Best Performance: (#2) Montana 35, Albany 14 - The Griz get a quality win over one of the top mid-major programs.
Worst Performance: Idaho St. 7, (#25) Eastern Washington 34 - 4 interceptions at home against the EWU defense means the Bengals have big quarterback issues.
Most Surprising Result: Portland St. 17, (FBS) San Diego St. 52 - Viking fans now wonder what they were smoking before the season started.
Southland
TXST 3-38 SDKST WIU 34-13 SFA
UCA 38-42 MIZST
SELA 27-35 TULANE MCNSE 41-20 SUU
AZUSA 28-30 NICH
NConf Record: 2-4 Overall: 12-14
vs. FCS: 1-3 Overall: 4-6
Best Performance: Southeastern Louisiana 27, (FBS) Tulane 35 - Lions' bid for a surprising upset couldn't overcome 305 yards rushing by Matt Forte'.
Worst Performance: Texas St. 3, South Dakota St. 38 - What's with these Southland teams and their baffling inconsistency from week to week?
Most Surprising Result: Nicholls St. 30, (NAIA) Azusa Pacific 28 - The Colonels blow a 20-point 4th. quarter lead to an NAIA team, but still manage to pull it out at the end.
Gateway
UNI 45-7 DRAKE
UCA 38-42 MIZST
ILST 17-MIZ 38 WIU 34-13 SFA
APB 3-58 SIU EIU 54-20 INDST
LHAVEN 3-35-YSU
NConf Record: 5-2 Overall: 19-9
vs. FCS: 4-1 Overall: 12-4
Best Performance: (#4) Northern Iowa 45, Drake 7 - Panthers literally run all over the team that upset Illinois State.
Worst Performance: Indiana St. 20, (#20) Eastern Illinois 54 - The Sycamores nearly get tripled in offensive yardage.
Most Surprising Result: (#19) Western Illinois 34, Stephen F. Austin 13 - A Leathernecks win here wasn't surprising, but a dominating second half means they may be back to their late 90's/early 2000's form.
Ohio Valley
EIU 54-20 INDST EKU 31-20 JAXST
SEMO 21-26 SAM
TSU 34-41 SU
MUR 24-48 TTU
UTM 14-17 AP
NConf Record: 1-1 Overall: 13-15
vs. FCS: 1-1 Overall: 5-3
Best Performance: Austin Peay 17, Tennessee-Martin 14 - The Governors overcome a 14-0 deficit & beat the defending OVC champs.
Worst Performance: Murray St. 24, Tennessee Tech 48 - Racers outscored 34-10 in the middle quarters.
Most Surprising Result: Samford 26, Southeast Missouri St. 21 - There weren't any real surprises this week, but this was the only OVC game I picked incorrectly.
Best Performance: (#13) Wofford 42, (#1) Appalachian St. 31 - The Terriers take advantage of App's mediocre run defense as they slay the giant slayers.
Worst Performance: Georgia Southern 38, Tennessee-Chattanooga 45 (OT) - 4 turnovers will cost you, even when you're playing a weak team & even when your QB rushes for over 200 yards.
Most Surprising Result: Georgia Southern 38, Tennessee-Chattanooga 45 (OT) - The Eagles' return to prominence will have to wait at least a year.
NE 10-28 UCD
WOU 17-24 CPOLY MCNSE 41-20 SUU NDSU 44-14 CMU
TXST 3-38 SDKST
NConf Record: 4-1 Overall: 8-11
vs. FCS: 2-1 Overall: 6-8
Best Performance: (#5) North Dakota St. 44, (FBS) Central Michigan 14 - Bison destroy the defending MAC champions.
Worst Performance: (#24) Cal Poly 24, (DII) Western Oregon 17 - The Mustangs struggle against a DII.
Most Surprising Result: (#5) North Dakota St. 44, (FBS) Central Michigan 14 - Central Michigan hadn't looked good this year, but I don't think anyone expected a blowout from the Bison, especially after their narrow wins over Southland teams.
Ivy League
PENN 14-34 NOVA
MARIST 7-31 COLUM
DART 31-52 UNH
BROWN 17-24 HARV
COR 12-51 YALE PRINCE 20-14 LAF
NConf Record: 2-2 Overall: 5-7
vs. FCS: 2-2 Overall: 5-7
Best Performance: (#21) Yale 51, Cornell 12 - For some reason, the Bulldogs dropped a spot in the poll after demolishing an Ivy contender.
