The CSN Way: Somewhere, Grantland Rice is Smiling

[CSN-info]

http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/index.php?blog=5&title=the-csn-way-somewhere-grantland-rice-is-&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/skins/andreas_01/img/CSNWay.JPG


By Chuck Burton, The CSN Way Columnist

It’s not easy being a sportswriter sometimes, especially in the world of college football. During the regular season not only are there dozens of games on any given weekend, every week there are giant mismatches or games that you wonder why they were scheduled.

For some games, even the famous sportswriter Grantland Rice (best known for dubbing the Notre Dame backfield in 1924 the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse") might have had a problem making them sound interesting.

But somewhere - up there - Grantland Rice is probably looking at the five games this weekend being played in the FCS, and he’s smiling. He knows that FCS sportswriters don’t have to try too hard to set the stage. Quite simply, all five games have enough drama and stories to fill any column - even Rice’s seminal column Sportslight.

xthumbsupx

[WrenFGun]

In 2005, in the second round of the playoffs in Cowell, New Hampshire, the Wildcats jumped out to a 21-0 lead before Northern Iowa came roaring back and held on for a 24-21 victory - thanks to a late fourth-quarter field goal.

Cowell, New Hampshire? Up 21-0? Hmmph. I must not have attended that game. That said, good read for sure.

[Ronbo]

All Aboard! Looks like Chuck has boarded the Griz train.xlolx xnodx xnodx xnodx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

xbandwagonx

xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx

[appfan2008]

looks about right to me...

[R3TRO]

New Hampshire’s offense have given up some yardage, but are the most opportunistic defense left in the playoffs with a +27 turnover margin (led by defensive back Ryan Hinds amd Dino Vasso’s 5 interceptions apiece). xeyebrowx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I see the UNH stuff has been fixed xthumbsupx

[WrenFGun]

Way to go!

[WrenFGun]

To those editing the article, it was actually UNI that jumped to the 21-0 lead before UNH roared back, only to fall on the UNI FG.

[danefan]

Good pick on the GIC score - 35-17 is the score I predicted as well.

Well actually my prediction was Albany at least 35, Jax 17

[Lehigh Football Nation]

1:30 PM Gridiron Classic: Jacksonville at Albany

What could be the deciding factor in this game is the venue - and the weather. While Bell’s record was no fluke, the Dolphins did have the luxury of playing their biggest games against the biggest opponents in sunny Florida. Jacksonville hasn’t played in big games in the past ten years on the road - and never in a situation with freezing temperatures. Add to this the fact that Albany’s game seems perfectly in line with the weather, and the signs point to a Danes victory.

12:00 PM Playoff Quarterfinal: Richmond at Appalachian State

If this were in Richmond stadium, or even on a neutral field, it would be sorely tempting to take the Spiders here. They won’t give up 55 points again to this offense, that’s for sure - they’ll make it close.

2:00 PM Playoff Quarterfinal: Weber State at Montana

But it’s hard to escape the fact that Montana’s home-field advantage is indeed a huge factor. The Grizzlies will bring their lunatic fans to the game - it will have an effect. And the Grizzlies development since early October will be evident too: with a point to prove in Big Sky conference superiority, Montana will ride their home field advantage to a hard-fought victory.

...

7:00 PM Playoff Quarterfinal: New Hampshire at Northern Iowa

In a week with incredibly hard games to pick, this one stands out as the hardest. History clearly won’t fold the Wildcats in the UNI-dome, and both they and the Panthers know what to expect from each other. But in such a close game it looks like it could once again be a key play here, a turnover there - or maybe even the dome-field advantage of UNI - that does in the Wildcats.

If New Hampshire wins the battle of turnovers, they can take this game. But I don’t think they will.

xeekx xrotatehx

He did pick ASU over Richmond and Villanova over JMU (in a close game), but boy, was he pretty much spot-on with the analysis.

:D xeekx xrotatehx