NEC Week 6

[seahawkfan2007]

DaneFan usually gets this started but anyway here's my picks for week 6.

Albany (1-3) @ Duquesne (2-1): Last week I went with Albany beating Deleware and against the Dukes vs. Dayton and was wrong on both. After Albany's tough early slate this might look like a breather but Duquesne has some mo going. Duquesne 21-20

St. Francis (Pa) (0-4) @ Monmouth(2-3): Really nice win for the Hawks @ RMU last week. St. Francis is in a tough spot traveling to Long Branch. Monmouth 34-10

Wagner (2-2) @ CCSU (3-1): CCSU's win vs. Deleware St. last weekend was big. The Seahawks are banged up on "O" with their two best RB's and two starting OL's out most of last week vs. Bryant. The Wagner punting game hasn't helped. I hate picking against Wagner!
CCSU 27-10

RMU (1-3) @ SHU (4-0): SHU is off to a great start but RMU is by far the best team they have faced this year. SHU should be in it to the end but I think RMU pulls it out. RMU 27-20

[DetroitFlyer]

I was at the Dayton / Duquesne game. Dayton's running game is average on a good day. Our RB, Ben Shapppie who is a stud, ran for 96 yards, primarily right up Duquesne's gut. I think that David McCarty will have a very big day against the Dukes, especially if Albany's large offensive line plays up to its potential. Conner Dixon, the Duquesne QB that transferred from Michigan State is the real deal. He looks VERY tall on the field. He throws about as pretty a ball as you are going to see in FCS. Not bad mobility for a tall QB either.... I think being new to Duquesne, he is still learning the offense and building chemisty with his receivers. Albany is not great against a good passer. I kind of expect a fairly high scoring game if the weather is nice. Albany via the run, Duquesne via the pass. I just have a feeling that a good running day by McCarty and time of possession favoring the Danes, Albany pulls this one out....

Of course, keep in mind that I thought Dayton would win a close game in Pitsburgh.... I guess that is why we actually play the games....;)

[dgreco]

Albany (1-3) @ Duquesne (2-1): Duquesne had a good showing last week, but I am still on that UAlbany band wagon. I want to see them dominate like they should.

St. Francis (Pa) (0-4) @ Monmouth(2-3): Monmouth is big and Sinisi is good. St. Francis isn't very good.

Wagner (2-2) @ CCSU (3-1): CCSU is just better. If they win their next two games maybe they crack the top 25?

RMU (1-3) @ SHU (4-0): I don't think SHU has really played anyone tough yet. The only thing they have going for them is a long trip for RMU.

[danefan]

Thanks for picking up my slack Seahawkfan2007.

Albany (1-3) @ Duquesne (2-1): Danes laid an egg last week against Delaware. No doubt about it. But no NEC teams has played as well as Albany has played in the first four games, even considering the blowout at Delaware. Dukes coming off a big win and Albany coming off a big loss throws some power to the Dukes. With that being said, Albany's front five are bigger and better then any O-line Duquense has seen or will see all year. Duquense has allowed an average of 169 rushing yards per game this year including two 125+ games against two passing teams (St. Francis & Dayton). While Albany is suceptible to the passing game, the secondary has improved and the Dukes receivers will look like they are running in slow motion compared to the receivers Albany has faced already. That's one of the benefits of playing such a tough schedule. OK, all in all, I will be disappointed if Albany does not win by 3 TD's.

St. Francis (Pa) (0-4) @ Monmouth(2-3): St. Francis = not good. Enough said.

Wagner (2-2) @ CCSU (3-1): CCSU coming off a big win against the MEAC champion and Wagner coming off a bad loss (no offense to Bryant) to a DI transitional team.

RMU (1-3) @ SHU (4-0): SHU hasn't played anyone worth anything this year. Well guess what: RMU isn't the pushover SHU's opponents to date have been. Back to reality for SHU. FYI SHU fans - you could actually have a winning season this year. Its just not going to happen this week.

