birdsflyhigh
November 6th, 2006, 04:31 PM
Week 7 of the GFC race already, and this week promises a couple major battles with Gateway and playoff ramifications: YSU @ WKU and UNI @ SIU. The Salukis are battling for their playoff lives, while the Penguins could capture at least a co-champ GFC crown with a win in Bowling Green (NOT going to be easy).
So far this season, I've gone 19-4 in predicting the Gateway game winners. Not too shabby, but both the SIU/UNI and WKU/YSU games are a complete flip of the coin this week....they'll be hard fought battles no doubt about that.
Starting out with the supposed easy calls (you never know in the GFC):
IL St. @ IN St 45-20 Redbirds win
Battle of the ISUs and two night and day programs. Even though the Sycs record does not show it, IN St. has turned the corner some and has shown a definite improvement over the team they fielded last season. The Sycs threw a scare into WIU last week, beat MSU (hey they won a game), and gave Purdue all they could handle for awhile. Not bad for a team that's somehow the but of almost all GFC jokes.
Do think the Birds have their eyes on the prize: a Gateway championship. They'll be more than ready to take on the Sycs. Last week (against MSU) the Birds offense went back into high gear and it was 35-0 before they pulled the starters at the end of the 3rd quarter. The IL St. defense did give up a couple of late TDs to the Bears, but at that point the game was already well in hand and the Birds were playing with their backups. IN St. does have a high powered offense and will score some points, but the Sycs defense has been their downfall, and I can see the Birds offense putting up some serious points against them. IL QB Luke Drone with back-to-back 300+ yard games? Could happen.
WIU @ MSU 24-17 Leathernecks win
The Bears offense was able to move the ball SOME last week against a good IL St. defense, and now they face a WIU D that's pretty weak. However, what the Leathernecks lack in D they make up for in their offense. Plain and simple ...WIU can put up points. This game will be closer than some expect, but I do see the Leathernecks with the upper hand. With a victory in the season finale, WIU has a winning season at 6-5. Man, the 6th place team in the Gateway could finish up strong recordwise...that's saying something about the quality and depth of this year's GFC.
YSU @ WKU 28-27 Hilltoppers win
Going to pick the upset here. YSU needs to win to have a chance at a top 4 playoff seed, but I can see the Tops playing the spoiler and wanting to win their last Gateway game (and last I-AA game for that matter). WKU was right there for the victory last week in the UNI-Dome, but it slipped away late with some penalties. Now their back at home with a chance to finish strong in the GFC and a still with a shot to go 7-4 on the season. The Penguins close out their regular season (already in the playoffs) with a major battle. They want the GFC crown in back-to-back seasons.
YSU's D has consistently improved throughout the season, and they have a great QB in Zetts and an amazin RB in Marcus. This game is so much a coin flip....it's crazy. Just think WKU has been playing at a high level for a few weeks now and going with the spoiler here.
UNI @ SIU 30-28 Salukis win
OOOOOO my this is going to be a good game between two programs that have really got a nice heated rivalry going. SIU is literally battling for their playoff lives, while UNi even with a 4th loss still has a shot next week versus IL St. (pending a WKU win over YSU). Man, the Gateway has been WILD this year. You're NEVER sure what's going to happen from week to week.
SIU came to play last week in Youngstown, but the Salukis (who lead most of the game) let a golden opportunity slip by in their loss to YSU.
Meanwhile UNI at home pulled it out late over a stunned Hilltopper team.
The Panthers are indeed worthy of a playoff spot because (despite the WIU setback) they've turned it on over the last few weeks and had major improvement in their defense. Think SIU RB Arkee Whitlock will be the difference maker in this one as the Salukis just do tame the Panthers. What a game!!!
Okay Gateway fans, how do you see this week's GFC games going? :rotateh:
So far this season, I've gone 19-4 in predicting the Gateway game winners. Not too shabby, but both the SIU/UNI and WKU/YSU games are a complete flip of the coin this week....they'll be hard fought battles no doubt about that.
Starting out with the supposed easy calls (you never know in the GFC):
IL St. @ IN St 45-20 Redbirds win
Battle of the ISUs and two night and day programs. Even though the Sycs record does not show it, IN St. has turned the corner some and has shown a definite improvement over the team they fielded last season. The Sycs threw a scare into WIU last week, beat MSU (hey they won a game), and gave Purdue all they could handle for awhile. Not bad for a team that's somehow the but of almost all GFC jokes.
Do think the Birds have their eyes on the prize: a Gateway championship. They'll be more than ready to take on the Sycs. Last week (against MSU) the Birds offense went back into high gear and it was 35-0 before they pulled the starters at the end of the 3rd quarter. The IL St. defense did give up a couple of late TDs to the Bears, but at that point the game was already well in hand and the Birds were playing with their backups. IN St. does have a high powered offense and will score some points, but the Sycs defense has been their downfall, and I can see the Birds offense putting up some serious points against them. IL QB Luke Drone with back-to-back 300+ yard games? Could happen.
WIU @ MSU 24-17 Leathernecks win
The Bears offense was able to move the ball SOME last week against a good IL St. defense, and now they face a WIU D that's pretty weak. However, what the Leathernecks lack in D they make up for in their offense. Plain and simple ...WIU can put up points. This game will be closer than some expect, but I do see the Leathernecks with the upper hand. With a victory in the season finale, WIU has a winning season at 6-5. Man, the 6th place team in the Gateway could finish up strong recordwise...that's saying something about the quality and depth of this year's GFC.
YSU @ WKU 28-27 Hilltoppers win
Going to pick the upset here. YSU needs to win to have a chance at a top 4 playoff seed, but I can see the Tops playing the spoiler and wanting to win their last Gateway game (and last I-AA game for that matter). WKU was right there for the victory last week in the UNI-Dome, but it slipped away late with some penalties. Now their back at home with a chance to finish strong in the GFC and a still with a shot to go 7-4 on the season. The Penguins close out their regular season (already in the playoffs) with a major battle. They want the GFC crown in back-to-back seasons.
YSU's D has consistently improved throughout the season, and they have a great QB in Zetts and an amazin RB in Marcus. This game is so much a coin flip....it's crazy. Just think WKU has been playing at a high level for a few weeks now and going with the spoiler here.
UNI @ SIU 30-28 Salukis win
OOOOOO my this is going to be a good game between two programs that have really got a nice heated rivalry going. SIU is literally battling for their playoff lives, while UNi even with a 4th loss still has a shot next week versus IL St. (pending a WKU win over YSU). Man, the Gateway has been WILD this year. You're NEVER sure what's going to happen from week to week.
SIU came to play last week in Youngstown, but the Salukis (who lead most of the game) let a golden opportunity slip by in their loss to YSU.
Meanwhile UNI at home pulled it out late over a stunned Hilltopper team.
The Panthers are indeed worthy of a playoff spot because (despite the WIU setback) they've turned it on over the last few weeks and had major improvement in their defense. Think SIU RB Arkee Whitlock will be the difference maker in this one as the Salukis just do tame the Panthers. What a game!!!
Okay Gateway fans, how do you see this week's GFC games going? :rotateh: