FB: Southern Athletic Association

[tigerguy]

BSC putting the hurt on Sewanee. 34-0 with 7 minutes remaining in the second.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity makes it 21-6 after a 75-yard drive converting several third downs.   Berry has a player (Brookshire) thrown out after the TD on a dead ball personal foul.   3:07 to play (Q3). 

[Ron Boerger]

After a couple of interceptions and a couple of turnovers on downs, Trinity starts at the Berry 30, converts a fourth down, and score on a short Hutchinson run to extend the lead to 27-6.   Trinity basically runs the clock out after the Vikings last drive ends (again) on downs.   

Total yards TU 357 BC 181
TOP TU 40:43 BC 19:17

[BSCpanthers]

BSC finished it off, winning 49-0 over Sewanee. 

Sewanee was never in the game, BSC jumped out quick to a 21 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. 

[tigerguy]

Trinity did what it needed to do yesterday, but still lots of sloppiness. Three of Berry's six points came on a drive in which Trinity had three personal foul penalties which moved Berry 45 yards downfield.

BSC looked great - hope both BSC and Trinity don't take their foots off the gas the rest of the way.

[Ron Boerger]

Well, an interesting opening weekend for most SAA teams with about the only surprise being the ease with which Trinity defeated Berry.  Guess I expected a little better out of Rhodes after last week. 

• Birmingham-Southern 49, @Sewanee 0
• Trinity 27, @Berry 6
• Millsaps 42, @Rhodes 21
• @Centre 42, Hendrix 21

As for *this weekend*:

• Berry (2-2, 0-1) at Millsaps (1-3, 1-0):  Can the Vikings get their longship headed in the right direction after two losses, or do the Majors put themselves into the conference equation?
• Birmingham-Southern (4-0, 1-0) at Hendrix (1-3, 0-1):  the pain likely continues for the plummeting Warriors.  O/U on B-SC scoring:  50
• Rhodes (1-3, 0-1) at Sewanee (0-4, 0-1):  the outcome may determine who will be in the SAA cellar the rest of the season
• Centre (4-0, 1-0) at Trinity (3-0, 1-0):  two of the three unbeatens battle it out on what will be a pretty warm afternoon (low 90s) in San Antonio.
  Can Centre (190 yds/game on the ground) solve Trinity's rushing defense (allowing 30)? 

[BSCpanthers]

Centre has Trinity this weekend and BSC the next weekend.  It's possible the conference could be decided in the next two weeks.  I hope it isn't, because that would mean Centre owns it, but it should be a good couple weeks in conference to watch some games.

[Ralph Turner]

Meanwhile, Austin College is wondering again why they decided to move back to the ASC, trailing UMHB 35-0 midway in the second quarter.   One first down and 10 yards total offense isn't going to win many games ...

...tens of thousands of dollars saved on the travel budget.

Everybody, except Belhaven and SRSU, is closer than their nearest SAA opponents (Hendrix and TU).  Millsaps is one mile farther than Belhaven.

[crufootball]

Meanwhile, Austin College is wondering again why they decided to move back to the ASC, trailing UMHB 35-0 midway in the second quarter.   One first down and 10 yards total offense isn't going to win many games ...

...tens of thousands of dollars saved on the travel budget.

Everybody, except Belhaven and SRSU, are closer than their nearest SAA opponents (Hendrix and TU).  Millsaps is one mile farther than Belhaven.

In looking at ACs time in the SAA and SCAC it looks like they averaged around 3-4 wins a season. I watched parts of their broadcast this weekend and they noted that AC was getting a new turf field next year as well as new Nike uniforms. Mix that and a good academic reputation I don't see why they can't at least match their success in the SAA.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity-Berry is discussed for a couple minutes early in this week's D3football.com podcast (though unlike Greg Thomas, I think the Trinity defense gets another test this week).   It's the second or third game discussed. 

[BSCpanthers]

Panthers have officially left Alabama and are headed back to Arkansas for the meeting with Hendrix.  Should be a good weekend in the SAA, I'll be watching!!!

[awadelewis]

Sewanee remained true to the season's trend and let Rhodes put 27 up in the 4th quarter for Rhodes 55 - Sewanee 13 final score.

Trinity beats Centre 27-7.  Horn 21-33 for 246 yds and 3 tds.

Berry 35-14 over Millsaps with 1:30 left in the 3Q.

B-SC 43-6 over Hendrix.

[D3Navy]

Dominating, but subdued, performance from Trinity.  Centre's score was a long pass, but other than that they never really threatened.  Trinity lines are both very, very strong.

Would like to see the offense mix up the play selection a bit more.  Perhaps not necessary when out to solid leads and overall in control.

Lots of speed and very aggressive play.  Really fun to watch!

[Ron Boerger]

I was at Centre-Trinity and between that result and what B-SC has been doing it sure seems likely that the conference championship will be determined November 6 in Birmingham.  Centre could not figure out the Trinity defense all day with their one score coming off a busted play where the Centre QB, Trentin Dupper, evaded all kinds of defenders and hurled a ball deep to a wide open receiver that had gotten lost in the confusion.   Dupper was basically the Colonel offense - 117 yards passing (32 on the play just mentioned; 10-25 with 1 TD and no interceptions despite balls going through a lot of Trinity hands) and 46 yards on the ground (with a long of 37). 

For Trinity it was once again the Tucker Horn show, with Horn going for 246 yards on 21-33 for 3 TDs and scoring another on the ground from 11 yards out.  Austin Bertness had six receptions and two of those scores including a beautiful one-handed catch that froze the defenders just long enough for him to get around them on a 20-yard catch and run.  BJ Stewart, younger brother of Chris Stewart, had the other touchdown catch. 

Centre did make some defensive adjustments at the half that slowed Trinity, but even so total yardage was 405-180 in the home side's favor.  51 of Centre's yards came on their final possession (plus 25 penalty yards), but they needed 52 as Dupper was stopped inside the 1 as time ran out

D3Navy, saw your post while I was composing this one and it seemed to be a very deliberate game plan today without a lot of deep balls and no forcing balls into coverage.   Edit:  One non-deliberate thing was Trinity going for it on fourth down four times, converting three of them, the last coming on a fake punt on 4th and 11 at their own 40 which picked up 45 yards and eventually resulted in the final score.  That's pretty ballsy when you're only ahead by two scores. 

Edit2:  BJ Stewart is not related to Chris Stewart.   Made an assumption and you know what they say about those.

[BSCpanthers]

BSC gave up points in the second half for the first time today.  Other then the first drive of the second half, the defense was strong all day.  The game next weekend at Centre should be telling how good that game may be I'm Birmingham in 4 weeks.