FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[frank_ezelle]

What do our experts think about this week's games?  Here's one set of predictions, but don't bet your 401k that I have any of these right:

--Trinity at DePauw:  Both teams had difficult road trips last week.  DePauw has health issues.  DePauw has a lot of past frustrations they can relieve with a win, as well as keeping hopes for an at-large bid and a SCAC co-championship.  I'm going to go with DePauw in this one with the key being the home field advantage.

--Birmingham Southern at Austin:  People seem to think that Birmingham Southern is playing awfully well for a first year program and that seems to be the case when they are playing at home.  I think Austin College gets a comfortable win in this game.

--Rhodes at Colorado College:  This is tricky since I saw Rhodes get pounded at Millsaps and they weren't much better against Washington, but then they beat Trinity.  I think we get back to most SCAC teams playing far better at home than on the road.  I have to go with Colorado College in a surprisingly comfortable win.

--Millsaps at Sewanee:  If Millsaps goes on the road and thinks they can just go through the motions and get a victory, then this will be a close game.  I don't think that will happen, especially on the defensive side of the ball--they always enjoy the opportunity to hit someone.  I'm concerned about the inability of Millsaps to turn trips into the red zone into touchdowns.  If Millsaps has to settle for FG's, then this game could stay tight.  If Millsaps can find a running game that works in the last 20 yards of the field then they will add an improtant dimension that will be needed during the remainder of the season.

[Pat Coleman]

As many of you who follow the SCAC blog know, one area needing improvement with the 2007 Millsaps squad has been in the special teams area of field goal kicking.

There's an SCAC blog? Do you have a link?

Sorry Pat - That's what I call this.

Remember, I can't spell Depauw either. --- Help me out here. What do you call this??

Thanks.

A message board.

A blog has one person driving a topic with an original post and others comment. A message board is anyone's commentary, more free-form.

[KentATM]

hmm.  more like one extremely long thread in a message board...   

[HunterT]

frank, I agree with your first and last predictions, but not the others.

Rhodes has never had problems with Colorado, and I don't expect them to. Granted CC is in the SCAC now and getting used to how things work in the conference, I don't see much change in the team. Rhodes seemed to have finally gotten things on track last week, even if it was a couple big plays against a good Trinty team that wasn't playing well. The defense was much more solid than they were against Millsaps or Wash U, and the offense showed improvement. I don't think the CC defense is that strong, and their offense won't put up much of a show against our D. Coach White will argue with me about the strength of their team, and I think that's great. Prepare like you're going to play a strong team and you'll play a better game instead of slacking off and putting yourself at risk.

BSC I just have a hunch about. does that justify it enough? 

[DePauwDad]

I haven't seen AC, but I saw some real athletes at BSC. With a little maturity they are going to be a force. I would give them a chance against any team I have seen in D3- I said a chance, not that they will win. In two years, they will challenge anyone in the SCAC and probably beyond.

[frank_ezelle]

I have no reason to doubt that Birmingham Southern will be a good team in multiple sports in the SCAC and I haven't seen them play this year while some of you have.  They had a very close game with Rhodes early in the season when Rhodes dominated in everything but scoring (total yards were 322 vs. 77).  They were also easily dominated when they had to go on the road to Trinity (30-7 at the half, 519 yards vs. 232, and BSC rushed 24 times for 1 yard).  The stats were admittedly much closer when they played a banged up DePauw team that might have still had a hangover from the Millsaps game.  Austin is playing very well right now with far less turnovers and I don't see BSC getting their first road win.

As for the Rhodes offense, I'm not sure if they proved they were over their early season problems in the win over Trinity.  Rhodes put up over 300 yards of offense but when you look at the drive charts for the game, they didn't have a lot of sustained drives.  I'm not sure if you can always count on a 69-yard pass play and a 65-yard fumble recovery to make up half of your point total. 

While Rhodes may have turned the corner last week, I'm just thinking that the combination of a fairly good Colorado team, Rhodes coming off the emotional high of a big win, a still somewhat suspect Rhodes offense, and Colorado being at home will combine for a Colorado win this weekend.  Of course, I also thought Trinity would win on the road last week so what do I know.

[Ron Boerger]

I was hoping to see BSC in person on Saturday but the missus has put her foot down.  Seems that the church men are having a football get-together on Sunday and that will take care of my alloted football quota for the weekend.

Hunter notes that Rhodes has never had a problem with CC, which is true.  At the same time you look at CC's record the last 7-8 years and they were never a .500 team, usually winning 1-3 games per season until Bob Bodor showed up to coach them.  Last year's .500 team was handily defeated by the Lynx in Memphis, 28-10; I think this year's team, which represents Bodor's first senior recruiting class, has a shot at the W in the Springs.  The key will be turnovers; with the exception of last week, Rhodes has been a turnover machine this season (lost 13, recovered 5 in first four games, lost 1, recovered 5 v. Trinity).  If they can hold onto the ball, Rhodes can win against a CC defense which has been suspect against the run.   As Frank says, Rhodes needs to sustain some drives as CC has a nice, balanced offense that can do the same.    I'm taking CC in a close one with altitude and distance contributing to the W.

Trinity and DePauw ... wish I had an injury report for the home side.  I've picked DePauw to win this a couple of times in the last few seasons and have gotten burned each time.   If TU was at home I would say they would kick butt after last week's performance, but it's another road game and they still don't seem to have a running game.   Absent that I think the DePauw defense will play a big role in the outcome.  With Marks, DPU by ten; without, by three. 

BSC at Austin - I might take the young Panthers at home in this game, but think the AC running attack will wear them down in Sherman.  AC by two TDs.  I do wish the BSC SID would quit counting varsity games against JV teams as W's; site headline says "Panthers look to get to .500 against Austin College."  Sorry, "Panthers look for first varsity win" is correct. 

Millsaps at Sewanee - strange things seem to be happening to teams that venture to the Mountain but the Majors will be motivated after the poor showing (by their new standards) against Centre.  Millsaps by 21. 

[oldmoose]

I do wish the BSC SID would quit counting varsity games against JV teams as W's; site headline says "Panthers look to get to .500 against Austin College."  Sorry, "Panthers look for first varsity win" is correct.   

Hey now, cut the Panthers a little slack.  Remember, BSC is essentially a JV team.  If BSC doesn't count wins over JV teams, perhaps the other conference teams should not count wins over BSC in their W column.

[Major Rev]

oldmoose, welcome to the SCAC!  Even though the transition was a shock to my BSC tennis playing daughter (kc), we are enthusiastic about you guys joining the SCAC!  Now I don't have to drive 4 hours for a tennis match!

And yes, we'll cut you some slack!  I'm not so ready to write off a team with lackluster offensive stats when they're playing with enough intensity to create turnovers!  I've picked you guys over Austin this week - your "breakout game" - and wish you luck!

GO PANTHERS!  Well, at least until Nov. 10th ... lol!

[Ron Boerger]

I do wish the BSC SID would quit counting varsity games against JV teams as W's; site headline says "Panthers look to get to .500 against Austin College."  Sorry, "Panthers look for first varsity win" is correct.   

Hey now, cut the Panthers a little slack.  Remember, BSC is essentially a JV team.  If BSC doesn't count wins over JV teams, perhaps the other conference teams should not count wins over BSC in their W column.

A varsity game means everyone brings the best players they have, which is not the case when you play a JV team.  That's why (IMO) you won't see this site listing results against JV teams as official results, the SCAC doesn't do it on their site, etc.  BSC is going to be good enough fast enough that this sort of thing isn't really necessary, anyway. 

It's not a big deal.  The Panthers have been impressive this year no matter which set of W-L records you want to use. 

[cush]

I did notice this JV game on sunday oct 28 for bsc at huntingdon, how does that work?

http://www.huntingdon.edu/athletics/mens_athletics/football/jv_schedule_and_scores

I would think a bsc-huntingdon series would be a good rival game for both school's.

[Ron Boerger]

It's not listed on the BSC varsity schedule and they have a game against Colorado College the previous day, so this is probably a true 'JV vs. JV' matchup. 

[oldmoose]

BSC does not have a JV squad as of this date.  Perhaps they will form one, but there is no indication of that from the players.

[maconfootballobserver]

Does anyone know if Colorado College broadcasts their games via internet, either webcast or radio?

[Ron Boerger]

Does anyone know if Colorado College broadcasts their games via internet, either webcast or radio?

Live stats are available from their home page (http://www.coloradocollege.edu/athletics/varsity_sports/football/) but they don't seem to do broadcasts.  According to this page streaming coverage is coming "soon"; the site shows the game vs. DePauw being the first, and implies that it's PPV.