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2 Big games this week:

UD at JMU: The winner has a legit claim at the #1 ranking next week & will be the lone undefeated team left in the CAA. 2 great defenses going at it.

'Nova at W&M: Big questions are the lineups: Will Scuzur play?, and who will play QB for the Tribe. Loser of this one take loss #2 and really hurts any chances of being seeded in the playoffs.

bluehenbillk wrote:2 Big games this week:

UD at JMU: The winner has a legit claim at the #1 ranking next week & will be the lone undefeated team left in the CAA. 2 great defenses going at it.

'Nova at W&M: Big questions are the lineups: Will Scuzur play?, and who will play QB for the Tribe. Loser of this one take loss #2 and really hurts any chances of being seeded in the playoffs.

Coach Laycock has announced Paulus will start Saturday. Not sure about Grimes, though---still banged up from ODU game. Think Szczur is supposed to be a gametime decision.

bluehenbillk wrote:2 Big games this week:

UD at JMU: The winner has a legit claim at the #1 ranking next week & will be the lone undefeated team left in the CAA. 2 great defenses going at it.

'Nova at W&M: Big questions are the lineups: Will Scuzur play?, and who will play QB for the Tribe. Loser of this one take loss #2 and really hurts any chances of being seeded in the playoffs.

Well, considering I have those two at #'s 1 & 3 respectively, I'm fairly certain the winner of that game WILL be my #1.

And we're about to find out just how "real" Nova is. I currently have them at #9 and W&M @ # 15.

AZGrizFan wrote:

bluehenbillk wrote:2 Big games this week:

UD at JMU: The winner has a legit claim at the #1 ranking next week & will be the lone undefeated team left in the CAA. 2 great defenses going at it.

'Nova at W&M: Big questions are the lineups: Will Scuzur play?, and who will play QB for the Tribe. Loser of this one take loss #2 and really hurts any chances of being seeded in the playoffs.

Well, considering I have those two at #'s 1 & 3 respectively, I'm fairly certain the winner of that game WILL be my #1.

And we're about to find out just how "real" Nova is. I currently have them at #9 and W&M @ # 15.

W&M is still the enigma for me, and the QB change now just further clouds it. UMass is good, but exactly how good (struggling with Stony Brook isn't a great endorsement). And W&M barely holding on to beat ODU and then struggling to beat a blah Maine team doesn't give me a lot of confidence about W&M. nova could win this game (although without Szcur nova is suddenly very mortal) but we won't really know about W&M until probably 3 weeks later when they play UD (after URI and a bye). Amazing to have to go that far into the season to judge a team but it is what it is.

I predict wins from UD and W&M.

I believe UD is the most complete team in the country at this point. JMU has an excellent defense and a mediocre offense. UD is deeper on the lines.

I'll take W&M over VU, simply due to VU injuries. Talley stated on CAA teleconference that he has 14 players injured and will only be able to hold a walk through tomorrow. W&M will also be looking for payback from last December.

The absence of Grimes and Caesar would eat into the 'separationyness' of the semifinal rematch in my book. It obviously is a very important game, but unfortunately won't be a fair indication of what these two look like with all the ponies in the stable in the upcoming weeks.

The game in Harrisonburg should have all hands on deck.

bluehenbillk wrote:2 Big games this week:

UD at JMU: The winner has a legit claim at the #1 ranking next week & will be the lone undefeated team left in the CAA. 2 great defenses going at it.

'Nova at W&M: Big questions are the lineups: Will Scuzur play?, and who will play QB for the Tribe. Loser of this one take loss #2 and really hurts any chances of being seeded in the playoffs.

Seed? With still on tap in consecutive weeks UD, @ UNC, @ UNH, @ JMU, UR, W&M loses this one and it really hurts their chances of even making the playoffs.

Villanova without Szczur is still a very good team.. Whitney would just have to step up a bit as a passer. I have a hunch that Szczur is going to play though, with a bye coming up.

In 07 The Cats started 7 Freshman against the Tribe; LT - Ijalana, LG - Clouser, PR - Szczur on offense. NG - Weaver, LB - Thomas, FS - Dempsey, CB - Corey. The Cats led 35 - 17 at halftime when Young got hurt coming out of the locker room. Enter Freshmen QB, Chris Whitney. The Cats went on to win 63 - 24, compiled a 7 - 4 record and was robbed of getting into the playoffs.

