Top Game Previews for Saturday 12/13
All 7 of my predictions for this weeks games can be found on the Football Gazette website [use link on the right side to get there] and then click on Don's predictions.
First, I will list the Top Playoff Games, as I see them, for each of the four divisions (NCAA 1-AA, II, III and NAIA) this Saturday. As time permits I will try to give my analysis on as many games as possible.
NCAA 1-AA Semi-Final Playoff Games
Colgate (14-0) over at Florida Atlantic (11-2). Dick Biddle is in his eighth season as head coach of the Raiders. He was named Colgate’s 29th head football coach in November of 1995 after serving as an assistant coach for a total of 10 years with the Raiders. This season, Colgate (9-3) captured its fourth Patriot League title under Biddle, and won seven or more games for the seventh straight season. Biddle became the first Colgate coach to be named a three-time winner of the Howard Hartman Award. Florida Atlantic’s coach Howard Schnellenberger has been part of four collegiate national championships. His 1983 Miami Hurricanes won that school’s first title, defeating Nebraska in the 50th Anniversary Orange Bowl. He was offensive coordinator for Paul “Bear” Bryant at Alabama, when the Crimson Tide won championships in 1961, 1964 and 1965. He is one of only 10 active collegiate head coaches who has won a national title. Both these schools are surprise semi-finalist. I Have picked Colgate to win both of their previous plaiff games, but they were at home. I am somewhat surprised that Florida Atlantic is the host this week, which makes this game extremely hard to predict. What happened to Northern Arizona between their lopsided win at McNeese State and their collapse at home against Florida Atlantic? Colgate features, and are led by their All-American candidate, junior tailback (#25) Jamaal Branch with 385 carries for 2,141 yards and 28 touchdowns. The Raiders opportunistic offense is directed by junior quarterback (#1) Chris Brown who has completed 198-of-348 pass attempts for 2,531 yards and 19 scores, while also picking up 385 yards on the ground and eight TDs. Gaining the most yardage from pass receptions is junior receiver (#4) Luke Graham with 1,031 yards and six touchdowns on 67 catches, while senior teammate (#6) J.B. Gerald has 69 receptions for 778 yards with seven scores and is averaging 6.8 yards on punt returns and 17.4 on kickoff returns. Another key receiver, though his stats don’t show it, is senior, 6’5, tight end (#82) John Frieser with 24 catches for 327 yards and four TDs. Colgate’s junior place kicker (#45) Lane Schwartzberg has converted on 9-of-12 field goal attempts, with a long of 39 yards. The Raider defense is main-stayed by their All-America candidate at linebacker, senior (#41) Tem Lukabu who hits the tackles chart with 102, including 10.5 for losses with five sacks, nine pass breakups and three fumble recoveries. Also lining up at a linebacker spot is senior (#43) Ryan Disch with 55 tackles, two interceptions, two pass blocks and two forced fumbles. The Raiders defensive backfield is loaded with exceptional performers, including senior strong safety (#2) Sean McCune (84 tackles, three tackles behind the line, three interceptions and four pass deflections), sophomore cornerback (#36) Will Arnold (47 tackles and 11 pass breakups), and junior cornerback (#3) Brian Anderson (53 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and five pass blocks). A couple of senior’s man the defensive tackle positions with (#55) Josh Sabo leading the way with 43 tackles, 12 for losses, including four sacks and five pass defections, while (#90) Robert Hannah has contributed 26 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss with seven sacks. Florida Atlantic relies on their passing attack mostly to secure a victory. Directing the Owls passing assault is junior quarterback (#12) Jared Allen who has passed for 2,737 yards and 23 touchdowns completing 196-of-307 passes. Their leading receiver is junior tight end (#84) Anthony Crissinger-Hill with 68 receptions for 1,020 yards and nine TDs. FAU has three other receivers that have put up some decent numbers too, including junior (#1) Brittney Tellis (27 catches, 421 yards, one score), junior (#17) Roosevelt Bynes (44 receptions, 739 yards and nine touchdowns) and junior (#9) Larry Taylor (26 catches, 459 yards and four TDs). The Owls have an outstanding placekicker, junior (#38) Mark Myers who is 11-for-13 in field goal attempts with a long of 53 yards and is 6-for-6 from the 40-yard line or longer. Senior linebacker (#51) Quentin