Western Carolina (1-7, 1-4 SoCon) at East Tennessee State (2-1, 2-1 SoCon)
 |
| Photo courtesy of WLOS Asheville |
"Blue Ridge Border Battle"
Preview:
East Tennessee State will look to keep its hopes alive for a Southern Conference title when the Bucs host Western Carolina in the Blue Ridge Border Battle. No matter the records, the two team's have split each of the past to meetings against each other, with both games having been decided in overtime. Last time the two met, the Catamounts were able to avenge a triple overtime loss from the previous year, capturing a 13-10 overtime win at E.J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee.
The Bucs continue to improve offensively under the direction of freshman quarterback Tyler Riddell (50-of-82 passing, 575 pass yds, 3 TDs, 2 INTs). In both wins this fall, however, the Bucs have not exactly been an offensive juggernaut, having posted less than 400 yards of total offense in both wins. The fact remains that when all else fails on the offensive side of the ball, there are two solid options--hand the ball off to Quay Holmes (49 rush att, 219 yds, 4 TDs, 4.5 YPC ) and let him do his thing, or throw it deep to Julian Lane-Price (9 rec, 173 yds, 1 TD, 19.2 YPR).
Defensively, third-year head coach Randy Sanders continues to have a unit that ranks among the best in the league, led up front by Blake Bockrath (7 tackles), while Tyree Robinson (20 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1 FR, 1 TD) highlights one of the best secondary's in the SoCon
The Catamounts have featured an improving offense with a new quarterback themselves, and though its continued to be a nightmare on defense, the offensive has steadily improved with Penn transfer Ryan Glover (72-of-124 passing, 664 yds, 2 TDs, 4 INTs) under center. The top target the past couple of seasons against the Bucs has been Owen Conseke (9 rec, 108 yds, 12.0 YPR), as he has pretty much established himself as one of the nation's top tight ends in this game alone. Will Jones (26-of-52, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) will also likely see action under center for eighth-year head coach Mark Speir this afternoon.
The Catamounts made a change at defensive coordinator prior to the season, bringing in Andy McCollum to replace John Wiley. Things haven't gotten any better on the defensive side of the ball, giving up 498.0 YPG.
Who Wins:
Western's struggles on ETSU's struggles on offense? The Catamounts seem to have a much steeper portion of the Blue Ridge Mountains to climb on the defensive side of the bal than the Bucs do on the offensive side of the ball. In fact, the argument could be made that the Bucs offense is slightly improved. from the unit we witnessed take the field for Randy Sanders in 2019. For that reason, Bucs get a second-straight road win.
ETSU 28, Western Carolina 14
 |
| Samford quarterback Liam Welch (Photo Courtesy of Samford Athletics) |
Samford (2-3, 2-3 SoCon) at The Citadel (0-8, 0-4 SoCon), Johnson Hagood Stadium/1 p.m. EST
If Western Carolina and ETSU can play for pieces of mountains and even tires, I think The Citadel and Samford should play for a Bronze Bulldog. They already settle a Silver Shako with VMI, but adding more precious metals might seem more like Nebuchadnezzar's dream interpretation than a rivalry trophy in college football. One thing that can't be disputed is that it's been nothing short of nightmare for The Citadel Bulldogs in the spring and fall.
It's somewhat almost hard to believe that The Citadel is the team I had picked as the SoCon favorite about this time last year. With losses due to the bookstore violations, graduation and transfer, the Bulldogs look like a completely different team than they did this time a year ago.
From 34 no-shows on the first day of August camp prior to COVID-19 cancellation, to the 10-game losing streak the Bulldogs are currently on entering Saturday's contest. An 11th-consecutive setback would be a school record, and the whispers surrounding head coach Brent Thompson might start to become audible, despite the fact the Bulldogs being without starting signal-caller Jaylin Adams (20-of-41 passing, 209 yds, 2 TDs, 2 INTs), who has to sit out due to concussion protocol.
The Citadel's defense has been solid all season--spring and fall--and it would've been easy to predict that, given the fact that the Bulldogs have the league's best NFL prospect on the defensive side of the ball, in senior Willie Eubanks III (54 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks) at linebacker. Set to step under center as the starting signal-caller for the triple-option Bulldogs will be Cooper Wallace.
Finding a way to get the ball in the hands of wideout Raleigh Webb (16 rec, 257 yds, 3 TDs, 16.1 YPR) might literally be The Citadel's offense today. The Bulldogs haven't struggled this much on the offensive side of the ball since Scooter Johnson was Ellis Johnson's starting signal-caller some 21 years ago.
And what I am about to tell you might be more unbelievable than what I mentioned about The Citadel. Truth is that Samford won a 61-55 quadruple overtime game in Birmingham in 2019, which marks the only win in six overtime games since the start of the 2019 season. One of those losses came in overtime last week, despite the fact that Liam Welch (103-of-152 passing, 1,493 yds, 8 TDs, 4 INTs/162 rush yds, 3 TDs) tossed the ball for a school-record 570 yards, and the Hatch Attack rolling up 633 yards of total offense vs. VMI's improved defense. Add to that 37 points, and it's hard to believe Samford loss!
Of the coaches that maybe should have their seat boiling between the two is Hatcher. He's 1-5 in overtime games since the start of 2019. He's lost three games by a combined total of 15 points this spring , with two in come-from-ahead losses in overtime!!
Who Wins? It's really hard to pick Samford given they have seemingly continued to lose close games with more talented players over the past four seasons or so, however, given the fact that The Citadel will be without starting quarterback Jaylin Adams, and with a talented defense probably slated to be on the field most of the afternoon given The Citadel's struggles on offense, I have to go Samford here.
Samford 30, The Citadel 17
Mercer (2-5, 2-2 SoCon)) at No.9 Chattanooga (3-1, 3-0 SoCon), Noon/Finley Stadium
Chattanooga is probably the best team in the SoCon right now, although not by much over VMI. Still, the thing that makes the Mocs such a tough out on the gridiron is their defense, with an offense, which features big-play options, in running back Tyrell Price (53 rush att, 226 yds, 4 TDs, 4.3 YPC), as well as wideout Reginald Henderson (15 rec, 285 yds, 19.0 YPR).
That being said, the Mocs have been far from consistent throwing the football this season, as Drayton Arnold (41-of-88 passing, 660 yds, 2 TDs, 3 INTs/59 rush yds, 1 TD) and Cole Copelannd (5-of-9 passing, 93 yds, 1 INT) have split time under center this spring. According to Mocs coach Rusty Wright, the Mocs will be playing a lot of different freshmen and younger players this week in hopes of gaining experience at some positions. What that will look like Saturday is anyone's guess.
The Mocs have some truly outstanding player's at all three levels of the defense, but the most dominant this spring is without question Devonsha Maxwell (19 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 5.0 sacks). The Bears are still getting mud on the tires under first-year head coach Drew Cronic. Freshman Carter Peavy (40-of-83 passing, 518 yds, 5 TDs, 1 INT) has been the guy under center for Cronic, while Deondre Johnson () and Nakendrick Clark () have been the primary big-play options in the ground game.
Defensive back Lance Wise (59 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 2 PBUws) has been among the best defensive players on a much improved Mercer defense this spring.
Who Wins? I think the Bears keep things interesting for three quarters before running out of gas against a stout Mocs defense.
Chattanooga 27,Mercer 14
For VMI-Wofford preview...Follow the link
Comments
Post a Comment