FB: Southern Athletic Association

[Scots13]

Just read the d3football.com preview for the Sewanee Tigers. Prediction of a 2 win season is way to pessimistic, Would not be surprised with a 5-5 season at minimum.

Which games on that schedule are they winning?

Berry and Hendrix should be easy wins. Centre and Willamette aren't going to be all that strong. Depauw might be swinging up, but they haven't been much lately and it's at Sewanee. Same with Maryville. Not exactly titans and it is Up on the Mountain. Willamette was only a 4pt game last year but it is a long cross country flight for Sewanee. I don't think Sewanee will break their long struggle against W&L this year, especially in Lexington, but the game was close into the 4th quarter last year between two teams that have similar styles.

I could see 2 wins in Berry, Hendrix and a good shot at beating Maryville and/or Depauw at home. Also one of the away games Centre, Willamette, or W&L are probably in play. It's not out of the question that Sewanee gets 3-5 wins. I think 2 is definitely the bottom dollar prediction.

While Maryville aren't titans, 2nd year for Rader with 18 starters coming back on a team that also returns the league's leading rusher and tackler and led several defensive categories, and 9 All-USAC selections, too. I say Kickoff got it right with regards to that game...

[jknezek]

Just read the d3football.com preview for the Sewanee Tigers. Prediction of a 2 win season is way to pessimistic, Would not be surprised with a 5-5 season at minimum.

Which games on that schedule are they winning?

Berry and Hendrix should be easy wins. Centre and Willamette aren't going to be all that strong. Depauw might be swinging up, but they haven't been much lately and it's at Sewanee. Same with Maryville. Not exactly titans and it is Up on the Mountain. Willamette was only a 4pt game last year but it is a long cross country flight for Sewanee. I don't think Sewanee will break their long struggle against W&L this year, especially in Lexington, but the game was close into the 4th quarter last year between two teams that have similar styles.

I could see 2 wins in Berry, Hendrix and a good shot at beating Maryville and/or Depauw at home. Also one of the away games Centre, Willamette, or W&L are probably in play. It's not out of the question that Sewanee gets 3-5 wins. I think 2 is definitely the bottom dollar prediction.

While Maryville aren't titans, 2nd year for Rader with 18 starters coming back on a team that also returns the league's leading rusher and tackler and led several defensive categories, and 9 All-USAC selections, too. I say Kickoff got it right with regards to that game...

Man you guys are all tough. Guy from Centre questions, guy from Maryville questions, and I didn't even say Sewanee would win those games! I just said they aren't gimmes to send the Tigers to a 2 win season with the only wins over first year programs. Sewanee played, and lost, a ton of close games last year, including Centre, Maryville and Willamette, and the Tigers bring back about as much as any of those teams. Arguably they bring back more than W&L and Willamette, so why the expectation that the games won't be close again? Especially the games that flip to home games.

I'm not saying Sewanee would be favored, I'm just saying a 2 win season, in which you play 2 first year programs, literally means that nothing went your way. No home cooking, no lucky bounce, no trap game, no nothing. Pretty rare that a season goes that bad, which means something has to give. I simply put up the games I think are most likely to have a little give, not that I think the Tigers should be considered favorites.

[awadelewis]

I'm not saying Sewanee would be favored, I'm just saying a 2 win season, in which you play 2 first year programs, literally means that nothing went your way. No home cooking, no lucky bounce, no trap game, no nothing. Pretty rare that a season goes that bad, which means something has to give. I simply put up the games I think are most likely to have a little give, not that I think the Tigers should be considered favorites.

One of the many reasons why I'd never be able to write a preseason guide like Pat and the rest of the D3football guys.  There's way too many intangibles and you have to take the pessimistic view in.most cases.  With my purple-and-white colored glasses on, I can see us having 0.500 season for the exact reasons that jknezek lists.  The potential is there for us to win a couple of games that the Kickoff have in the loss column for Sewanee, esp. the games being played on the Mountain.  We'll see what happens when they play this week.

[Ron Boerger]

One of the many reasons why I'd never be able to write a preseason guide like Pat and the rest of the D3football guys.  There's way too many intangibles and you have to take the pessimistic view in.most cases.  With my purple-and-white colored glasses on, I can see us having 0.500 season for the exact reasons that jknezek lists. 

Been there, done that 

I'm seeing more than two Ws for Sewanee, not sure if I'd go quite as far as .500.  Good luck on the season!

[Just A Guy]

Just read the d3football.com preview for the Sewanee Tigers. Prediction of a 2 win season is way to pessimistic, Would not be surprised with a 5-5 season at minimum.

Which games on that schedule are they winning?

Berry and Hendrix should be easy wins. Centre and Willamette aren't going to be all that strong. Depauw might be swinging up, but they haven't been much lately and it's at Sewanee. Same with Maryville. Not exactly titans and it is Up on the Mountain. Willamette was only a 4pt game last year but it is a long cross country flight for Sewanee. I don't think Sewanee will break their long struggle against W&L this year, especially in Lexington, but the game was close into the 4th quarter last year between two teams that have similar styles.

