FB: Empire 8

[AUKaz00]

Just like the clouds, my eyes will do the same if we lose today, every day it will rain, rain, rain...

A soggy day in Saxonville  for AU's home opener vs. the RPI Engineers who were running on all cylinders last week in a 37-0 triumph over Norwich.

Across the street, the Husson Eagles have landed in Alfred to provide the competition in Alfred State's Homecoming game in the puddles of Pioneer Stadium.

Two hours until kickoff and no real let-up in sight. Oh wait, chance of precipitation is reduced from 100% right now to just 80% at 1 p.m. and to 55% at 3 p.m., only to jump back up to 95% at 4 p.m.

AU Pep Band hopefully will remain somewhat comfortable with rain ponchos.

On Saxon Warriors!
Let's Go Pioneers!

[boobyhasgameyo]

Well, Thomas More is up 56-0 at the half this week.  I guess by comparison Fisher should be rewarded for their effort 

[AUPepBand]

Alfred apparently was a safe place today. While it seemed odd enough that there were FOUR safeties scored during the Alfred-RPI football game, across the street, there were also TWO safeties scored during Husson's 44-2 win over Alfred State.

That's SIX safeties scored in TWO D3football games played on ONE afternoon in ONE town in Western New York with a single traffic light.

"Only in Alfred...."

On Saxon Warriors!

[Bombers798891]

E8 kinda bye-weekThoughts:

1. On the one hand, that's a tough loss for Utica. Up 12 in the 3rd quarter is a good place to be when you're trying to secure a big OOC win. On the other they were probably fortunate to be in that spot, as Ohio Northern had 531 yards (including a 28-yard loss for ONU on what was probably a bad snap) and four trips into the Utica red zone netted zero combined points. It might have just been inevitable that the comeback happened

2. Alfred had a pretty strange game. The Saxons let RPI back in the game, but managed to hold the Engineers to a mere three safeties. Alfred seems like they could be putting together a solid season, but let's see how the defense holds up in E8 play.

3. Hartwick played Apprentice. Yeah, there's not much of a recap here.

4. Finally, Cortland. They continue to be the most entertaining team in the E8. Not exactly inspiring to allow four consecutive touchdown drives of 80, 83, 67, and 72 yards in the second half, albeit to a good team. But 2-0 is 2-0, and I really think the Red Dragons have some dark horse potential

[AUPepBand]

Let the Demolition Derby begin!

With non-conference games out of the way for most of the Empire 8 teams, who collectively stand at 11-2 with Utica (29-22 to Ohio Northern) and St. John Fisher (48-0 to Thomas More) the only out-of-conference losses, let the demolition derby begin!

Hobart (2-0) at Ithaca (1-0)
Probably the most interesting of this week's games is a non-conference battle between perennial Liberty League champ Hobart at Butterfield Stadium against the two-time defending E8 champ Ithaca Bombers. Definitely Pep's "Game of the Week" as the respective defending champions of the LL and E8 square off for football conference supremacy in New York State. Pep sees the Bombers winning, 28-17.

Buffalo State (1-0) at Alfred (2-0)
The Bengals shut out Otterbein 29-0. Saxons have 39-25 and 32-20 wins over Husson and RPI, respectively. These two have had some bizarre games the last three seasons, with AU winning 40-17 at Coyer a week after the Bengals had defeated three-time defending national champ UW-Whitewater, edging the Bengals 39-33 in a crazy 2OT game at Yunevich in 2013, and holding off a Bengal rally for a 29-21 win at Coyer last year. While this is a toss-up, Pep's going to say the band gives AU the edge, 31-28.

Hartwick (2-0) at Brockport State (1-0)
Hartwick's Garcia brothers are making some noise on the hill. Hartwick defeated Western Connecticut 34-23 a week before the Colonials outscored Union 48-33. The Hawks, as expected, manhandled Apprentice 41-14. Brockport clobbered Oberlin 44-7 on the road in Week 1 and will be pumped for the Eagles' home opener. Brockport 37, Hartwick 31.

Cortland State (2-0) at St. John Fisher (0-1)
Red Dragons can score (and be scored upon) in dramatic fashion. Fisher is eager to wipe the egg off its face after a slow start and has had two weeks to do it. This could come down to the final play. Given the Cardinals are at Growney, Pep picks Fisher to win, 39-37, and, since it's against Cortland State, it will come in dramatic fashion.