[Original_RMC]

Albany (1-3) @ Duquesne (2-1):
Last time Albany traveled to Pittsburgh to play Duquense was 2002 when Albany beat up a 11-0 Dukes team 24-0. I think the score will be a little closer but the same results. 24-13

St. Francis (Pa) (0-4) @ Monmouth(2-3):
Monmouth is too big and that 'pistol' offense is tough to stop. I see Monmouth jumping out quickly on St. Francis and the backups are playing by the 4th quarter. Monmouth wins easily 49-10

Wagner (2-2) @ CCSU (3-1):
Wagner coming off a tough lose and CCSU coming off a huge win for them and the NEC. CCSU continues riding high and wins 35-17

RMU (1-3) @ SHU (4-0):
I think this is the game that RMU finally stops allowing stupid penalties kill them. RMU will break out the shotgun and allow Cwalinski to continue to success against SHU. RMU wins 41-28

[danefan]

Albany (1-3) @ Duquesne (2-1):
Last time Albany traveled to Pittsburgh to play Duquense was 2002 when Albany beat up a 11-0 Dukes team 24-0. I think the score will be a little closer but the same results. 24-13

St. Francis (Pa) (0-4) @ Monmouth(2-3):
Monmouth is too big and that 'pistol' offense is tough to stop. I see Monmouth jumping out quickly on St. Francis and the backups are playing by the 4th quarter. Monmouth wins easily 49-10

Wagner (2-2) @ CCSU (3-1):
Wagner coming off a tough lose and CCSU coming off a huge win for them and the NEC. CCSU continues riding high and wins 35-17

RMU (1-3) @ SHU (4-0):
I think this is the game that RMU finally stops allowing stupid penalties kill them. RMU will break out the shotgun and allow Cwalinski to continue to success against SHU. RMU wins 41-28

Picks look good! Just a slight correction - the ECAC Bowl was at Albany in 2002, when the Danes won 24-0.xthumbsupx

[Original_RMC]

Still getting my feet wet

[danefan]

Still getting my feet wet

xlolx xlolx xlolx

Stay out of the Political Wing then! Its brutal in there.xnodx

[danefan]

Here's a little more detailed anlaysis of the Albany-Duquense game that I posted on www.bigpurplefans.ipbhost.com (http://www.bigpurplefans.ipbhost.com)

Game notes:

http://admin.xosn.com/attachments1/6041.pdf (http://admin.xosn.com/attachments1/6041.pdf)


I knew Justin Gannon had a great return day against Delaware, I just didn't know how great - he set UAlbany Division I FCS record for kickoff return yards with 183. He accounted for 205 all-purpose yards in the game.

Chris Kenneally is listed as starting at FB which is good. He left the UD game early with an injury and didn't return. Who knows if the depth chart is really accurate though.

Some matchup points:

Duquense has not really defended the run well. They have allowed an average of 169 yards rushing a game including two 125+ yards rushing by the pass-happy offenses of Dayton and St. Francis.

DetroitFlyer said that he expets McCarty to have a HUGE day against the Dukes. I don't put much into the win over Dayton as while they are good, they are not nearly the same team as whooped Albany in the GIC last year after their all-world QB Kevin Hyong.

The Danes need to stop the pass. Duquense QB Connor Dixon is a Michigan State transfer who has some gaudy stats. 55 for 104 with 870 yards, 11 TDs and only 2 INT's. However, 6 of those 11 TD's game against Bucknell with 5 coming in the second half, with 4 in the 4th quarter. It could be argued that they occured in "garbage time" as Bucknell has a 42-7 lead at the half. Duquense came back to make the game close (but still a loss) with 28 4th quarter points. Dixon ended the game with 427 yards and 6TDs.

They are averaging 103 yards per game on the ground but have ZERO rushing TD's this year.

Should be an interesting game in the first half. I think the Danes will wear them down by pounding the ball and keeping Dixon off the field.

All in all, I will be dissapointed if the Danes don't run away with this one. Albany need a big statement win to give these guys some swagger back to be ready for CCSU next week. CCSU is coming off a big win over Del. State and will have another easy game this week against Wagner.

[WWII]

Albany, Monmouth, CCSU, RMU.

[dgreco]

game of the week Albany at Duquesne?

[danefan]

game of the week Albany at Duquesne?

Hard to say. I vote for all of the games as game of the week. First week of all-league play! Every game matters now.xthumbsupx

[dgreco]

I think the best game will be CCSU vs Wagner. I think CCSU wins 14 out of 15 times but it might be the closest game and a lot is riding on CCSU. Albany vs. Duquesne is a great game because the Dukes are trying to make a name and UA is the team to beat.

[danefan]

Besides the Albany game I'm most interested in the SHU/RMU game. RMU should mop up with SHU, but maybe (just maybe) SHU is putting something decent together?

Probably not, but I'd like to see.

[dgreco]

It will be interesting to see how SHU does. They have mopped up pretty much everyone so far, I know the competition isn't the same and I wonder can they be that much better in one year? I wonder if last year loses to Iona, and St. Francis were flukes and maybe Wagner played above their heads last year and stole another game from SHU.

Besides the Monmouth, Albany and to a lesser extent the CCSU game they were in and could of won the rest of their games last season.

