CCSU Game Notes - https://admin.xosn.com/fls/17600//footb ... unotes.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
UNH Game Notes - http://www.unhwildcats.com/sports/fball ... 090410.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
New Britain Hearld gameday article - http://www.newbritainherald.com/article ... 695571.txt" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Seacoastonline.com pregame article - http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/ ... TS-9040331" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;STRAUB’S PREDICTION
Central has come a long way as a program since that drubbing UNH gave it in 2003. The Blue Devils have been nationally-ranked themselves at times, have beaten Georgia Southern and were within shouting distance of William and Mary, another national power, last season.
The Blue Devils have the right approach to beat UNH, a strong running game and an aggressive defense that will look to force fumbles and interceptions.
What they don’t have is the health (running back Brian Fowler is questionable) or experience (CCSU will play 14 new starters today) to turn the trick.
This won’t be another 70-20 thrashing, but it’s hard to make a case for Central doing anything more than hanging around. Being within two scores in the second half and making FCS followers keep an eye on the scoreboard for a couple of hours would be a victory for the hometown team. I think they do it, but that effort only makes the Wildcats mad in the final minutes.
FINAL SCORE: UNH 38, CCSU 13
DURHAM — For a defense committed to stopping the run, there's no better challenge than facing an opponent determined to establish it.
That's what the University of New Hampshire football team will see in today's season opener at Cowell Stadium (noon) against Central Connecticut, which was ranked in the top 10 nationally in rushing the last two years.
"The premise of our defense is stopping the run," said UNH coach Sean McDonnell, "and there's no better test than going against a team that likes to do it and does it very, very well."
The Blue Devils aren't the same pushovers they were seven years ago when the Wildcats romped, 70-20, the last time the teams met. They're coming off a 9-3 campaign and a Northeast Conference title, their third since 2004 and their first outright championship.
And they're picked to repeat in a league that gets an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs this season for the first time.
"They're a pretty good team," said senior cornerback Dino Vasso. "They won their conference last year. They had nine wins. They've got a new guy playing quarterback. They're a two-back team. Coach Mac said they're top 10 in the country in rushing offense the past two years.
"So that's what they're going to try to do. They're going to try to run the ball. Defensively, we've got to stop the run and then make some plays (in the secondary). They're kind of similar to some of the teams we play and a little bit of what our offense does. The work our offense gave us all camp is going to help us out for the first game."
The Blue Devils have scored at least one rushing touchdown in 45 straight games.
"They want to establish the run," McDonnell said, "and then use play-pass and the short passing game after that."