Morrisville State (1-0) at Utica (1-1)
In a rematch of a 2015 ECAC Bowl game when the Mustangs prevailed, 52-41, Utica looks to bounce back from a tough road loss in Ada, Ohio, where the host Polar Bears rallied from a 19-7 deficit to win, 29-22. Morrisville, meanwhile, upset LL favorite St. Lawrence, 28-20 in its home opener. Pep will go with the alma mater (Morrisville) to prevail, 34-30.


On Saxon Warriors!

[Bombers798891]

Nice picks by Pep.

A win by Ithaca would do a ton for the conference. The d3 poll has a bunch of E8 teams just picking up a scattering of votes, and no-one really standing out. A Bomber win would give the conference a high-profile win, which I think they sorely need right now.

Honestly though, Cortland-Fisher looks super, super interesting...in many ways as interesting as IC-Bart. The Red Dragons have a pair of decent OOC wins. A win over Fisher probably puts them on the national radar. Meanwhile, Fisher's at a fork in the road. Beat Cortland, and you've got a shot at having the TMC debacle maybe remembered as the Hobart 2011 game. But a loss probably furthers a perception that this Fisher team just may not be as good as the ones of the past, and even eight straight wins would make it tough to erase that, even if it gets you the Pool A

[fisheralum91]

Very well said Bombers.
The Fisher CState game is one that will most likely be the swing game for the rest of the season.
Who is this years version of Fisher?
Is Cortland for real?

I guess we find out Sat!

[sjfcards]

Nice picks by Pep.

A win by Ithaca would do a ton for the conference. The d3 poll has a bunch of E8 teams just picking up a scattering of votes, and no-one really standing out. A Bomber win would give the conference a high-profile win, which I think they sorely need right now.

Honestly though, Cortland-Fisher looks super, super interesting...in many ways as interesting as IC-Bart. The Red Dragons have a pair of decent OOC wins. A win over Fisher probably puts them on the national radar. Meanwhile, Fisher's at a fork in the road. Beat Cortland, and you've got a shot at having the TMC debacle maybe remembered as the Hobart 2011 game. But a loss probably furthers a perception that this Fisher team just may not be as good as the ones of the past, and even eight straight wins would make it tough to erase that, even if it gets you the Pool A

Agreed. But I don't see this game being all that close. I can see one of two things happening.

1. Fisher is as bad as they looked against TMC, and Cortland scores in bunches and pulls away for what ends up being a comfortable win.

2. Fisher is a lot better than they showed against TMC and is super eager to hit someone after that embarrassing showing and a bye week. If that is the case, I see Fisher pulling away.

Either way, it should be a really interesting game. Cortland is either getting Fisher at the absolute best or absolute worst time. I keep trying to convince myself that week 1 was an anomaly and that Fisher is way better than that, but after seeing the scrimmage and the TMC game I am not so convinced. I hate to say it but I think Cortland wins by 2 touchdowns. 

[sjfcards]

Not sure if this newsworthy for anyone, but Fisher has a new scoreboard at Growney that will rival anything you see in D3. Looks era's nice, and should add a nice flare to game day and on recruiting trips.

[AUPepBand]

Not sure if this newsworthy for anyone, but Fisher has a new scoreboard at Growney that will rival anything you see in D3. Looks era's nice, and should add a nice flare to game day and on recruiting trips.

Did they put it in the same place? Late afternoon when the sun hit the old scoreboard, it was impossible to see.

[D3viewer]

How many pieces of flair does Fisher have now ?

[AUPepBand]

How many pieces of flair does Fisher have now ?

You can never have too much.



On Saxon Warriors!

[jknezek]

How many pieces of flair does Fisher have now ?

You can never have too much.



On Saxon Warriors!

Yup.  +k. Has anyone seen my stapler?

[sjfcards]

How many pieces of flair does Fisher have now ?

Some folks choose to do more, and we encourage that...

Yes, it is in the same spot. It is more like a video board than a scoreboard, so the sun should not be as big an issue.

[AUPepBand]

How many pieces of flair does Fisher have now ?

Some folks choose to do more, and we encourage that...

Yes, it is in the same spot. It is more like a video board than a scoreboard, so the sun should not be as big an issue.

Are they making any other improvements? Restrooms? Bleachers from the 21st century for the visitors?