Saturday Thoughts

The Missouri Valley Football Conference picked up some more wins over the weekend in non-conference play--the only teams that lost were Northern Iowa and Missouri State. The wins this week were closer than last week; both Youngstown State and Indiana State struggled putting away weaker FCS opponents. The most surprising game, in my opinion, was Southern Illinois. Although, that must have not been too surprising to some considering the Salukis were receiving votes in the AnyGivenSaturday.com top 25 poll, even before the weekend, when they were sitting at 0-2.

Illinois State QB, Matt Brown (Photo: Steve Smedley)

Illinois State 54, Eastern Illinois 51

Instant classic in Normal over the weekend. Eastern Illinois is a pretty solid team from the Ohio Valley Conference and played Illinois State through two overtimes. The Redbirds final scoring strike was a 25 yard touchdown pass from Matt Brown to Tyrone Walker to end the game. Matt Brown passed for 473 yards--a career best--in a thriller. Illinois State is well on its way to playoff eligibility and should pick up another win next week against Western Illinois.

Indiana State 27, Drake 10

This game was tied 10-10 at halftime, however, the Sycs dominanted the second half and pulled away. Shakir Bell ran for 349 yards and 2 touchdowns. I was high on Mike Perish last week, but this week he was less than spectacular throwing for only 94 yards with 1 TD and an interception. Drake's quarterback Michael Piatkowski out-performed Perish throwing for 329 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT. In the end, Indiana State controlled the second half and did what they needed to do to pull of a nice win against a pretty good Drake football team.

South Dakota State RB, Zach Zenner
(Photo: The Collegian/Aaron Stoneberger)

South Dakota State 12, UC Davis 8

Ugly game up in Brookings over the weekend, however, South Dakota State's defense is once again proving that it belongs as they shut-out the UC Davis offense. The Aggies only points came from a pick-six (something that apparently is still plaguing the Jackrabbits) and was capped off with a two-point conversion. On a good note, running back Zach Zenner hasn't missed a beat. He ran for 193 yards and two touchdowns yesterday. The Jackrabbits will need to start strong and finish drives if they are going to knock off the Sycamores in Terre Haute next weekend.

Iowa 27, Northern Iowa 16

Northern Iowa played great against Big Ten competition again. However, they now sit at 1-2 and can't risk losing many more games if they want to be playoff eligible. Sawyer Kollmorgen played okay, but not as well as in the past. Northern Iowa just couldn't punch the ball into the endzone to finish off drives. They also couldn't stop the run--Iowa running back Mark Weisman ran for 111 yards and three touchdowns--and the Panthers couldn't run. Northern Iowa was held to 94 total rushing yards. Next week Northern Iowa returns to some normal, yet hard, competition as they face conference foe Youngstown State in a huge early season conference game.

Youngstown State 31, Albany 24

This game was much closer than I anticipated. I knew that Albany would score some points, but I figured Youngstown State would pull away after the half much like Indiana State did this weekend. The Penguins were off their game and won, to me, is an indication of a very good team. I don't want to take anything away from the way Albany played though, they are a good team from the NEC--and ranked in my ballot the past two weeks. We'll be seeing more from this Albany team come playoff time.

Southern Illinois WR, LaSteven McKinney
(Photo: Adam Vogler)

Southern Illinois 35, SE Missouri State 14

As I stated before, this was a much needed win for Southern Illinois. Kory Faulkner performed much better in this game than in the previous two. He will need to continue that success into the conference schedule in order for the Salukis to completely turn things around. I still am surprised that the Salukis don't run the ball more, they have two very talented backs. the Southern Illinois defense also played very well after two dismal performances. After three weeks, this Saluki team has played better each week. If they continue that trend, the Salukis could emerge as a darkhorse this season.

Iowa State 37, Western Illinois 3

I attended this game last night and was surprised that Iowa State didn't score more points. Western had trouble moving the ball all night and had trouble containing the Cyclones shifty tailbacks. Iowa State racked up over 500 yards of offense compared to 178 for Western Illinois. An a good note, Nikko Watson looked good, he had a couple of big runs but most of his yards were in a 'cloud-of-dust'. Western will face a tough Illinois State team next week.

