Week 6 Other Conferences Game Breakdowns
Week six features a great lineup of games from the other conferences. The Big South has a couple of teams poised for big seasons as does the Patriots League, which sees two undefeated teams match up to see who controls the league the rest of the way. Great in conference battles in the Ohio Valley, Southland and MEAC all can have an impact on the Top 25 and will set some teams is good positions and others in bad ones for the race for conference championships. Last week’s predictions were on it and went 5-0 making the season total at 20-6, but that average may not be as good this time next week as we take a look at six entertaining games for week six.
North Greenville vs Charleston Southern (5-0), Saturday, 11:00 ET
Arg! You better be paying attention to the Buccaneers coming out of the Big South. Charleston Southern has opened to a surprising 5-0 start and just last week were granted permission to add a 13th game to this seasons schedule where they’ll travel to play Colorado to help the Buffs make up a game postponed because of flooding. Coming off a win over App State, it looks like CSU may be a real contender in the conference race. Even if the Bucs lost to FBS Colorado, they look to be in position to go 9-1 with three games to play against Coastal Carolina, Gardner-Webb and Liberty, which will prove how strong the Bucs truly are.
Projected Score: Charleston Southern 31 - North Greenville 13
#20 Lehigh (4-0) vs #16 Fordham (5-0), Saturday, 12:00 ET
Someone’s undefeated season is ending Saturday as the Big South Conference Mountain Hawks travel to Fordham in what should the toughest test so far for the home Rams. For Fordham, who has started a surprising 5-0 following opening wins over a pair of CAA schools, and then an upset of FBS Temple. Lehigh may be one of the final big challenges between the Patriot League team running the table. However, Lehigh is in the same boat and, coming of a strong win over New Hampshire, the Hawks know the winner of this game is in the driver’s seat.
Projected Score: Lehigh 37 – Fordham 28
#14 Bethune-Cookman (3-1) vs Delaware State (1-3), Saturday, 2:00 ET
Bethune-Cookman had an off week to recoup from the pounding received from Florida State, and now set that 3-1 record into action in the MEAC. Still, Delaware State won’t go lightly. The Hornets opened with possibly the hardest FCS schedule early on with games on the road at Delaware, Towson, and North Dakota State… yeah that schedule. After bouncing back with a win over Savannah State last week, DSU is not an ordinary 1-3 team and hopes a win over B-CU will start the rest of their season in the right direction.
Projected Score: Bethune-Cookman 45 – Delaware State 31
Jacksonville State (4-1) vs #21 Tennessee-Martin (3-1), Saturday, 3:00 ET
This is bound to be a very close game, and possibly an overtime game, especially with JSU playing. The Gamecocks have tied an FCS record, going into overtime in their last three straight games. JSU won the first two times, but are coming off a loss in their OVC opener against Murray State. The Skyhawks can play a close game too, though with none of their wins coming by more than 10 points. UT-Martin is one of the most underrated teams in the nation, with key wins over Chattanooga and Central Arkansas, and only losing on the blue turf in Boise. JSU has the pressure in this game being on the road, and also already having an OVC loss, a second could all but bury JSU in the conference race.
Projected Score: Jacksonville State 38 – Tennessee-Martin 34
McNeese State (4-1) vs #15 Central Arkansas (2-2), Saturday, 4:00 ET
McNeese State is in the middle of a tough stretch which includes last week’s loss to Northern Iowa in the dome, and now UCA faces Sam Houston State. Still, the Cowboys can’t afford to lose all three of the games as they’re clearly the best on the schedule. Without the automatic bid, McNeese needs a quality win to make an at-large spot from the Southland, battling the other teams at the top. Central Arkansas may currently be the best team in the FCS that doesn’t have a winning record. A loss to FBS Colorado and a strong UT-Martin team are their losses and both came on the road. In fact, one of the best things the Bears have going this week is being at home. Since unrolling their gray and purple striped field a few seasons ago, UCA is unbeaten at home.
Projected Score: Central Arkansas 34 - McNeese St 31
Liberty (3-2) vs #12 Old Dominion (3-2), Saturday, 6:00 ET
Liberty came close to an FBS upset in week 1 against Kent State, but since then have not looked overly strong while going 3-1, but losing to the real challenging team, Richmond 30-21. As an FCS Independent while in transition stages, the Monarchs have only lost to two FBS programs, but the three wins are from less than average FCS programs. This puts these two teams in similar spots heading into a game that could really be a measuring stick to where that team really is against a regular FCS opponent. However, a win for Liberty is much more important as they are the only team fighting to move back into a playoff spot.
Projected Score: Liberty 35 – Old Dominion 24
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