Collegefootballfan.com previews games 560-564

Let’s get this tailgate party season started!

Game 560 on August 30, New Hampshire at Maine, Orono, Maine:

This will be our first college football undertaking ever in Maine where we will start our 40th season of this wonderful, crazy, fun, unique adventure.  The UNH Wildcats will be shooting for their 15th straight FCS playoff bid this season coming off a 9-3,5-3 (CAA)  record a year ago.  QB Trevor Knight returns with 26 TD passes and 3,433 yards a season ago.  Neil O’Connor returns as his favorite WR amassing 97 receptions for 1,396 yards.  Lindy’s Sports selected him on their first team preseason FCS team.  Lindy’s rates the Wildcats at No. 6 overall in 2018 and Street and Smith’s has them pegged at No. 12.  The Black Bears, 4-6,3-5 last season will counter mostly with experienced defense.  The Bears have a formidable linebacking corps and DL Kayon Whitaker wrangled 8.5 sacks in 2018.  O’Connor will be challenged by CB Manny Patterson who led the CAA with 17 pass break-ups. On Manny! Offensively, the Bears lost their leading rusher Josh Mack who transferred up to the newest addition to the FBS, Liberty.  Soph QB Chris Ferguson will have to step it up for Maine.  Last season the Cats pulled this one out, 24-23.  Looking for another good one in this far north New England rivalry. CFF.com history:  Maine 1-0, UNH 2-2

Game 561 on August 31, Western New England at Springfield, Springfield, MA:

We see two D-3 playoff teams from a year ago clash in what is becoming a bitter cross-town rivalry.  The Springfield Pride finished 10-1,7-0 in the NEWMAC last year winning the championship before dropping a close one to Husson of Maine, 23-21, in the first round.  The Pride is rated at No. 7 in D-3 by Lindy’s and at No. 21 by Street and Smith’s in their respective preseason polls.  Defense is the name of the game for Springfield.  DE Nick Giorgio is a D-3 first-teamer for Lindy’s after ranking second overall in tackles for loss nationally last year. The Golden Bears finished 8-3, 5-0 (Commonwealth Coastal Conf) as conference champs before a drubbing by Delaware Valley in the first round. Junior RB Peter Hoff returns as last season’s leading rusher in their run-oriented attack as they break in a new QB to take over for graduated Anthony Service.   In last season’s opener, these Bears totaled the most points in the regular season against the Pride in a 35-21 loss. Springfield returns more experience, but expect the Golden Bears to know what they are up against.  They took the three previous meetings between the two before last season.  We see a true D-3 rivalry in this one to start  our season.  CFF.com history:  Springfield 1-0, WNE – first time.

Game 562 on September 1, UMass at Boston College at Chestnut Hill, MA:

UMass Minutemen optimism persists as they finished off last season winning four of their last six games for a 4-8 record as an Independent. Four of their losses were within a TD.  HC Mark Whipple received a contract extension.  Senior QB Andrew Ford returns six of its top seven receivers after completing 63% of his passes in 2017, the O-line basically stays intact, and top RB Marquis Young returns to the fold.  Defensively, their secondary can impress with Isaiah Rodgers and Lee Moses at the corners, but up front they will be plugging in some gaps which may make them better.  For Boston College coming off a 7-6, 4-4 ACC season, optimism also prevails with the return of Soph RB A.J. Dillon who returns after gaining 1,589 yards. He will carry the workload once again for the Purple Eagles. Last season he carried the ball 211 times during their last 300 rushes.  QB Anthony Brown steps back in  at QB after recovering from a knee injury.  Look for TE Tommy Sweeney to be an effective target after hauling in 36 passes last season.  Defensively they will be tough and physical as that is the rep HC Steve Addazzio wants to build upon.  LB Connor Strachan returns after sitting out last season with an injury and having some experienced returnees along side him.  Stalwart Zach Allen leads at DE and Safety Lukas Denis led the nation in INTs last season.  The Eagles have defeated the Minutemen twice since they joined the FBS. We expect the same result, but UMass probably has a little more fire power entering the season to hang in for a while here.  CFF.com history: BC 7-7, UMass 0-3 (FBS only).

 

Game 563 on September 8, Memphis at Navy, Annapolis, MD:

This early season AAC West clash has significant bearing on the division championship.  The Memphis Tigers come back after a 10-3,7-1 division-winning title with all key components but former QB Riley Ferguson back.  As they develop his replacement, they will find themselves relying on RB Darrell Henderson for more than his 1,154 yards and nine TDs a year ago. Defensively  year ago, they gave up a lot of yards on the ground.  Navy will take advantage and control the football if the Tigers don’t find a passing game quickly.  Memphis got by the Mids last year, 30-27, with Riley picking apart the slow Navy secondary. Navy QB Malcolm Perry took over for Zach Abey late last season and rushed for 646 yards and seven TDs including two for over 90 yards.  HC Ken Niumatalolo has two QBs to run the triple option for the long haul and for the short yardage situation with Abey taking over near the goal line.  FB Anhony Gargiulo will be the battering ram up the middle to give the Mid a tough physical presence in the running game.  Defensively, the Mids have to learn to stop the pass more effectively and will rely on S Sean Williams to be a ball hawk and OLBs Hudson Sullivan and Nizaire Cromartie to step up pressure in their 3-4 defense to limit the passing yards.  The Brigade of Midshipman will be fired up for this home opener.  This will be a good one with the winner looking good to advance to the title game early on as long as they don’t let down.  Cff.com history: Navy 36-37, Memphis 1-0.

Game 564 on September 15, Lehigh at Navy, Annapolis, MD:

Navy hosts Lehigh as its traditional Patriot League football foe as it’s done in the past against Colgate, Fordham, and Holy Cross, schools it competes with in its other major varsity sports programs.  Lehigh won the Patriot last season with a 5-7, 5-1 record to gain an automatic FCS bid before taking it on the chin from Stony Brook in the opening round.  The Mountain Hawks return RB Dominick Bragalone who led the FCS in rushing last season with 1,388 yards and 22 TDs. He is a preseason Lindy’s All American selection.  The year before last, we saw a similar scenario when Fordham came to Annapolis with record-setting FCS RB Chase Edmonds.  The Rams were no match for the Mids as Navy won, 52-14.  We plan to see Navy’s triple-option bewilder the Lehigh defense and for the Lehigh offense to be no match against the Mids. The result should be similar.   It will be a pleasant weekend in Annapolis for tailgating and heading downtown before and after the game. Cff.com history: Navy 36-37, Lehigh 16-7.