Morgan State @ Villanova

[Gangtackle11]

I know, I know a thread for this game?

It's homecoming for the Wildcats and I'm sure someone might want to go down memory lane.

Morgan State is 4-3 and may be catching Villanova coming off a hangover win.

No reason to go crazy and say the MEAC foe will win, but maybe keep it close for awhile?

Comments?

[Mattymc727]

Nova wins by a lot. Robertson is out by the half.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I know, I know a thread for this game?

It's homecoming for the Wildcats and I'm sure someone might want to go down memory lane.

Morgan State is 4-3 and may be catching Villanova coming off a hangover win.

No reason to go crazy and say the MEAC foe will win, but maybe keep it close for awhile?

Comments?

This game is as deserving a thread on here as many others so feel comfort in the start up.

I think that this one is well out of reach by halftime as well though. Hope for a better game but do not expect it.

[Anovafan]

Zzzz Zzzzz Zzzzzz

If it wasn't homecoming, I wouldn't be going. At the beginning of the season I thought, hey great a 12th game that might help get the team into the playoffs. Now, this one will hurt SOS ratings and risk more injuries.

[kdinva]

'Nova wins 48-12..

[Sader87]

HC Lee Hull has won on that field before....just sayin'

I thought they weren't that bad (we beat them on the last play of the game, foregoing a game-tying FG)....we aren't strong this year but we aren't awful either....we just know how to lose like no one else in the country.

They ran the ball pretty well and have good size.

It's not a match on paper but they'll come to play, I can guarantee that.

[eaglesdare]

Nice group of young coaches in the MEAC with Hull, Mack, and Maynor. But I don't think Council is a good enough passer to pull this off.

[CHIP72]

Zzzz Zzzzz Zzzzzz

If it wasn't homecoming, I wouldn't be going. At the beginning of the season I thought, hey great a 12th game that might help get the team into the playoffs. Now, this one will hurt SOS ratings and risk more injuries.

It probably won't hurt SOS as much as Rhode Island.

Morgan State looks like a decent team, but is out of their league figuratively and literally in this matchup. The question is how much Villanova will let up in the 2nd half to make the score look more respectable for the Bears.

[Anovafan]

It probably won't hurt SOS as much as Rhode Island.

Morgan State looks like a decent team, but is out of their league figuratively and literally in this matchup. The question is how much Villanova will let up in the 2nd half to make the score look more respectable for the Bears.

I would say it will be 40-something to much less than 40-something. Nova has had the chance to embarrass URI and Penn this year and Talley won't do it out of respect for those other coaches. Unlike some other teams out there, cough, cough, Fordham......

[tribe_pride]

I would say it will be 40-something to much less than 40-something. Nova has had the chance to embarrass URI and Penn this year and Talley won't do it out of respect for those other coaches. Unlike some other teams out there, cough, cough, Fordham......

Are you saying that Nova did not embarrass Fordham in the 2nd game of the year?

[Nova09]

Are you saying that Nova did not embarrass Fordham in the 2nd game of the year?

Not intentionally. You have to go full throttle at least until half, which got us up 33-3. Then 2nd string marched for a TD. D had to keep playing, can't just give up points to make the other team feel good, so Fordham got nothing going. Then 5th string RB in a completely obvious running situation in 4th quarter with big lead broke one for 60+ yd TD. Were we supposed to tell him this was his big chance but make sure you go down after 4-5 yard gains?

[HailSzczur]

Are you saying that Nova did not embarrass Fordham in the 2nd game of the year?

He's talking about Fordham's 54-7 thrashing of Rhody, the 49-7 vs Columbia, the 45-16 against HC, 42-18 against HC, and 60-22 against UPenn. None of those games saw any significant time from a back up QB or anything

Nova did embarrass Fordham, but it was 40-6 with 10 minutes to go in the 3rd when Andy called off the dogs and put Polony (and eventually Pitman in the 4th) in for Robertson

[Anovafan]

He's talking about Fordham's 54-7 thrashing of Rhody, the 49-7 vs Columbia, the 45-16 against HC, 42-18 against HC, and 60-22 against UPenn. None of those games saw any significant time from a back up QB or anything

Nova did embarrass Fordham, but it was 40-6 with 10 minutes to go in the 3rd when Andy called off the dogs and put Polony (and eventually Pitman in the 4th) in for Robertson

Yup, Fordham's coach should be ashamed of himself for putting up 60 against Penn and a HOF coach. Pull your starters already. Nova could have scored 100 points against Penn if they wanted to, same for URI.

