Saturday Live Blog
Oct
2007
Last year when Springfield traveled to St. John Fisher in mid-October, I was able to witness one of most amazing performances by a single player of the season and perhaps in Springfield football history. In my D3sports.com travels, I’ve seen Allison Coleman of Eastern Connecticut State take over a women’s basketball game and will her team to win in the NCAA tournament. In my first year with D3football.com, I was able to see an injured Tom Arth drag John Carroll into the national semifinals with a gutty performance against Brockport on a frigid day in Rochester. Those are just two of many that come to mind.
But, nothing tops the performance last October by Springfield quarterback Chris Sharpe. Sharpe ran for seven touchdowns and 280 yards in a 55-38 win by Springfield over St. John Fisher. Each run was more mind-boggling than the next, including a 69-yard scamper for a touchdown on a broken play.
The two teams met in the playoffs at Springfield and St. John Fisher came away with a victory and generally held Sharpe in check.
Today, the Cardinals and the Pride step onto the new turf at Benedum Field for their third meeting in the last two years. The game will be videocast as part of the D3football.com East Region Game of the Week. Before the season, I’d have told you this would be a barnburner and be a battle of top 10 teams. And I still think it will be a scorefest since Sharpe is one of the most versatile quarterbacks in Division III and St. John Fisher’s offense can light up the scoreboard; the two teams have just taken different roads to get here.
Each team will be fighting potentially for their playoff lives as opposed to battling for first place a season ago. After haughty preseason expectations, Springfield’s come back down to earth and enters today’s game 3-3. Teams have slowed up Chris Sharpe and his numbers this year appear mortal. The good news for Springfield is that the majority of their remaining games are at home (after five of its first six on the road) and they can boost their own stock over the next few weeks with wins over teams in front of them in the Empire 8 - Fisher, Ithaca, and Hartwick.
While St. John Fisher is ranked eighth nationally, the Cardinals need a victory this afternoon. The Cardinals loss to Hartwick several weeks ago means that they need to win out in conference play and hope that Alfred stumbles in the final weeks of the season to clinch the Empire 8 auto bid. Alfred has yet to lose in conference, Fisher has one loss. The two teams will meet in the final week of the regular season. St. John Fisher certainly has a chance at a Pool C bid, but a second loss may knock them out of contention.
What will happen in this year’s meeting between St. John Fisher and Springfield? Tune in to the this afternoon to find out.
http://www.d3football.com/news.php?item=1292
Elsewhere this afternoon, every Top 25 team is in action and St. Norbert can virtually clinch a playoff berth with a win today. The only game where two Top 25 teams will meet is in Wisconsin where No. 20 UW-Stevens Point will host No. 3 UW-Whitewater.
The Saturday blog is open.
October 20th, 2007 at 11:46 am
I’m in the home office today. Traveled six of the first seven weeks and it’s time D3football.com had a home game. Kind of like Springfield.
October 20th, 2007 at 11:58 am
Ditto.
We’ll be back on the road next week, to the UMAC’s Dome Day and the St. John’s game.
Meanwhile, this is as good a time as any to stay home and watch the scoreboard & webcasts, since there are no no-brainer Games of the Week, but lots of games really key to conference races and playoff positioning.
October 20th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Home days are for ninnies.
Actually I’ve enjoyed those days at home, sitting in my sweats, watching/listening to games, trolling the message boards and live stats.
October 20th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
I’ll be watching the webcast. I’m pretty interested in seeing if Springfield can rebound from some pretty tough losses, as well to see how “real” St. John Fisher is.
BTW, no sweatpants here in the humidity of South Florida!
October 20th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Interesting pregame on the Wesley radio side. Mentioning of possible opponents for next year Ithaca and CNU. That would be another tough schedule with Del Val and Widener already inked
October 20th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Grad
They just explained that the reason the stadium holds 10,000 is that they use it every year for the special olympics
October 20th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Lots of slipping and sliding at B-port for both teams
October 20th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Well my bad!! It is called Special Olympic Stadium
October 20th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Yeah, I knew that it was used for the Special Olympics. it’s called Special Olympics Stadium
… but I don’t think it is every year. I think it was used once for that reason.
October 20th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
In 1979
October 20th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Wesley 7-0, 70 yrd drive after interception.
