FB: Empire 8

[magicman]

It's been quite the chaotic year throughout the country. This season, UWW lost in the regular season (or at all) for the first time since the season that some E8 team (I can't remember  ) beat them. Now today, MHB lost to Hardin Simmons. MHB hadn't lost in the regular season since 2009!

I noticed that wink so I'm sure you remember but I need to post to get my yearly 2 cents on this board and you gave me an opening. That would be Buffalo State on September 15, 2012 who pulled off that feat beating the Warhawks 7-6. Whitewater had won 3 straight National Championships and 46 games in a row until that upset by the Bengals. Whitewater did lose 2 other games during the regular season that year to Oshkosh and Stevens Point and failed to make the NCAA Tournament. The Warhawks did start another streak that year, however, which reached 36 straight games and back to back National Championships until they lost to Oshkosh again this year on Oct 10th.

This is my one contribution to the football boards this year. I follow all the chatter but it's tough when there is no football team in town to root for. I always hope that someone in the E8 or LL runs the table and makes a halfway decent impression in the post season.

Thanks goodness basketball season is just around the corner. Good luck to the E8 team that goes dancing. Looks like it could be Cortland if they beat Ithaca....Or the winner of the Fisher-Alfred game if Cortland loses to the Bombers....Or the winner of...well I could go on for quite a while here with all the different scenarios that are possible. One thing we do know is that there won't be any at large bids going to the E8 or LL.
Plus K to all you guys for keeping this board alive. I enjoy the banter.     

[pg04]

I noticed that wink so I'm sure you remember but I need to post to get my yearly 2 cents on this board and you gave me an opening. That would be Buffalo State on September 15, 2012 who pulled off that feat beating the Warhawks 7-6. Whitewater had won 3 straight National Championships and 46 games in a row until that upset by the Bengals. Whitewater did lose 2 other games during the regular season that year to Oshkosh and Stevens Point and failed to make the NCAA Tournament. The Warhawks did start another streak that year, however, which reached 36 straight games and back to back National Championships until they lost to Oshkosh again this year on Oct 10th.

Yep, my comment was certainly tongue-in-cheek. I was aware about them losing multiple times that year, which is why I just referenced the season as a whole.

Good to see you on the boards, +K to you as well. Too bad there aren't enough of the SUNYAC schools to form a conference in football. I am glad I went to a SUNY school that had a football program!

[magicman]

Pep's Picks:

Fisher 28, Ithaca 24. Odd how times have changed. St. John Fisher vs. Ithaca week at one time was cause for lots of banter on the boards. The Cardinals are trending upwards while the Bombers are, well, headed in the other direction for unknown reasons. Were this earlier in the season, a wise gambler would bet on the Bombers. Now? Not so sure how this one will end up.

Alfred 30, Brockport 28. These two have had some doozies in the past two years. Odd that the visitors have been victorious both times. Saxons will need to slow down Mr. Andrews. Best way of doing that is not allowing him the ball. AU must put together long, sustained drives with success in the red zone if they're going to stay in the hunt for an E8 title.

Morrisville 35, Cortland 31. Can the home-standing Mustangs pull off back-to-back upsets? Pep's thinking his alma mater is up to the challenge. Heck, the Mustangs are still in hot pursuit of an E8 title, too. Having the tiebreaker over both Cortland and Ithaca would increase their odds in a conference whose champ could finish with 3 losses.

Buffalo State 45, Hartwick 27. The Bengals are probably the hottest team in the E8 right now and there's no reason they can't escape The Cage with their fifth straight win.

As Meatloaf said, Pep, Three outa four ain't bad...or something like that. Your Saxons are still alive. Don't think anybody would have picked last place and winless in the league, Hartwick, to beat the Bengals. I think Buff State just eliminated themselves from the logjam.

[pg04]

Oh yes, Pep. I meant to congratulate you and your Saxons on the dominating win. After scoring 28 points in the 2nd quarter to make the score 35-13 at the half, they were able to stifle Brockport in the 2nd half by Forcing turnovers and going on long drives. AU held the ball for an amazing 23:32 in the second half, with drives of 6:45 and 7:07 included. I watched most of the game and Alfred really impressed me with how they were able to control the game to put it away.