As for the Fordham game, the 50 points were aided by a defensive TD and a 61 yard TD run with 6 mins to go by a backup RB. Nova only scored 17 points in the second half. The 50 points were an eye opener but were not put up by Nova to run up the score.

[HailSzczur]

Yup, Fordham's coach should be ashamed of himself for putting up 60 against Penn and a HOF coach. Pull your starters already. Nova could have scored 100 points against Penn if they wanted to, same for URI.

As for the Fordham game, the 50 points were aided by a defensive TD and a 61 yard TD run with 6 mins to go by a backup RB. Nova only scored 17 points in the second half. The 50 points were an eye opener but were not put up by Nova to run up the score.

Fordham's also a Top 25 team, who had beaten us the year prior. Of course we were out for blood. You're not exactly exercising any demons beating a lowly Penn team who've you've been about 14 times in a row by 60+

The whole lightning delay killed Fordham too. The game was close at the start, but then it seems like Fordham stayed in the locker room afterwards.

[HailSzczur]

The Nova/Penn game could easily have been 55-7 though, if 4th string, true freshman RB Matt Gudzack (who broke for the 60yd against Fordham) didn't lose fumbles at the Penn 18 and then the Penn 3.

[tribe_pride]

So you know, I wasn't really talking trash about Nova with my post just a little amusement that he mentioned Fordham as a team that embarrasses others and Fordham is the one team (maybe Penn?) that was really embarrassed by Nova.

[HailSzczur]

So you know, I wasn't really talking trash about Nova with my post just a little amusement that he mentioned Fordham as a team that embarrasses others and Fordham is the one team (maybe Penn?) that was really embarrassed by Nova.

I mean I at least knew you weren't. It is pretty ironic though.

My favorite Villanova related running up the score scenarios: Villanova 64 West Chester 0 after 1 half
http://articles.philly.com/1997-08-29/sports/25568519_1_west-chester-curtis-sifford-steve-lappas

Game got called due to lightning. WC coach said: "They wanted to call it right away, but I didn't want to go home with our tails between our legs,'' Daniels said. ``We wanted to come out and do some positive things, gain some respect."

[Anovafan]

So you know, I wasn't really talking trash about Nova with my post just a little amusement that he mentioned Fordham as a team that embarrasses others and Fordham is the one team (maybe Penn?) that was really embarrassed by Nova.

I got it, and personally I wanted to score a million against Fordham but we called off the dogs to avoid injuries. I just don't like what Fordham is doing against the little sisters of the poor and running up scores to try to get the attention of the playoff committee. Nebrich is a great QB, but he shouldn't be in these games just to pad his stats.

[Sader87]

It can be a tough issue to deal with....HC was accused often of running it up in the late 80s and we weren't playing for anything at that time (no PL in playoffs then). If memory serves though, and it often doesn't these days, is that Duffner pulled guys out and called off the dogs at some point in the second halves of games. HC was just so much bettah than most of the other PL and Ivies (and often Yankee/A-10/CAA) in that stretch (1986-1991) that it didn't mattah who was playing out there be it 1st or 2nd string.

I do think FU is looking to run up it up this year....they are trying to play/score themselves into getting a seed in the playoffs I think. Blame the system I suppose.

[Anovafan]

It can be a tough issue to deal with....HC was accused often of running it up in the late 80s and we weren't playing for anything at that time (no PL in playoffs then). If memory serves though, and it often doesn't these days, is that Duffner pulled guys out and called off the dogs at some point in the second halves of games. HC was just so much bettah than most of the other PL and Ivies (and often Yankee/A-10/CAA) in that stretch (1986-1991) that it didn't mattah who was playing out there be it 1st or 2nd string.

I do think FU is looking to run up it up this year....they are trying to play/score themselves into getting a seed in the playoffs I think. Blame the system I suppose.

Yes sir, but there was no calling off the dogs, at least not in 1987 when they were #1. I was at the 1987 prime time ESPN game: http://articles.philly.com/1989-09-08/sports/26101616_1_holy-cross-andy-talley-villanova

HU ran it up against a 3rd year team back from extinction, probably the catholic thing....the onside kick was a bit much. That all being said, it was awesome to watch it unfold. Gordie was amazing.

[CHIP72]

Honestly, a team that loses 50-6 to another team at the same level probably doesn't deserve a playoff seed or 2nd round home game. Fordham may deserve a bye or first round home game if they win out.

