This Friday night we venture to our first game ever at our new adopted FBS Tennessee team for the first of two games for Week Five.  At Red Floyd Stadium in nearby Murfreesboro, The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (3-1) host UT San Antonio (2-2), a pre-season favorite to win ConferenceUSA.  Fresh off their 45-31 victory over No. 25 Miami last week, the Blue Raiders seem to be recovering from their opening day decimation at James Madison.  HC Rick Stockstill’s team seems ready to challenge UTSA for this year’s conference title.  The UTSA Road Runners played Texas tight through three quarters in Austin before a Longhorn pick-six turned things around to lose, 41-20.

Reflections of one another on offense

    Looking at both teams’ starts, this looks to be another very competitive game on our slate. The two teams mirror one another regarding their stats in four games heading into Week Five. MTSU QB Chase Cunningham returned from a season-ending injury in 2021, and has started all four games passing for 1,000 yards, seven TDs, and three INTs.  Between his two favorite targets, WR Jaylin Hall leads in yardage with 231 on 11 catches, but Isaiah Gathings has 24 snags for 175 yards. With only one TD between the two, RB Frank Peasant leads all Raiders in scoring on 292 rushing yards for six TDs.  The Blue Raiders average 33.8 ppg. 

 On defense, S Teldrick Ross leads all tacklers with 34 in total, but DT Marley Cook and DE Jordan Ferguson lead in sacks with 3.5 and 3.0 respectively. MTSU amassed sixteen sacks and tallied six INTs heading into Week Five.

   As for UTSA, QB Frank Harris returned this season to complete 140 passes for 1,310 yards, ten TDs, and only two INTS. Against FCS Texas Southern, he completed 20 passing for 392 yards and four TDs.  With that, he set the record for UTSA with 52 career TD passes. De’Corean Clark, his favorite receiver gathered in a school record of 217 yards in a game and three TDs.  His numbers put him in the team lead for the season with 27 receptions, 417 yards and six TDs. WR Joshua Cephus is pretty effective too with 412 yards and two TDs.   RB Brendan Brady leads the Road Runners with 206 yards and three TDs. Harris runs when necessary to the tune of 162 and two TDs thus far. On offense, they average 37.0 ppg. 

Where we see the edge

   Heading into Week Five, S Cliff Chattam and LB Jamal Ligon both lead UTSA in tackles with 28 each.  However, the Road Runner defense does not matchup to the pressure and coverage the Blue Raiders bring.  Regarding sacks and INTs, their numbers fall short of the Blue Raiders at six and two respectively.  Both teams shellacked their FCS competitors this season. MTSU defeated Eddie George’s Tennessee State Tigers, 49-6.   We look for the Blue Raiders defense at home to keep the pressure up against HC Jeff Traylor’s Road Runners to win by more than a touchdown.  Of course, we expect to see the final score decided as we like to in all our games, in the final period!  

“Saturday night’s the night for fighting”

   In the second of our two games for Week Five, we expected to see a bit of grudge match in this one.  With less than two weeks before Western Kentucky’s opener versus Austin Peay, first-year transfer, grad student, QB Jarret Doege decided to transfer again. Having started at West Virginia the last two years after leaving Bowling Green, we’re not sure where he stood within WKU’s QB pecking order.  QB Austin Reed, a former D-2 QB for national champ West Florida seems to be in control there with 1,263 passing yards and 14 TDs for the 3-1 Hilltoppers. 

We anticipated Doege went to Troy because there might have been a better opportunity to start awaiting him.  So, we figured the Hilltopper defense would be going after him with their ears pinned back this Saturday.  Well unless Junior QB Gunnar Watson goes down for the Trojans, Doege will spend most of his time on the bench as he’s only thrown 12 passes going into Week Five for Troy. 

Brand new world for coaching decisions

     Maybe Doege’s not as good as he thinks he is.  Watson has completed 95 of 143 passes for 1,249 yards and five TDs and five INTs.  Or, maybe first-year HC Jon Sumrail decided to bank on developing his younger QB in hopes he’ll have him at Troy for two years.  Coaches have to think like this now with the transfer portal always looming.  If Sumrail started Doege this year, Watson could decide the heck with Troy, I’ll transfer and take my two years’ someplace else.  It’s the reality of the college football world now, especially with QBs.  QBs may want to realize what a coach’s dilemma might be before they decide to flip teams again.

