FB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[rams1102]

A lot of good football on the agenda today. Curious if the canceled CNU/FSU cancellation will impact conf rankings/postseason selections.

Southern Virginia @ Montclair State 1:00 PM Montclair, NJ (Conf.)

Kean @ Salisbury 1:00 PM Salisbury, MD (Conf.)

William Paterson @ Rowan 6:00 p.m. Glassboro, NJ

Christopher Newport @ Frostburg State 7:00 PM Frostburg, MD (Conf.) Cancelled

We all know who the studs of the NJAC are. Besides Wes & Frost we have 4 more undefeated teams CNU, Salis, Row & Monteclair. Next week will put a little more clarity to the NJAC. I'm figuring Rowan to beat Willy P by 17.5 tonight.

[thewaterboy]

Really impressed with Wesley's talent pool this year.  Yeah TCNJ isn't a good litmus test, but Del Val was.  Their recruiting landed some really good players on both sides of the ball.  I was surprised with the Freshman running back Xavier Drummond who ran for 116 yards on TWO runs in the 4th quarter!  He fumbled and lost the first one but came back and broke a 80+ yard run on the next series.  He has size and really good acceleration.  Keep an eye on him.  I was thrilled with the lack of penalties, but we will see if they can continue that against a quality opponent.  This team is pretty damned focused right now.

-Ski

I think we are more talented than last year especially on the defensive side of the ball, but time will tell if that is true. The big takeaway from yesterday's game was the lack of penalties. Laser focus from Wesley for sure.

[RowanPhan]

A lot of good football on the agenda today. Curious if the canceled CNU/FSU cancellation will impact conf rankings/postseason selections.

Southern Virginia @ Montclair State 1:00 PM Montclair, NJ (Conf.)

Kean @ Salisbury 1:00 PM Salisbury, MD (Conf.)

William Paterson @ Rowan 6:00 p.m. Glassboro, NJ

Christopher Newport @ Frostburg State 7:00 PM Frostburg, MD (Conf.) Cancelled

We all know who the studs of the NJAC are. Besides Wes & Frost we have 4 more undefeated teams CNU, Salis, Row & Monteclair. Next week will put a little more clarity to the NJAC. I'm figuring Rowan to beat Willy P by 17.5 tonight.

100% agree. 6 undefeated teams in the NJAC.

I'll be rooting for Rowan, but Frostburg is on another level. The Profs 3-0 start is great, but I haven't seen enough from Rowan to see them beating FSU.

[rams1102]

A lot of good football on the agenda today. Curious if the canceled CNU/FSU cancellation will impact conf rankings/postseason selections.

Southern Virginia @ Montclair State 1:00 PM Montclair, NJ (Conf.)

Kean @ Salisbury 1:00 PM Salisbury, MD (Conf.)

William Paterson @ Rowan 6:00 p.m. Glassboro, NJ

Christopher Newport @ Frostburg State 7:00 PM Frostburg, MD (Conf.) Cancelled

We all know who the studs of the NJAC are. Besides Wes & Frost we have 4 more undefeated teams CNU, Salis, Row & Monteclair. Next week will put a little more clarity to the NJAC. I'm figuring Rowan to beat Willy P by 17.5 tonight.

100% agree. 6 undefeated teams in the NJAC.

I'll be rooting for Rowan, but Frostburg is on another level. The Profs 3-0 start is great, but I haven't seen enough from Rowan to see them beating FSU.

Agree. Frosty and Wesley are the measuring sticks.

[@d3jason]

D2 schools don't tend to give full scholarships to single players. The tend to spread the mneypool around the roster and much of it based on need to the particular student. Or at least that how they did it a long time ago when I played.

[Bobcats47]

So is Frostburg looking for a game for the 29th?  I though the CNU game was postponed? Salisbury and Kean are still on for the original scheduled time. I am indifferent about this game, I know my Gulls have the scheme, but Kean has always been tough outing for Salisbury, we never really can say "this is going to be an easy W".  Hopefully we don't have the numerous turnovers  like in the 1st quarter, we have start fast and then finish.

Since Frostburg and CNU have diff bye weeks, there's no way this game is "postponed". It's canceled. It would take a major rework of both schedules and all those teams on their schedules. Since the playoffs are the week after the regular season, it's just not going to happen. I don't know why they used the word postponed.

And actually, as it has turned out down here, Newport News is fine. The campus could have remained open. But better to be cautious. And right now CNU is home to one of 2 state run shelters and base for rescue/recovery ops. The campus is swamped with generator trucks, National Guard and State Police.