Swain has a team-high 90 tackles, including six for losses, three pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles, while sophomore linebacker (#46) Chris Laskowski has numbered 85 stops, seven behind the line, one interception and three forced fumbles. Junior linebacker (#50) Tyrone Higgins has 64 hits, eight for losses with three sacks, one pass block and two forced fumbles. Sophomore cornerback (#24) Willie Hughley has 68 tackles, five interceptions and six pass blocks, while RS-freshman defensive back (#10) Quincy Skinner hits the tackle chart with 71 stops, three for losses, five interceptions, nine pass deflections and one blocked kick. Rounding out this talented crew of defenders is sophomore defensive lineman (#96) Johnnie Sloan with 52 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, including six sacks, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. MY OBSERVATIONS: At this level and especially in the playoffs, it becomes harder to pick the winner, and after the way Florida Atlantic handled Northern Arizona last week it sure gives off confusing signals … at least in my head! If Colgate can get the lead I would expect Branch to do yeoman duty on the ground as he is a consistent and sure ball handler. Gerald and Graham could be used extensively in the early part of the game as Colgate tries to set the tempo of the game. Of course they will be used exclusively late in the game if the Raiders are playing catch-up. More likely-than-not Florida Atlantic will rely heavily on their passing game. I expect you will hear Allen, Crissingham-Hill and Bynes names called frequently. PLAYERS TO WATCH: For Colgate, Branch will play an important roll in this game and is capable of running time off the clock if necessary. Gerald and Graham will be up against some exceptional defenders that FAU has exhibited. This will be a real challenge for either of them to get open long enough to snare a pass. Allen will be somewhat wary of the FAU defenders as he cuts loose with one of his passes to a receiver. Lukabu and Sabo will slip inside the offensive line and put pressure on the Owls quarterback with some consistency. Arnold and Disch have good pass coverage skills which will be brought to the attention of Allen as the game progresses. For Florida Atlantic, Allen is the key for the host Owls. He is quite adept at finding his receivers early and connecting on a completion. Keep your eye on the tight end Crissinger-Hill as he will be in on most of the action via the airways. Bynes will also make his presence felt on the receiving end of a pass thrown by Allen. Sloan and Higgins will be all over the Raiders quarterback which will probably cause Brown to do a little more rushing this game. Skinner and Hughley will make it difficult for Allen to complete his passes which could leave more of the pass catching chores to Frieser. Well, her goes, I’ll take Colgate 26-24.
NCAA II Championship Game
Grand Valley State (13-1) over North Dakota (12-1). (ESPN 4pm EST) Grand Valley State coach Brian Kelly (Assumption, 1983) has a career-record of 117-35-2/.762 (13th year). Kelly is 103-22-2 (.819) in GLIAC action...Kelly is third among active coaches in DII with 10 plus years experience in terms of winning percentage (117-35-2/.762). Grand Valley State is making its eighth NCAA Division II playoff appearance. The Lakers are 10-6 all-time in the DII Playoffs and 1-1 in the NAIA playoffs. GVSU has scored 31 points or more in nine of its last 11 playoff games, including five games of 42 points or more. GVSU captured its first-ever road victory in playoff action at Bentley (65-36), followed by a 10-3 victory at Saginaw Valley State last Saturday. The 65 points scored by the Lakers at Bentley set a DII single-game playoff record. Now in his fifth year as head football coach at the University of North Dakota, Dale Lennon has continued a tradition of UND football success in his first four seasons. The injury bug bit the Sioux in 2002 as injuries at several key positions hampered UND all season long. Despite the setbacks, key reserves played a part in UND retaining the Nickel Trophy with a 12-6 win at NDSU on Oct. 12. It marked the second straight and eight out of the last ten times that UND has won the intrastate rivalry. In 2001, Lennon led UND to a 14-1 overall record and the school’s first national championship in its rich 106-season football history. UND capped its season by defeating Grand Valley (Mich.) State, 17-14, in the NCAA Division II national championship game on Dec. 8 in Florence, Ala. The last time these two schools met was in the 2001 