Good luck to AU in the upcoming lottery that is the E8 championship.

[magicman]

I noticed that wink so I'm sure you remember but I need to post to get my yearly 2 cents on this board and you gave me an opening. That would be Buffalo State on September 15, 2012 who pulled off that feat beating the Warhawks 7-6. Whitewater had won 3 straight National Championships and 46 games in a row until that upset by the Bengals. Whitewater did lose 2 other games during the regular season that year to Oshkosh and Stevens Point and failed to make the NCAA Tournament. The Warhawks did start another streak that year, however, which reached 36 straight games and back to back National Championships until they lost to Oshkosh again this year on Oct 10th.

Yep, my comment was certainly tongue-in-cheek. I was aware about them losing multiple times that year, which is why I just referenced the season as a whole.

Good to see you on the boards, +K to you as well. Too bad there aren't enough of the SUNYAC schools to form a conference in football. I am glad I went to a SUNY school that had a football program!

I've been reading your posts for years on this board so I knew, that you knew, who that E8 team was. I wish they had a football team here in Plattsburgh. After not having one for many years they started one up in the late 60's to early 70's I believe, but that experiment didn't last all that long. I look at Morrisville and Alfred State...colleges that were 2 year schools not that long ago and wonder how they merit a football program, and yet Plattsburgh State or Potsdam State (200 years old), SUNYAC schools that have been around for ages can't field a team. So I get my football kicks by following the other YAC schools that do have football. The one good thing is I get to root for multiple teams.     

[AUPepBand]

Oh yes, Pep. I meant to congratulate you and your Saxons on the dominating win. After scoring 28 points in the 2nd quarter to make the score 35-13 at the half, they were able to stifle Brockport in the 2nd half by Forcing turnovers and going on long drives. AU held the ball for an amazing 23:32 in the second half, with drives of 6:45 and 7:07 included. I watched most of the game and Alfred really impressed me with how they were able to control the game to put it away.

Good luck to AU in the upcoming lottery that is the E8 championship.

Thanks, pg04. +K Second straight week the Saxons score 28 points in the second quarter to give them 35 at halftime. On the trip up, Pep followed his father's directions to turn left for a shortcut in Pike and ended up in Arcade! Was able to work his way back toward 19 by going north and west. We did make it to Bob Boozer Field before the kickoff but recalling the game from two years ago (first Brockport game on its new turf under the lights), it would have been fine to show up at halftime of that one (Brockport led 28-0 at the half, AU won 34-28). Today, Pep was glad he got there in time for the first half.

Saxon defense played well in holding Dan Andrews to 56 yards. Of course, Mangone was forced to the air in playing catch-up and Alfred's offense also played a part in keeping Andrews off the field. Pep was perfectly content with no scoring in the second half so long, as you pointed out, they kept it away from the Golden Eagles.

It's certainly a crazy year in the E8. Pep is surprised the Saxons have held their own, and really could be in the driver's seat had they pulled out the game at Cortland. Case of shoulda woulda coulda....but it is what it is.

And Magicman: What are you doing over here on the football boards? Haha! Hoping the Saxons can equal last year's fun ride into the E8 Tourney...won't be long now before it all gets started. Pep recalls the Plattsburgh State football Cardinals as they played Alfred when Sam Sanders was head coach after Yunie retired. Have often counted the SUNYAC schools with football, trying to get to 7, but always come up short: Brockport, Cortland, Buffalo, Morrisville, Alfred, and maybe SUNY Maritime.    And of the E8 picks this weekend, didn't see the Hartwick win coming...hoping they can do it again next week!

Congrats to Pep's alma mater, Morrisville State, handing the Red Dragons a necessary loss today...Pep owes Coach FitzPatrick a call to thank him for pulling off Pep's request.

On Saxon Warriors!

[pg04]

On the trip up, Pep followed his father's directions to turn left for a shortcut in Pike and ended up in Arcade! Was able to work his way back toward 19 by going north and west. We did make it to Bob Boozer Field before the kickoff

I was going to ask if you actually attended. I have gotten lost in Wyoming or Genesee county a number of times because the drive through them can be very "sleepy." I actually ended up at Darien Lake once when I actually wanted to be in Byron. Whoops!

