Let's Talk NEC Football

[Original_RMC]

Duquesne, who are nationally ranked, sits alone at the top of the NEC (4-0) and just enjoyed welcoming back RMU to the NEC with a very impressive beat-down of the Colonials (31-6)

CCSU controls their NEC faith. At home this week vs RMU and then the final home game for CSSU vs. the Dukes.

RMU needs help and not sure they if are able to bounce back after a very ugly game vs. the Dukes and having a very long road trip.

[KnightoftheRedFlash]

NEC football; Sisyphus in gridiron form.

[aceinthehole]

Duquesne is a quality team but scheduled themselves out of any FCS respect/rankings. Playing just 11 games instead of 12 - includes 2 FBS games and a D-II makes it very hard to tell how good they really are. Win over a struggling MVFC team, Youngstown St. is certainly a good win for this league.

CCSU is talented, but undisciplined. Had 4th quarter leads and last possessions to win in their 4 road losses to UMass, Yale, Dartmouth, and LIU. Blue Devils take too many penalties and make big mistakes.

4-point loss at FBS UMass
1-point loss at Yale Bowl
4-point loss at #22 Dartmouth
3-point loss at LIU

Just split those 2 games and CCSU 7-3 and likely ranked #20-25. I expect Central will take care of BobbyMo at home, setting up the defacto NEC Championship the following week in New Britain. Dukes may be the slight favorite, but if the Blue Devils are healthy, play smart and avoid mistakes, I like their chances at a home upset to steal the AQ bid.

----

Honestly, it is hard to get excited about NEC Football. The membership is very uninteresting (especially from a CCSU perspective) and the league just isn't very good. I don't know that it can ever be good, but at one point we were on the heels/on-par with the Patriot. I feel that these new additions and the other programs won't be able to recruit against the PL. Losing programs like Stony Brook, Albany, Bryant, Sacred Heart and Merrimack hurts a ton. RMU has fallen across the board and NYC teams haven't yet reached their potential. SFU exceeds expectations (partly because they are so low) and CCSU is a poor man's CAA team that is always up and down.

I wouldn't call the NEC a dumpster fire today, but it is a steaming pile of poo.

[NY Crusader 2010]

CCSU and Holy Cross should play each other in a post season bowl game if we both miss our respective playoff auto bids. Somebody would have to win...

[aceinthehole]

CCSU and Holy Cross should play each other in a post season bowl game if we both miss our respective playoff auto bids. Somebody would have to win...

That would be fun! :) The schools will meet Dec. 7 on the hardwood at the Hart Center. I feel much more confident that Central will win that game.

CCSU-Holy Cross next meet on the gridiron in 2027 (Worcester) and 2028 (New Britain). This is a nice New England non-conf series that I hope continues on a semi-regular basis.

[s-k]

I have enjoyed the NEC this year. CCSU's season is one reason why. Having Duquesne once again be good is another. But also with some of the middle teams, Long Island played some very close games with Albany, Lehigh and Rhode Island. They legitimately could've won any of those 3. It was a surprise to see Saint Francis drop off so much though. And Stonehill is worse than last year and Mercyhurst hasn't added anything positive yet. I'm not sure how to assess Wagner's season. But I think with Duquesne, CCSU, and on the right weeks Robert Morris and Long Island there are teams worth following in the league.

[DFW HOYA]

CCSU and Holy Cross should play each other in a post season bowl game if we both miss our respective playoff auto bids. Somebody would have to win...

I realize the HC fan base is fairly compact, but if it were not for the obligations of the Patriot League, I'm half-thinking that the Crusaders would not need to travel south of New Haven or west of West Point for a schedule:

Army
Boston College
Brown
Bryant
CCSU
Dartmouth
Harvard
Maine
Merrimack
New Hampshire
UMass
Yale

[aceinthehole]

I realize the HC fan base is fairly compact, but if it were not for the obligations of the Patriot League, I'm half-thinking that the Crusaders would not need to travel south of New Haven or west of West Point for a schedule:

Army
Boston College
Brown
Bryant
CCSU
Dartmouth
Harvard
Maine
Merrimack
New Hampshire
UMass
Yale

As a CCSU fan, I would absolutely prefer a New England (and metro-NY) regional/Independent schedule over the NEC every day and twice on Saturdays!!!!

Central Connecticut vs.
- FBS $$$ game (MAC/Sunbelt)
- Optional 2nd FBS game (UConn/UMass/BC/Cuse)
- Holy Cross / Fordham
- Rhode Island
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- Sacred Heart / Bryant
- Albany / Stony Brook
- Yale / Columbia
- Brown / Dartmouth
- Merrimack / Monmouth / Stonehill
- Wagner / LIU / Marist

Only Monmouth and Wagner are West of the Hudson River :)

[Sader87]

I realize the HC fan base is fairly compact, but if it were not for the obligations of the Patriot League, I'm half-thinking that the Crusaders would not need to travel south of New Haven or west of West Point for a schedule:

Army
Boston College
Brown
Bryant
CCSU
Dartmouth
Harvard
Maine
Merrimack
New Hampshire
UMass
Yale

This was essentially HC's schedule (minus Bryant, CCSU and Merrimack.....add UConn) for most of the 1970s and 1980s pre-Colonial League.

[Original_RMC]

CSSU still has a chance to win the NEC title and go the FCS playoffs maybe playing a team like Stony Brook???

I know the NEC is not ideal for all teams but looking at that list of teams, I don't think CCSU would challenge for a new conference title based on that list of teams.

If CCSU has the funding and strategy for FBS transfers (like the Dukes) then go for it.

From the games I watched RMU play...here is what I think could play out in the coming years.