D-II Championship game where the Sioux pulled out the victory with about nine seconds to play in a last minute drive to win 17-14. If it were not for that loss, Grand Valley State could be seeking their third consecutive D-II title. The revenge motive has to be considered here. Grand Valley State’s offense is led by their dazzling RS-freshman quarterback (#16) Cullen Finnerty who has completed 211-of-334 pass attempts for 2,615 yards and 22 touchdowns while also gaining 744 yards and nine scores on 146 carries (5.09 yards per carry). Another big-time threat on the Lakers offense is junior running back (#20) Michael Tennessee with 330 carries for 1,595 yards and 15 TDs (4.83 yards per carry) and 59 receptions for 537 yards and three more score. Sophomore halfback (#9) Ryan Hukill has 94 carries for 602 yards and three touchdowns (6.40 avg. per carry). When Finnerty is not behind the controls at quarterback it will be sophomore (#15) Jeff Dock who has thrown for 521 yards and eight scores completing 51-of-88 passes and has had 33 carries for 130 yards and one TD. RS-freshman (#85) Micah Staley has 47 catches for 698 yards and 12 touchdowns, while sophomore (#4) Brandon Langston has also tucked in 47 passes for 591 yards and seven scores while averaging 26.1 per return on 15 kickoffs. Senior (#11) Mario Locricchio has brought in 27 receptions for 421 yards and three scores. Senior place kicker (#34) David Hendrix has converted 24-of-30 field goal attempts with a long of 48 yards. Leading the defense with a team-high 84 tackles for the Lakers is senior All-American strong safety (#14) Scott Mackey, including 3.5 for losses, six interceptions, taking one back for a TD, five pass breakups and two forced fumbles while also averaging 10.2 yards per punt return, including one for a score. Sophomore free safety (#29) DeJuane Boone follows closely behind with 82 hits, three behind the line, four interceptions and four pass deflections. Senior linebacker (#39) Derrick Gray has 72 stops, nine tackles for loss with three sacks, one interception and one pass breakup. On the defensive line they have two notable towers-of-strength, including junior (#93) Aaron Hein (35 tackles, including 11.5 for losses with 10 sacks, two pass breakups, two forced fumble and one blocked kick) and junior (#31) Marcus Spencer (21 hits, including 13 tackles for loss with nine sacks, one interception and one forced fumble). The Lakers junior cornerback (#5) Derrick Phillips has contributed 68 stops, three for losses, four interceptions, 13 pass breakups and two forced fumbles, while junior defensive back (#1) Lucius Hawkins likewise has 68 hits, 12 behind the line with five sacks, one interception and six pass blocks. North Dakota is guided by their splendid junior quarterback (#12) John Bowenkamp who has completed 212-of-332 passes for 2,560 yards and 23 touchdowns. On occasion senior (#13) Joe Wilson is at the helm of the Sioux offense and has completed 59-of-86 passes for 639 yards and six scores. By far the favorite target for Bowerkamp to throw to is senior (#24) Willis Stattelman with 89 receptions for 992 yards and eight TDs. Senior (#84) Jesse Ahlers has caught 48 passes for 602 yards and four TDs, while junior (#8) Caleb Johnson comes in with 25 receptions for 312 yards and three scores. The very dangerous senior (#81) Travis Lueck has brought down 43 p[asses for 631 yards with eight scores while averaging 16.3 yards per return on 41 punts and 18.8 on 13 kickoffs. Junior place kicker (#7) Jeff Glas is 16-for 27 on field goal tries with a long of 52 yards. Winning the tackle wars for the Sioux, and by a wide margin, is sophomore linebacker (#40) Digger Anderson with 108 stops, 9.5 for losses, one interception and two forced fumbles. Sophomore linebacker (#33) Danny Gagner has 64 hits, 5.5 behind the line, three interceptions, including one for a score, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles, while junior defensive back (#20) Ryan Manke has 60 tackles, two interceptions, 13 pass deflections and one forced fumble. RS-freshman defensive lineman (#32) Jason Hoffschneider has stopped 59 ball carriers, has six interceptions returning one for a touchdown, blocked seven passes and forced two fumbles, and senior defensive lineman (#93) Jeff Momerex has 30 hits, 11 tackles for loss including seven sacks. MY OBSERVATION: As I looked through the box scores for North Dakota I noticed that in the fourth quarter they tire and may lose their concentrations as the opponents seem to score quite a bit in that quarter. It’s worth keeping that in mind. Finnerty is a