By Pat Cummings
D3sports.com
A 32-team playoff is a spectacular effort in football competition. No division in college football comes close reaching the depth of play that will be seen in our corner of the sport. While the brackets are far from the ideal playoff scenario, we can't forget that our system is so significantly better than the alternative of our lower D-I brethren. An imperfect system. But it's a heck of a lot of fun.
Five regional teams found a way to the field of 32, one more than we were expecting. If you can get to one of these or any of the playoff games, do it. We'll be covering many and carrying some of the broadcasts through NCAAsports.com.
Wilkes at Rowan
How'd you like to be William Paterson watching this game? The only team to beat both of these opponents, the Pioneers can revel in the fact that two of their wins came against playoff teams, but that's all. The Colonels have nothing to lose as Frank Sheptock's team has played superb football, and probably was expecting an ECAC bid.
Consistency rules the roost in Edwardsville in what is also an exceptionally young football team. Just seven seniors dot the roster than has done everything possible to hold on to the football. The Colonels hold a plus-16 turnover ratio over their opponents. Starting quarterback Al Karaffa has thrown 17 touchdowns to just six interceptions while the team has lost only two of 14 fumbles.
Maintaining that turnover advantage would be a huge benefit against a Rowan team that lost starter Mike Orihel for the season. Joe Rankin has taken the helm at the quarterback position for the Profs and as the starter, has tossed eight picks in four games. Last week's NJAC clincher against Montclair was interception-less, but a Wilkes defense that relies on the turnover may prey on the relatively inexperienced Rankin.
Prediction: Wilkes gets it done. The Profs are a different team than the one that rolled through the first three rounds of the playoffs last year. The Colonels played the Mayor's Cup last week for pride, and what I had estimated as a five percent chance to make it to the big dance. A team that wasn't expecting the chance to make it is dangerous against a Rowan team missing some key cogs.
Colonels by 3.
Curry at Delaware Valley
After a nail*-biting 2004, the Aggies have rolled in 2005. Many thought the Aggies would fall back to reality one year after so many close finished, but Del Val left no doubt in G.A. Mangus' fourth year. The NEFC has yet to win a postseason game and Curry won't be the first, at least not this week. The competition in the NEFC just can't match that of football outside New England.
Prediction: The Aggies roll in week one of the postseason in front of the home crowd. Del Val by 24.
Washington & Jefferson at Bridgewater
These two have managed to account for two thrilling football playoff games. While Bridgewater's first postseason win in school history came against W&J in 2000, last year's first round, double-overtime match thrilled the masses in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Both teams continue to fly high on their prolific offenses, but the defense that steps up (yes, one of them will have to), will be the team that advances. Mike Clark is the best game planning coach in the region, and possibly the country. Mike Sirianni can't be all that excited that the Presidents will have to travel to Jopson Field for a rematch. The Eagles are 5-1 all time in the postseason on their home field.
Prediction: I'll give the edge to the Eagles in an offensive explosion, and just as tight as last year's edition. Eagles by two in four overtimes.
Ferrum at Wesley
Something has to give in this one. The Panthers average over 379 rushing yards per game while the Wolverines allow only 86 yards per contest on the ground. I've liked Wesley on the national scene ever since week one when the Wolverines knocked off DePauw, in Indiana. The Brockport loss was a head-scratcher, but so was Ferrum's loss this week to CNU. Wesley will look to jump out on the board early, as CNU did this week, and try to force Ferrum into mistakes. The Wolverines played the first 10 weeks of the season and had an off week to take it all in and I think they are primed for a playoff victory.
Prediction: Wesley by 9.
Johns Hopkins at Thiel
The Tomcats own a win over Washington & Jefferson, a 38-35 overtime victory in Washington. That is probably the most impressive win amongst the group of teams highlighted above. We are guaranteed that one team from this matchup will get a win in their first postseason appearance.
Thiel has a strong offense, averaging 35.4 points per game. Remind JHU fans of any team in particular? Think Hampden-Sydney. The Tigers averaged 45 points per game this season and easily handled the Blue Jays just two weeks ago. H-SC jumped out in front of Hopkins that afternoon, tossing 42 points in the first half, and I would expect the Tomcats to try do the same. If Thiel fires out quickly, a Hopkins offense that averaged only 17 points per game could be swimming in the deep end of the playoff pool.
Prediction: The Tomcats pass through the Hopkins secondary. Thiel by 17.
Girardi wins 250
You have to go way back in the Lycoming media guide to find a time Frank Girardi was not the coach of record. Flip all the way back to 1972 when Girardi took the helm of the Williamsport-based Warriors. Naturally, his 250th career victory came against the Susquehanna Crusaders, the team Girardi got his first coaching victory against.