Murray State 28, Missouri State 23

Missouri State still can not pull off a win. From looking at the stats, it looks like they shot themselves in the foot all game. Ashton Glaser threw two interceptions and they couldn't get the run game into high gear. At 0-3, Missouri State has a long way to go in oder to turn the season around. Southern Illinois will come into Springfield next week, in a must-win situation for both teams.

Looking Ahead to Week #3

UNI QB, Sawyer Kollmorgen could be the catalyst in an upset
against Iowa this weekend. (Photo: Jeff Hanisch-U.S. Preswire) 

This week is the last week of non-conference play for most Missouri Valley Football Conference members, only North Dakota State and South Dakota--those two are on byes this week--will play non-conference games next week against Prairie View A&M and Northwestern, respectively. For a couple of teams, this week is absolutely crucial for playoff implications. For example, if Northern Iowa doesn't beat Iowa this weekend, they must run the table in the Valley to be selected for a playoff bid. A very realistic possibility would see losses to Iowa, Youngstown State, and North Dakota State; If that situation would happen, I'm afraid Northern Iowa would be sitting out of this years playoff. A 7-4 team traditionally would be waiting for an at-large bid, however, Northern Iowa beat Central State--a non-counter--so in actuality that 7-4 record is 6-4 in the eyes of the playoff selection committee. However, if Northern Iowa beats one of those three teams, I believe an 8-3 (7-3) Northern Iowa team gets into the playoffs easily.

Southern Illinois and Missouri State are also competing in games that could be eye-openers in terms of what those teams specifically will do the rest of the season. Southern Illinois plays Southeast Missouri State, if they lose this game a 3-8, 2-9 season is a real possibility. On the other hand, Missouri State is playing its first FCS team. After two straight weeks of playing tough competition--and playing well against it--we could see what this Missouri State team is really made of. Western Illinois, who sits at a 2-0 against weak competition will most likely get a reality check when they visit Ames this weekend.

MSU QB, Ashton Glaser
(Photo: Jesse Scheve/News-Leader)

Predictions:

Illinois State 42, Eastern Illinois 24

Iowa 24, Northern Iowa 23

Indiana State 41, Drake 7

South Dakota State 34, UC Davis 21

Youngstown State 52, Albany 17

Southeast Missouri State 35, Southern Illinois 31

Iowa State 52, Western Illinois 0

Missouri State 28, Murray State 17


South Dakota State needs this win against UC Davis. If they win this weekend, the Jackrabbits will need to beat two teams out of either Youngstown State, Northern Iowa, North Dakota State, or Indiana State to make the playoffs--considering they beat the teams they are expected to beat. If South Dakota State losses this weekend, then they would have to beat three of those teams, and realistically, that would be out of reach. If SDSU is going to upset two teams, it would be against Indiana State and Youngstown State on Hobo Day. I don't see the Jackrabbits going to either Dome and coming out with a win.

Illinois State should roll against Eastern Illinois, two weeks ago I saw Eastern Illinois' offense and was pretty impressed. However, that was against a sub-par Southern Illinois defense. This game could have the potential to be a high scoring game, but I think in the end the Redbirds balance will wear out Eastern Illinois. The Redbirds should have this game in the books by the late third quarter.

I think the Valley will compete well again this week. I might be getting ahead of myself with playoff implications, a lot of "Ifs and ors" this week but still a crucial time in the FCS.

Miller's Power Rankings: Week #2

Illinois State QB, Matt Brown, celebrates in a statement
win over Eastern Michigan on Saturday. Illinois State won
31-14.
(Photo: MichiganExposures)

#1 Youngstown State (2-0)

Youngstown State again proved why they should be #1; they pummeled Valparaiso 59-0 while being up 49-0 at halftime. Kurt Hess was barely in the game but still threw 2 TD passes. 

#2 Illinois State (2-0)

Illinois State pulled off an expected FBS win against Eastern Michigan 31-14. Matt Brown looked good, but Darrelynn Dunn looked better. Illinois State looks to be a very balanced team this year with a much better defense. 