[Sader87]

Yes sir, but there was no calling off the dogs, at least not in 1987 when they were #1. I was at the 1987 prime time ESPN game: http://articles.philly.com/1989-09-08/sports/26101616_1_holy-cross-andy-talley-villanova

HU ran it up against a 3rd year team back from extinction, probably the catholic thing....the onside kick was a bit much. That all being said, it was awesome to watch it unfold. Gordie was amazing.

No excuse, but I'm guessing much of that was due to it being HC's last game in '87, on national TV etc., push for Gordie in the Heisman balloting (he finished 3rd that year) etc etc

No word of a lie (I did nearly all the games on the campus radio station and saw the others).....there was not one game that wasn't decided by halftime that year. The only game that looks close was Army and it was 27-7 at the half, 34-10 going into the 3rd Q.

We won in '89 too...lol xsmiley_wix.....Talley did finally get us back in the '09 playoffs though.

[Anovafan]

No excuse, but I'm guessing much of that was due to it being HC's last game in '87, on national TV etc., push for Gordie in the Heisman balloting (he finished 3rd that year) etc etc

No word of a lie (I did nearly all the games on the campus radio station and saw the others).....there was not one game that wasn't decided by halftime that year. The only game that looks close was Army and it was 27-7 at the half, 34-10 going into the 3rd Q.

We won in '89 too...lol xsmiley_wix.....Talley did finally get us back in the '09 playoffs though.

HC was amazing for a lot of years, but that's what happens when you have scholies and the teams you play don't....that 1989 loss still stings, I was at that one as well. I wasn't a fan of Duffner and 2009 was, well, 20 years later. That 2009 HC team was darn good too. If they didn't run into Nova, they would have made some noise.

[Big Dawg]

I interested in seeing Villnova's defense go up against MSU running back...that kid is quick

He's a freshman averaging over 150 yards a game...he has about 933 yards rushing right now

Villanova should dust MSU offensively, however

[NY Crusader 2010]

HC was amazing for a lot of years, but that's what happens when you have scholies and the teams you play don't....that 1989 loss still stings, I was at that one as well. I wasn't a fan of Duffner and 2009 was, well, 20 years later. That 2009 HC team was darn good too. If they didn't run into Nova, they would have made some noise.

That 2009 team was solid but I actually believe, had we not been tripped up in the PL and lost close games OOC that eliminated us from at-large contention, our 2008 team would've had the best chance to do damage in the playoffs. We would've given 'Nova a much better game than Colgate that year.

In 2009 we also may have shot ourselves in the foot by losing to Bucknell the last week of the season after having already clinched our league title. Had we won, we would have been 10-1 and it may have been difficult for the committee to send us to a top seed in round 1, though I still don't think we'd have gotten a home game. Then again, it may not have made a difference as the game was a regional matchup with the whole Catholic backdrop adding to the story line.

[NY Crusader 2010]

I mean I at least knew you weren't. It is pretty ironic though.

My favorite Villanova related running up the score scenarios: Villanova 64 West Chester 0 after 1 half
http://articles.philly.com/1997-08-29/sports/25568519_1_west-chester-curtis-sifford-steve-lappas


Game got called due to lightning. WC coach said: "They wanted to call it right away, but I didn't want to go home with our tails between our legs,'' Daniels said. ``We wanted to come out and do some positive things, gain some respect."


Was it the next year that you guys lost to D-II defending champ New Haven? I remember the '97 Nova team as I saw them win a close one at William & Mary that year.

That halftime score was surpassed this year in a game St. Francis (Pa) played against an NAIA school where they were up 70-0.

[NY Crusader 2010]

To answer the thread, Morgan State is a pesky team that will come to play but don't expect them to come anywhere close. I'd say 42-15. They did nearly beat an FBS team in Eastern Michigan. EMU may be terrible but it's still FBS. This isn't quite Marist or Davidson.

[HailSzczur]

Was it the next year that you guys lost to D-II defending champ New Haven? I remember the '97 Nova team as I saw them win a close one at William & Mary that year.

That halftime score was surpassed this year in a game St. Francis (Pa) played against an NAIA school where they were up 70-0.

2001. Westbrook had something like 80 yards that game.

The '97 team was easily the best offense in school history. It's a shame they didn't have a better defense.... Wish I remember more of that season

[JMUNJ08]

I was opening the thread surprised to see already 20+ replies on Morgan St/ Nova but was glad to see everyone using the time more wisely :)

[HailSzczur]

Unrelated to the Morgan St game, but Philly Inquirer did a great article about Pat William's adversity filled path from homeless in Orlando to playing for Villanova:
http://articles.philly.com/2014-10-21/sports/55284982_1_pat-williams-villanova-lineman-football-team

[CHIP72]

Morgan State is giving Villanova a game.

