CIAA Football Preview - Week 7

CIAA Preview Week Seven
October 8, 2008

The Road to Durham and the CIAA Football Championship
"Bringing the Championship Game back to the Triangle"
The Championship Game - November 8 - Durham

WEEK 7 - UPSET SATURDAY, PART II?  

Last Saturday was "Upset Saturday" in the CIAA. The two favorites to play in the Championship Game and defending divisional champs, Shaw and Virginia Union were knocked out of first place. Upstarts St. Paul's and St. Augustine's knocked the Panthers and Bears out of their respective perches and opened up the divisional races. This weekend, critical contests that will shape divisional races will take place. After the results of this past weekend, anything can happen...could this be Upset Saturday, Part II?

GAME OF THE WEEK: FAYETTEVILLE STATE AT SHAW (Sunday): This is arguably the most anticipated contest of the season. A big red circle has been put around this date since the schedule was introduced publicly earlier in the year. Last weekend's upset of Shaw by St. Aug may have taken some of the luster off the contest but the stakes are still extremely high...the Western Division. Fayetteville State has played well but understands that all may be for naught if they cannot knock off Shaw. The Broncos could set themselves up for a short road to the Championship Game with a win here. FSU would essentially take a two-game lead over the rest of the division with a victory. QB Bryan Hardy has been outstanding in his return since September 20. He has thrown nine TD passes and no interceptions. Offensively, FSU is scoring nearly 40 points per contest. Shaw is still the gold standard in the league when it comes to defense. They will provide the Bronco Offense with its toughest test to date. The Bears are only giving up 205 yards per contest.
(4:00 p.m. at Raleigh).

Players to watch: (Fayetteville State: QB Bryan Hardy; LB Gerald Atkinson; LB Terrel Allen). (Shaw: QB Travis Robinson: WR Lenell King; DL Louis Ellis).

ELIZABETH CITY STATE AT BOWIE STATE: ECSU has come out of their difficult non-conference schedule with confidence. While the Vikings were winless against a tough road slate of South Atlantic Teams Catawba, Wingate and Tusculum; they only lost by an average of seven points per contest. The Vikings, led by QB Curtis Rich and WR Dexter Manley, have been clicking offensively. Defensively, the Vikings are giving up a mere seven points per contest in the conference. However, their contests with Bowie State have traditionally been defensive battles and this one should be no different. Bowie State got back on the winning track last weekend with a win over Lincoln. This weekend will be the Bulldogs' Homecoming so there will be even more motivation for BSU. (1:00 p.m. at Bowie, MD).

Players to watch: (ECSU: QB Curtis Rich: WR Dexter Manley; K Daniel Mendez).
(Bowie State: RB Tariq Jones; QB Jason Scott; WR Clifton Budd).

VIRGINIA STATE AT ST. PAUL'S: St. Paul's pulled off arguably the biggest upset of the season by knocking off Virginia Union. The Tigers put themselves back in the Eastern Division race by pulling off the upset. Defensively, SPC is led by its defense and DB Gregory Toler. Holding the powerful VUU Offense to a mere 10 points is a feat in and of itself. However, scoring 17 points on the conference's top scoring defense (VUU) is commendable. VSU struggled against ECSU in its 35-7 loss and must win this contest to keep its faint divisional hopes alive. (1:30 p.m. at Lawrenceville, VA).

Players to watch: (Virginia State: RB Taron Hampton; QB Leonard Johnson; WR Brian Berry). (St. Paul's: DB Gregory Toler; P Marlon Buchanon; PR Emory Addison).

LINCOLN AT VIRGINIA UNION: VUU's goal in 2008 was to bring home a championship and their hopes are not lost. However, the Panthers no longer control their own destiny. They will need help at the top of the league with ECSU being undefeated and with SPC only having one loss. Lincoln has been competitive in its last couple of contests against CIAA foes Livingstone and Bowie State. They will look to pull off the upset against the Panthers at home. (1:00 p.m. at Richmond).

Players to watch: (Lincoln: DB Anthony Bell; LB Daron Jones; QB Kareem Davis)
(Virginia Union: RB Tarian Donaldson; QB Lamar Little; LB Brandon Smith).

LIVINGSTONE AT CHOWAN: Livingstone is in first place in the Western Division...you read it correctly...and they are poised to remain tied for first. Chowan will look for its first win of the season against Livingstone. The Blue Bears will look to win their second contest in a row after suffering through a two-year losing streak. (6:00 p.m. at Murfreesboro, NC).

Players to watch: (Livingstone: RB Rashaad Flucker; PR William Graves: LB Anthony Earles). (Chowan: QB CJ Westler; WR James Fox; WR Eddie Coard).

ST. AUGUSTINE'S AT JOHNSON C. SMITH: If the Tigers did not pull of the upset of the year by knocking off VUU, St. Aug certainly did. Mighty Shaw was on a roll and was looking forward to settling the Western Division title with FSU. However, St. Aug had other things on its mind. The Falcons pulled off a 27-16 upset. They will look to continue their momentum against JCSU, which is looking for its first conference win. (6:00 p.m. at Charlotte).

Players to watch: (St. Aug: DL Phil Stevenson; RB Arnold Mullins; DL Marcus Kennedy). (JCSU: WR Jeremy Franklin; QB Carlton Richardson; DB Darius Johnson).