SoCon Championship: Wofford @ App State

[T-Dog]

Kickoff is at 3:00 pm EST and will be televised on SportSouth.

Winner gets the autobid. Wofford can lose and still get a share if they beat UTC, but to receive the trophy on the field in Boone would be sweet. A Wofford win and they get the title outright regardless of the UTC game.

On the line is App's sixth-straight and 11th overall conference title, which would tie GSU's record six-straight from 97-02 and put them one behind Furman's record 12 overall titles.

Wofford won outright in 2003 and then shared with App in 2007 and claimed the autobid that year. A win in each of the next two weeks would give Wofford their third title, tying them with Marshall.

App won 44-34 in Spartanburg last year after being down 34-20 in the 3rd quarter. Two years ago, App demolished Wofford 70-24 on a rare Friday night Halloween game televised to the country on ESPN2. Three years ago, App had it's 18-game winning streak and Michigan buzz ended in Spartanburg by Wofford 42-31. And four years ago in a defensive war, App scored twice early and hung on for dear life to win 14-7 in Boone.

Wofford's last victory in Boone came on Homecoming 2002 by the score of 26-19. App leads the all-time series 16-10 including a 5-1 mark vs the Terriers in Boone since Wofford joined the conference in 1997.

[youngterrier]

I can't wait for this one. I think our offense will be the key in this one. If we don't turn the ball over then we win. Our defense is pretty darn good. In retrospect, we shut down Samford, The Citadel, Western Carolina completely. We shut down Elon for the first half and held them to a season low (yardage wise) but I think they played better in the second half coupled with us taking the foot off the gas in the second half thinking we could just run over them. Against GSU, we scored 9 points for them, and with the exception of a busted play and a God-awful amount of penalties, our defense played great. We shut down Furman pretty well too, had we not muffed a punt or blown a coverage we would have shut them down worse. All that being said, App will be the best offense we've faced so far. It is well within our ability to shut them down and I do expect our defense to force some punts. The key to the game will be how our offense handles the ball. If we turn the ball over it will be close, I can't count how many points for the other team have been scored off turnovers this year and how many points we could have scored had we not turned the ball over. We have to pitch the ball better, those are the main source of our turnovers with the exception of bad throw by the QB. We also have to get out kicks, as christian Reed has struggled somewhat this year after having a great year last year. We could go back to old fashioned Wofford football and just go for it on 4th down like years past.

I predict we come out focused on holding on to the football and our defense plays well.
Wofford 31
ASU 21

[JConnolly]

This one should be a really good game. I hope the Elon vs. Furman game gets over quickly so I can get back to my apartment and watch this on TV. I've seen both teams this year, and going off of what I've seen, I think App wins on Saturday. The game is in Boone, App will come out fired up after losing this week, and when was the last time that App lost consecutive SoCon games? Wofford is a good team, but I think App is a little better and wins in a close one, 35-31.

[Skjellyfetti]

Can't wait for this game. I hope Kidd Brewer is packed and ROCKING. Hopefully the Georgia Southern loss woke the team up from the slumber they've been in for the past few games. The defense improved a great deal last week... so, I like our chances to limit Wofford. I don't like our inability to run the ball at the opposing defense. It's been a problem all year long. I don't see that changing this week... but, hopefully we can exploit some other weaknesses in Wofford's defense.

Have y'all found anyone that can cover Brian Quick yet?
12 catches, 353 yards, 5 TD's in 2 career games against Wofford.

[youngterrier]

Can't wait for this game. I hope Kidd Brewer is packed and ROCKING. Hopefully the Georgia Southern loss woke the team up from the slumber they've been in for the past few games. The defense improved a great deal last week... so, I like our chances to limit Wofford. I don't like our inability to run the ball at the opposing defense. It's been a problem all year long. I don't see that changing this week... but, hopefully we can exploit some other weaknesses in Wofford's defense.

Have y'all found anyone that can cover Brian Quick yet?
12 catches, 353 yards, 5 TD's in 2 career games against Wofford.

Wofford's defense=better than you think (Blake Wylie could do it pretty well)

[blueballs]

Having seen both teams play a mutual opponent on the same field, I'd give a SLIGHT edge to Wofford if the game was being played anywhere but Boone. App's special teams will be the difference in this one and it should be a good game.

[AppStateAlumQC]

This should be a great game, I only wish App would have pulled out the win down in Statesboro on Saturday. Hopefully ASU got the wake up call and come in ready to play and are focused for four quarters. I do not think this one will end up like Wofford's last visit to Boone in 2008 on Halloween. I'd go to Quick early and often. App wins by 7-10.

[JConnolly]

I also think it helps App having 2 weeks in a row facing Triple option teams. I know there are differences between GSU and Wofford, but the practice and seeing it at game speed will help them adjust.

[catbob]

Where can I watch in Montana? Online anywhere?

[Ivytalk]

Should be a real barnburner! I'd pay good money -- even good Confederate money -- to see it!

ASU 26, Wofford 21.

