I know its been a while….
Well many people may not know, but I am an avid sports fan. This season I have been following D2 football. It may not be as glamorous as D1, but hey its still football and fans at these schools love it. My own team UNCP in its second season in existence went 9-1 and a few of the Braves play should win postseason awards from D2football.com Indy award and the ICAA. But now back to the real reason why I have this posted. I am going to predict the first round of the playoffs lets see how I do.
Thoughts and Projections about this year’s D2 football playoffs:
I think the winner of the NC will come out of the bottom half of the region. There are two monsters lurking towards a potential shootout. That’s right UNA against ACU, but I am not so sure it could go that way. But here it goes. I am going to predict this weeks winners and the scores of these games. I would like to officially start a NC pickem.
So here we go.
Starting at the top of the bracket.
Seton Hill rolls into AIC and the Yellow Jackets pick up a tough home win, against the WVIAC representative. 28-23
The Owls of SoCu come into the game against West Chester (losers of the PSAC championship) and are upset at home. The Owls are riding high after they beat the Yellow Jackets last week and are looking to take that momentum into a game that will be decided in the last few minutes. Owls 23-20
Chadron State takes care of business at home, but it will be a tough game against a Wayne State team that hasn’t lost since Sept. 20, but the Eagles haven’t lost since a Week 2 loss against Pitt State. Eagles 28-24
Ashland does want to get caught looking ahead to possible rematch against GVSU and must take care of business at home against the Bulls of Minnesota State whose last loss was on October 4 at Augustana. I see Ashland winning another close one to set up a rematch against the Lakers, but its going to be a shootout. 45-42
Now down to the other half of the bracket.
Carson-Newman backed its way into the playoffs this year, and should be really thankful that the NCAA moved the CIAA into Super Region 1 or the FSU Broncos could have been playing this game. But anyway I do not see the defending national champions to lose to a defense that has been beat up two consecutive weeks by Wingate’s J.D. Moore and TC’s Corey Russell. Valdosta wins a shootout 45-42
The next game is an intriguing matchup that has Tusculum playing its third straight elimination game. They had to beat three straight opponents just to be to qualify for the postseason, but they are playing at home and Russell is playing is heart out. I pick the Pioneers over the Rams with Russell passing for 300 yards and 4 TDs. 38-24
The next game features Pitt St. against Nebraska-Omaha. I suspect the Jungle will be rocking as the Gorillas look to set up a revenge game against NWMS, but the Gorilla faithful don’t need to overlook UNO because they only beat them by a touchdown earlier this year, but I fear that the crowd and the team will send them home packing with a game that wont be as close as the final score will dictate. 38-27
Now here is the most interesting game I believe of the opening week. The Wildcats of Central Washington come into this game only losing game and that was on the road against FCS Montana ( who frequently makes the FCS playoffs) and only lost by one score. West Texas has only lost one game this year and that was to the #1 team in the region ACU. This game I fear could come down to simply who has the ball last, but I think that the Wildcats could come away with the victory based on their early season trip to Montana and that atmosphere. Wildcats run the red-zone drill to perfection and win 42-41.
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