In 08, Marlon Calbi was the lone freshman to start as a Holder, but on the two deep was WR's, White & Reynolds, OT's Ekweozor & Poston, OG - Bennett, CB - Pitts, SS - Scarnecchia. Not listed on the two deep, but played was RB - Doss, and DB - Potts. White, Reynolds, and Pitts also played, and the CATS led 35 - 7 at the half, and held on to win 38 - 28.

In 09, RG - Shirey, DE - Marlon Johnson, and CB Loper all started as true Frosh. A number of frosh were also listed on the two deep. Nova won the regular season game 28 - 17.

In 2010, Nova will start a number of frosh in place of injured veterans. The Nova coaches know how to roll through adversity with freshman.

I think at this point we have seen a distinct advantage on offense for ud over madison. On defense I'll call it a push, and an edge on special teams to james madison. I expect a close game, with delaware pulling out a 24-14 win. I agree with some of the other posters, I can't figure out the tribe at this point. I have to give a slight edge to villanova, 28-21. As much as it pains me to say it!! But in my heart I say GO TRIBE!!! And obviously GO BLUE HENS!!!!!

PenthouseClosedEnd wrote:I predict wins from UD and W&M.

I believe UD is the most complete team in the country at this point. JMU has an excellent defense and a mediocre offense. UD is deeper on the lines.

I'll take W&M over VU, simply due to VU injuries. Talley stated on CAA teleconference that he has 14 players injured and will only be able to hold a walk through tomorrow. W&M will also be looking for payback from last December.

I beg to differ. JMU goes 8 deep on the de line. Don't have an AA superstar like Moats, but as is the past 2 years, will likely have 3 DLs get ALL CAA honors, including one 1st teamer.

jstclmet wrote:In 07 The Cats started 7 Freshman against the Tribe; LT - Ijalana, LG - Clouser, PR - Szczur on offense. NG - Weaver, LB - Thomas, FS - Dempsey, CB - Corey. The Cats led 35 - 17 at halftime when Young got hurt coming out of the locker room. Enter Freshmen QB, Chris Whitney. The Cats went on to win 63 - 24, compiled a 7 - 4 record and was robbed of getting into the playoffs.

I call shenanigans for revisionist history. How was nova "robbed". Who got in that shouldn't have? Remember, 5 CAA teams made the playoffs in '07 and all 5 had better resumes than nova did. UMass, JMU, and Richmond all beat nova head to head, UD had a better overall record than nova and beat an FBS team (while nova lost to their's), and UNH had the same record as nova (no head to head that year with them, but again, UNH beat their FBS team). Even after that W&M game nova went 3-2 down the stretch so they didn't even have a huge win streak in their favor. The CAA wasn't getting 6 teams into the playoffs - not then, not ever - so how exactly was nova "robbed" again??

GannonFan wrote:

jstclmet wrote:In 07 The Cats started 7 Freshman against the Tribe; LT - Ijalana, LG - Clouser, PR - Szczur on offense. NG - Weaver, LB - Thomas, FS - Dempsey, CB - Corey. The Cats led 35 - 17 at halftime when Young got hurt coming out of the locker room. Enter Freshmen QB, Chris Whitney. The Cats went on to win 63 - 24, compiled a 7 - 4 record and was robbed of getting into the playoffs.

I call shenanigans for revisionist history. How was nova "robbed". Who got in that shouldn't have? Remember, 5 CAA teams made the playoffs in '07 and all 5 had better resumes than nova did. UMass, JMU, and Richmond all beat nova head to head, UD had a better overall record than nova and beat an FBS team (while nova lost to their's), and UNH had the same record as nova (no head to head that year with them, but again, UNH beat their FBS team). Even after that W&M game nova went 3-2 down the stretch so they didn't even have a huge win streak in their favor. The CAA wasn't getting 6 teams into the playoffs - not then, not ever - so how exactly was nova "robbed" again??

REALLY???
Excluding the WCU game, UD won 7 and lost 3, losing head to head against Nova. You weren't counting WCU, were you???

