Rob Weiss, FCS Update:
The CAA has come out strong. So strong that the top teams in the conference have a combined four FBS wins. Those teams have also combined for a 15-0 record and are receiving at least one vote in one of the three major polls.
This week is the first chance we have to start sorting things out at the top.
Saturday at 3:30pm EST, William and Marywill take the field at Villanova Stadium against the Wildcats.
William and Mary comes into the game with quite the resume. The Tribe opened the season with a big 26-14 win over in-state FBS rival, Virginia. They have followed that up with three straight FCS wins, including a win over Delaware. Although Delaware isn’t “back”, they appear to be much improved from last year’s miserable 4-8 campaign.
Villanova has continued last year’s success that took them to the quarterfinals in the FCS playoffs. They have rattled off four straight wins, including a last second win over crosstown FBS rival Temple in a game that was played at the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lincoln Financial Field.
Both teams come into the game 1-0 in the CAA. The only team with a better record in the CAA is Richmond at 2-0. Richmond has a bye this week.
The big debate in the Northeast is: Should the winner of the Villanova-William and Mary clash overtake Richmond as the number one team in FCS football?
In this writers opinion, yes. Those of you who have read my previous article about the polls have seen my thought process on the polls. I don’t care who last year’s champion was. I am voting for the best teams in 2009. I think that an argument can be made for five or six teams to be number one, but the winner of this game will have the most quality wins of any of the teams involved. No one else would have a FBS win and FCS Top 5 win.
Villanova follows up this game by heading to New Hampshire and James Madison. William and Mary plays Northeastern, has a bye week, and then has James Madison at home.
In the end, everything will be sorted out. Most of the top CAA teams face each other this year with a few exceptions. William and Mary and Villanova avoid Massachusetts, while New Hampshire dodges Richmond and James Madison.