#3 North Dakota State (2-0)

Quite literally, North Dakota State and Illinois State are neck-and-neck at #2 and #3, I believe the only reason Illinois State jumped them in the system was because the Redbird's opponent win % was 5 points higher. Bison are already on cruise control and look like they won't be stopped. 

#4 Northern Iowa (1-1)

As expected Northern Iowa rose in this weeks Power Ranking as they destroyed D-II Central State. I added the ranked FBS variable, but even without that variable Northern Iowa would have secured the #4 spot. Quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen looks amazing; I know its only the 2nd week, but he is my choice for MVFC Freshman of the Year so far. 

#5 Indiana State (1-1)

The Sycamores took care of Quincy 44-0. Shakir Bell only had 69 yards rushing, albeit limited action. Quarterback Mike Perish looks like he is the real deal and a great replacement for Ronnie Fouch. Indiana State could be an upset away from contention for the MVFC crown this year. 

#6 South Dakota State (1-1)

South Dakota State has their running game back. RB Zach Zenner ran for 279 yards and a TD this week. The Jackrabbit passing game has been less spectacular, but when you have a back that runs for nearly 300 yards, you really don't have to pass. Still, QB Austin Sumner threw 2 TDs in a 31-14 win in Hammond, LA. 

#7 Western Illinois (2-0)

After playing their second sub-D1 opponent, and struggling against them, Western Illinois has dropped significantly. Caulton Ray and Nikko Watson are bright spots on the team, but many others will need to step up if they want more than two wins this year. Needless to say, in the next few weeks the Leathernecks could be at the bottom of these rankings.

#8 Missouri State (0-2)

Missouri State rose a bit in the Power Rankings; certainly, out of all the MVFC teams, the ranked FBS variable helped the Bears out the most. Next week we should know more about the Bears as they play a more comparable opponent, Murray State. 

#9 South Dakota (1-1)

Missouri State was the most positively effected MVFC from the ranked FBS variable; on the other hand, South Dakota was the most negatively effected. With a big loss against Montana last week, and a close victory this week against lesser-scholarship team Colgate, South Dakota sits at #9. 

#10 Southern Illinois (0-2)

Southern Illinois played better than last week, however, still the rankings peg Southern Illinois as the weakest MVFC team. Next week Southern Illinois plays Southeast Missouri State. They must win next week in order to save any remaining confidence. 

Saturday Thoughts

North Dakota State CB, Aireal Boyd

The Missouri Valley went 8-2 this week. Included in those wins were two wins against FBS competition. Illinois State demolished Eastern Michigan 31-14 and North Dakota State controlled Colorado State in their 22-7 victory. Southern Illinois and Missouri State were the only teams that lost, they lost 30-14 and 35-7 respectively to FBS competition. In other games, Indiana State put Quincy away early as they won 44-0, Northern Iowa steamrolled Central State 59-0, and Youngstown State flew by Valpo 59-0. As expected, South Dakota and South Dakota State took care of their opponents and came away with wins last night as well. The most surprising game was again, Western Illinois. Western Illinois struggled with Indianapolis more than I thought they would; they won by 10 points. This was the second week in a row that Western Illinois has played below my expectations.

Illinois State 31, Eastern Michigan 14

Illinois State came out strong and took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. Soon after, Eastern Michigan came running back to take a 14-10 halftime lead. The second half was completely dominated by Illinois State and the Redbirds pulled away to seal-the-deal. The Redbird defense in the second half was amazing; it was 3-and-out time-after-time for Eastern Michigan. Illinois State will take on Eastern Illinois next week. This should be a revenge game for the MVFC as Eastern Illinois took down conference-mate Southern Illinois in the first week.

Miami (OH) 30, Southern Illinois 14

This game didn't surprise me much. However, Southern Illinois performed much better in this game than they did against Eastern Illinois last week. The Salukis actually out-gained Miami in total offense 349 to 336. This could be a step towards getting their defense in order. Next week Southern Illinois will play Southeast Missouri State at home.