It was not UD I took issue with. I was one of those (mostly Nova supporters) who thought Nova should have gotten before UNH based on their body of work. UNH lost in the first round that year (I think that may have been the only year in their current streak where they lost in the 1st round). Nova was beaten up and limping to the finish line too, although with that weakend team, they did beat the Flacco led Mighty Blue Hens the week prior to the playoffs. Am I correct so far with my history??? Nova would have probably lost in the 1st round too, but I still contend that team should have been in the playoffs,thus they were robbed. Just my humble opinion.

I'm calling it. Towson beats UMass and runs the table.

jstclmet wrote:

GannonFan wrote:
I call shenanigans for revisionist history. How was nova "robbed". Who got in that shouldn't have? Remember, 5 CAA teams made the playoffs in '07 and all 5 had better resumes than nova did. UMass, JMU, and Richmond all beat nova head to head, UD had a better overall record than nova and beat an FBS team (while nova lost to their's), and UNH had the same record as nova (no head to head that year with them, but again, UNH beat their FBS team). Even after that W&M game nova went 3-2 down the stretch so they didn't even have a huge win streak in their favor. The CAA wasn't getting 6 teams into the playoffs - not then, not ever - so how exactly was nova "robbed" again??

REALLY???
Excluding the WCU game, UD won 7 and lost 3, losing head to head against Nova. You weren't counting WCU, were you???

It was not UD I took issue with. I was one of those (mostly Nova supporters) who thought Nova should have gotten before UNH based on their body of work. UNH lost in the first round that year (I think that may have been the only year in their current streak where they lost in the 1st round). Nova was beaten up and limping to the finish line too, although with that weakend team, they did beat the Flacco led Mighty Blue Hens the week prior to the playoffs. Am I correct so far with my history??? Nova would have probably lost in the 1st round too, but I still contend that team should have been in the playoffs,thus they were robbed. Just my humble opinion.

Yes, UNH went out and showed they had no buisness being in the playoffs that year....by losing to the #1 seed, at their place, by two points, with six seconds to go.

jstclmet wrote:

GannonFan wrote:
I call shenanigans for revisionist history. How was nova "robbed". Who got in that shouldn't have? Remember, 5 CAA teams made the playoffs in '07 and all 5 had better resumes than nova did. UMass, JMU, and Richmond all beat nova head to head, UD had a better overall record than nova and beat an FBS team (while nova lost to their's), and UNH had the same record as nova (no head to head that year with them, but again, UNH beat their FBS team). Even after that W&M game nova went 3-2 down the stretch so they didn't even have a huge win streak in their favor. The CAA wasn't getting 6 teams into the playoffs - not then, not ever - so how exactly was nova "robbed" again??

REALLY???
Excluding the WCU game, UD won 7 and lost 3, losing head to head against Nova. You weren't counting WCU, were you???

It was not UD I took issue with. I was one of those (mostly Nova supporters) who thought Nova should have gotten before UNH based on their body of work. UNH lost in the first round that year (I think that may have been the only year in their current streak where they lost in the 1st round). Nova was beaten up and limping to the finish line too, although with that weakend team, they did beat the Flacco led Mighty Blue Hens the week prior to the playoffs. Am I correct so far with my history??? Nova would have probably lost in the 1st round too, but I still contend that team should have been in the playoffs,thus they were robbed. Just my humble opinion.

Last I checked, 7-3 is still a better record than 7-4 - do you want me to do the math for you and show you the winning percentage? And really, that win over an FBS team almost counted as 2 wins anyway. I can't help it that nova lost to a thoroughly mediocre Maryland team that year. And really, that was the reason why UNH got in over nova - they won their FBS game and you guys lost yours. Either way, it's hard to be "robbed" of a spot - it's pretty apparent there wasn't a clear cut case in your favor to make the playoffs, and you're always going to have trouble making it as the 6th best team coming out of the CAA that year.

I may be slow but isn't it 2010? Why are we talking about who made the playoffs in 2007?

ur2K wrote:I may be slow but isn't it 2010? Why are we talking about who made the playoffs in 2007?