WKU (4-1) heading into Week Five against Troy (2-2)

      Hilltopper QB Austin Reed looks for Daewood Davis on the receiving end most of the time with 24 receptions for 324 yards and three TDs. Reed spreads the ball around to four other receivers on his team, all with over 100 yards of catches.  Among them, Malachi Corley captured five for scores.  RB Kye Robichaux leads in rushing with 265 yards and a TD.  The offense plays formidably averaging 508.8 ypg. and 47.5 ppg. LB JaQues Evans leads the defense with 28 tackles and 3.5 sacks. DBs Kaleb Oliver and Upton Stout each recorded two picks each heading into Week Five.  WKU whipped Florida International (1-2) in their Conference USA debut last week, 73-0. Ho-hum, FIU finished 1-11 last year.

       For Troy of the Sun Belt, Watson targets WR Jabre Barber and TE Tez Johnson as his prime receivers.  RBs DK Billingsley and Kuman Vidal share rushing duties with 162 and 149 yards respectively.  LB Carlton Marshall leads the Trojans with 33 stops. The Trojans only average 23 ppg.  With their 16-7 win over Marshall last week, their only TD came as a result of a 23-yard fumble return by Buddha Jones along with Brooks Buce’s three field goals. The Trojans average only 66 rushing yards per game.

        Despite the Trojans allowing only 21 ppg, the more formidable teams Ole Miss and Appy State with their last-second score upped that average.  We look for the Hilltoppers to negate the Troy running game and apply the pressure on Watson.  With superior offensive firepower and their only loss on the road to Indiana, 33-31, we look for Western Kentucky to add win number four by more than two TDs.  This game at Houchens Industries-LT Smith Stadium will be decided in the third period as Reed should have a big day.

Penn State long-term QB strategy

     Penn State fans clamor to see more playing time for five-star frosh QB Drew Allar.  The thinking at State College right now is that Sean Clifford’s experience in his sixth year continues to help the Nittany Lions.  However, some plan has to go into the future when Clifford’s gone after graduation, or even if he unexpectedly goes down again to injury this season.  Allar has played in all four games this season, and a fifth game negates any red-shirting.  However, HC James Franklin needs to weigh his options figuring Allar is his QB of the future.

    Playing the 1-3 Northwestern Wildcats this weekend may offer Franklin the opportunity he needs.  If the Nittany Lions can gain a substantial lead at Beaver Stadium, it may be timely to keep Clifford healthy and get Allar some considerable playing time. Again, with the transfer portals, a coach has to be sensitive to players’ options.  Consider Will Levis leaving PSU for Kentucky a couple of years ago when Clifford won the job.  Levis will be one of the top QBs in next year’s NFL draft. 

You never know.  It’s a tough call for many coaches now-a-days.  You need to keep your options open.  You want to win now, but you have to have a QB ready to step in for the unexpected as well as for the longer-term success of your program.  Check out Allar’s stats Sunday if he gets to play more than he usually does this Saturday.  The 6’5” QB possesses a strong arm.

Nick Saban’s definition of a challenge

    With the annihilation Alabama delivered to Vanderbilt last Saturday, 55-3, at Bryant-Denny Stadium, here’s what Christopher Walsh of Bama Central on FanNation reported.  With Bama’s roster of five-star recruits from throughout the US outgaining Vanderbilt (a misleading 3-2) who has totaled four winning seasons in the last 40 years, 628 yards to 123, this is what the “greatest coach of all-time” had to say: “The challenges are greater, as we go, so we have to continue to focus on moving forward and improving.”  Give college football a break!  He calls any game Bama played this year besides the Texas game a “challenge”?  Nick Saban evidently lives in a different world.

     He doesn’t know a challenge until he laments losing in a national championship to a team that can recruit as well as he does.  When rosters play similar levels of talent (like when he coached in the pros), success comes down to coaching capabilities. Losses to Clemson twice (Swinney), Georgia (Smart), LSU (Orgeron), Ohio State (Meyer), Oklahoma (Stoops), and Utah (Meyer) in key games have proven that.  He builds his records beating “challenges” he schedules like Mercer, Southern Miss, New Mexico State, Utah State, and ULM the last two years. 

He must be quaking in his boots anticipating FCS Austin Peay coming to town in November.    Feel bad for him. He’s got to focus on the Govs before Auburn comes to town.  Of all the SEC teams, the Tigers offer him his toughest “challenge” as he’s 10-5 against them.  APSU could be a distraction for Saban this year. Hopefully, he’ll be up for that challenge.

