S136 Down the Home Stretch
As we enter the final weeks, we can finally get a gauge of who could still make it in. It's been a very surprising year with the new teams surfacing and making noise.
What we know ...
CIAA
Virginia St (9-2) vs (10-1) NC Central
Virginia State will likely win this one again unless dakjd901 can put together a heck of game plan. Both teams will make the playoffs.
VSU is the story out of this conference after taking 2 tough losses to Cheyney and Northern Michigan. The question will be, can coach Catfish_jack pull it together to make a strong push in the playoffs.
GLIAC
Northern Michigan (11-0) vs (11-0) Ferris State
This game is not quite a lock because NMU still has to take down a tough Saginaw Valley St squad. However, based on how NMU is performing, I think this will likely be how it goes.
Ferris State is the story here as they always seem to find a way to pull out tough games. They had big wins over Findlay and Hillsdale and Coachoatie usually gets his team to show up when they face Northern Michgian.
Hillsdale (Omcs1981( could also surprise some teams and overall, I think we see 4 teams from this conference make the playoffs. 31-30 win over Saint Joseph's was huge for this program and so is heading toward the playoffs ranked #11.
Saginaw Valley St. lost a tough one to Findlay 36-24 and still has to face Northern Michigan. Currently at 10-1 with a ranking of #23, they should make the playoffs even if they take another loss.
GSC
Valdosta St (11-0) vs Ouchita St (5-6)
It's not going to be the most exciting conference championship but head coach brfutt0408 will give it his best to see if they can pull off an upset.
The southern side of the division tends to dominate the conference and the best teams right now is Valdosta St (Champ83) who took down the next best team N. Alabama (Fazbear05) earlier in the season. N. Alabama is a tough program but currently ranked #15, they may earn an easier first round match to push on. Henderson State has a shot at making the playoffs at rank #36 but they are really on the outside and need some help from the other teams to lose.
LSC
Tarleton St. (10-1) vs (11-0) Texas A&M-Commerce
A rematch of last season where TAMC soundly beat Tarleton St in the regular season but only won 20-5 in the conference championship. This season TAMC won 52-0 but the point margin was closer than last seasons regular season, so will have to wait and we will have to wait and see if Munchnnugget can put together a solid plan. Both teams will make the playoffs despite the outcome.
The third team that has a shot to make it is #30 ranked Angelo St (joeydefone), but they would need a big win over Pete_61 and Texas A&M-Kingsville in week 13. Pete_61.
MIAA
Emporia St. (7-4) vs (11-0) Cheyney
What a job by Mraston this year and taking over a struggling Emporia State team. They had 5 human coached games to compete against and even though they won only 1 of the, they played Morehouse really well in a 26-16 loss. Still, this one is not even going to be close and Cheyney is ready for a deep run again.
Cheyney and waregl72 is on another mission and it's likely we will see him get his team to the NC this year. Currently ranked 11-0 and ranked #1, this is the team to beat. They had a nice win over Virginia St 20-13 and Midwestern St 29-27.
Missouri-Rolla and Olrdneck is right on the bubble with a ranking of #32. He should win out and there is still 1 SIM team ranked in the top 32 so they chances are great that they make the playoffs.
NCC
North Dakota St (11-0) vs (11-0) Humboldt St
Bama2448 is doing a great job at NDSU and making sure to rack up the wins to get their recruit vision up. This should be his second season with 12+ wins.
Jaylien1 is leading the ship for Humboldt St and will deliver again this year. Ranked #17 will likely give them some difficult matches early, but this team is loaded with talent to push through it.
NE-10
Long Island (10-1) or S. Connecticut (9-2) vs (10-1) Pace
The NE-10 is very competitive and there is no one team that is a lock to win the conference title. Three teams should all make the playoffs and they are all fairly equal at this point in competitiveness.
Pace probably looks like the favorite having beat S. Connecticut by a touchdown but barely losing to Long Island by 4. They won the CC 2 years in a row and so it's still early to say they will give it up when it matters.
Long Island led by Bigpoppa85 is in good hands as he has been making noise across other servers with solid recruiting and game planning. No doubt that he will always make life tough here.
S. Connecticut hired a new coach who had a lot of success in D3 and that is coach bce98a. As a first year coach, he jumped in and battle hard but took a loss to Bloomsburg and Long Island as his only blemishes. SCU can change everything in week 13 when they get a chance to play for the CC appearance by beating Long Island.
