Week 3 in the CAA saw the first conference action of the year as well as a continuation the traditional early season nonconference tilts. Delaware showed why it’s still one of the premier FCS programs in the country despite their move up next year to the FBS and conference USA as they broke open a relatively tight contest on big plays off two turnovers midway through the third quarter against North Carolina A&T enroute to a 42-13 victory.
Rhode Island jumped out to a commanding 21-0 lead at the end of the third quarter and their defense did the rest in throttling two key Campbell drives in the fourth stanza for a 21-9 win.
Hampton built a 30-0 lead over the first three periods and totally dominated Norfolk State in every facet of the Battle of the Bay posting a convincing 37-7 blowout at NSU’s Dick Price Stadium. The Pirates rolled up 466 yards in total offense against just 104 for the home team.
William & Mary made two huge red zone stops late in the fourth quarter and snook out with a 28-21 win over Southern Conference foe Wofford on the road.
The Richmond Spider defense was superb all day long accounting for 3 sacks, 2 interceptions including a long pick six as UR crushed Charleston Southern (Big South) 38-0.
The importance of special teams played huge roles in two key games last weekend. Western Carolina (SoCon) got a blocked field goal and returned it for a 55-yard touchdown return with just 1:15 left in the game as the Catamounts defeated Elon in Burlington 24-17.
Towson had a chance to pull off a major upset, but its 37-yard FG attempt was wide right with 1:13 to go as #5 Villanova barely escaped defeat at home with 14-13 squeaker over the Tigers.
This week’s game is truly going to be a war. At first glance you wouldn’t think that North Carolina Central and N.C A&T were in very similar situations coming into this match-up of hated rivals, but they indeed are.
Both teams come in with 1-2 records with both having played the standard “blood games” against Power 4 ACC teams, both with one win, NCCU over Alabama State and A&T over WSSU, and both with ugly losses against a pair of very solid FCS programs out of the CAA.
The two teams are very evenly matched with both adjusting to new offensive circumstances. NCCU is still adjusting to the graduation loss of do-everything all-American QB Davius Richard while N.C. A&T is getting itself acclimated to a totally different scheme under new offensive coordinator David Marsh.
Defensively neither team has asserted itself yet through 3 games with the Aggies giving up 442 yards per game with much of the damage being done through the air at 255 yards allowed each outing. NCCU hasn’t been any better allowing 414 yards of total offense while being vey porous against the run relinquishing slightly over 245 yards on the ground.
On offense the Eagles are averaging 246 yards in total offense with a decent balance of nearly equal between the run and the pass. A&T has fared nearly 100 yards better averaging 336 yards per game in its three contests with a surprising edge of the pass over run ratio (172 vs. 164). Surprising in the fact that A&T had the worst passing offense in the amongst all FCS teams in the nation this time last year.
One stat that does stand out and it may turn out to be a big one in a game between two evenly matched teams who will be at a fever pitch emotionally for the 7 pm kickoff is third down conversions. The Aggies are converting on third down at a rate of 43.8% while the Eagles have been struggling at just 29.41% and that is a significant difference. The ability to stay in third and manageable situations will be crucial in the latter part of the second half as meaningful possessions and field position will become much harder to come by.
Everyone talks about the emotional aspect of A&T-NCCU football game but it will be the very basic things that will determine the difference in this one – unnecessary penalties that bail out one team or drive killers for the other, special team miscues, unforced turnovers, and getting caught up in the all the jack jawing and pregame fake machismo that creates nothing but distraction.
A&T seemingly over the last few years has performed better on the road in an unfriendly environment than they have at home. Well, there is no more hostile place for an A&T team to play in than O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. You can talk all you want about Bragg at FAMU, or Dawson at SCSU but playing down in “The Hole” is a whole different level of vitriol.
As previously stated, this is a pick’em game, but it’s the type of game that A&T is known to shine in. We know the Eagles will be there in force but there is going to be an equal if not perhaps a larger amount of Blue and Gold in those stands tomorrow night. Expect this one to go down to the final minutes if not the final play.
As well it should.
N.C. A&T – 24
NCCU – 21
