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Xtra Point - The Sports Network

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  • Xtra Point - The Sports Network

    Week Three: Filling Out the Polls
    by Matt Dougherty, Executive Director of I-AA Football
    For whole article go to: http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default...extrapoint.htm

    UC Davis (0-2) at Stanford (1-0), 10:00
    UC Davis had a golden opportunity to score one or even two quality home wins, but couldn’t finish the deal against either New Hampshire or Portland State. With regional I-A Stanford next on the schedule, the Aggies and quarterback Jon Grant need to figure things out in a hurry to have any chance to get in the victory column. Grant has thrown six interceptions in two games, and the Aggies are 0-2 despite allowing only 15.5 ppg. Stanford put up 41 points in a win against Navy last week and will be the toughest test yet for a sound Aggie defense. With the offense yet to establish any consistency, the Aggies don’t figure to put up enough points to keep up with the Cardinal and will start the season 0-3. Prediction: Stanford 34, UC Davis 17

    Weber State (1-1) at No. 12 North Dakota State (2-0), 7:00
    North Dakota State claimed a nice win against Northwestern State in 2004, but the Demons really arrived on the national I-AA scene by throttling the Demons, 35-7, on Saturday. NDSU scored on offense, defense and special teams and intercepted NSU quarterback Davon Vinson four times. While the Bison might suffer a bit of a letdown against Weber State, they have too much of a talent edge to lose the game. The Wildcats won game one of the Ron McBride era against Western State before falling hard at Fresno State last week and were just 1-10 a year ago. Included in those losses was a 31-17 defeat at the hands of North Dakota State, and the Bison are even better in 2005. The Bison might start a bit slow after last week’s big win, but they are a much better team and should pull away for at least a two-touchdown victory. Prediction: North Dakota State 30, Weber State 10

    South Dakota State (2-0) at No. 4 Montana (1-1), 3:05
    South Dakota State is third in the nation with 337 rushing yards per game and rank in the top ten in total offense. The Jackrabbits are fourth in the nation with just 29.5 rushing yards allowed per game. So do the fans in Missoula have something to fear with the upstart Jacks coming to town? Probably not. South Dakota State’s early success was expected with games against Wisconsin-LaCrosse and Valparaiso. This week could be a different story. The Jackrabbits struggled badly in a trip to Georgia Southern in 2004, and will have another tough time facing a I-AA powerhouse this week. With Lex Hilliard at running back, the Grizzlies should turn around the Jacks’ stats against the run and do a solid job shutting down Anthony Watson and the South Dakota State rushing attack. The Jackrabbits have made strides as a I-AA program and will play much better than they did at Georgia Southern, but won’t come within two scores against a Grizzly team looking to get back on track after a loss to Oregon. Prediction: Montana 35, South Dakota State 17

    GAME OF THE WEEK
    No. 11 Montana State (1-1) at No. 18 Cal Poly (1-1), 9:00

    The Bobcats look as good as anybody through the first two weeks of the season. Now, the team and particularly head coach Mike Kramer take on their personal kryptonite with a trip to Cal Poly. The Mustangs have won the last six meetings with the Bobcats dating back to 1997, and Kramer has dropped his last five matchups with the Mustangs overall, including four while at Montana State. Cal Poly won in 2003 and 2004 by containing Travis Lulay and limiting the Bobcats to 21 and 14 points, respectively. The Mustangs picked off Lulay twice, including once for a touchdown, in a 27-14 win in Bozeman a year ago. The defense figures to pose a challenge again, but Lulay has been on a roll since the last half of the 2004 season and shows no signs of slowing down. The Cal Poly defense will need to make at least a few big plays to stop the Bobcat offense again. Cal Poly also ran for 217 yards against the Montana State defense a year ago, but don’t expect that to happen again either. The Bobcats held Oklahoma State and Stephen F. Austin to less than 400 yards of total offense and have improved on the defensive side of the ball. The Mustangs showed they are still a team to be reckoned with by blowing out Sacramento State a week ago, and no one will score at will on their defense. But Lulay and company have the ability to put up at least three or four scores, and with a better defense that should be enough to derail the Mustangs and end the Bobcats’ six-game skid against Cal Poly. Prediction: Montana State 27, Cal Poly 17

  • #2
    Re: Xtra Point - The Sports Network

    TOP 25- The Sports Network
    by Matt Dougherty, Executive Director of I-AA Football
    http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default...extrapoint.htm

    1. Southern Illinois (6) - Salukis have won big, but against overmatched teams.
    2. Western Kentucky (4) - Hilltoppers survived Eastern Kentucky, barely.
    3. Montana (3) - Grizzlies benefit from teams losing around them to hold spot.
    4. Eastern Washington (5) - Loss to San Jose State doesn’t look so bad now.
    5. New Hampshire (9) - Not playing was as good as winning for Wildcats.
    6. Northern Iowa (10) - Panthers are looking at 2-1 start with trip to Iowa.
    7. Montana State (13) - Bobcats playing well on both sides early on.
    8. James Madison (2) - Dukes played the strongest game of the upset losers.
    9. North Dakota State (18) - Made a statement by drilling Northwestern State.
    10. Delaware (16) - Showed grit and determination in comeback against Lehigh.
    11. William & Mary (15) - Tribe should win out in September.
    12. Northwestern State (5) - Would the real Demons please stand up?
    13. Lehigh (12) - Mountain Hawks should have put Delaware away in regulation.
    14. Harvard (14) - Without any game action yet, the Crimson don’t move at all.
    15. Furman (1) - It's a big drop, but Paladins could easily be 0-2.
    16. Texas State (20) - The Bobcats look like the class of the Southland.
    17. Cal Poly (19) - Mustangs face a major test Saturday against Montana State.
    18. Coastal Carolina (NR) - Everyone takes the Chants seriously now.
    19. Hofstra (21) - Pride have one more cupcake before brutal schedule stretch.
    20. Lafayette (25) - Leopards should start 6-0 before Harvard game on Oct. 15.
    21. Hampton (17) - Pirates are 2-0, but need to get the offense going soon.
    22. Grambling State (NR) - Tigers should roll through the SWAC.
    23. Georgia Southern (8) - Like Furman, the Eagles could easily be 0-2.
    24. McNeese State (NR) - One win doesn’t make me entirely overlook 2004 season.
    25. Western Carolina (NR) - See McNeese State.
    Just Missed: Brown, Massachusetts, South Carolina State, Youngstown State, Sam Houston State, Portland State, Maine, Appalachian State

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