy "Riverwalk" Hampton over the Thanksgiving holiday, I like the Capital Punishment squad in this one.  I don't think Harbaugh has the wheels of Ron Mexico and Capital is tough defensively.  NCAC elitists will not like my opinion, but they can always come back with their patented "There's more to life than football.. like academia" response.  I'll look forward to hearing it...
4u 

Wabash always bites....errrr...fights.... whatever!

[buffettfan1963]

Cap-Wabash..

I've never seen Cap play, so I'm at a disadvantage here. I've seen Wabash a lot over the past six years.

Three years ago, in the 2002 playoffs what struck me when Wabash played MU was the speed and size of MU. They were quicker and bigger than I expected, probably the proverbial step quicker than Wabash.

Since that time, Wabash has gotten much quicker and much more athletic. Not too many of the defensive players on that 2002 team would be playing for this Wabash defense.

Scrambling QBs and broken plays are the plays that have hurt Wabash over the past several seasons including this year. They haven't given up more than three scores in a game this year, and I do think the defense is *that* good.

If the offense doesn't turn the ball over repeatedly, and the game is field position and driving the football, it's going to be a pretty even game with neither team winning in a blowout.

If Cap forces a couple of early turnovers, and converts, then I think Wabash is in trouble.

Cap is definitely bigger on the outside than Wabash has seen this season, no doubt about it. But the Wabash linebackers are very good, and very quick.

I really think it'll come down to turnovers and consistent field position. I really don't see either offense exploding in the game and going for big numbers. 

Unfortunately I won't be able to make the trip as I think this is going to be a great game. Both games in the region are going to be great games this weekend.

Should be very interesting to see how it all unfolds.