October 20th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Bport returns kick for a td 7-7
October 20th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Birmingham-Southern trying to get their first official D3 win today at home against Centre - tied 7-7 after one quarter.
October 20th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
For some reason, I can’t connect to the Alfred-Husson stream. Any word on a score?
October 20th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
MUC 14, B-W 0, 9:30 left in 2nd qtr
October 20th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
UW-Stevens Point scores on the first series of the game vs UW-Whitewater.
WW takes their kickoff, marches down the field at ties it at 7-7.
8 min. first quarter
October 20th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Re: For some reason, I can’t connect to the Alfred-Husson stream. Any word on a score?
Never mind; I finally got it. Go Saxons!
October 20th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Alfred up 46-21 over Husson in the 3rd Qyarter….
October 20th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
Wesley 17- B-Port 14 half
October 20th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Alfred scores again, with 1:10 left in the 3rd; 53-21 Saxons.
October 20th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
MUC 28, B-W 0, Half
October 20th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Whitewater 10 at Stevens Point 7…2nd quarter
October 20th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Whitewater 17 Stevens Point 7 4:20 2nd quarter.
October 20th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
Point scores, WW leads 17-14, 1:30 in the 1st half.
October 20th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Final in Alfred, NY: 53-21 Saxons
October 20th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
MUC 28, B-W 0, end of 3rd
October 20th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Wesley 38-14 late in the third
October 20th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
MUC 35, B-W 0, start of 4th qtr
October 20th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Otterbein 16, Capital 3
October 20th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
Yep, that’s an upset alert. 17-3 after the PAT and 12:30 left in the game.
October 20th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Long Barker touchdown and Mississippi College has cut UMHB’s lead to 21-14 early in the second.
October 20th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
B-Port not going away cut the lead to 38-21 and driving 10 mins left.
Wesley relaxed a little to much after last td
October 20th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Whitewater scores a the 3rd Danny Jones TD pass following a 70 yard drive to open the 2nd half at Stevens Point.
WW ups their lead to 24-14.
WW has the ball again are driving in Pointer territory.
October 20th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Wesley holds on D and is running out the clock 4 mins to go. The Battle of RT 13 next week in Dover..
October 20th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Capital scores, cuts the lead to 17-10 with 4:19 left.
October 20th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Danny Jones strikes for his 4th TD pass. WW leads 31 - 14. under 2 in third.
October 20th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Otterbein stuffs Capital on fourth down with 0:30 left. Capital’s going to lose here 17-10.
October 20th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
35-17 UMHB at the half with Mississippi College
October 20th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
check that - not quite the half yet
October 20th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
MC refusing to go quietly, but UMHB picks off a near touchdown pass with :29 left in the half.
October 20th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Karma to Otterbein for pasting an “L” on Capital!
Pool C followers should be rooting for MUC to put another “L” on Capital next weekend, to hurt any chances for the OAC to get a Pool C bid.
October 20th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
All over in Stevens Point.
Whitewater 31, Stevens Point 14
October 20th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
42 - 17, Cru goes up against MC on their first possesion in the second half.
October 20th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
UMHB picks off a pass, goes up 49 - 17 against Mississippi College.
October 20th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Anybody know if ”horsecollar” tackles are illegal in the NCAA?
October 20th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Alfred wins by a similar margin as Hobart today… A huge game in Geneva is brewing for next week…
October 20th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
I know they are in the NFL. Just ask Roy Willams of Dallas.
October 20th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
BC won a tight game over E&H 17-14 thanks to a last second field goal by Kyle Beach. Next week promises to be another close one as W&L always plays us tough at their place. Hope to see many Eagle fans in Lexington next week. GO EAGLES!!
October 20th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
56-17 now, UMHB over Mississippi College. Mississippi College, no doubt, has one of the best teams in the south. Even though they fell to Hardin - Simmons, they are probably a better team than them and I really thought it would be a tighter game than this. To top it all off, the Cru got the ball back on a fumble recovery after the kickoff.
October 20th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Get over to Central-Dubvuque cast.
Central fumbles into end zone in 2nd OT, then Dubuq
October 20th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
… ue is driving and loses a fumble of its own. Headed to 3rd OT.