I believe it was something about how nova is always injured and always backed into a corner but they always win out in the end, except when they don't - although then they're always being screwed by outside forces. Something like that, I tend to lose details when talking about make-believe things.

jstclmet wrote:In 07 The Cats started 7 Freshman against the Tribe; LT - Ijalana, LG - Clouser, PR - Szczur on offense. NG - Weaver, LB - Thomas, FS - Dempsey, CB - Corey. The Cats led 35 - 17 at halftime when Young got hurt coming out of the locker room. Enter Freshmen QB, Chris Whitney. The Cats went on to win 63 - 24, compiled a 7 - 4 record and was robbed of getting into the playoffs.

In 08, Marlon Calbi was the lone freshman to start as a Holder, but on the two deep was WR's, White & Reynolds, OT's Ekweozor & Poston, OG - Bennett, CB - Pitts, SS - Scarnecchia. Not listed on the two deep, but played was RB - Doss, and DB - Potts. White, Reynolds, and Pitts also played, and the CATS led 35 - 7 at the half, and held on to win 38 - 28.

In 09, RG - Shirey, DE - Marlon Johnson, and CB Loper all started as true Frosh. A number of frosh were also listed on the two deep. Nova won the regular season game 28 - 17.

In 2010, Nova will start a number of frosh in place of injured veterans. The Nova coaches know how to roll through adversity with freshman.

Give me a break... 7-4 UNH had a better resume than a 7-4 Nova.
-UNH had 2 signature wins (over I-A Marshall and NC game runner up UD) to one signature win for Nova (over NC game runner up UD).
-Look at the 6 common opponents: Both lost to JMU, UR, and UMass. Both beat UD, Hofstra, and Maine.
Breaking it down further, points differential for the 6 common opponents:
JMU: UNH lost 41-24 (-17), Nova lost 35-7 (-28): UNH + 11
UD: UNH won 35-30 )+5), Nova won 16-10 (+6): Nova +1
UR: UNH lost 45-38 (-7) Nova lost 35-27 (-8): UNH +1
UMass: UNH lost 27-7 (-20), Nova lost 32-24 (-8): Nova +12
Hofstra: UNH won 40-3 (+37), Nova won 35-31 (+4): UNH +33
Maine: UNH won 39-14 (+25), Nova won 24-17 (+7): UNH +18

So in addition to 2 quality wins for UNH vs one for Nova, UNH outscored the 6 common opponents by 50 more points than Nova did. So, no, Nova didn't get robbed of making the playoffs. UNH had a better resume by any objective standard. Take off your Nova homer glasses.

BDKJMU wrote: Give me a break... 7-4 UNH had a better resume than a 7-4 Nova.
-UNH had 2 signature wins (over I-A Marshall and NC game runner up UD) to one signature win for Nova (over NC game runner up UD).
-Look at the 6 common opponents: Both lost to JMU, UR, and UMass. Both beat UD, Hofstra, and Maine.
Breaking it down further, points differential for the 6 common opponents:
JMU: UNH lost 41-24 (-17), Nova lost 35-7 (-28): UNH + 11
UD: UNH won 35-30 )+5), Nova won 16-10 (+10): Nova +5
UR: UNH lost 45-38 (-7) Nova lost 35-27 (-8): UNH +1
UMass: UNH lost 27-7 (-20), Nova lost 32-24 (-8): Nova +12
Hofstra: UNH won 40-3 (+37), Nova won 35-31 (+4): UNH +33
Maine: UNH won 39-14 (+25), Nova won 24-17 (+7): UNH +18

So in addition to 2 quality wins for UNH vs one for Nova, UNH outscored the 6 common opponents by 46 more points than Nova did. So, no, Nova didn't get robbed of making the playoffs. UNH had a better resume by any objective standard. Take off your Nova homer glasses.

Hope you aren't an accountant.

Fixed it.

If Nova won 16-10, they did not beat UD by 10 points.

mcveyrl wrote:If Nova won 16-10, they did not beat UD by 10 points.

I swear I was drinking when I did the initial comparison last night. Don't have any excuse for not seeing that this afternoon though even after it was pointed out to me.

BDKJMU wrote:

mcveyrl wrote:If Nova won 16-10, they did not beat UD by 10 points.

I swear I was drinking when I did the initial comparison last night. Don't have any excuse for not seeing that this afternoon though even after it was pointed out to me.

Don't feel bad, gazintas sometimes screw me up as well.