NSIC
Winona St (11-0) vs (8-3) West Liberty State
Winona St beat West Liberty State earlier in the season and will likely repeat should they meet up in the CC this year.
Azcowboy1 has Winona playing well, none of the games they have faced were close. Currently ranked #7, they will likely get a great seed and should be a force in the playoffs.
Jibe is trying to get West Liberty St. back on course and played a tough non-conference schedule where he went 2-2. The loss to Winona St 56-23 is not too far away from pulling off an upset, but he would need to revamp the game plan a bit. Sitting at #27 rank, they should make the playoffs even if they lost the CC.
PSAC
West Chester (11-0) vs Edinboro (9-2) or Slippery Rock (8-3)
2000champou should run the table now that they got past Bloomsburg in a close 19-9 win. Edinboro and Slippery Rock still have to play so it's a toss up on who is going to pull the other side out and represent.
West Chester (2000champou) has some growing competition with Bloomsburg right on their tail. His team looks great this season and I think they will land a good enough seed to ensure they make the quarterfinals. Ranked within the top 5 for core talent, this could be 2000champou's season to bring a NC home.
Bloomsburg and jms245 have been quite the show since he took over. He is currently 42-10 in a total rebuild and coming off back to back 12 win seasons. Currently ranked #12, his going to get a great seed and I wouldn't doubt it if he could also find a way to make the quarterfinals.
#31 Edinboro and vhoward415 is the other 4 season rebuild that will need to beat #33 Slippery Rock to have a shot at making the playoffs.
#33 Slippery Rock (mojolad) is also in the same boat and is facing a must win scenario to have any shot of making the playoffs.
RMAC
Midwestern (9-2) vs
Mesa State (9-2) or Fort Lewis (7-4)
Midwestern State has secured a shot at the CC and also beat all the competitive conference teams. It's going to come down to week 13 when Mesa State and Fort Lewis battle it out for their CC appearance.
Midwestern State and Linux_Box is playing really good football this year and their 9-2 record is a bit misleading. They only lost by 6 versus Cheyney and by 2 versus Shepherd. Ranked #16, Linux_Box should enter the playoffs as a 3 or 4 seed.
Western New Mexico (tmelonhead) is 9-2 and should be a lock for the playoffs. His only loss was to Virginia State and Midwestern who are both great teams. Look for this team to make some noise in the 1st round.
Justp3ach3y is back on the scene with Mesa State and has a great shot at beating for Fort Lewis. He finished with 9 wins and no playoffs last season, but has a shot at 11 this year and possibly a playoff berth.
Fort Lewis is on the outside looking in, now with 4 losses and really playing for pride. Jong44 would need to win out and most likely beat Midwestern to make it in.
SAC
Tusculum (11-0) or Presbyterian (11-0)
vs
Shepherd (9-2)
Week 13 will decide who shows up and the game between Tusculum vs Presbyterian will decide who goes to the CC. Shepherd will just need to win out to get their shot which they should be able to do.
Presbyterian (rposborne) is playing great football this year and will possibly be their best shot at exceeding the quarterfinals. They took down N. Alabama 34-17 and Shepherd 49-27, plus currently ranked #3 means a great playoff seed. I can see this team making the semi-finals.
Tusculum is another strong team and currently ranked #2. They beat Shepherd 30-20 so versus a common opponent, it looks like Presbyterian may be a little stronger. Clememp is the only team to win the CC in the last decade and could pull it out this year if things go right.
Shepherd is coached by dawgnuts and currently sits at #29. He is trying to get past the first round and may have a chance this season but their playoff seeding will likely put them into a tough 1st round match.
SIAC
Albany State (9-2) vs (9-2) Saint Joseph's
With a big win over Morehouse, Saint Joseph's has locked the CC in and will face Albany State. Both teams have not played this season but Albany State did lose to Morehouse and so SJU will be the favorite.
Tutank and Saint Joseph's is looking to rebound over their 12 win season. They should win out and look great to win the CC to do it. Morehouse is closing the gap, but look for Tutank to push to the 2nd round this year.
Morehouse (sportsdouche) is coming up fast and it's already been 4 seasons since he took over. They are ranked #21 so they will return to the playoffs and is capable of pulling off a first round upset.
Albany State has 9 wins and currently ranked #22, fbuckster should end their 3 years of no playoffs this season. Even if they should lose the CC, they are a lock to make it.