FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[narch]

cnu is 4-3 with exactly zero wins over a team with a winning record so as happy as i am about that win (and believe me, i'm VERY happy), it's not THAT impressive, and mc played ferrum w/o their leading rusher (he was averaging 150+ ypg and in the top 15 coming into that game)...i'd say moving up 4 spots on a bye week is just about right

[Jeremybozz]

  Would not want to rely on the Wasps to beat W&L. BC can take care of business this week.

[Jeremybozz]

  I will respectfully defer to your USAC football knowledge but my comments regarding Ferrum stand. Ferrum D is shaky but this may be their best offense since Chris Warren was at RB for them after coming to Ferrum from UVA.

[Jeremybozz]

Since BC and Ferrum have 3 common opponents lets see how they fared:

Ferrum 41-7 over Guilford.
Ferrum 29-13 over E&H
Ferrum 34-13 over Shen.

BC 62-46 over GC
BC 31-17 over E&H
BC 49-20 over Shen.

Ferrum +71
BC +59
   
I rest my case.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Some statistics to 'chew' on for the BC-W&L game;

• Now That's Accurate...  BC's Lewis has completed 65.3% of his passes (11 TDs, 5 INTs), while W&L's Tweardy has completed 66.9% of his passes (16 TDs, 9 INTs).

• Special Teams... W&L's WR/KR Colton Ward and BC's RB/KR Marcus Washington are ranked #1 and #2 (respectively) in the ODAC in kickoff return average ... with Ward averaging 37.2 yards on eight returns, and Washington averaging 35.0 yards on nine returns.  Washington was ranked #1 in the nation last week, with Ward not being ranked because players need at least 1.2 returns a game (he won't be ranked against this week because he has 1.14 returns a game).  W&L freshman PR/KR Sitterson is third in the ODAC with a 33.1 average on nine returns.

• Really Special Teams... W&L and BC have the #1 and #2 punt returners in the conference.  Sitterson has a 13.0 average, with Awkard at 11.1.

• Spreading the Wealth... W&L averages nearly 75 more yards a game in the air than Bridgewater.  The Generals' top three receivers (Martin, Ward, and Neff) have 77% of the completions , while Bridgewater's top seven receivers (Awkard, Morin, Copeland, Washington, Oakes, Hulsebus, and Young) have 75% of the completions.

• They'll Get Theirs... Sydney's WR's Drew Smith and Brian Rolander are averaging a combined 218.6 receiving yards a game ... they had 206 between the two of them in the BC-HSC game.  Don't be surprised if W&L's WR's Jack Martin and Colton Ward get their combined 205.9 receiving yards.  Rolander is HSC's big play receiver at 22.1 yards a catch.  He had 3 catches for 69 yards versus BC (23.0 yards a catch).  Martin will most likely do the same against BC, coming in with 18.7 yards a catch.  Unfortunately, BC's big-play receiver will be on the pine because of an injury for the sixth straight game.  Blake Warring, through two games, averaged 27.5 yards a catch on six receptions.

• We'll Get Ours... Bridgewater is averaging a league-best 295.8 rushing yards a game (6.8 yards a carry), while W&L is getting a fourth-best 87.3 at only 2.4 a carry.  ((( oh, and while we are on the topic of rushing yards a game and carry ... this "coach" thinks that Augustana can win the ODAC hands-down from the Augie/Cardinal film?! ... okay, "congrats" to Augustana for beating a team (Catholic) who is averaging 19.0 rushing yards a game and a blistering 0.9 yards a carry )))
  
  ...My apologies, back to "Us Getting Ours"...
  
  Three of the top five rushers in the ODAC are from Bridgewater:
  
  
  

  Rank	Player	Pos.	School	Rush YPG	Yards Per Carry
  1	Marcus Washington	RB	Bridgewater	103.5	7.6
  2	Winston Young	RB	Bridgewater	92.5	10.6
  3	Josh Simpson	RB	Hampden-Syndey	86.3	5.9
  4	Michael Lackett	RB	Washington & Lee	38.7	3.9
  5	Jacob Lewis	QB	Bridgewater	37.7	6.8

  
  And BC's starting FB (Spence) is ranked 10th (28.5 ypg, 4.8 per carry) and backup FB (Langley) is ranked 8th (31.5 ypg, 5.7 per carry).  That puts five Eagles in the top 10.