Both CNU and FSU has tried to work with opponents within the NJAC and (FSU) trying to find a game to take the place of this game. It's not going to happen. FSU has to win the conference to make the playoffs. Looks like the playoffs starts in week 3 for the bobcats.

Or week 4 when they play again

I'm counting that as week 3 since this week is essentially a second bye.

The rest of us out here count it as Week 4 so you'll probably be thrown off.

Frostburg doesn't have to win the conference to make the playoffs, but it always helps to go in automatically.

Frostburg should have made the playoffs as a one loss team two years ago. We barely got in last year. If we go 8-1 the committee will find a way to leave the team out.

[Pat Coleman]

The committee doesn't work that way. Heck, if the committee were as you suggest, Frostburg wouldn't have gotten in last year. Their strength of schedule stat was not very high and the committee could have easily justified leaving them home.

[Bobcats47]

I wonder if anyone can lend some thoughts on this topic....Frostburg is moving to DII. Their endowment is low. How will they pay for those scholarships? I looked at the DII limits for the sports FSU participates and the average cost to attend.....I come up with $3 million per year would be needed to fully fund all the allowed scholarships. Do they phase it in? I would imagine it has to be equal to Women sports. Football can have 36. I just wonder how that would work and how will it translate to competition if the answer is to start slow with scholarships and other established schools are fully funded in athletics. I am totally clueless as to how all of that would work. Anyone with knowledge or thoughts?

I think it's a MD law but no state funds are allowed to go directly into athletic programs. There are certain steps that FSU is taking that i've heard rumors of but i do know that they wouldnt make the Jump if they werent fully prepared to scholarship all sports.

[Bobcats47]

The committee doesn't work that way. Heck, if the committee were as you suggest, Frostburg wouldn't have gotten in last year. Their strength of schedule stat was not very high and the committee could have easily justified leaving them home.

I understand the rationale from 2 years ago. FSU goes 9-1 and a 6-4 season and they think hey maybe its just a one year thing, they went wait and see. But they gave us the hardest path to the championship last year and we were one of the last teams in. Not claiming bias, especially over a program that has been so bad for so long. Just gut feeling that if they go 8-1 they'll be left out.

[MRMIKESMITH]

So is Frostburg looking for a game for the 29th?  I though the CNU game was postponed? Salisbury and Kean are still on for the original scheduled time. I am indifferent about this game, I know my Gulls have the scheme, but Kean has always been tough outing for Salisbury, we never really can say "this is going to be an easy W".  Hopefully we don't have the numerous turnovers  like in the 1st quarter, we have start fast and then finish.

Since Frostburg and CNU have diff bye weeks, there's no way this game is "postponed". It's canceled. It would take a major rework of both schedules and all those teams on their schedules. Since the playoffs are the week after the regular season, it's just not going to happen. I don't know why they used the word postponed.

And actually, as it has turned out down here, Newport News is fine. The campus could have remained open. But better to be cautious. And right now CNU is home to one of 2 state run shelters and base for rescue/recovery ops. The campus is swamped with generator trucks, National Guard and State Police.

Both CNU and FSU has tried to work with opponents within the NJAC and (FSU) trying to find a game to take the place of this game. It's not going to happen. FSU has to win the conference to make the playoffs. Looks like the playoffs starts in week 3 for the bobcats.

Or week 4 when they play again

I'm counting that as week 3 since this week is essentially a second bye.

The rest of us out here count it as Week 4 so you'll probably be thrown off.

Frostburg doesn't have to win the conference to make the playoffs, but it always helps to go in automatically.

Frostburg should have made the playoffs as a one loss team two years ago. We barely got in last year. If we go 8-1 the committee will find a way to leave the team out.

With such bedlam going on in some of the other top conferences and both Thomas More and Springfield having one loss, I think that allows for an additional C. If bedlam continues, we may see a two loss team make it. Salisbury made it at 7-2 a few years back, but the two losses were to two undefeated playoff teams in nail-bitters. As Pat Mentioned, there is a set of criteria and historic precedent that takes place, there are many teams that only have one loss that don't make. However, our system is better than that the FBS, where 90% of teams are eliminated before the season start. At least it takes us 3 to 4 games to get to a reasonable percentage.

