Week 6 CAA Game Breakdowns
It is only fitting there are six games on the Colonial Athletic Association docket in week six of the season, highlighted by two matchups between New Hampshire and Towson, and Delaware and Maine, that promises to be exciting contests. Four of the six games feature CAA matchups, while two are non-conference games featuring opponents from the northeast part of the United States. Let’s take a look at the week’s action:
New Hampshire at #2 Towson, Saturday, 12:00
New Hampshire will be loaded for bear following last week’s 34-27 loss to Lehigh, a loss that snapped the team’s nine-game winning streak against the school. New Hampshire RB Chris Setian had five touches of the football and managed to rush for a touchdown and catch another TD pass in the process. Towson was down last week to Stony Brook, 14-0, yet still came back to win and improve its record to 5-0 overall. New Hampshire leads the overall series 7-2, but I’m afraid Towson gives New Hampshire its third loss of the series.
Projected Score: Towson 33, New Hampshire 20
William & Mary at #18 Villanova, Saturday, 1:00
A pair of 1-0 schools face off in conference play, with William & Mary holding a slight edge on the overall record at 3-1. William & Mary leads the overall series 16-13-1, and the Tribe has won the last two meetings with Villanova following six straight losses. Will it be a third straight win? If its scoring defense of 9.3 points per game, possibly. Thanks to Andy Talley’s 200th win last week, this is the 35th game involving two teams with 200-win coaches. WR Poppy Livers had 121 yards and two touchdowns in Villanova’s win last week over Penn.
Projected Score: William & Mary 27, Villanova 24
Albany at James Madison, Saturday, 1:30
This is the first meeting between these two programs, and if the season is any indication then James Madison should easily win. It is not the best of years for Albany, off to a 1-4 start following a 66-10 loss to Old Dominion. Albany has nine rushing touchdowns despite a 1-4 mark. James Madison averages almost 439 yards per game on offense and gives up 292 yards per game on defense. The Dukes will want to win this game following a disappointing 29-22 loss to Delaware, in a game where the Dukes had a 19-7 lead.
Projected Score: James Madison 30, Albany 13
Delaware at Maine, Saturday, 3:30
Two teams with identical 4-1 records and 1-0 marks in league play face off in the second of the CAA’s two big matchups this weekend. Delaware was in danger of falling to James Madison before it came back for a 29-22 win, thanks in part to TE Nick Boyle’s two second-half touchdowns. Maine scored a big win over Richmond last week thanks to three interceptions. RB Nigel Jones also had three touchdowns and 115 yards rushing. This is going to be a fun game to watch, not to mention an offensive showcase.
Projected Score: Maine 45, Delaware 38
Rhode Island at Brown, Saturday, 6:00
The 99th meeting between these schools pits a CAA member against an Ivy League stalwart in a game that is the 1,000th in program history for Rhode Island. Rhode Island beat Central Connecticut State 42-7 in part because the Rams forced six turnovers in the victory. Rhode Island should be hard at work again on defense against Brown QB Patrick Donnelly, who was picked off three times by Harvard in the Crimson’s 41-23 win.
Projected Score: Rhode Island 42, Brown 14
Bryant at Stony Brook, Saturday, 6:00
Stony Brook hasn’t lost three straight games since 2011 and the Seawolves have a good chance to avoid that feat this week. Stony Brook leads all of the CAA in pass defense (172 yards per game) and is fourth in total defense (336 yards). On the other hand, if Bryant’s offense (400 or more yards in three of four games) lights up, this could be a long and entertaining contest. I’ll give a slight edge to Stony Brook, but this could be a close call.
Projected Score: Stony Brook 37, Bryant 33
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