FB: Presidents' Athletic Conference

[ADL70]

CWRU up on Bethany 35-13 at the half. Cuda already has 263 yds total offense and three td passes.

Bethany's announcers clearly were not "Hooked on Phonics."

[DagarmanSpartan]

I turned it off at 49-13.

CWRU may very well be this year's PAC sleeper.

Cuda is the real deal!!!

[ADL70]

Cuda was taken out after just two series in the third quarter.

52-13 now.

Westminster over CMU 26-16

[SpartanMom_2016]

To address another comment:  unless CWRU got ALOT more athletic this year over last year, I don't view them as equal to Westminster.  Westminster is very solid and has some very good athletes.

CWRU has added a dynamic offense to what was already a solid defense.

[SaintsFAN]

Looks like Bethany has a well produced video stream (second camera on sidelines and replays) although the perspective is a bit of a low angle.

Westminster had four ints in their win over Bethany and the Bison have given up some long KORs.

Bethany is averaging 5.3 yds per rush if you throw out Mt Union game, but CWRU is giving up only 2.0 yds/rush.  Something has to give.  Chicago is averaging 4.9/rush and Spartans held them to 2.6.  31 of their 79 yards came on one cutback run, where Carroll was stopped at the line of scrimmage, but reversed field and broke away from the pack which had over pursued. I think Spartans will control Bethany's ground game.

It looks like Bethany has a pair of good receivers.

Yes to be fair and balanced I should have mentioned record setting WR Eric Blinn and also stud DE Nadim Raddar.

Looks like a blustery day in Bethany.

Addressing other topics:

Westminster has an advantage over CWRU in the PAC standings, because its close loss to W&J doesn't count as a conference game.  And they don't play CWRU.

SaintsFAN, CWRU has a very athletic sophomore QB in Rob Cuda who is making a BIG difference.  And on D they've been rotating in a lot of players keeping the squad fresh.

What new athletes has Westminster acquired to boost them from 4-6, 4-4?  But I agree they are clearly on the rise.

But we will know a lot more after today.

That's good.  I just was picturing last years team against a disinterested TMC - I'm glad to hear about the QB.  Have they played W&J yet (too lazy to look). 

Thomas More looked tremendous and overwhelming once they inserted backup QB Brennan Kuntz.  Dynamic and spurtable with Gebhardt, they are just about unbeatable in the PAC with Kuntz playing the way he did today.  The DB's were left alone on islands as they played man to take away the Prez run game and limit Coughlin's scrambles.  They responded with 4 INTs and about 8 pass breakups.  They played really well.  I'd love to see the INT return yardage for today.

Anyhow, that answers the W&J/TMC question, I think.  The Saints are ready to move up to that level of teams just below Mount/Whitewater/ Linfield/UmHB.  I think it's the "can make a run in the tourney" category, as related to me.  We'll see but this year just feels different and they have a HC who has been to the Regional Finals - he just exudes confidence and the team responds.

[ADL70]

W&J is three weeks away.  After Waynesburg and Geneva.

[SaintsFAN]

W&J is three weeks away.  After Waynesburg and Geneva.

Thank you.

I'm reserving judgement on this the 2015 version of Case until after they play W&J.

[ADL70]

W&J is three weeks away.  After Waynesburg and Geneva.

Thank you.

I'm reserving judgement on this the 2015 version of Case until after they play W&J.

Centre losing to Hendrix and a less than dominant win over BSC has taken some of the lustre off of the one point loss to Chicago. Even though Chicago gained a couple of votes this week. CWRU scored big wins over St Vincent and Bethany, teams it lost to last year. CWRU led W&J 9-6 at the half last year before losing 34-24. So far CWRU is at least 10 points better than last year.  W&J is at 19 this week without any convincing wins, going from a 35 point margin to 4 over Westminster compared to last season.  But then last season's PAC third, Waynesburg, didn't garner any votes in the final poll.

Bottom line CWRU is vastly improved over last season, but I can't distinguish them from Westminster.

[jknezek]

I was at the BSC game. Chicago couldn't put them away but that game never felt in doubt. Long trip to play in a cold misty drizzle left them looking uninspired. Also QB took a shot just before or after halftime. Stayed in but the zip was off his passes and he was shaking his throwing arm after many plays. I was impressed with  hicago. Very solid team despite the score.

[SpartanMom_2016]

W&J is three weeks away.  After Waynesburg and Geneva.

Thank you.

I'm reserving judgement on this the 2015 version of Case until after they play W&J.

W&J will be a tough game for CWRU.  CWRU is better than last year.  I am certain of that.  CWRU lost by 1 to Chicago which is a very very strong team.  That is the only good team they have played.  There is no reason to think they can't put up a fight against W&J.  That doesn't mean they will but there is no reason to think they can't.

They do have to deal with two other teams before they can focus on W&J.

[SaintsFAN]

W&J is three weeks away.  After Waynesburg and Geneva.

Thank you.

I'm reserving judgement on this the 2015 version of Case until after they play W&J.

W&J will be a tough game for CWRU.  CWRU is better than last year.  I am certain of that.  CWRU lost by 1 to Chicago which is a very very strong team.  That is the only good team they have played.  There is no reason to think they can't put up a fight against W&J.  That doesn't mean they will but there is no reason to think they can't.

They do have to deal with two other teams before they can focus on W&J.

Agreed they will give W&J some issues... I think they'd match up better with the Presidents than they do with Thomas More.  Sirrianni last week said the Saints are probably the most talented team he's coached against in the regular season since he's been at W&J. 

I'm  not sure about Chicago though - we'll see how they finish.  I felt like Centre was over valued and CWRU just may be their best win to date. 

[SpartanMom_2016]

The Saints certainly seem to be rolling over everybody.

[ADL70]

Marching into the playoffs?

CWRU got its first vote in the AFCA poll.

[SaintsFAN]

Marching into the playoffs?

CWRU got its first vote in the AFCA poll.

That's good news for CWRU - I'd love to see them in the D3 Poll.  I've been enlightened a little bit on the Spartans this week by ExTP and learned a lot more about them.  I'm adding them to my teams to watch just outside the 25.  The game against W&J will be huge for them - as I don't think of Chicago as a great team.  Good team, yes, but not great. 

I'd love to see the TMC at Case game be for the PAC Title but there is a lot of football yet to be played, obviously. 

[SpartanMom_2016]

Marching into the playoffs?

CWRU got its first vote in the AFCA poll.

In my son's words "Lets worry about Waynesburg first."