SoCon/FCS Week 6

[The Jackal]

Samford @ Wofford:

I'm intrigued by this one. Wofford's not a good team, but they are respectable on defense. Samford is sort of reeling and basically are already in playoff "must win" mode. Samford certainly won't be taken aback by the sleepy atmosphere of Gibbs Stadium, which should remind them of the sleepy atmosphere at Seibert Stadium.

Mercer @ ETSU

At this point, I think we continue to be Mercer fans. The more convincing wins for the Bears, the better our convincing win will look.

Western Carolina @ UTC

Game of the week. I'm interested as a Furman fan to see what WCU does against a more physical opponent. The Catamounts. Furman and Chattanooga share some philosophical DNA.

Not a lot of big clashes across the FCS landscape, but a few to keep an eye on:

#1 SDSU @ 3-1 Illinois State
#17 Montana @ #20 UC Davis

[gofurman]

ALl that matters is our game but...

Maybe I am a sucker but I too think Wofford has an "ok" D. No O whatsoever but a little defense - that's why if they meet the Citadel (not assuming anything here) and they are both winless I think Wofford wins that bc Citadel looks to have neither D nor O. Woff has D?
Samford SHOULD win but Wofford pushed UTC pretty well...

WCU at UTC. I think we want UTC to win selfishly. Get a loss on WCU ? Is that right? I know it is right for SoCon champ purposes but hurts national perception... hmm. Still I pull for UTC to put an L on the catamounts. At least one of the SoCon leaders takes an L.

[FUBeAR]

So…we’re picking games here now? Cool…

FUBeAR's SoCon Picks
Saturday, October 7

Samford @ Wofford
FUBeAR has been watching both of these Teams closely. One is playing pretty bad fundamentally and trending almost imperceptibly down in that regard. The other has been improving in their fundamentals and they really don’t look too bad, all things considered. Have we reached the point of the season where those important trend lines cross? FUBeAR thinks we have. In a SHOCKER!
FINAL SCORE: Wofford 24 - Samford 23

The Citadel @ Furman
Opposite of a shocker. Coach Hendrix’ better nature is the MVP in this one.
FINAL SCORE: Furman 49 - The Citadel 6

Mercer @ ETSU
Mercer’s Players had their hearts broken in their last visit to Johnson City and the Bears have never won East (or West…whichever) of the Cumberland Gap. Funny thing is FUBeAR was listening to ETSU’s media peeps recently and they seemed to think Mercer’s Players really were focused on avenging that 2021 loss last season when the Bears hung more than half a hundred on ‘em in maconga. BUT…FUBeAR heard Bear after Bear this week talking about the feeling they felt in Greene Stadium their last visit and a debt that has yet to be paid for them enduring those feelings. Never heard the typically very nice Mercer kids talk this way. They are expecting to go up there and open a can. FUBeAR thinks they have all the tools they need to get that done.
FINAL SCORE: Mercer 40 - ETSU 15

Western Carolina @ Chattanooga
FUBeAR’s initial thoughts on this game…easy peasy…WCU 35 Chatt 23 … but as he’s pondered on this game, watched some replays of both Teams, and studied the Schedules / Results / Stats for both Teams. There is no denying how good WCU’s Gonazales, Reid, and OL has looked, but they’ve only faced 1 decent Defense…Arkansas (who whipped ‘em). The next best D has been Samford (NCAA Rank #91)…and it ain’t often that the phrase “best D” and Samford share a paragraph, much less the same sentence. The average ranking of the 4 FCS D’s WCU has played is 106. Chatt’s D is #21. The Mocs won’t stop Reid, but they will contain better than any other FCS D has. And the Moc D-Front will use their athleticism to challenge WCU’s OL like they have not been challenged since ARK. FUBeAR remembers WCU’s QB play against ARK was not good. FUBeAR thinks the Mocs D can make this game less fun for the Catamounts O and we know that Chatt O is gonna do every they can to make life no fun for the WCU front. FUBeAR thinks the more physical Team with the better D playing at home is gonna find a way to eke this one out..which sux for the SoCon…but that’s the SoCon way…
FINAL SCORE: WCU 35 - Chatt 23 (not)… Chattanooga 21 - WCU 20

[The Jackal]

One thing I will be interested to see in WCU/UTC is whether either team can force their style of play on the other.

If UTC can force WCU to play - as Hendrix puts it - "inside drill," then I think Furman may have a good shot at slowing them down as well.

[gofurman]

I see the next theee weeks as huge. Yes utc later. But bad Citadel. Hopefully bad but better SAMford. Then good WCU. Each week a better team. IF. IF. IF we could escape these three without a loss I would love it. Then ETSU we could rest a few if necessary… in prep for utc.

I do hope Stamford is just bad as FUBEAR suggests. Would love if that game isn’t too stressful. I think we learn more tomorrow but Samford beat ETSU easy despite a negative Three turnover ratio. They must be pretty good. I don’t care if it was ETSU. To survive neg three turnovers is tough ! You need to have dominated

[The Jackal]

Samford is still a good football and can beat us. They just aren't as good as many thought they'd be.

[Flagman]

One thing I will be interested to see in WCU/UTC is whether either team can force their style of play on the other.

If UTC can force WCU to play - as Hendrix puts it - "inside drill," then I think Furman may have a good shot at slowing them down as well.

Western gets the ball with 53 seconds trailing by one after UTC goes ahead after a 2 pt conversion. Moves down the field with three passes and kinks the winning FG as time expires.

[gman84]

Let’s beat Samford first.

[gofurman]

Samford is still a good football and can beat us. They just aren't as good as many thought they'd be.

This right here

Samford is all that matters.

That said, man UTC and WCU Have nasty offense

[apaladin]

One thing I will be interested to see in WCU/UTC is whether either team can force their style of play on the other.

If UTC can force WCU to play - as Hendrix puts it - "inside drill," then I think Furman may have a good shot at slowing them down as well.

Western gets the ball with 53 seconds trailing by one after UTC goes ahead after a 2 pt conversion. Moves down the field with three passes and kinks the winning FG as time expires.

Sounds familiar. The old prevent you from winning.

[tim]

Samford is still a good football and can beat us. They just aren't as good as many thought they'd be.

This right here

Samford is all that matters.

That said, man UTC and WCU Have nasty offense

Not sure Furman has an offense , we have a Tyler Huff. Better pray for his body the rest of the way.

[Dins&Heels]

It was said here in the offseason hype that we have multiple nfl receivers on the roster?! Gotta get Harris more involved but maybe that’s a Huff issue. Harris might have more passing yards than receiving so far this season.

[Dins&Heels]

He was good against the gamecocks but mia past 2 weeks

[apaladin]

He was good against the gamecocks but mia past 2 weeks

Yes he missed a wide open Harris pretty bad that that would have made it 35-0, things went south after that. He would have hit that last year. He did have some nice throws today.

[gman84]

Did we lay a pile today? Yes, and we won. I’m glad I don’t listen to some of y’all for positive motivational support.