very versatile quarterback and I is the catalyst in making things happen on offense for the Lakers. I expect GVSU to do almost as much running as passing with the ball. The Lakers’ defense will make it tough for the Sioux to advance the ball with any consistency. I think that both defenses will come up big in this game. North Dakota will simply keep the ball in the air for most of the game and probably will have a couple of passes picked off, as I’m sure the same will happen to the Lakers. This will be a tense defensive struggle from what I can gather.PLAYERS TO WATCH: For Grand Valley State, Finnerty, is very clever and adept at hiding the ball, especially when he is the ball carrier on the play. Tennessee is strong and quick who can chase after a reception or force his way through the opponents defensive line with regularity. All-American Mackey is a relentless pass defender and will be a problem for the Sioux receivers. Spencer, Hein and Hawkins will create havoc for Bowenkamp all afternoon. For North Dakota, Bowenkamp is the key, while he is effective passing, it will be interesting to see how he handles the defensive pressure that he will get. Bowenkamp and Stattelman have been a couple of the main ingredients for UND’s success this season and their consistent playmaking should bring some results for the Sioux. The Lakers’ may break through the line-of-scrimmage rushing, but it will still be hard to escape Anderson. Just watch how often Anderson is where the ball carrier is stopped. Hoffschneider is a major threat to pick off one of Finnerty’s passes. Besides the revenge factor, I think that Grand Valley has too many tools to call upon and execute against their opponents, and that being the case I take, though the score could be wider than this, I’ll stick with GVSU, 21-14. Let me say one thing, UND surprised me by stopping North Alabama last week, so any given Saturday!
First, I will list the Top Playoff Games, as I see them, for each of the four divisions (NCAA 1-AA, II, III and NAIA) this Saturday. As time permits I will try to give my analysis on as many games as possible.
NCAA 1-AA Semi-Final Playoff Games
Colgate (14-0) over at Florida Atlantic (11-2). Dick Biddle is in his eighth season as head coach of the Raiders. He was named Colgate’s 29th head football coach in November of 1995 after serving as an assistant coach for a total of 10 years with the Raiders. This season, Colgate (9-3) captured its fourth Patriot League title under Biddle, and won seven or more games for the seventh straight season. Biddle became the first Colgate coach to be named a three-time winner of the Howard Hartman Award. Florida Atlantic’s coach Howard Schnellenberger has been part of four collegiate national championships. His 1983 Miami Hurricanes won that school’s first title, defeating Nebraska in the 50th Anniversary Orange Bowl. He was offensive coordinator for Paul “Bear” Bryant at Alabama, when the Crimson Tide won championships in 1961, 1964 and 1965. He is one of only 10 active collegiate head coaches who has won a national title. Both these schools are surprise semi-finalist. I Have picked Colgate to win both of their previous plaiff games, but they were at home. I am somewhat surprised that Florida Atlantic is the host this week, which makes this game extremely hard to predict. What happened to Northern Arizona between their lopsided win at McNeese State and their collapse at home against Florida Atlantic? Colgate features, and are led by their All-American candidate, junior tailback (#25) Jamaal Branch with 385 carries for 2,141 yards and 28 touchdowns. The Raiders opportunistic offense is directed by junior quarterback (#1) Chris Brown who has completed 198-of-348 pass attempts for 2,531 yards and 19 scores, while also picking up 385 yards on the ground and eight TDs. Gaining the most yardage from pass receptions is junior receiver (#4) Luke Graham with 1,031 yards and six touchdowns on 67 catches, while senior teammate (#6) J.B. Gerald has 69 receptions for 778 yards with seven scores and is averaging 6.8 yards on punt returns and 17.4 on kickoff returns. Another key receiver, though his stats don’t show it, is senior, 6’5, tight end (#82) John Frieser with 24 catches for 327 yards and four TDs. Colgate’s junior place kicker (#45) Lane Schwartzberg has converted on 9-of-12 field goal attempts, with a long of 39 yards. The Raider defense is main-stayed by their All-America candidate at linebacker, senior (#41) Tem Lukabu who hits the tackles chart with 102, including 10.5 for losses with five sacks, nine pass breakups and three fumble