October 20th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Pardon me for the burp …
October 20th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
62 - 17 Mary Hardin - Baylor over Mississipi college. Bad snap on the extra point.
October 20th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
UMHB’s Jarvis Thrasher broke the ASC rushing yardage record with 324 yards rushing so far.
October 20th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
…..and it’s only the third quarter.
October 20th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Near pick for Dubuque, but 30-yard FG — which was tipped — wins it for Central … 37-34
October 20th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Mississipi College puts it in the end - zone, but misses a field goal. 62 - 23, UMHB leading.
October 20th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
More points for MC. The announcers were saying 62 - 31, but MC must have 30 as it was 62 - 23 earlier.
October 20th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Now it’s 69 - 30 as UMHB went for a 71 run with it’s second unit on the field.
October 20th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Final, UMHB 69 and Mississipi College, 30
October 20th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Of course next week at UW - Whitewater will really tell what UMHB is made of. They may roll over the ASC teams, but they aren’t going to roll over Whitewater. I can’t wait to see what happens in that one.
October 20th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Howard Payne 48, Hardin-Simmons 47 in OT
October 20th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Now that one is amazing! Way to go HPU, even though I am a Crusader’s fan.
October 20th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Well, I’m pretty limited in how much I can post this evening, but those three OT game jump off the scoreboard.
Central 37, Dubuque 34 in 3OT was it? Central doesn’t like being called “lucky,” but they sure have a “knack”
Also Kean over Rowan in OT and Howard Payne over Hardin-Simmons in OT, as mentioned I think in the post directly above.
Also, did I see the Gulls hang 79 on Becker? Good Lawd!
October 20th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
“they aren’t going to roll over Whitewater.”
What makes you so sure?
I’m just askin’ …
October 20th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
I think the horsecollar thing is an NFL rule only. At the Wylie-Wimberly HS game in Texas, one of the parents was yelling about a horsecollar tackle, and it got me thinking it wasn’t a HS rule. One of the posters with official experience might be able to say more definitively though.
Re: Capital in Pool C. 8-2 might do it, or somehow beating MUC, but generally you have to sweep the OAC’s “other guys” to lock up that Pool C spot since we chalk up the MUC loss to begin with.
October 20th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Was mad at myself re-reading Triple Take this morning for not putting Bethel/St. Olaf as Top 25 most likely to lose. Just saw the 35-13 “upset” score.
Dangit!
October 20th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Cortland and TCNJ each win by large margins. NJAC Championship and an automatic tourney bid on the line next week at TCNJ. Should be a great football game.
October 20th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
I have a few reasons that UMHB won’t roll over Whitewater. I am not intending to downplay the talent of any of the other ASC teams, but UMHB hasn’t had the competition that it will be facing Saturday in Wisconsin. They have had their 2nd and even 3rd units on the field by the 3rd quarter. Secondly, they can be a little slow getting started when facing more challenging opponents like CNU, HSU and MC even though they end up dominated by the end of the 2nd or third quarters. They won’t have the luxury of time to get ”rolling” when facing Whitewater. I haven’t noticed the type of offense Whitewater likes to run, but UMHB often has trouble defending the pass against highly accurate passing games especially on post patterns and no huddle offense. Plus, Whitewater will be ready for their running game that has been so effective against other teams. UMHB also is a very highly penalized team. They will have to clean that up. They can’t afford it at UW-Whitewater wheras they have been able to get away with it in other games. I am a die hard Cru fan but they need to look out next weekend.
October 20th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
I’m sorry ”they end up dominating - not dominated” - type - o
October 20th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Cool, I just wanted to ask.
As of now, not having given it as much thought as I will by later this week, I can see that game going any which way.
Part of its intrigue is it being a ‘who is for real, and how real are they?’ test for both UMHB and UWW.
One of my original thoughts is that UWW might finally find out how great they were last year, but Warhawks fans are about tired of hearing that.
Certainly both teams have the line and the backs to establish the run and do what they want to off that. And neither is bad on defense. I don’t think weather or field surface will be an issue, so it may really be the Game of the Year in the sense that whichever team puts it all together will pull it out.
Or maybe one will smash the other.
October 20th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
Yeah, that game could go either way. If you recall last year’s match up, the game would have gone into overtime scoreless if Whitewater hadn’t run back a kickoff for a touchdown.