Halftime score:

Villanova 21 Morgan State 21

[citdog]

Morgan State is giving Villanova game.

Halftime score:

Villanova 21 Morgan State 21


Morgan State is a good team. They are like 4 plays away from being undefeated.

[BisonFan02]

Morgan State is giving Villanova a game.

Halftime score:

Villanova 21 Morgan State 21


http://new4.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Gt+jarold+s+description+of+events+_d67c7e354d2a426 4bff3acf92b4a4a0e.gif

[Big Dawg]

Yes...Morgan State is actually a good team this year...I saw them in person a few weeks ago

[Sader87]

Told ya guys....great HC!

[ejjones]

Morgan State is giving Villanova a game.

Halftime score:

Villanova 21 Morgan State 21

Seems like everyone is changing their tune...all the comments earlier were, game would be over by half time, hurting SOS, villa will call the dogs off by end of first.

I bet quite a few nervous folks in Philly right now. Morgan has played most teams tough this year and should have a FBS win as well.

[BisonFan02]

"Elite" CAA teams like Villanova shouldn't get taken to the wire by MEAC Morgan St.

[AmsterBison]

"Elite" CAA teams like Villanova shouldn't get taken to the wire by MEAC Morgan St.

"Elite" MVFC teams like NDSU shouldn't get taken to the wire by Weber State either, but it happens. Morgan State is quite a better than Weber State.

[BisonFan02]

"Elite" MVFC teams like NDSU shouldn't get taken to the wire by Weber State either, but it happens. Morgan State is quite a better than Weber State.

That's the definition of "wire"?

http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=400553551

It's good to be a Bison fan....

[WileECoyote06]

And we had them beat in Baltimore. But I stayed out of this thread because I knew they weren't nearly as bad as some folks on ags made them out to be

[clenz]

"Elite" MVFC teams like NDSU shouldn't get taken to the wire by Weber State either, but it happens. Morgan State is quite a better than Weber State.

Is a 17 point win to the wire?

[FargoBison]

Is a 17 point win to the wire?

Agreed, at best the Weber game was competitive for a while but never in doubt.

WIU took NDSU to the wire.

[FargoBison]

That said there is still plenty of time in this game.

[Big Dawg]

I just heard that MSU just turned into a pumpkin in the 2nd half

[BisonFan02]

Just like that.....20 unanswered by Villanova in the second half. You can go back to your regularly scheduled program.

[BisonFan02]

27 unanswered.............

[CHIP72]

Villanova scored 27 points in the 3rd quarter. It is now 48-21 Wildcats at the start of the 4th quarter.

For whatever it is worth, I did say prior to this game that Morgan State is a decent team (they were 4-3 coming in) but they were playing out of their league figuratively and literally against Villanova. To their credit, the Bears were competitive against the Wildcats longer into the game than Fordham was.

[CHIP72]

Morgan State has scored an early 4th quarter TD. The Bears still trail 48-28.

[CHIP72]

Villanova wins 48-28. Give props to Morgan State for playing the Wildcats tough for much of the game, especially in the 1st half, and props to Villanova to not blinking after getting into a tight game against a decent opponent in a definite "trap game" situation (week after William & Mary on the road, week before Richmond on the road).

[CatsWinCatsWinCatsWin]

There wer 2 fumbled punts by Villanova in this game. Not as close as the 48-28 score shows. They did play tough for a half though.

[NY Crusader 2010]

Not a bad effort by MSU. I think they were playing with their backup QB too...

[HailSzczur]

Morgan St. put in one hell of an effort, but lets be honest, this isn't even a game if Poppy Livers doesn't muff the two punts. They scored after starting inside the 30 both times. Probably about a 21 point swing. But they are a far better team than I expected them to be. Kudos to the bears

[MTfan4life]

That's the definition of "wire"?


To be fair, I had the same exact question for you considering the statement was made when the game still had 30 minutes left to be played.

[ejjones]

Morgan St. put in one hell of an effort, but lets be honest, this isn't even a game if Poppy Livers doesn't muff the two punts. They scored after starting inside the 30 both times. Probably about a 21 point swing. But they are a far better team than I expected them to be. Kudos to the bears
The truth is...he muffed two punts & the opposition capitalized.

[CatsWinCatsWinCatsWin]

The truth is, beating a team by 20 or beating them by 35 is still a win.