• Kicking Discrepancies... Statistically, BC has the best punter in Colin Owens (38.9 yards/punt), with W&L's Donny Banks having the worst average (34.2).  W&L has the best kicker in Ben Long (8 for 11 on FGs), with BC's David Blackwell having the worst average (4 for 11).  It should be noted that six of the seven Blackwell misses have been from 39+ yards.  And all three of Long's  misses were from 37+ yards.

• May The Force Be With The U... W&L has forced a league-high 25 turnovers, while BC has forced a league-low six.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Since BC and Ferrum have 3 common opponents lets see how they fared:

Ferrum 41-7 over Guilford.
Ferrum 29-13 over E&H
Ferrum 34-13 over Shen.

BC 62-46 over GC
BC 31-17 over E&H
BC 49-20 over Shen.

Ferrum +71
BC +59
   
I rest my case.

The only difference is the Guilford game ... and I'd argue that the Quakers Offense of week six (vs BC) was not the same Quakers Offense of week one (Ferrum).  Remember, a freshman QB with a new head coach.  They've obviously matured together, and quickly.

[Trenches]

Since BC and Ferrum have 3 common opponents lets see how they fared:

Ferrum 41-7 over Guilford.
Ferrum 29-13 over E&H
Ferrum 34-13 over Shen.

BC 62-46 over GC
BC 31-17 over E&H
BC 49-20 over Shen.

Ferrum +71
BC +59
   
I rest my case.

Exactly what Kid said... if you were at the game and have seen GC all season... you'd see the vast improvement they have made. The ferrum game was a young team with new coaches, still searching for an identity. I garuntee that if they played again now, that there would be a much different result. I would bet the farm on that one.

[Pat Coleman]

Yes, hands-down. I am sure that no 1999-2004 playoff games will be played in pursuit of the ODAC title.

[mizzou_mafia]

Yes, hands-down. I am sure that no 1999-2004 playoff games will be played in pursuit of the ODAC title.

Pretty sure that non-conference games (and non-conference teams for that matter) won't be deciding the ODAC title in 2005 either.

I certainly think Augustana would give BC a tough game, but I think it's highly unlikely that discussion will even matter this season.  I think BC will be very fortunate to make it past the 2nd round of the playoffs with its defense this year, and will have a tough enough time going undefeated in conference.  Augustana may not even be the best team in its conference, and a Pool C bid for them is no guarantee.

[Pat Coleman]

Pretty sure that non-conference games (and non-conference teams for that matter) won't be deciding the ODAC title in 2005 either.

I didn't say they would decide the ODAC title. I said they would win the ODAC title -- obviously that presumes if they were IN the ODAC, which would make them conference games.

[mizzou_mafia]

Pat, it's late.  The poll's out, the scores are up.  What in the world are you still doing on here discussing the merits of an Augustana squad that couldn't even beat a Central team that lost to a Coe team that lost to a Wartburg team that lost to a Milikin team that lost to a Wheaton team that lost to an Illinois Wesleyan team that lost to a Simpson team that....well, clearly Augustana would have a tough time facing a BC squad that's only lost to a McDaniel squad that also beat Catholic, but blew their shot at the hypothetical ODAC crown with a defeat to RMC, who also lost to Catholic, who lost to Augustana, who lost to Central, who...

[Pat Coleman]

I have a full-time job. Something has to pay the mortgage, because it sure ain't D3football.com.

[mizzou_mafia]

Yeah, I really tried to spin the lost to-lost to thing, but Augustana's one loss (in OT) was to a good team, who has only lost to good teams, who have...etc.  All good teams.  Started running into circles and dead ends much quicker than expected.  Not quite the same story for any ODAC team.

[mizzou_mafia]

I have a full-time job. Something has to pay the mortgage, because it sure ain't D3football.com.

Eh, maybe after you've won Kid's Fantasy League you can claim your winnings and live off the interest... 

[Pat Coleman]

Yeah, I really tried to spin the lost to-lost to thing, but Augustana's one loss (in OT) was to a good team, who has only lost to good teams, who have...etc.  All good teams.  Started running into circles and dead ends much quicker than expected.  Not quite the same story for any ODAC team.

I wasn't going to try to figure out where you were going with it. And what's the interest on zero?