Indiana State 44, Quincy 0

Indiana State got on the board quick; 21-0 after the first, 37-0 at halftime. After halftime the starters were out and Indiana State was just running the ball. Sycamore defensive lineman Ben Obaseski got a TD run today. Next week Indiana State will play non-scholarship Drake. Drake played Montana State tough last night, the Bulldogs lost by 10. This game might not be as easy as it looks for Indiana State.

Illinois State WR, Tyrone Walker

Youngstown State 59, Valparaiso 0

The Penguin starters barely played in this game. Kurt Hess went 7-10 for 136 yards and 2 TDs, Jamaine Cook only carried the ball eight times. Didn't really matter how much they played, they still racked up 524 yards of offense. Next week, Youngstown State will play Albany, a tougher team from a lesser-scholarship conference.

South Dakota 31, Colgate 21

The Coyotes picked up a nice win here. They played much better on defense, however, Colgate had a lot of success running the ball. South Dakota will need to fill those gaps once conference play comes around. Colgate had two backs go over 100 yards in this game. On a good note, Coyote RB Marcus Sims had a great day running; he averaged over 9 yards a carry and scored once. USD will be on bye this week, however in two weeks USD will take on Northwestern who struggled with Vanderbilt last night.

Louisville 35, Missouri State 7

Again, Missouri State played well against ranked FBS competition. Missouri State hung in there and was only down 18-7 at halftime. Ashton Glaser is a pretty good quarterback for the Bears and things are looking up for them. However, in two games they still have been outscored 86-16; even if its against ranked FBS competition, these losses take their toll. Missouri State will get a home game versus Murray State next week. Murray State is 0-2 as well and was beaten pretty bad by Central Arkansas last night.

Western Illinois 27, Indianapolis 17

I predicted Western Illinois to win 35-14; it was worse than that. Indianapolis hung in there with Western Illinois and only lost by 10. Western Illinois has a tremendous amount of work to do if they want to challenge Iowa State next week. Indianapolis out-gained Western Illinois in total offense by about 50 yards, if they hadn't turned the ball over four times they might have beaten the Leathernecks. On the bright side, the Western Illinois running game was alive and well again, Caulton Ray and Nikko Watson both had decent days. However, a quarterback change seriously needs to be considered. I'm afraid Leatherneck quarterback Josh Hudson just does not have "it".

North Dakota State 22, Colorado State 7

Northern Iowa WR, Phil Wright
(Photo: Matthew Putney/WCFC)

The best part of this game was that I immediately went over to the Colorado State rivals message board. Holy cow Batman, it was pure gold. Honestly, anyone who didn't expect this is an idiot who is conceited to the level of delusion. But of course, I'm forgetting that 95% of FBS fans do not understand that there are good teams at the FCS level, and because of those 95% of FBS fans, these wins are just that much sweeter. Really, there isn't much else to say; it was a normal game for the Bison, Brock Jensen was efficient and threw a TD pass, Sam Ojuri and John Crockett combined for over 100 yards, and the defense played amazing. North Dakota State will be on a BYE this next week; they'll match up with Prairie View A&M in two weeks.

Northern Iowa 59, Central State 0

I picked 63-0, pretty close, but easy prediction. Freshman quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen was stellar again he threw 3 TDs by the time Jared Lanpher took over in scrub time. Not much else to say about this game other than I think that Northern Iowa might seriously have a shot at beating Iowa next week.

South Dakota State 31, Southeastern Louisiana 14

South Dakota State RB, Zach Zenner
(Photo: Randy Bergeron/SELO Public Info)

The Jackrabbits were fairly dominant in this game. Southeastern Louisiana was completely overpowered at the line-of-scrimmage as Zach Zenner ran for 278 yards and a TD. Quarterback Austin Sumner added two touchdown passes as the Rabbits cruised past the Lions. South Dakota State will definitely need to work on their red-zone offense in order to pull off the big wins against top MVFC competition. Had South Dakota State converted their FG's into TD's this game would have been a larger blowout.