CCU Still Team to Beat in Big South

[TexasTerror]

Nice read from The Post and Courier in Charleston, SC about how competitive the Big South is with little gap from top to bottom. It'll be interesting to see if CCU can close the door and get that outright title this year or if the close nature of the conference will lead to two teams if not more sharing...

Gap closing but Coastal still team to beat
Big South Conference
BY DAVID SHELTON

If scores are an indication, the gap between the top and bottom in the Big South Conference may have closed a bit during the 2005 season. Nonetheless, Coastal Carolina appears to be the team to beat once again in 2006.

Coastal Carolina shared the title last season with Charleston Southern, which defeated the Chanticleers, 34-27, in double overtime in the final game of the regular season. The loss not only cost Coastal Carolina its second straight outright title but also a bid to the Division I-AA national playoffs.

That game, however, was one of three very close conference games for the Chants last season. Coastal Carolina needed overtime to beat Gardner-Webb, 34-31, at home, then went three overtimes to beat Liberty, 27-21, on the road. That same Liberty team won only one game all season.

The competitiveness of the league was evident throughout the season. The co-champions from Charleston Southern lost badly at VMI and needed a last-second touchdown to beat Liberty, 31-30. Liberty lost four league games by a grand total of 15 points. VMI lost to Gardner-Webb in three overtimes and Gardner-Webb was blasted by CSU.

http://www.charleston.net/assets/webPages/departmental/news/Stories.aspx?section=sports&tableId=104369&pubDate=8/25/2006

[RabidRabbit]

Nice read from The Post and Courier in Charleston, SC about how competitive the Big South is with little gap from top to bottom. It'll be interesting to see if CCU can close the door and get that outright title this year or if the close nature of the conference will lead to two teams if not more sharing...

Gap closing but Coastal still team to beat
Big South Conference
BY DAVID SHELTON

If scores are an indication, the gap between the top and bottom in the Big South Conference may have closed a bit during the 2005 season. Nonetheless, Coastal Carolina appears to be the team to beat once again in 2006.

Coastal Carolina shared the title last season with Charleston Southern, which defeated the Chanticleers, 34-27, in double overtime in the final game of the regular season. The loss not only cost Coastal Carolina its second straight outright title but also a bid to the Division I-AA national playoffs.

That game, however, was one of three very close conference games for the Chants last season. Coastal Carolina needed overtime to beat Gardner-Webb, 34-31, at home, then went three overtimes to beat Liberty, 27-21, on the road. That same Liberty team won only one game all season.

The competitiveness of the league was evident throughout the season. The co-champions from Charleston Southern lost badly at VMI and needed a last-second touchdown to beat Liberty, 31-30. Liberty lost four league games by a grand total of 15 points. VMI lost to Gardner-Webb in three overtimes and Gardner-Webb was blasted by CSU.

http://www.charleston.net/assets/webPages/departmental/news/Stories.aspx?section=sports&tableId=104369&pubDate=8/25/2006

When there's only 5 teams in a conference, it's easy for a 3-1 conference record to be achieved by at least two teams. GWFC has not had a single champ yet, and I don't expect the Western 5-team conference to change this year. :hurray: :hurray:

[Sly Fox]

I think most of us in the Big South feel this is a completely wide open race. Nobody is dominant and everybody seems to be improving.

[SuperJon]

I think most in the Big South realize this is Coastal's league to be beat right now (especially with 30 something seniors) but starting in 07 it's going to be wide open every year.

[TexasTerror]

I think most of us in the Big South feel this is a completely wide open race. Nobody is dominant and everybody seems to be improving.

Do the folks at Liberty think the Flames can compete this year? Granted the Flames should be 2-0 at the onset with wins over St Paul's and Glenvile St (or is that wishful thinking), but can they compete come Big South time?

CCU on the road is a tough out for the Flames, but perhaps the Flames can take out Chuck South, G-W and even WCU at home, eh? Lots of close losses for the Flames last year on the road, could it equal home wins this year? Lost by one to Chuck South, lost by five at G-W...

[SuperJon]

Some people at LU are drinking the Kool-Aid and think LU can win 8 games this year. I'm in the camp that thinks 5-7 wins is possible.

St. Pauls - Win
Glenville State - Win
at Towson - Doubtful but possible
Savannah State - Win
at Wake Forest - Pay check
William and Mary - Loss
Gardner-Webb - Win
at CCU - Loss
WCU - Loss
Chuck South - Possible win
at VMI - Win

[ATrain]

I think we can be competitive...this is a new year, with a new coach, and new I-A transfers from Pitt and VaTech:

St. Pauls-Win
Glenville St.-Win
at Towson-Possible win
at Savannah State-Win
Wake Forest-Pay Check
William and Mary-Loss
Gardner-Webb-Win
at CCU-possilbe win
WCU-possible win
Chuck South-win
at VMI-Win

[The Gadfly]

Some people at LU are drinking the Kool-Aid and think LU can win 8 games this year. I'm in the camp that thinks 5-7 wins is possible.

St. Pauls - Win
Glenville State - Win
at Towson - Doubtful but possible
Savannah State - Win
at Wake Forest - Pay check
William and Mary - Loss
Gardner-Webb - Win
at CCU - Loss
WCU - Loss
Chuck South - Possible win
at VMI - Win

I can see Liberty going 7-4 this year without injury to key players. They will be wearing the shark fin this year; coming from below to surprise the unexpecting victim. Hopefully the Thunderin' Beach Chickens will be aware. The Flamers will probably go 3-1 in the Big South. xcoffeex

[SuperJon]

If the team is healthy for the Chuck South game, I fully expect that game to be a win. That would be 6 wins. There's a chance that the team can pull off an upset of Towson, W&M, WCU, or Coastal. That would be the 7th win.

[SuperJon]

I think we can be competitive...this is a new year, with a new coach, and new I-A transfers from Pitt and VaTech

You forgot ECU and UVA.

[Sly Fox]

Suffice it to say that many of us in the Liberty camp believe we had more talent last season than the results would indicate. And for the record, every Big South game is winnable. But we'll obviously have to execute much better this fall than last.

[IaaScribe]

Wasn't David Shelton the SID at Charleston Southern last year? Seems like an odd choice to cover the Bucs for the P&C.

[AppGuy04]

I only got one word to say about this thread:

DUH!

[MarkCCU]

I only got one word to say about this thread:

DUH!


Yeah same here...but 2007 will be an eye opener

[SuperJon]

I agree completely, Mark.