WEEK 3 OTHER CONFERENCES GAME BREAKDOWNS
We have reached the end of the non-conference schedule for some of the smaller FCS schools and the beginning of league play for others. The schedule is dominated by a strong small college game in the south against Citadel and Appalachian State, two programs off to decent starts in 2012. The Ivy League also kicks off play, albeit non-conference, for the current campaign.
San Diego at #22 Harvard, Saturday, 1:00
Two weeks after the season started, the Ivy League finally gets underway… although it isn’t quite yet Ivy League play. Instead, Harvard, which was the regular-season champion at 7-0 (9-1 overall), entertains a team from the West Coast in the Crimson’s season opener. After a regular-season loss a year ago at the hands of Holy Cross, Harvard ran the table the rest of the way. San Diego has struggled in the first weeks of the season, thanks to what looks like a suspect defense. The Toreros began play with a 41-14 loss to Cal Poly and a 34-27 victory over Western New Mexico. This is San Diego’s final tune-up before Pioneer League play begins next week.
Projected score: Harvard 32, San Diego 10
Yale at Georgetown, Saturday, 1:00
Like Harvard, Yale is also starting its football season two weeks after the rest of the country. The Bulldogs went 4-3 in the Ivy and 5-5 overall under Tom Williams last season, but Williams’ tenure ended in a soap opera that had to do with his applying (or not applying) for a Rhodes scholarship. Williams stepped down and Tony Reno, a special teams coach at Harvard, stepped in. Yale’s opponent, Georgetown, is off to a 2-0 start with wins over Davidson (35-14) and Wagner (13-10). Patriot League play hasn’t started yet, but Georgetown is one of two teams (with Lehigh) that are off to a 2-0 start this season.
Projected score: Yale 23, Georgetown 17
St. Francis (Pa.) at Morehead State, Saturday, 1:00
A pair of 1-1 programs from different FCS conferences face off against each other when St. Francis travels to Morehead State. St. Francis, which plays in the Northeast Conference, got back on the winning track with a 39-28 win over Bryant last week. Morehead State slammed Southern Virginia in the first week of the season but fell at the hands of Eastern Kentucky, 24-17, in Week 2. Morehead State could have a problem with St. Francis if the team takes over in time of possession and hogs the ball like Eastern Kentucky did. Zach Lewis threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to EKU.
Projected score: Morehead State 30, St. Francis 17
The Citadel at #6 Appalachian State, Saturday, 3:30
One of the biggest matchups of the FCS weekend takes place in Boone, North Carolina, when the unbeaten Citadel squad takes on Appalachian State. After a rocky start to the season and a 35-13 loss to East Carolina, Appalachian State recovered for a 35-27 victory over Montana on Steven Miller’s 2-yard touchdown run with 5:05 to play in the game. Jamal Jackson threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. The Citadel defeated Charleston Southern and Georgia Southern, although the Georgia victory (23-21) was not a one-sided one by any means. It took a 37-yard field goal by Thomas Warren to seal the game. The Citadel only had 253 yards total offense, and that could hurt.
Projected score: Appalachian State 34, The Citadel 17
Howard at Norfolk State, Saturday, 4:00
The Mideastern Athletic Conference gets underway in earnest this week with a matchup between two of its top programs. Howard is two points away from an 0-2 record, thanks mainly to its 30-29 win over Morehouse College. The Bison then lost 26-0 to Rutgers in a game where their offense went south. Norfolk State has wins over Virginia State (24-0) and Liberty (31-24), becoming one of two 2-0 teams in the MEAC. The other is Bethune-Cookman, and those two schools don’t face off until October. Norfolk State has a higher-powered offense, at least through the first two weeks, and it could cause problems for Howard in this contest.
Projected score: Norfolk State 27, Howard 7
#17 Eastern Kentucky at Coastal Carolina, Saturday, 6:00
One of the Ohio Valley Conference’s tougher teams goes up against the Big South Conference in a strong FCS contest. Eastern Kentucky ended up blown out by Purdue 48-6 in the season opener before a 24-17 win over Morehead State in Week 2. Coastal Carolina may still be recovering from a wild, unbelievable 47-45 triple-overtime thriller against Furman last week. In the third overtime DeMario Bennett’s 26-yard touchdown pass from Aramis Hillary, plus a two-point conversion play, accounted for the margin of victory as Furman scored but couldn’t convert a two-point play of its own. Coastal Carolina’s offense can produce points, and this could be an interesting contest.
Projected score: Coastal Carolina 34, Eastern Kentucky 20
Albany at #8 Youngstown State, Saturday, 4:00
The Great Danes bring their 2-0 record into Ohio for a matchup that promises to be exciting. This is Albany’s last year in the Northeast Conference before going to the Colonial Athletic Association, and so far the non-conference schedule has been good for Albany. The Danes have bitten off wins against Colgate and Robert Morris, outscoring opponents 75-33 in the process. Youngstown State started out the season with a memorable win against FBS rival Pittsburgh and then slammed the door on Valparaiso with a 59-0 victory. Both teams’ offenses are ready and loaded to go, so anticipate a high-scoring match.
Projected score: Albany 42, Youngstown State 39 (OT)
Prairie View A&M at Alabama A&M, Saturday, 6:00
In the Louis Crews Classic at Huntsville, Ala., Prairie View meets up with Alabama in the battle of the A&M programs. Prairie View has had heartbreak in the form of a 44-41 loss to Texas Southern; it also has had disappointment thanks to a 31-0 shutout loss to Lamar. Alabama A&M has close wins against Tuskegee (7-6) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (14-10). This battle should go to Alabama, but just barely, as both offenses might struggle to score points. An Alabama win would put the program at 3-0, which wouldn’t be bad with Texas Southern coming in to play in Week 4.
Projected score: Alabama A&M 10, Prairie View A&M 7
See All FCS Games of the Week Breakdowns