Austin Peay jumps up in FCS, but a major obstacle lies ahead

    With last week’s win we witnessed over No. 20 Eastern Kentucky, the APSU Governors jumped up in the FCS poll from No. 23 to No. 16. Aside from finishing their season at Alabama for a monetary donation on November 19, the Govs most difficult challenge shows up at Fortera Stadium on October 29 when Jacksonville State (4-1) comes calling.  These Gamecocks will be stepping up to Conference USA next season along with Liberty, Sam Houston State (also FCS), and New Mexico State.  Because of their pending move to the FBS, FCS schools such as Jacksonville State and Sam Houston aren’t ranked in the 2022 poll.  However, the Gamecocks can play for the ASUN championship. The best way for APSU to figure into the FCS championship will be to win on October 29. 

Juniata, Alma Mater Dear

     In 1973, Juniata played in the first D-3 national championship Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, but regretfully lost badly to Wittenberg.  Still, our team defeated Bridgeport University in the semi-final and set a standard for future teams to exceed.  The team’s late, great Head Coach Walt Nadzak eventually became Head Coach at UConn and AD at The Citadel.  Our football legacy goes back to having the late, great NFL Coach Chuck Knox graduating from JC. The college’s football stadium now bears his name.  In 1956, the then once-proud Juniata Indians (now Eagles) played in the Tangerine Bowl (now the Citrus Bowl) to a 6-6 tie with Missouri Valley in front of 10,000 fans.  In the 70’s through about 2005, the program competed successfully in the Middle Atlantic Conference.  The Indians even knocked off a couple of D-2 schools, California State of Pennsylvania and Indiana University of Pennsylvania, back in the 70s.

Adapting to standards

       The admin decided around 2005 with academics becoming more competitive, they joined the Centennial Conference to play teams with similar standards. New competitors included Dickinson, Franklin and Marshall, and powerhouse John Hopkins.  Some also came over from the former MAC who Juniata always competed well with: Gettysburg, Moravian, Ursinus, and archrival Susquehanna.  Don’t know if their academic standards changed more than Juniata’s, but it doesn’t make sense that JC cannot compete on the football field with these schools that it used to.

      Despite the hiring of a good assistant coach from a great D-3 program, Josh Carter of Muhlenberg, it seems that the college has de-emphasized the game of football.  They don’t seem to provide the support and enthusiasm needed in finding players that can qualify academically, but who can also play football as well.  As bad as team records have fallen in recent years, the Eagles are really being demolished this season.  Classmates text the final score.  Frankly, it’s become embarrassing. 

Why such a decline?

     JC has a tremendous pre-med program. So does Johns Hopkins. They probably may have much greater financial support than any other Centennial team, but a 70-0 loss to another bunch of pre-med students?  Grove City, a non-conference game, 63-6 in the opener?  Gettysburg floundered to 0-3 into Week Four until they bested (or busted?) Alma Mater, 40-14.  Ahead lies Moravian in Week Five who only beat G-burg so far. Ursinus awaits at 3-1 with its loss to Johns Hopkins by only seven.  Rival Susquehanna rolls along at 4-0.  These were teams the old Juniata never took a back-seat to, but evidently times have changed on College Hill in Huntingdon, PA.

Common business practice: Review models of success 

   Hopefully, the current administration wakes up to the fact that to the general public, having success being competitive on the football field, reflects on how well the rest of the school is performing. It may not be true, but perceptions as a winner against other schools on the playing field with equivalent academic standards bodes well for the overall image of the institution.  For a school population of 1,269 in the 70s, probably about twenty percent of the male students (about 60% of the student M/W ratio) recruited played football for at least one year. It would be nice to see the college look at that model again, but JC should also expand the recruiting footprint now well beyond Pennsylvania.  Check recruiting models of the other successful schools in the conference to start.

Other teams on our 2022 schedule from Week four to Week Five

     The other “Alma Mater” posted its first win as Navy defeated East Carolina in OT, 23-20. Mids vie for Commander-in-Chief Trophy Saturday at 3-1 Air Force.  Army still possesses Trophy having defeated both Navy and Air Force in 2020 before three-way tie last season. No. 1 UGA struggled with Nick Saban’s Alma Mater Kent State 39-22 with the Golden Flashes taking home $1.9M to add to its coffers.  No. 2 Bama didn’t have to spend that much hosting Vandy for a 55-3 win since the “challenge” came from a fellow SEC institution.  However, they bought lop-sided wins from Utah State and ULM for about the same price Georgia shelled out to Kent. Nick Saban will find Bama in a real challenge this week when they visit the wounded, No. 20 Arkansas Razorbacks (3-1).  Arkansas returns from Texas A&M defeated, 23-21. Nothing meaner than a wounded wart hog, we hear.  

