Column A concerns Pool B
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Around the East is unique in that none of the conferences covered have an automatic bid. The NJAC lost its AQ when New Jersey City dropped football. Our big concern this second half of the season will be the six available NCAA playoff bids in Pool B. There is a small chance that some teams may also qualify in Pool C, under this year’s guidelines. But for now we will concentrate on Pool B candidates.
Two East teams, The College of New Jersey (5-1) and RPI (5-0), should have a lock on a Pool B bid if they win out. TCNJ beat William Paterson 21-0 Friday night. Big games against Montclair State (4-1) on Nov. 1 and at No. 9 Brockport State (6-0) on Nov. 8 stand in the way of the Lions first NCAA playoff action since 1998. Should TCNJ beat Montclair, the Lions will grab the NJAC title. RPI beat Union 33-7 on Saturday. RPI’s roadblocks are against St. John Fisher (4-2) on Nov 1 and Hobart (2-2) on Nov. 15. Should the Engineers remain unscathed, they’ll get in the tourney for the third time in four years.
Three teams, Ithaca (4-1), Montclair State (4-1) and No. 13 Rowan (4-1), are bent but not broken. Ithaca might be in the worst shape of the three. The Bombers got blown out two weeks ago by No. 10 Springfield 51-22. It’s a bad loss, since Springfield only beat Montclair 22-14. Ithaca pounded St. Lawrence 55-13 this week. Ithaca’s potential spoilers are Brockport (6-0) on Saturday and Cortland State (2-3) on Nov. 15. Montclair’s big games are Nov. 1 against No. 20 New Jersey, and No. 13 Rowan on Nov. 15.
The Profs have two major NJAC foes that stand in their way, Cortland this week, and Montclair on Nov 15. Cortland may only be 2-3, but they’ve played teams tough so far, and can be spoilers for either Ithaca or Rowan. Montclair has been winning with tough defense and big plays on offense. If the Red Hawks defeat TCNJ, the NJAC title might be up for grabs in Glassboro on Nov. 15.
Unless the other national Pool B candidates each pick up an extra loss, Hobart (2-2) is out after dropping one to Rochester 17-13. St. John Fisher (4-2) is similarly done after hanging tough but falling to Brockport 38-35.
Da’ Shoes
In the 101st meeting between the two, RPI (5-0) grabbed the Dutchman Shoes Trophy back from Union (2-3) by winning 33-7. It is New York State’s oldest pigskin rivalry. The teams have played for the prize since 1950, with the home team winning every contest since 1996. “There’s something about winning the game and having the trophy presented to us on our home field,” said RPI senior Flynn Cochran in the Troy Record.
Family feud
After 27 years of service on the Montclair State coaching staff, offensive coordinator Charlie Cocuzza took his act 10 minutes Southeast to become the head coach of Kean. Cocuzza was the architect of a Montclair offense that went 191-82-6, with 10 NJAC Championships and seven NCAA postseason appearances. Perhaps Kean knew what was coming, as it shut down the Red Hawks’ offense. The Cougars (1-5) fell 9-0 to Montclair (4-1). The only scores were and opening kickoff return and a safety for the Red Hawks.
Holy terror
St. John Fisher put a scare into No. 9 Brockport. Brockport has won all 14 meetings in the local rivalry, but St. John Fisher's 35 points were the most scored in the series against the Golden Eagles. Senior kicker Mike Laney kicked a 38-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining in regulation to lift No. 12 Brockport State to a 38-35 victory over St. John Fisher at Growney Stadium on Saturday night.
“It was very emotional, both ways,” said Laney in the Democrat and Chronicle. “You had a feeling it was going to come down to something like this.”
Trailing 28-21 entering the fourth quarter, St. John Fisher tied the game on a Craig Fitzpatrick 2-yard run with 9:57 left in the stanza. It capped a seven-play, 40-yard drive that took 2:07. On the ensuing kickoff, Wise, who was subbing on returns for the injured Jeremy Lynch, took the ball at the Brockport 3 and broke open on the left side, outracing two defenders at midfield and racking up a new school record with the return. His 97-yard score, which made it 35-28 Brockport with 9:41 remaining in the fourth, broke the record held by Lynch, who had a 95-yarder in the 2002 season.
St. John Fisher tied it at 35-35 with 1:20 left in the fourth, as James Simboli caught a 28-yard pass from Greg Roland to complete a seven-play, 90-yard drive in just 1:34.
Here a B, there a B
Since each Pool B candidate outside the East take a bid away from our teams, we’ll be keeping an eye on those teams in contention around the nation. Let’s look at the leading candidates.
North
UAA - Case Western Reserve (4-1) has big games against UAA conference opponents Carnegie Mellon (3-2) and Washington University (2-4). The Spartans’ loss is to Wooster.
South
PAC – No. 15 Washington & Jefferson (5-0) has big games against conference opponent Waynesburg (5-1) and HCAC opponent Hanover.
ACFC – Salisbury (4-0) has big games against NJAC opponent Kean (1-5) this Saturday, and ACFC foes Wesley (2-3) and Frostburg (2-2). Salisbury needs to run the table to be considered, barring a rash of losses elsewhere.
East
Independent – No. 9 Brockport has big games against Ithaca (4-1) this Saturday, McDaniel (2-3) and TCNJ (5-1).
West
NWC – No. 3 Linfield (4-0) has big games against NWC rivals Lewis and Clark (3-1) and Willamette (4-2).
Independent – Menlo (4-1) faces Linfield (4-0) and MIAC opponent Concordia-Moorhead (5-1).
Notes
St. John Fisher linebacker Mike Fox ranks fourth nationally with 14.8 tackles per game.
RPI receiver Flynn Cochran is third in Division III with 8.8 receptions per game, while teammate Pat Hughes ranks 12th with 7.6.
Hobart defensive back Jamie Anderson is averaging 1.0 interceptions per game, which is second in the nation.
TCNJ defensive lineman Michael Sikes ranks fourth nationally with 1.8 sacks per game.
Union kicker Cliff Eisenhut continues to lead Division III with nine field goals in five games. Fisher’s Scott VanAlst is tied for second with 10 in six games.
Ithaca defensive back Jon Edgcomb is third nationally in forced fumbles with .8 per game. Rowan lineman Brian Bond is tied for sixth with 0.6.
Games of the Week
No. 9 Brockport (6-0) at Ithaca (4-1), Ithaca, N.Y., 1 p.m.: Lose and Ithaca’s hope for a Pool B is over. Win and they greatly improve their chances while possibly eliminating Brockport from Pool B.
No. 13 Rowan (4-1) at Cortland State (2-3), Cortland, N.Y., 1 p.m.: In 2001, the Red Dragons dropped the Profs 32-31, spoiling a No. 1 playoff seed for Rowan. This year, the Upstaters can bounce the Profs from playoff consideration. The Red Dragons might only be 2-3 but they’ve hung in against some top-ranked competition. Can Tutwiler and friends score more than 14 points? Will the Rowan offense sputter or explode?
Salisbury (4-0) at Kean (1-5), Union, N.J., 2 p.m.: If Kean can “upset” Salisbury, it will eliminate a Pool B contender, which will benefit the E8, NJAC, and UCAA.