Now to this past weeks game. Salisbury again started off terrible and this was off a bye-week, not a really good look. I don't care if the team had 3 weeks to prepare for the option. There needs to be leadership from the players, especially at QB. I am not sure who should be starting at QB. One guy appears to be in the wrong offense, while the other lacks experience, but has the wheels to run the option and only can get better. I am not sure if the team is in a transition phase, but I did see more shot-gun (I'm excited for) on 3rd and long, which is good, you have to know how to run that set when you play the top teams in the conference and possibly playoffs (kudos to coaching staff). Great job by the defense for bending and not breaking. When the offense starts the gel, I will say we have a legit chance at winning conference.

[Pat Coleman]

The committee doesn't work that way. Heck, if the committee were as you suggest, Frostburg wouldn't have gotten in last year. Their strength of schedule stat was not very high and the committee could have easily justified leaving them home.

I understand the rationale from 2 years ago. FSU goes 9-1 and a 6-4 season and they think hey maybe its just a one year thing, they went wait and see. But they gave us the hardest path to the championship last year and we were one of the last teams in. Not claiming bias, especially over a program that has been so bad for so long. Just gut feeling that if they go 8-1 they'll be left out.

You got in and you got in as basically a 5 seed. There are not easy paths as a 5 seed.

[Teamski]

I think it's a MD law but no state funds are allowed to go directly into athletic programs. There are certain steps that FSU is taking that i've heard rumors of but i do know that they wouldnt make the Jump if they werent fully prepared to scholarship all sports.

It is just as easy to simply divert funds from elsewhere to fund the scholarships while using state money to go where they are supposed to.  A shell game if you will.  Regardless, they are able to do it somehow.

-Ski

[RowanPhan]

Any FSU fans with thoughts about the Rowan matchup? 

Rowan is the clear underdog. Hard to find an area where Rowan has an advantage, but it's likely FSU is stronger on all fronts here including the home field advantage. Likewise, with each passing week, the Widener win is becoming less and less impressive. Others wins against SVU and WPU don't help in gauging where the Profs stand.

Rowan has an impressive stable of Running Banks (Diorio, Mannion, and Divine) all can run the rock, but Willy Patterson did an impressive job of stuffing Rowan's running attack on Saturday.

Rowan's special teams is solid this season with strong kickers and dangerous return men.

Rowan's QB is off to an efficient start. The offense beat WPU with the 'death by paper cuts' passing game with many short-high-completion passes. It is possible that Rowan is holding back part of the playbook until the big games start, but that doesn't seem logical to try plays for the first time in higher pressure games.

Rowan's defense has been solid. The return of LB Henchy has really ignited a spark in the pervious games and the defense is generating just enough pressure to cause timely turnovers. They will have a tough time against Wesely/FSU who are strong across the board.

All this being said, I have to leave emotions out of this prediction.

Prediction:  ROW 14 - 42 FSU but hoping for a Prof upset

[Bobcats47]

Any FSU fans with thoughts about the Rowan matchup? 

Rowan is the clear underdog. Hard to find an area where Rowan has an advantage, but it's likely FSU is stronger on all fronts here including the home field advantage. Likewise, with each passing week, the Widener win is becoming less and less impressive. Others wins against SVU and WPU don't help in gauging where the Profs stand.

Rowan has an impressive stable of Running Banks (Diorio, Mannion, and Divine) all can run the rock, but Willy Patterson did an impressive job of stuffing Rowan's running attack on Saturday.

Rowan's special teams is solid this season with strong kickers and dangerous return men.

Rowan's QB is off to an efficient start. The offense beat WPU with the 'death by paper cuts' passing game with many short-high-completion passes. It's possible that Rowan is hold back part of the playbook until the big games start, but that doesn't seem logical to try plays for the first time in higher pressure games.

Rowan's defense has been solid. The return of LB Henchy has really ignited a spark in early games and the crew is generating just enough pressure to cause timely turnovers. They will have a tough time against Wesely/FSU who are strong across the board.

I have to leave emotions out of this prediction.

Prediction:  ROW 14 - 42 FSU

History has shown that FSU vs Rowan games are 21-14 type games. Last possessions have dictated the winner. With that being said. Not sure how Rowan matches up. Based on last year's game rowan should be blown out of the water. Rowan is a physical play but they are front runners (usually) when the game is close they'll give you everything you got. you get up two scores on them they'll give up. So lets see. Also FSU is still maintain it's reputation of QB killers.

[RowanPhan]

I was taking a look at FSU football media guide (which BTW is top notch), I didn't realize the Bobcats played in so many close NJAC games (e.g., CNU, Kean, Salisbury).  Seems like FSU had a backup QB playing against Kean, and Salisbury is just a tough school year in and year out.