Solving the unsolvable E8
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It was the first win for the Saxons over Ithaca since a 13-12 triumph in 1995.
Springfield routed Hartwick 44-20 in a game that wasn’t that close , as Springfield had 472 yards rushing and none through the air.
But with the win against the Bombers, Alfred still has a chance to win the AQ for the Empire 8, albeit a small one. If the Saxons beat St. John Fisher next week at Merrill and Springfield is upset by Norwich, Alfred could win the automatic bid.
So could they do it? Technically, yes. But will they? I don’t think so, just because I don’t see Springfield losing to the Cadets.
The team has the best chance of winning the auto bid is Springfield because if both them and Fisher win Saturday, the Pride has the tiebreaker by virtue of head-to-head results.
Last week, I also talked about two of the last unbeatens in the East Region, Cortland and Hobart.
Well, so much for the unbeatens as both lose, to Rowan and Union respectively.
Hobart lost 31-14 against Union, and the loss not only knocks the Statesmen out of the ranks of the undefeated, but it also clinches the Liberty League for the Dutchmen, which makes this Saturday’s Shoes game between RPI and Union so interesting.
Two guys that suffered injuries for Union, Steve Angiletta and Ryan Twichell, both caught touchdown passes in the big win over Hobart.
RPI lost to Rochester 30-23, giving the Engineers three losses overall and in conference, leaving them virtually no chance at a NCAA bid. Will the Engineers throw everything but the kitchen sink in their attempt to knock off Union, who already has a bid to the NCAA’s?
Speaking of the Shoes, your esteemed East Region columnist will be attended the festivities in Troy this year, and I look forward to meeting some of the people from the message boards and watching some quality Division III football.
Also, I would like to thank RPI Sports Information Director Kevin Beattie for being very helpful in getting me a media credential for this weekend’s game.
So this leaves two “East” undefeated teams: Wesley (who is actually part of the NCAA’s South region, but part of this column) and Wilkes (part of the East Region for NCAA purposes, but not part of this column)... Wesley moves to No. 1 on this week’s ATR East Top 10, but see the bottom of this column for the rest of the list.
Cortland, as mentioned above, lost to Rowan 14-7 in overtime, bringing me to my predictions from last week.
Last week, I predicted that Cortland would hit the “knockout blow” against Rowan after the Profs were upset by Montclair State the week before, but I came out on the wrong end of that prediction after Rowan beat Cortland 14-7 in overtime Saturday.
So today (Monday) I receive this e-mail from a Rowan, er, Glassboro State College, alum from 1996. (The names have been protected to protect the angry and mean.)
Dear Mr. Samrov,
So much for your prediction of a “knock-out blow” by Cortland. Rowan is still standing. Maybe you football gurus from Utica don’t understand this but….. Defense wins Championships. Rowan will be in the playoffs and as usual Utica will be at home watching.
Sincerely,
XXXXXXXXXX
Glassboro State College 1996
For one, I don’t profess to be a football guru. I’ll leave that to guys like Pat Coleman, the proprietor of this Web site, and Keith McMillan, the D3football national columnist who has seen teams like Mary-Hardin Baylor and UW-Whitewater.
Secondly, the Utica crack is unnecessary.
Lastly, I know defense wins championships, and only giving up 7 against a then-8-0 Cortland team is pretty impressive, but otherwise the Profs have been unimpressive this season. Rowan also only scored 14 points, again unimpressive, but they did get it done. Now, let’s see them get it done in the upcoming weeks, and hopefully they get into the playoffs based on merit, not based on previous years of success.
One thing I do know about Cortland is that they are down to their third- and fourth-string quarterbacks. The first starter this season, Alex Smith, went down to injury earlier this year, and backup Ray Miles was injured late in the game against Rowan, according to Cortland assistant SID Dan Surdam, who didn’t say what the injury was. That leaves senior Bryan Shea and freshmen Sean Pratt as the two quarterbacks for the Cortaca Jug game this week.
If there was ever a trial-by-fire learning process in college football, starting your first game for Cortaca, albeit at your home stadium, that will be a tough task for the Cortland quarterbacks Saturday.
Great performances
1. Union held Hobart to 55 yards rush in their 31-14 road win at Boswell Field.
2. Union’s Tom Arcidiacono ran for 117 yards and Zach Tillo ran 19 times for 102 yards and a touchdown.
3. Springfield quarterback Chris Sharpe ran 29 times for 272 yards and two touchdowns, including a 92-yarder that pretty much put the game away against Hartwick. The Pride is back to their M.O. after a small stumble against Ithaca.
He has rushed for 1,575 yards this season and has a chance to break 2,000 depending how far the Pride get in the playoffs. The 1,575 yards is a record for rushing yards by a quarterback, breaking Springfield quarterback Kevin Cahill’s 1999 record.
4. Springfield defensive back Joe Harasymiak made his eighth interception of the season against Hartwick.
5. Junior Wesley defensive lineman Bryan Robinson had 10 tackles, 4.5 for loss and three sacks in a 37-3 rout of Division II Chowan.
Pool C sleeper
Rochester. At 7-2, the Yellowjackets have only lost one conference game, against Union, and actually control their own destiny for second place.
If they beat Hobart Saturday, they would be in sole possession of second place in the Liberty League with only the loss to Union.
The seven wins are the most for a Rochester team since 1992, when the team managed eight.
Team that played itself out
Ithaca. The Bombers, riding a high after beating Springfield, fell against a feisty Alfred team, giving them two conference losses in a super-tough Empire 8 conference. With one loss, it was going to be close on tiebreakers, but with two losses, Ithaca may sit home after making the playoffs a year ago.
Around the East Top 10
... all screwed up!
1. Wesley
2. Cortland
3. St. John Fisher
4. Springfield
5. Union
6. Rowan
7. Rochester
8. Alfred
9. Ithaca
10. Hobart
Honorable Mention: RPI
Three predictions
Cortland-Ithaca for the Cortaca Jug: I think Ithaca comes out fast, and Cortland struggles in the beginning. However, I think the game will be tied at halftime. Ithaca gets it done at the end, though, as having a third-string quarterback in his first start dooms the Red Dragons. Ithaca 27, Cortland 20.
RPI-Union for the Dutchman’s Shoes: I think RPI will throw everything but the kitchen sink at Union, and I will give RPI a small edge being in the friendly confines of ‘86 Field.
However in the end, I think the four-pronged attack of Marotti, Arcidiacono, Angiletta and Twichell will be too much for RPI to overcome. Union 24, RPI 17.
Rochester at Hobart: I think Rochester can go to 8-2 and maybe sneak in the NCAAs with a win over Hobart. Rochester 28, Hobart 24.