WEEK 8 FOOTBALL PREVIEW – DIVISIONAL RACES BECOME UNCLEAR AFTER SATURDAY NIGHT UPSETS

Triskaidekaphobia: Fear the 13!-2010 CIAA Football
The Championship Game – November 13- Durham, NC

October 12, 2010
 
WEEK 8 – DIVISIONAL RACES BECOME UNCLEAR AFTER SATURDAY NIGHT UPSETS
 
Hampton, VA – Last weekend’s upsets set forth a chain of events that has had a direct effect on the CIAA Standings. It appeared that Winston-Salem State was sailing along to its first Championship appearance since 2001. St. Aug had better ideas though, knocking off the Rams, 40-35. Virginia State got caught in a trap game…a 1-4 Fayetteville State team on the schedule before playing Elizabeth City State on national television. The end result was a 21-14 upset by FSU. It will take a while before the dust settles on exactly who makes it to Durham.
 
GAME OF THE WEEK: ELIZABETH CITY STATE AT VIRGINIA STATE (Thursday night): The Vikings held serve against Virginia Union. However, QB Creven Powell left the game in the second quarter due to injury. Powell’s status for Thursday’s game is unknown. In the meantime, ECSU will rely heavily on workhorse RB Daronte McNeill. The East Carolina transfer carried the ball 39 times (161 yards) on Saturday and moved the chains for one important first down after another. He will need to help backup QB Dominic Strand if Powell is not ready to go. Virginia State got its three-game homestand off to a disappointing start. The Trojans fell behind 21-0 before waking up and challenging the Broncos. However, their fourth quarter rally fell short. VSU now faces a must win scenario against the Vikings. If they lose, the Trojans fall two games behind ECSU with three to play. QB Jarred Battle must pitch in to the passing game and keep the Trojans from being one-dimensional. This is a nationally-televised game on CBS College Sports (DirecTV channel 613). (8:00 p.m. at Ettrick, VA).
Players to watch: (ECSU: RB Daronte McNeill; WR Dexter Manley; DL Malcolm Jenkins).
(VSU: QB Jared Battle; RB Antwain Lyde; WR Brian Berry).
 
FAYETTEVILLE STATE AT SHAW: For the past several seasons, this game has been the most important game of the season. In fact, the winner of Shaw-FSU has won the last three CIAA titles. It appears that FSU is out of contention with two conference losses. Two tough losses to WSSU and St. Aug have the Broncos in poor position to defend its title. Upstart St. Aug and WSSU have now joined the divisional tea party that had been the exclusive right of the Broncos and Bears. RB Raymond Williams is once again pacing the Shaw offense averaging 104 yards per carry. FSU ended a three-game losing streak by knocking off VSU. They hope to continue to play spoiler on Saturday against Shaw. The Bears control their own championship destiny. If they win out, they will be in Durham on November 13. (6:00 p.m. at Raleigh).
Players to watch: (FSU: RB Richard Medlin; QB Robert Benjamin; LB Jeremy Cunningham).
(Shaw: QB Kevin Atkins; RB Raymond Williams; LB Fred Sparkman).
 
LIVINGSTONE AT WINSTON-SALEM STATE: Winston-Salem State had a clear shot to Durham before Saturday. Cruising at 6-0, it appeared the Rams could go undefeated and waltz into the championship  game. St. Aug had different ideas, and upset the Rams 40-35. The Rams could not overcome their six turnovers against the Falcons. Now, the Rams must win out and look for help in order to punch a ticket to Durham. The Blue Bears have suffered through a winless season and hope to upset the Rams and make their year. (6:00 p.m. at Winston-Salem).
Players to watch: (Livingstone: WR Omar McFadden; QB Curtis Edens; LB Bryan Aycoth).
(WSSU: QB Kameron Smith; RB Nic Cooper; DL Juan Corders).
 
JOHNSON C. SMITH AT VIRGINIA UNION: The Golden Bulls have faced Shaw and Winston-Salem State on back to back Saturdays and suffered two difficult defeats. JCSU was outscored 94-16 in those two losses. Conversely, VUU has suffered three straight heartbreakers to Bowie State, Chowan and Elizabeth City State. The Panthers lost those three combined contests by a whopping five points. JCSU and VUU both look to get untracked this week. (1:00 p.m. at Richmond).
Players to watch: (JCSU: QB Ryan Carter; WR Jeremy Franklin; RB Josh James).
(VUU: QB Aris McGlone-English; WR Joseph Jean-Pierre; RB Tarian Donaldson).
 
LINCOLN AT BOWIE STATE: The Bulldogs kept their divisional hopes alive by escaping St. Paul’s with an overtime victory. QB Clifton Budd passed for 196 yards in a comeback win. The Bulldogs hope to keep Lincoln winless in the conference and keep their divisional hopes alive. This is Bowie State’s homecoming. Lincoln came close to pulling out its first win of the season but fell to Chowan, 30-27. (1:00 p.m. at Bowie, MD).
Players to watch: (Lincoln: QB Laquan Williams; WR Matthew Colston; DB Jairon Bailey).
(Bowie State: QB Clifton Budd; RB Tariq Jones; WR James Proctor).
 
CHOWAN AT ST. PAUL’S: Chowan has reinvigorated its season by winning two consecutive conference games. The Hawks sit only one game out of first place in the Northern Division. St. Paul’s took Bowie State into overtime on Saturday before falling to the Bulldogs. (1:00 p.m. at Lawrenceville, VA).
Players to watch: (Chowan: WR Robert Holland; WR Eddie Coard; RB Elliot Smalls).
(St. Paul’s: QB Steffen Miller-Cohen; WR Jason Davis; RB Albert Tinsley).
 
ST. AUGUSTINE’S AT CENTRAL STATE: St. Aug pulled off the upset of the year in the CIAA. They now sit in first place in the Southern Division. The Falcons look to continue their winning ways against Central State in this nonconference clash. (1:30 p.m. at Wilberforce, OH).
Players to watch: (St. Aug: RB Walter Sanders; QB Joaquin Green; LB Steven Stanback).