recoveries. Also lining up at a linebacker spot is senior (#43) Ryan Disch with 55 tackles, two interceptions, two pass blocks and two forced fumbles. The Raiders defensive backfield is loaded with exceptional performers, including senior strong safety (#2) Sean McCune (84 tackles, three tackles behind the line, three interceptions and four pass deflections), sophomore cornerback (#36) Will Arnold (47 tackles and 11 pass breakups), and junior cornerback (#3) Brian Anderson (53 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and five pass blocks). A couple of senior’s man the defensive tackle positions with (#55) Josh Sabo leading the way with 43 tackles, 12 for losses, including four sacks and five pass defections, while (#90) Robert Hannah has contributed 26 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss with seven sacks. Florida Atlantic relies on their passing attack mostly to secure a victory. Directing the Owls passing assault is junior quarterback (#12) Jared Allen who has passed for 2,737 yards and 23 touchdowns completing 196-of-307 passes. Their leading receiver is junior tight end (#84) Anthony Crissinger-Hill with 68 receptions for 1,020 yards and nine TDs. FAU has three other receivers that have put up some decent numbers too, including junior (#1) Brittney Tellis (27 catches, 421 yards, one score), junior (#17) Roosevelt Bynes (44 receptions, 739 yards and nine touchdowns) and junior (#9) Larry Taylor (26 catches, 459 yards and four TDs). The Owls have an outstanding placekicker, junior (#38) Mark Myers who is 11-for-13 in field goal attempts with a long of 53 yards and is 6-for-6 from the 40-yard line or longer. Senior linebacker (#51) Quentin Swain has a team-high 90 tackles, including six for losses, three pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles, while sophomore linebacker (#46) Chris Laskowski has numbered 85 stops, seven behind the line, one interception and three forced fumbles. Junior linebacker (#50) Tyrone Higgins has 64 hits, eight for losses with three sacks, one pass block and two forced fumbles. Sophomore cornerback (#24) Willie Hughley has 68 tackles, five interceptions and six pass blocks, while RS-freshman defensive back (#10) Quincy Skinner hits the tackle chart with 71 stops, three for losses, five interceptions, nine pass deflections and one blocked kick. Rounding out this talented crew of defenders is sophomore defensive lineman (#96) Johnnie Sloan with 52 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, including six sacks, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. MY OBSERVATIONS: At this level and especially in the playoffs, it becomes harder to pick the winner, and after the way Florida Atlantic handled Northern Arizona last week it sure gives off confusing signals … at least in my head! If Colgate can get the lead I would expect Branch to do yeoman duty on the ground as he is a consistent and sure ball handler. Gerald and Graham could be used extensively in the early part of the game as Colgate tries to set the tempo of the game. Of course they will be used exclusively late in the game if the Raiders are playing catch-up. More likely-than-not Florida Atlantic will rely heavily on their passing game. I expect you will hear Allen, Crissingham-Hill and Bynes names called frequently. PLAYERS TO WATCH: For Colgate, Branch will play an important roll in this game and is capable of running time off the clock if necessary. Gerald and Graham will be up against some exceptional defenders that FAU has exhibited. This will be a real challenge for either of them to get open long enough to snare a pass. Allen will be somewhat wary of the FAU defenders as he cuts loose with one of his passes to a receiver. Lukabu and Sabo will slip inside the offensive line and put pressure on the Owls quarterback with some consistency. Arnold and Disch have good pass coverage skills which will be brought to the attention of Allen as the game progresses. For Florida Atlantic, Allen is the key for the host Owls. He is quite adept at finding his receivers early and connecting on a completion. Keep your eye on the tight end Crissinger-Hill as he will be in on most of the action via the airways. Bynes will also make his presence felt on the receiving end of a pass thrown by Allen. Sloan and Higgins will be all over the Raiders quarterback which will probably cause Brown to do a little more rushing this game. Skinner and Hughley will make it difficult for Allen to complete his passes which could leave more of the pass catching chores to Frieser. Well, her goes, I’ll take Colgate 26-24.