Worst Performance: Cornell 12, (#21) Yale 51 - This realistically ends the Big Red's chances of winning the Ivy this year.
Most Surprising Result: (#21) Yale 51, Cornell 12 - This game was supposed to be close, wasn't it?
Best Performance: Gardner-Webb 15, (FBS) Mississippi St. 31 - Bulldogs the only Big South team not to get blown out this week, & they played an SEC team.
Worst Performance: Liberty 14, Elon 42 - Liberty proves they are definitely not the best team with a fire-themed nickname.
Most Surprising Result: Liberty 14, Elon 42 - The Flames had a great chance to prove themselves & totally blew it.
Best Performance: Grambling 31, (#23) Alabama A&M 6 - The Tigers hold Alabama A&M to 147 yards.
Worst Performance: Mississippi Valley St. 16, Jackson St. 50 - Delta Devils can't even force a punt against a team that hadn't shown much offense before this game.
Most Surprising Result: Grambling 31, (#23) Alabama A&M 6 - The Bulldogs looked like the clear conference favorites, but after this, it seems impossible to predict the SWAC.
Best Performance: Stony Brook 21, Monmouth 15 - The Seawolves would have had a chance at an NEC title this year if they hadn't left.
Worst Performance: Presbyterian 20, Western Carolina 33 - Blue Hose can't even get their first DI win against the worst team in the SoCon.
Most Surprising Result: Presbyterian 20, Western Carolina 33 - This might have been Presbyterian's best chance for a DI win this year, but VMI is still waiting on the schedule.
Pioneer League
UNI 45-7 DRAKE VALPO 21-13 MARIAN
MIZROL 21-28 BUT DAY 31-24 FORD
UNCPEM 10-55 JVILLE RM 9-8 MHEAD
NConf Record: 4-2 Overall: 22-6
vs. FCS: 1-2 Overall: 6-4
Best Performance: Dayton 31, Fordham 24 - Any Pioneer win at a Patriot League team is good, even if the Flyers almost blew it in the 4th. quarter.
Worst Performance: Valparaiso 21, (NAIA) Marian (IN) 13 - I guess the Crusaders will take any win they can get, even if it's a close win over a weak NAIA team.
Most Surprising Result: Drake 7, (#4) Northern Iowa 45 - The Bulldogs weren't expected to get 2 Gateway wins in one season, but they should have at least put up a fight.
Best Performance: Albany 14, (#2) Montana 35 - The Great Danes looked competitive in Missoula, unlike 5 years ago.
Worst Performance: Sacred Heart 23, Duquesne 30 (OT) - Not that bad of a loss, but they were the only NEC team to lose at home this week.
Most Surprising Result: Central Connecticut St. 14, (FBS) Western Michigan 51 - Not a surprising result, but since when do NS mid-majors play FBS teams?
One note, the teams of the NEC are no longer "non-scholarship". The NEC allows teams to offer up to 30 athletic scholarships. Now, trying to figure out which teams are at 30 and which are some level below that is tricky at best. Much like the aid level in the Patriot League, the aid level in the NEC on a per team basis is one of the best kept secrets in college football.
Regardless, CCSU would not be a "counter" for Western Michigan, ( FCS schools have to offer 90% of the maximum scholarship level to be counters, ( 90% of 63 = 57 scholarships to be a counter )). Pretty impressive that CCSU landed the WM game!
One note, the teams of the NEC are no longer "non-scholarship". The NEC allows teams to offer up to 30 athletic scholarships. Now, trying to figure out which teams are at 30 and which are some level below that is tricky at best. Much like the aid level in the Patriot League, the aid level in the NEC on a per team basis is one of the best kept secrets in college football.
Regardless, CCSU would not be a "counter" for Western Michigan, ( FCS schools have to offer 90% of the maximum scholarship level to be counters, ( 90% of 63 = 57 scholarships to be a counter )). Pretty impressive that CCSU landed the WM game!
Thanks!
I usually think of "non-scholarship mid-major" teams as those who reside in the Pioneer League, NEC, or MAAC. With the MAAC's upcoming demise (in football) & the NEC's scholarship push, it seems we'll have to do away with that designation in a year or two, however.