[ASUG8]

Where can I watch in Montana? Online anywhere?

http://www.nmnathletics.com/liveEvents/ ... M_ID=21500" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You can (maybe) listen for free - I don't know if it's part of the premium package or not, but you can give it a try.

[Skjellyfetti]

It's on Sportsouth so the goasutv won't have video coverage. I think Sportsouth is on DISH... otherwise you'll have to hope for a link I'd imagine.

[JConnolly]

Check here http://www.channelsurfing.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; a few minutes before kickoff. There are usually a few FCS games on here.

[CrackerRiley]

Another terrible week for our QB, DP. Offense struggles. Defense plays like normal.
Wofford 24
ASU 14

[ChickenMan]

ASU/Wofford stats:

Points per game
ASU - 36.3
Opp - 21.1

Wofford - 31.2
Opp - 16.9

Rushing
ASU - 225
Opp - 139

Wofford - 326
Opp - 127

Passing
ASU - 224
Opp - 196

Wofford - 74
Opp - 147

Total offense
ASU - 449
Opp - 335

Wofford - 400
Opp - 273

Red Zone TDs
ASU - 68%
Opp - 59%

Wofford - 65%
Opp - 48%

Turnover margin
ASU +6
Wofford +7

[jd of de]

This should be a good one. Is the game streaming online and if it is, a link?

[ASUG8]

This should be a good one. Is the game streaming online and if it is, a link?

Look up a few posts. ^^^^^^^^^

[The Cats]

An interesting match up for the championship.... it's the Black & Gold vs. the Black & "Mustard Yellar"

[ASUG8]

I doubt you'll see too much "yellar" Saturday - it's likely to be a black out.

[Pwns]

There's another stake in this game that has not been mentioned yet. An App. win tomorrow means that App. State ties GSU's record of six straight SoCon championships. Even Marshall never came close to doing that. It's been a long time since I have pulled for App. State to win a conference game, but I may just have to suck it up and do so this weekend and that fact makes it even harder. GSU needs a playoff appearance more than we need App. to fail to tie our record, and a win over a 9-2 App is better than a win over an 8-3 App. Of course, if GSU is not destined to get into the playoff field no matter what then I hope the ankle-biters stomp a mudhole in the hillbillies.

Here's how I see the game...I said on AGS before the GSU-ASU game that GSU wouldn't score many on App and it would come down to how much pressure GSU would get on Presley, and if we could get good pressure we'd have a decent chance to come away with it. Wofford is very much like GSU on defense...very tough up front and so-so in the secondary. Offensively Wofford is better than GSU, especially on the OL.

I say the same thing I did about the GSU game. App. must give Presley enough time to throw and CoCo Quick and the gang will get the job done and App. will win it in a shoot-out. If Wofford's DL gets the pressure the ankle-biters win by double digits.

[Skjellyfetti]

We get a few guys back from injury that were out for the GSU game as well.

[youngterrier]

There's another stake in this game that has not been mentioned yet. An App. win tomorrow means that App. State ties GSU's record of six straight SoCon championships. Even Marshall never came close to doing that. It's been a long time since I have pulled for App. State to win a conference game, but I may just have to suck it up and do so this weekend and that fact makes it even harder. GSU needs a playoff appearance more than we need App. to fail to tie our record, and a win over a 9-2 App is better than a win over an 8-3 App. Of course, if GSU is not destined to get into the playoff field no matter what then I hope the ankle-biters stomp a mudhole in the hillbillies.

Here's how I see the game...I said on AGS before the GSU-ASU game that GSU wouldn't score many on App and it would come down to how much pressure GSU would get on Presley, and if we could get good pressure we'd have a decent chance to come away with it. Wofford is very much like GSU on defense...very tough up front and so-so in the secondary. Offensively Wofford is better than GSU, especially on the OL.

I say the same thing I did about the GSU game. App. must give Presley enough time to throw and CoCo Quick and the gang will get the job done and App. will win it in a shoot-out. If Wofford's DL gets the pressure the ankle-biters win by double digits.

#1 in pass defense, held Riddle to a season low passing

[AppMan]

Wofford doesn't have the athletes of ASU or GSU. Lighting will not strike twice. ASU D played its best game to date last week. Offense sputtered the last two weeks, not this Saturday. Apps win.

[T-Dog]

Thankfully, we're wearing the all-blacks on Saturday.

I just saw that Wofford 35-68 passing the ball this season. Yes, that's for the SEASON.

After looking at the stats, I hate to say it but Wofford is the better team so far, especially lately. However, home field advantage negates the advantage and we're back at a push.

Someone needs to step up big to win this game.

[CrackerRiley]

Thankfully, we're wearing the all-blacks on Saturday.

I just saw that Wofford 35-68 passing the ball this season. Yes, that's for the SEASON.

After looking at the stats, I hate to say it but Wofford is the better team so far, especially lately. However, home field advantage negates the advantage and we're back at a push.

Someone needs to step up big to win this game.

If Presley gets him the ball. His name will be Quick