I could see 2 wins in Berry, Hendrix and a good shot at beating Maryville and/or Depauw at home. Also one of the away games Centre, Willamette, or W&L are probably in play. It's not out of the question that Sewanee gets 3-5 wins. I think 2 is definitely the bottom dollar prediction.

Centre is not going to be all that strong?  I am curious why you would think that....

Coming off a weak season. They are bringing back 15 starters, but a new offensive line is always tough to break in when you rely on throwing the ball. The best returning rusher had only 300 yards or so last year. If the offensive line gives time, then Centre will be fine. QB returns and so do some good receivers, but the time has to be there. If not, well, .500 is a real possibility. At Wash U, at Rhodes, at Millsaps and the schedule isn't doing them a big favor either. The Colonels wouldn't be favored by too many in any of those games right now. Home for W&L and B-SC are going to be a challenge as well.

On the other hand, they get two easy games to open to give the line time to gel. Bethany and Rose-Hulman shouldn't be too bad, and it's nice to have those mid-season first year teams to give yourself a break as well. I just don't see Centre as being the class of the SAA with Millsaps and BSC, both of whom more than doubled up the Colonels last year. The Sewanee game was only 4 points and Sewanee brings back about as much as Centre.

If I'm making lines Centre is the favorite against Sewanee, especially at home, but I don't see Centre as some prohibitive favorite. The W&L game should give Centre fans an idea of where they stand, especially against another triple option team like Sewanee.

VERY nice job!!!  You definately have your finger on the pulse of Centre.

Just a couple comments...Yes the RB had a little over 300 yards last season, but, over 6 yards per carry.  As far as the o-line is concerned, not going into great detail but these guys have plenty of game experience including the playoffs (HSC and Mt Union).  I am truly looking forward to this season.

[jknezek]

Part of what I know of Centre is because I'm a W&L guy and I like having them on the schedule. The rest is from Kickoff, which I recommend we all buy.

[Shoreman]

Sewanee roster is up.

http://sewaneetigers.com/sports/fball/2013-14/roster

Looks like 87 players, most they've brought to camp in a few years.

[Shoreman]

Depauw-Sewanee game article

http://www.bannergraphic.com/story/2000590.html

[Shoreman]

SAA opening week, predictions.

   Bethany (W.V.)       Centre       going with Bethany in this one, with their experienced QB
      
     Westminster (Mo.)       Hendrix       Westminster, long season for Hendrix
      
     Austin       Rhodes                        Lynx win at home    
      
     DePauw       Sewanee                        Battle of the Tigers, Sewanee wins. Triple option is tough to defend in opener.    
      
     Birmingham Southern    LaGrange    BSU too much for Lagrange.
      
     Maryville (Tenn.)       Berry       Another loss for home team with new program, lose big to Maryville.
      
     Millsaps       Mississippi Col.       Majors take the Backyard Brawl

[Just A Guy]

SAA opening week, predictions.

   Bethany (W.V.)       Centre       going with Bethany in this one, with their experienced QB
      
     Westminster (Mo.)       Hendrix       Westminster, long season for Hendrix
      
     Austin       Rhodes                        Lynx win at home    
      
     DePauw       Sewanee                        Battle of the Tigers, Sewanee wins. Triple option is tough to defend in opener.    
      
     Birmingham Southern    LaGrange    BSU too much for Lagrange.
      
     Maryville (Tenn.)       Berry       Another loss for home team with new program, lose big to Maryville.
      
     Millsaps       Mississippi Col.       Majors take the Backyard Brawl

WOW!!!  Bethany over Centre?  I will say Centre by at least 14.

[Shoreman]

Bit of a reach I'll admit, but Bethany's Grimmard is a very solid QB. Pre season All American.

[Ron Boerger]

It's BSC, not BSU.   

ref:  http://www.bsc.edu/ 

[Ben Stein Fan]

LaGrange is going to get the best of BSC...Our offense is going to be too powerful.

[jknezek]

I don't think Willamette is a winnable game. I agree that DePauw or Maryville might be but to pick up three aside from the ones we projected, Berry and Hendrix, is a lot to ask.

After last night, I think Willamette will be a very, very tough game for Sewanee. Pat had this one right. They pretty much dismantled what, on paper, should be a pretty good HSU team.

[jekelish]

Hey guys, Austin College guy here and I'm watching the AC/Rhodes game and for those who have been to the Rhodes stadium, I'm just curious, is there any sort of netting between the soccer field and football field? I notice in the background a soccer game is going on at the same time as the football game, and the soccer field is positioned in such a way that I could easily see a shot going over the goal and reaching the football field, so I'm just curious to know if there's any sort of net to catch stray shots from soccer.