If LIU can hold onto their QB and not lose him to the portal, LIU could be one of the top teams in the NEC in 2025. Lots of young talent and awesome jerseys.
SFU, while a little disappointing now, started strong and had a great young QB. SFU is always tough and expect them to really bounce back in 2025.
Wagner is always a tough program.
Mercyhurst has a way to go and may get there in time.
CCSU, can't wait to watch them play this week.
Dukes, finally learned their FBS transfer strategy this past weekend and always wondered how they landed so many players from FBS. They will always be at the top or near the top of the NEC.
Don't know anything about Stonehill.

[aceinthehole]

CCSU hasn't had an issue getting FBS transfers. Starting QB (UMass) and RB (Virgina Tech) this year are transfers and we had guys from all over in the last decade or longer. Our budget/resources aren't as big as they as should be, but we're getting regular FBS guarantee games. Our AD does the best he can with the limited funding/support from the Administration, and we're in the same condition as the majority of FCS schools. I wish our stadium was a little nicer, but its biggest in the league and good enough and to host PL, Ivy, and CAA teams.

The membership turnover in the NEC has been brutal and the successful programs are all gone. Obviously Stony Brook and Albany football were a marriage of convenience and a stepping-stone for them, but those were 2 good programs that invested in football that took their ball and went home. I also understand why RMU left for the Horizon (NEC hoops sucks), but the once strong football program is rebuilding after being out in the wilderness (Big South/OVC). Bryant invested, had potential and was doing well, and SHU and Merrimack were also on the rise. All 3 of these programs in much better shape than most of what remains in the NEC.

Stonehill and Mercyhurst have a long, long way to go. They may benefit a little as long as SHU/MC remain Independent, but they are late to the FCS party and don't have a strong record/history in D-II.

CCSU fans desperately wants to get out of this league (in all sports) with small Catholic and private schools. Central would be competitive on day one as a full member in all sports in America East and while we would have an uphill climb in a stronger football league, we have the foundation elements to have some good/bad years just like Albany/SBU/URI etc.

There is a nice Western PA rivalry between Duquesne-Saint Francis-Robert Morris and now you have a new program out in Erie. Good for you, but not for us. The NY teams closer to us have their own issues. LIU has real potential, but their Administration is a mess, and they have a lot of competition vs. more established and respected programs. Wagner is a jewel, but they are so small it very hard to do more than they have.

Again, I realize that other conferences are not knocking on our door offering us membership for a variety of reasons and perception, but that doesn't mean we have to like the NEC. CCSU remains a NEC member because they have no other option right now. But like RMU did, we're leaving this league the minute we get an invite somewhere else. :)

[Original_RMC]

Oh I agree that CCSU is running out the door and they should. I remember the early days playing at CCSU and it was not the best but have heard it has gone a lot. It's just a matter of time or the right individual to donate enough money to force CCSU out of the NEC a larger conference (see RMU hoops).

[aceinthehole]

Oh I agree that CCSU is running out the door and they should. I remember the early days playing at CCSU and it was not the best but have heard it has gone a lot. It's just a matter of time or the right individual to donate enough money to force CCSU out of the NEC a larger conference (see RMU hoops).

Those RMU-CCSU hoops battles were great. Colonials were the class of the NEC and as soon as you built the new gym, it was clear you were gone.

BTW - you guys have struggled in the Horizon, but I assume you don't regret the move? I don't know if it was an option/consideration, but would you rather be in the MAAC or Horizon?

[Original_RMC]

While the MAAC has many former NEC programs that bring back great memories of those basketball battles, I think the Horizon is a better fit for RMU. Closer opponents to RMU.
All it takes is the right season with the right blend of recruits and transfers to make RMU compete for a Horizon league title.

[NY Crusader 2010]

That would be fun! :) The schools will meet Dec. 7 on the hardwood at the Hart Center. I feel much more confident that Central will win that game.

CCSU-Holy Cross next meet on the gridiron in 2027 (Worcester) and 2028 (New Britain). This is a nice New England non-conf series that I hope continues on a semi-regular basis.

That could end up being a pretty good low-major regional game. It's early but I have a feeling this is finally the year Holy Cross turns the corner to some extent in Men's Basketball. We got off to strong starts against both Wisconsin and URI in our first two games. Led Wisconsin at half by a point and led URI by 13 in second half before fading in both down the stretch. We also lost to Fordham by 3 points in our pre-season charity exhibition. Fordham beat Seton Hall on Saturday.

[aceinthehole]

https://twitter.com/collegead/status/1856837959460290754

[aceinthehole]

That could end up being a pretty good low-major regional game. It's early but I have a feeling this is finally the year Holy Cross turns the corner to some extent in Men's Basketball. We got off to strong starts against both Wisconsin and URI in our first two games. Led Wisconsin at half by a point and led URI by 13 in second half before fading in both down the stretch. We also lost to Fordham by 3 points in our pre-season charity exhibition. Fordham beat Seton Hall on Saturday.

Central led Providence for 30+ minutes and lost by just 4 in the final minutes - basically outplayed a Big East team the entire night. Then they went and beat A-10 Saint Joseph's in Philly who just beat Villanova last night. And they put up 117 points against a D-III at home.

Our next game is this Saturday vs. Northeastern in a "showcase" game (Atlantic Slam MTE was modified after scheduling issues) in New Brunswick, Canada

[KnightoftheRedFlash]

SFU will struggle until we remove the current AD and administration.

Coach V is a great leader and does more with less but he needs more support.

[DFW HOYA]

This will leave just two non-Ivy schools in the Northeast below 63.


https://twitter.com/collegead/status/1856837959460290754

[UNHWildcat18]

Good for the NEC, also it will be even better when MC and SHU are inevitably let back in xdrunkyx