[downbythebeach]

I thought the same thing.....what if SHU is the real deal....that would be great for the NEC:D

[dgreco]

maybe SHU is the Wagner of 2008?

[andy7171]

Albany over Duquesne
Monmouth over St. Francis (in a blow out)
RMU over SHU
CCSU over Wagner - NEC GOTW

[UAalum72]

I thought the same thing.....what if SHU is the real deal....that would be great for the NEC
Will only be great for the NEC if they prove it out of conference as well as in, otherwise they only help themselves.

[Seahawks Fan]

Albany (1-3) @ Duquesne (2-1): Nice win for the Dukes last week. But I think Albany wins in a close game.

St. Francis (Pa) (0-4) @ Monmouth(2-3): The Hawks roll.

Wagner (2-2) @ CCSU (3-1): Hate to pick against my team, but injuries and a weak offensive line hurt.

RMU (1-3) @ SHU (4-0): Robert Morris should win this close game.

[aceinthehole]

Albany (1-3) @ Duquesne (2-1): Albany should previal in a close game

St. Francis (Pa) (0-4) @ Monmouth(2-3): Monmouth big.

Wagner (2-2) @ CCSU (3-1): CCSU should take care of business, but I expect Wagner to air it out and make it close.

RMU (1-3) @ SHU (4-0): I know SHU hasn't beat anyone, but I'll take them this week.

[dgreco]

Huge win by SHU I guess they are legit? 5-0?

[UAalum72]

Huge win by SHU I guess they are legit? 5-0?
By beating a 1-3 team? Not quite yet.

[dgreco]

By beating a 1-3 team? Not quite yet.

well everyone said RMU was better than their record.

UAlbany was a 1-3 team before its win today too....

[Dane96]

Come on Greco...look at the 1-3's....jeesh.

And that is coming from someone who thinks Albany stunk the joint up today.

[rmutv]

Huge win by SHU I guess they are legit? 5-0?

Not a huge win at all. It's always good to win at home in the conference, but 31-28 over a team that can't get out of its own way isn't one to slap on the resume.

[dgreco]

just saying everyone should give SHU some credit. They are 5-0. They went out and won all the games when they had to. Not saying they are a playoff team or the best team in the NEC. The probably have 3-5 losses left in them, but I think it is a big win for hte program, when was the last time they had a winning season? 1990's and they are 1 win away for a winning season. When Wagner had a similiar season last year it was a big season for them...

[UAalum72]

just saying everyone should give SHU some credit. They are 5-0. They went out and won all the games when they had to. Not saying they are a playoff team or the best team in the NEC. The probably have 3-5 losses left in them, but I think it is a big win for hte program, when was the last time they had a winning season? 1990's and they are 1 win away for a winning season. When Wagner had a similiar season last year it was a big season for them...
Then we have different definitions of 'legit' - I meant it as 'as good as their record shows' disregarding their strength of schedule.

BTW Sacred Heart had five straight winning seasons thru 2004, undefeated in 2001.

[aceinthehole]

greco - not even close.

I picked SHU this week and they will win again next week to go 6-0. They haven't played anybody of signifigance.

They are 2-0 vs. D-II teams
They are 2-0 vs former MAAC squads
They beat a young, and not very good RMU team

Let me put it to you this way, if they were planing Bryant this year, I'd likely pick Bryant.

They will be lucky if they go 1-4 in their last 5 games.

[dgreco]

I was just giving them props for starting out 5-0.

I still think they finish in the middle of the NEC. In the beginning of the year the talk was SHU needs to step up its non-conference games, but credit where credit is due. They won the games they should. I mean we can still look at SFPA and they aren't doing much to raise the profile.

[aceinthehole]

I was just giving them props for starting out 5-0.

I still think they finish in the middle of the NEC. In the beginning of the year the talk was SHU needs to step up its non-conference games, but credit where credit is due. They won the games they should. I mean we can still look at SFPA and they aren't doing much to raise the profile.

Listen, I'm not going to dog SHU for winning these games, but I'm not going out of my way to pat them on the back. Yes, they needed these wins to improve confidence in the program and help recruiting. Congrats for winning games they are EXPECTED to win.

But you aren't going to get many props here from anyone for beating multiple D-II teams (who aren't even that good) and former MAAC teams that offer no aid to players.

I wish SHU would go back to what they were scheduling before, with teams like Lafayette and Holy Cross. NE-10 wins don't help this conference at all. As UA72 said, SHU used to be a good non-scholly program. They have potential to turn it around. SFPA ... that's another discussion.