NCAA II Championship Game
Grand Valley State (13-1) over North Dakota (12-1). (ESPN 4pm EST) Grand Valley State coach Brian Kelly (Assumption, 1983) has a career-record of 117-35-2/.762 (13th year). Kelly is 103-22-2 (.819) in GLIAC action...Kelly is third among active coaches in DII with 10 plus years experience in terms of winning percentage (117-35-2/.762). Grand Valley State is making its eighth NCAA Division II playoff appearance. The Lakers are 10-6 all-time in the DII Playoffs and 1-1 in the NAIA playoffs. GVSU has scored 31 points or more in nine of its last 11 playoff games, including five games of 42 points or more. GVSU captured its first-ever road victory in playoff action at Bentley (65-36), followed by a 10-3 victory at Saginaw Valley State last Saturday. The 65 points scored by the Lakers at Bentley set a DII single-game playoff record. Now in his fifth year as head football coach at the University of North Dakota, Dale Lennon has continued a tradition of UND football success in his first four seasons. The injury bug bit the Sioux in 2002 as injuries at several key positions hampered UND all season long. Despite the setbacks, key reserves played a part in UND retaining the Nickel Trophy with a 12-6 win at NDSU on Oct. 12. It marked the second straight and eight out of the last ten times that UND has won the intrastate rivalry. In 2001, Lennon led UND to a 14-1 overall record and the school’s first national championship in its rich 106-season football history. UND capped its season by defeating Grand Valley (Mich.) State, 17-14, in the NCAA Division II national championship game on Dec. 8 in Florence, Ala. The last time these two schools met was in the 2001 D-II Championship game where the Sioux pulled out the victory with about nine seconds to play in a last minute drive to win 17-14. If it were not for that loss, Grand Valley State could be seeking their third consecutive D-II title. The revenge motive has to be considered here. Grand Valley State’s offense is led by their dazzling RS-freshman quarterback (#16) Cullen Finnerty who has completed 211-of-334 pass attempts for 2,615 yards and 22 touchdowns while also gaining 744 yards and nine scores on 146 carries (5.09 yards per carry). Another big-time threat on the Lakers offense is junior running back (#20) Michael Tennessee with 330 carries for 1,595 yards and 15 TDs (4.83 yards per carry) and 59 receptions for 537 yards and three more score. Sophomore halfback (#9) Ryan Hukill has 94 carries for 602 yards and three touchdowns (6.40 avg. per carry). When Finnerty is not behind the controls at quarterback it will be sophomore (#15) Jeff Dock who has thrown for 521 yards and eight scores completing 51-of-88 passes and has had 33 carries for 130 yards and one TD. RS-freshman (#85) Micah Staley has 47 catches for 698 yards and 12 touchdowns, while sophomore (#4) Brandon Langston has also tucked in 47 passes for 591 yards and seven scores while averaging 26.1 per return on 15 kickoffs. Senior (#11) Mario Locricchio has brought in 27 receptions for 421 yards and three scores. Senior place kicker (#34) David Hendrix has converted 24-of-30 field goal attempts with a long of 48 yards. Leading the defense with a team-high 84 tackles for the Lakers is senior All-American strong safety (#14) Scott Mackey, including 3.5 for losses, six interceptions, taking one back for a TD, five pass breakups and two forced fumbles while also averaging 10.2 yards per punt return, including one for a score. Sophomore free safety (#29) DeJuane Boone follows closely behind with 82 hits, three behind the line, four interceptions and four pass deflections. Senior linebacker (#39) Derrick Gray has 72 stops, nine tackles for loss with three sacks, one interception and one pass breakup. On the defensive line they have two notable towers-of-strength, including junior (#93) Aaron Hein (35 tackles, including 11.5 for losses with 10 sacks, two pass breakups, two forced fumble and one blocked kick) and junior (#31) Marcus Spencer (21 hits, including 13 tackles for loss with nine sacks, one interception and one forced fumble). The Lakers junior cornerback (#5) Derrick Phillips has contributed 68 stops, three for losses, four interceptions, 13 pass breakups and two forced fumbles, while junior defensive back (#1) Lucius Hawkins likewise has 68 hits, 12 behind the line with five sacks, one interception and six pass blocks. North Dakota is guided by their splendid junior quarterback (#12) John Bowenkamp who has completed 212-of-332 passes for 2,560 yards and 23 touchdowns. On occasion senior (#13) Joe Wilson is at the helm of the Sioux offense and has completed 59-of-86 passes for 639 yards and six scores. By far the favorite target for Bowerkamp to throw to is senior (#24) Willis Stattelman with 89 receptions for 992 yards and eight TDs. Senior (#84) Jesse Ahlers has caught 48 passes for 602 yards and four TDs, while junior (#8) Caleb Johnson comes in with 25 receptions for 312 yards and three scores. The very dangerous senior (#81) Travis Lueck has brought down 43 p[asses for 631 yards with eight scores while averaging 16.3 yards per return on 41 punts and 18.8 on 13 kickoffs. Junior place kicker (#7) Jeff Glas is 16-for 27 on field goal tries with a long of 52 yards. Winning the tackle wars for the Sioux, and by a wide margin, is sophomore linebacker (#40) Digger Anderson with 108 stops, 9.5 for losses, one interception and two forced fumbles. Sophomore linebacker (#33) Danny Gagner has 64 hits, 5.5 behind the line, three interceptions, including one for a score, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles, while junior defensive back (#20) Ryan Manke has 60 tackles, two interceptions, 13 pass deflections and one forced fumble. RS-freshman defensive lineman (#32) Jason Hoffschneider has stopped 59 ball carriers, has six interceptions returning one for a touchdown, blocked seven passes and forced two fumbles, and senior defensive lineman (#93) Jeff Momerex has 30 hits, 11 tackles for loss including seven sacks. MY OBSERVATION: As I looked through the box scores for North Dakota I noticed that in the fourth quarter they tire and may lose their concentrations as the opponents seem to score quite a bit in that quarter. It’s worth keeping that in mind. Finnerty is a very versatile quarterback and I is the catalyst in making things happen on offense for the Lakers. I expect GVSU to do almost as much running as passing with the ball. The Lakers’ defense will make it tough for the Sioux to advance the ball with any consistency. I think that both defenses will come up big in this game. North Dakota will simply keep the ball in the air for most of the game and probably will have a couple of passes picked off, as I’m sure the same will happen to the Lakers. This will be a tense defensive struggle from what I can gather.PLAYERS TO WATCH: For Grand Valley State, Finnerty, is very clever and adept at hiding the ball, especially when he is the ball carrier on the play. Tennessee is strong and quick who can chase after a reception or force his way through the opponents defensive line with regularity. All-American Mackey is a relentless pass defender and will be a problem for the Sioux receivers. Spencer, Hein and Hawkins will create havoc for Bowenkamp all afternoon. For North Dakota, Bowenkamp is the key, while he is effective passing, it will be interesting to see how he handles the defensive pressure that he will get. Bowenkamp and Stattelman have been a couple of the main ingredients for UND’s success this season and their consistent playmaking should bring some results for the Sioux. The Lakers’ may break through the line-of-scrimmage rushing, but it will still be hard to escape Anderson. Just watch how often Anderson is where the ball carrier is stopped. Hoffschneider is a major threat to pick off one of Finnerty’s passes. Besides the revenge factor, I think that Grand Valley has too many tools to call upon and execute against their opponents, and that being the case I take, though the score could be wider than this, I’ll stick with GVSU, 21-14. Let me say one thing, UND surprised me by stopping North Alabama last week, so any given Saturday!
posted by Don @ 12/12/2003 12:46:00 AM
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