[wesleydad]

as of today, who is playing the best in the E8?  Alfred, Fisher, ??.  Just crazy how each week brings a new team up and sends another team down.  As bad as Ithaca is playing do they have any chance against cortland?  as crazy as it seemed early, fisher may end up with the AQ with a cortland loss and then beating Alfred the last week of the season. just crazy stuff here.

[Div3Fan]

I'm not sure any of us saw Fisher being in a position to win the conference after week 4. At that time, they were 1-3 after a close win over Brockport.

This has been my first season closely following the E8, and it is crazy. Great conference -- these next two weeks will be something to watch for sure.

[pg04]

Anyone else wish we had a way of knowing which posts you got smite for? I think I've been relatively benign 

[SaintsFAN]

I'm not sure any of us saw Fisher being in a position to win the conference after week 4. At that time, they were 1-3 after a close win over Brockport.

This has been my first season closely following the E8, and it is crazy. Great conference -- these next two weeks will be something to watch for sure.

I'm REALLY happy for Fisher's resurgence in the 2nd half of the season.  Both for those kids and for TMC's shot at having a win over them, if they can get into the East Regional Rankings.

[Jonny Utah]

I assume Ithaca will be looking for a new O-coordinator for next year.  Is Audino an offensive coach?

[Pat Coleman]

Anyone else wish we had a way of knowing which posts you got smite for? I think I've been relatively benign 

No, unfortunately that info isn't recorded.

[sjfcards]

as of today, who is playing the best in the E8?  Alfred, Fisher, ??.  Just crazy how each week brings a new team up and sends another team down.  As bad as Ithaca is playing do they have any chance against cortland?  as crazy as it seemed early, fisher may end up with the AQ with a cortland loss and then beating Alfred the last week of the season. just crazy stuff here.

So this is my first chance to post since yesterday, but I was at the Fisher/Ithaca game yesterday and wanted to pass along what I saw. It is hard to say if Fisher is playing that much better, or if IC is just sort of sliding past the point of being a difficult out for teams. Just watching what was on the field, Fisher did look good, and IC did look bad. As one sided as it was, I felt like Fisher could have won by a wider margin had they wanted. However, I don't think the Fisher team from weeks 1-4 could have done that to any team, let alone IC. The last few weeks have looked so much better for Fisher, and IC has been on the way down for a few weeks but it was an odd game to read. Does IC have a chance to beat Cortland? Not with what I saw this weekend. I commented to my dad as we were leaving (a Cortland grad), "I wouldn't worry too much about Cortaca or the AQ. I don't see IC staying with C-State". Now that I have said that, IC will probably win because it is the E8 and nothing makes sense.

But, Fisher does look much better and has an (outside) chance at getting the AQ, which is amazing to me considering where they were 4 weeks ago. At least they have fought back to be in the mix. It sets up next year if nothing else. The game against AU becomes a huge game, and it should be fun to see how this conference works out as we got to the end of the year.

[Bengalsrule]

Oh yes, Pep. I meant to congratulate you and your Saxons on the dominating win. After scoring 28 points in the 2nd quarter to make the score 35-13 at the half, they were able to stifle Brockport in the 2nd half by Forcing turnovers and going on long drives. AU held the ball for an amazing 23:32 in the second half, with drives of 6:45 and 7:07 included. I watched most of the game and Alfred really impressed me with how they were able to control the game to put it away.

Good luck to AU in the upcoming lottery that is the E8 championship.

And Magicman: What are you doing over here on the football boards? Haha! Hoping the Saxons can equal last year's fun ride into the E8 Tourney...won't be long now before it all gets started. Pep recalls the Plattsburgh State football Cardinals as they played Alfred when Sam Sanders was head coach after Yunie retired.

The Magic 1 is sort of lost until November 14th when SUNYAC hoops begin. If lucky you may hear from him again until the 17th when his Cards travel to Clarkson (and I have not doubt that he will make that westward trip).  Fear not Pep. In a couple of weeks you will have to come to the basketball boards to find him!