Other Top 25s plus

   Ohio State at No. 3 conquered Wisconsin, 52-21.  OSU entertains Rutgers Saturday, and we do mean “entertain”.   No. 5 Clemson needed two OTs to put away No. 22 Wake Forest on the road, 51-45.  The Tigers luck might run out when No. 10 NC State comes calling on Saturday.  Wake visits No.  23 Florida State (4-0) this weekend for a battle to determine who stays in the Top 25.  No. 7 Kentucky did in Northern Illinois, 31-23.  They’re visiting No. 13 Ole Miss next to The Grove this weekend, a tailgate venue with fond memories for many college football fans.

 No. 11 Penn State hosts Northwestern (1-3) as already mentioned after defeating Central Michigan, 33-10.  Miami (O) edged NW last week, 17-14.  Baylor ranked No. 16 defeated Iowa State in Des Moines last week, 31-24.  Oklahoma State (3-0) travels to Waco for their first road game to threaten the Bears Big 12 2022 aspirations.  Kansas (4-0,1-0) lies at No. 26 with 125 votes waiting for 3-1 Iowa State to show up in Lawrence.

Our other 2022 teams in action

      Auburn (3-1, 1-0) fans will at least plan to attend the LSU (3-1, 1-0) game this weekend after getting by Mizzou, 17-14.  James Madison (3-0) continues its winning ways from the FCS as it defeated tough Appalachian State, 32-28, in a Sun Belt East Game. The Dukes host SB West team Texas State (2-2) next who they should handle in their first meeting ever.  The Bobcats come off a 34-0 win over FCS Houston Christian. We see JMU meet Louisville on November 5.  The Cardinals stand at 2-2 entering Week Five heading to 1-3 Boston College. HC Jeff Hafley is not making BC Eagle fans too happy. Just so happens that we see Louisville play on consecutive weekends. After we see them play JMU as an FBS member for the first time, we follow them to Clemson the following week for our first visit ever to Clemson Memorial Stadium. 

   In other action among our 2022 slate of teams, Ohio U. beat FCS Fordham in a high-scoring affair, 59-52. Texas Tech knocked off Texas, 37-34.  Houston (2-2) beat Rice, 34-27. Georgia Southern defeated Ball State, 34-23. Purdue evened out its record to 2-2 with a close win over Florida Atlantic, 28-26, and South Carolina who we will see at Kentucky on October 8, defeated Charlotte, 56-20. 

Other game of interest to us   

    No. 4 Michigan finally played a team they didn’t have to pay to visit Ann Arbor and only defeated Big Ten East foe Maryland, 34-27. Golly! At Iowa this week. Uh oh! The 3-1 Hawkeyes have only allowed 23 points in four games. The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame got some offense going and beat the UNC Tar Heels, 45-32. Now 2-2, they have bye week before clashing with BYU in Vegas.  Central Florida did Georgia Tech a favor defeating them 27-10 to get Geoff Collins fired. With a 10-28 record at Tech after putting Temple into a tailspin, he never should have been a HC. 

New Mexico State jumped from 131 to 122 with a win over 0-4 Hawaii. However, the Rainbow Warriors didn’t take over the lowest rank. With its loss to FCS Sacramento State, the honor fell to 0-4 Colorado State. Kansas State upended former No. 6 Oklahoma, 41-34, to climb in at No. 25. The Sooners fell to No. 18.  Does that ever make any sense? Same records.  Anyway, with Kansas at 4-0, the state of Kansas in the FBS is 7-1.   The Wildcats and Jayhawks will meet appropriately for their season finales on November 26.  That game may actually have some meaning this year.  We hope so!

Ed. by Steve Koreivo, Author of Tales from the Tailgate: from the fan who’s seen ‘em all!  Please link on the Title or picture of our cover on the top right sidebar on this or any other page you may peruse to buy your copy and submit a review.  Many purchases may help to turn around Alma Mater’s declining football program.  Please help.  Thanks!