Archive For The “Northern Arizona” Category
I don’t officially vote in any of the FCS Top 25 polls, but I do share who I think deserves to be in the Top 25. And my No. 1 and No. 2, James Madison and North Dakota State, amply proved their worth again in tough conference matchups where they ended up victorious.
It wasn’t as easy as the 30-8 final score might indicate, but James Madison finally solved the Villanova defense in the fourth quarter just when the Wildcats were threatening to tie the game. The Dukes’ remarkable winning streak just keeps rolling along – since losing to Colgate in the FCS playoffs in 2015, defending FCS National Champions James Madison has gone 20-1, their only loss coming to a North Carolina team last year that played in a bowl game.
North Dakota State’s 27-24 win, however, against the runner-up in last years’ FCS Championship game, Youngstown State, was a prizefight won in overtime when PK Cam Pedersen booted a 36 yard field goal to beat Bo Pelini’s Penguins’ on the road at the Ice Castle, Stambaugh Stadium. Since November of 2015, Youngstown State has lost exactly two home games – both of them, now, to North Dakota State.
My vote for the FCS Top 25 for the week ending 10/7/2013 follows below the flip.
But first, check out this great picture from James Madison of QB Michael Birdsong as he’s crossing the goal line against Richmond last week (Photo Credit: Joe Mahoney/The Richmond Times-Dispatch)
The sad thing is, this picture was a great one – but Birdsong’s ostrich-like touchdown pose would not count for any points, since it would be called back for holding.
James Madsion would go into halftime with a 7-6 lead, but both teams would erupt in the second half, ending in a 38-31 marathon. Dukes KR Dejor Simmons would take the second-half kickoff for a 100 yard touchdown run, and James Madison wouldn’t trail by any more than 5 after that point.