One of the most respected field generals in the region, and the country, Girardi has two Stagg Bowl appearances on his resume, leading the Warriors to the big game against Allegheny in 1990 and Mount Union in 1997.
A 6-4 record in 2005 may be one of Girardi's greatest coaching accomplishments. Triggered by a huge upset win over Ithaca, the Warriors reeled off five consecutive victories to end the season with a winning record, and a fourth place finish in the 11-team MAC.
Regional freshmen of the year
Keith Ricca, quarterback, Catholic
257 completions on 462 attempts, 3,432 yards, 26 touchdowns
Josh Vogelbach, quarterback, Guilford
280 completions on 475 attempts, 3,549 yards, 37 touchdowns
These two have incredible futures to look forward to and will change the face of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference in the coming years. They were a pleasure to watch in 2005, and will be a nightmare for opposing defenses over the next three seasons.
Regional comeback player of the year
Del Val kicker Bill Miller had a masterful freshman season and was a preseason all-American as a sophomore, only to endure a sophomore slump like no other. Miller was 29 for 39 in PAT's in 2004 and 0 for 5 with field goals attempts. As a junior in 2005, Miller came back to nail 41 of 42 PAT's in the regular season and 6 of 10 field goal attempts.
Two-a-days can't come soon enough
Franklin and Marshall
I predicted the Diplomats would emerge from the pack in the Centennial this season only to have their hopes shot down bright and early in the 2005 season. The Dips finished the season with a 5-5 mark, a strong regression after an 8-3 mark in 2004 which included an ECAC bid. Add to the mix that the Dips returned a supermajority of their starters and it still didn't add up to a winning recipe for success in 2005. Believe it or not, F&M got an ECAC bid this year, but under much different circumstances.
Emory and Henry
Mangus' first season at Delaware Valley was an uninspiring 2-8. Don Montgomery managed just 1-9 in his first year at the helm of the Wasps. Expect the former Mount Union defensive coordinator to use an unusually long postseason (for a former Mount Union coach) to build on a shaky start.
McDaniel
Injuries ruined the Green Terror this season. Just to name two of the big ones, quarterback Brad Baer was injured in Week 1 and never hit the field again while starting running back Broderick Maybank played just four games. McDaniel's quarterbacks passed for just six touchdowns all season while their defense kept them in most games, allowing only eight. It was a rough year Tim Keating will want to forget, but not after he prepares for a healthier 2006.
Lycoming
Whether Girardi returns or not, something some observers think may be in question, the Warriors have much to look forward to. After a horrific 15-week stretch over the past two seasons where Lyco managed a 4-11 record, the Warriors reeled off five consecutive wins by a total of 15 points. Rounding out the 2005 season with a winning mark is a testament to Girardi's ability to make winning changes. Much still needs to be done to get back to the postseason, including some masterful recruiting in the face of a more competitive MAC, but a winning form was necessary to reinstate hope.
I have to wait how long for another season?
Guilford
The Quakers finished the 2005 season with a 4-2 mark in the ODAC, tied for second place. No one predicted such a record following a string of cellar-dwelling seasons. If Kevin Kiesel can add a running attack to their potent passing game, the Quakers could end up bettering their 5-5 overall record from 2005.
Catholic
Tom Clark got the Cardinals back on the right track. The addition of Keith Ricca certainly helped, but CUA's gains certainly weren't solely based on Ricca. Four of Catholic's seven losses came by a touchdown or less. After an 0-10 2004, two on-field wins (a third win came by Shenandoah's forfeit) was an improvement, but the season feels much different for the followers of the program. With the excitement of a youthful bunch returning next season, the hopes of the Cardinals will be high in 2006.
Ursinus
The Bears finished 2005 with four wins, including two conference victories. The final win total was their highest since the 2001 campaign and the two conference wins were the first after three straight years without a Centennial victory. As I've written before, the Bears have spent their 2005 living on the edge. Nine of their ten games were decided by eight points or fewer. Two of those losses came after opening up big leads against Susquehanna and Albright.
It was a complete reversal in form in the last week of the season when the Bears fell at Dickinson by 19 points. Peter Gallagher can take much out of this season and will prepare the Bears for a 2006 where they get over the top in the tight games.
Thanks
Many thanks to all those of you who contacted me over the course of the year, sometimes to laud or complain, others to pass along tidbits about your team. We can't be everywhere, so every little bit helps. We'll be back after the playoffs with our regional game of the year and the regional offensive and defensive players of the year, plus the crowning of our regional team of the year. For those who aren't enjoying Week 12, enjoy the offseason.