October 20th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
But….if UMHB does win that game, I’ll feel a whole lot better going into the playoffs. They have yet to get past Wesley in a playoff game!
October 21st, 2007 at 2:26 pm
PianoMan…..no OT last year because UMHB kicked a field goal. I look for the game to be a hard fought Cru win over WW. 35-14
October 21st, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Hey Baylor, thanks - I was thinking 7-0, not 7-3. So the Cru would have won it! I hope your score is correct. We are also Baylor fans - my wife is a Baylor grad and I am a UMHB grad. The Bears will get their year one day. It was almost last year.
October 21st, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Each team also missed a field goal off the upright, if I recall correctly, and they both have pretty good kickers. Defenses tightened in the “red zones.”
For a 7-3 game, it was not boring at all.
October 22nd, 2007 at 7:21 am
Here’s a thought - if ESPN can highlight the HS Football game of the week, then why not do the same for D3 games.
October 22nd, 2007 at 10:27 am
Gordon - Back on Septemeber 24 (after the three non-conference games / pre-MAC), you responded to a question about ranking the Top 3 MAC offenses and defenses. Your responses were as follows:
Top Three MAC Offenses:
1. Albright
2. Lebanon Valley
3. King’s
Top Three MAC Defenses:
1. Wilkes
2. Delaware Valley
3. Lycoming
With four weeks down and three to go, how would you now rank the top three offenses and defenses? Also, with three weeks left, given their remaining schedules (Albright - Leb Valley / @ Widener / Delaware Valley……Widener - Delaware Valley / Albright / @ Wilkes……Delaware Valley - @ Widener / Wilkes / @ Albright), who do you think comes out of the MAC?
My gut…….1. Widener - two home games and away game at “dead” Wilkes. 2. Albright - two home games. 3. Delaware Valley - two away games vs. Widener and Albright.
If the Aggies somehow come out of this as MAC Champs, it would be one awesome accomplishment. I sort of smell a three way tie…….what happens in that case??
October 22nd, 2007 at 6:24 pm
The Aggies have really taken care of business since MAC play begun … granted against the bottom 4 teams … but I like what I see. I agree with Duke … it’ll be one awesome accomplishment if they come out on top. And if I may add my “2 cents” … Aggies have a #1 defense and are pretty close to the #1 offense based on their recent play … but none of that matters except beating Widener this week under the “Friday night lights” … Oh baby!!
October 22nd, 2007 at 10:30 pm
Duke:
My revised rankings would be…
Top Three MAC Offenses
1. Albright: If you told me a team was going to be in a game where they had to put up 30 to win, this is the only MAC team I would feel fairly comfortable picking. Not to say no one else could do it, but this is the one in which I’d have the most confidence.
2. Delaware Valley: Mike Isgro has played very well the past couple weeks. If he continues his strong play, the Aggies have the most balanced attack.
3. Widener: The Pride have some dangerous receivers. The running game may take some time to develop.
Top Three MAC Defenses
1. Widener/Del Val: Widener creates turnovers. Del Val is very balanced. Both teams have held their opponents to less than 50 points in conference. Whoever wins Friday night’s game gets my vote here.
2. Lycoming: Delaware Valley scored 31 points on the Warriors but only one drive was more than 40 yards. Lyco’s defense hasn’t had much help from the offense or special teams. And they are fierce against the run.
3. Albright: The biggest part of the team’s turnaround is the turnaround on defense. Chryst and co. are tough against the pass. Coach Marzka should get a very serious look at Regional Coach of the Year.
As for picking a favorite, I’m not sure I can. Widener has the best schedule and would wrap up the title with back-to-back home wins. Albright has the most explosive offense. Del Val is probably the most balanced across all units, though they get both Albright and Widener on the road.
It should be a lot of fun for MAC fans the last three weeks.
October 22nd, 2007 at 11:23 pm
Great work Gordon… I’d love to see you breakdown the LL, if you follow it…
October 23rd, 2007 at 4:37 am
I officiate football in Texas. There is no horsecollar rule.
UMHB-UWW will be a great game. I would go see it but work comes first this week. I have seen the Cru play 3 times this year and they are for real. I predict UMHB 21 UWW 17.
October 24th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Ha. I knew it!