Maybe that’s not the most important thing happening today but it seemed noteworthy, as Keith McMillan, who was taking the local rather than the express from Washington, D.C., to San Antonio, made both of his connections and landed at the site of today’s big showdown less than an hour ago.
Yes, No. 5 Millsaps and No. 14 Trinity (Texas) have a handful of subplots which we have already mentioned on the front page and which Jason Bowen wrote about in Around the South this week, so I won’t rehash them here.
Going on elsewhere, we can confirm a report that eight Delaware Valley defensive starters will not start this afternoon’s home game against Widener because of a violation of team rules. And last night, the three UMAC Dome day games were played at the Metrodome. I wasn’t able to attend because I had Halloween festivities to handle at home, unfortunately. Found it ironic after I saw the event last year despite living 1,200 miles away.
We’ll keep track, too, of who has clinched automatic bids, since we could have a few today. Chime in with what you’re seeing, as always, and if Keith gets on the Internet where he is hopefully he’ll join in. Otherwise I will be watching the game on the live video stream as much as possible.
Wesley strikes first after forcing Salisbury to punt. Mcsweeny 20 yrd keeper after 80 yrd drive. p.a.t blocked 6-0
thomas more scores on the first drive of the game 7-0 saints 3 min In
6-0 after one.
Wesley scores on a long pass from McSweeney to Lanouette Wesley 13-0
Whitewater 7 Eau Claire 3 after one.
Salisbury returns the favor 8o yrd drive 13-7 Wesley
Big play Curley 45 yrd run
w&j answers right back…7-7 both teams marched down the field on there first drives and scored…
UWW 14 UWEC 3
Levell Coppage 1 yard run caps 17 play 94 yard drive.
8:18 in 2nd
Hobart providing a little reality check for WPI in the early going, leading 24-0 at the half.
ball snapped over punter through endzone 30 yrds 15-7 wesley
personal foul penalties hurting salisbury
wesley td Jackson 7 yrds 22-7
sheehan at qb for salisbury. curley hasn’t thrown bad passes just some drops
thomas more has turned it over 2 times (one fumble and a block punt) W&J cant take advantage still tied at 7 early in the 2nd.
Whitewater 17 Eau Claire 3
Jeff Schebler 42 yard FG
:37 seconds in half
Mount 20 JC 0 early 2nd quarter
Wow, I get a headline!
Getting ready to get underway here (Central Time). Will file an update in a sec.
22-7 wesley half
Wabash 47 – Oberlin 0 at half
Wabash should punch ticket into the tournament by the end of the day.
OK, nice atmosphere here, Trinity students put on a free tailgate behind the stadium with big speakers blasting Kanye West and Nelly, and giving away free T-shirts, etc.
Best T-shirt I saw (this one probably wasn’t free): Random guy near the parking deck wearing a “I caught a lateral in the Millsaps game” shirt.
Got a chance to talk with both coaches at midfield about 45 minutes each. Each team will have a running back out (Millsaps’ Nick Namias) or taking limited snaps (Trinity’s Chris Baer). Both coaches cordial, relaxed … I’ll save the good stuff 🙂
Millsaps’ DuBose lamented the SCAC travel rules that allow him to travel only 52 players, compared to Trinity having 100 on the sideline at home (his number, not verified). DuBose says his special teams units on the road are configured much differently than at home, FWIW.
Trinity just walked its ‘Black Flag’ across the field. Cowbells a ringing … Millsaps side has milk bottles for noisemakers. (We haven’t kicked off yet, so I guess they’re all legal)
Pre-game glance at each team: Millsaps looks fast, sounds crazy (lotta pre-game yelliing) and has a very talented senior QB in Juan Joseph. Trinity just looks beeeeg. (big)
I realize I said this at Cortland-Montclair too, but these look like a couple teams no one wants to see in the playoffs.
I’ll let you know if their actual play changes my mind on that 🙂
Anybody see this game mentioned on ESPN Game Day this morning? I’m told, I was on a flight and not watching.
The SA Express-News writer next to me shared this: “Whoever receives the opening kickoff should start lateralling the ball.”
Just on principle, I guess 🙂
14-7 tm saints mid 2nd
Serendipitous?
First play is a Bryant Wilson completion to Riley Curry, the player who scored on the lateral play. Millsaps’ Jonathan Brooks picks up a fumble and runs it back for a TD.
Turns out Curry was down and it was no TD … but what a start that would’ve been.
Both teams three-and-out on their first drive. On Millsaps’ punt they drilled the punt return before the ball got there … and a little scuffling for the loose ball. First sign of fiestyness.
first half rushing curley 70 yrds mcsweeney 65 yrds
Thomas More leads at the half 14-7…W&J will get the ball to start the 2nd half.. Saints win they are the PAC champions and an automatic berth in the NCAA playoffs…A W&J win today and a win in one of there final two games and they would win the PAC and the berth in the NCAA playoffs.
Sign on the Millsaps side: “It took a miracle to stop us. Now, it will take a prayer to save you.”
Eh. Not bad.
Trinity three-and-out again. Good defense, but I think I’ll stop reporting if stuff isn’t happening 🙂
Both teams run shotgun spread, BTW. At least 3 wides, usually four.
Majors convert a third-and-5 (I think) by getting exactly 5. Game’s first 1st down. Next play they run option, Joseph is drilled as he makes a bad pitch … Trinity recovers at Millsaps 24. 1st, 9:35. Trinity three run plays out of the gun, come up a little short on 3rd-and-1, but the eschew a FG try to go for it. Under center = sneak. They get it. After a 5th consecutive run and an incomplete pass, Trinity strikes first on a swing pass to Al Furlow, who started in place of Baer.
7-0 Trinity at 6:02.
If W&J loses they are a solid Pool C candidate, along with the loser of this game.
Big KOR for Millsaps, dropping the kick actually gave his blockers time to set up. One play after the return to the 32, Joseph scrambles for 10 yards, then throws a 20-yard TD pass up the seam to “tight end” Eric McCarty.
Tied at 7, 4:43 1st.
Eau Claire capitalizes on a mistake by the Whitewater punter, scores on a pass play 2 plays later to pull within 7…Whitewater leads 17-10 in the 3rd.
On a 4th down attempted punt, the UWW punter Kris Rosholt went down to a knee to field a low snap. Unfortunately, he placed his knee on the field at the WW 2 yard line. Eau Claire took over there.
Whitewater answers immediately, 6 plays finished with an 18 yard TD pass, Jeff Donovan to Aaron Rusch.
Warhawks lead 24-10
Salisbury scores on long drive big play 60 yrd pass playof drive to tillage
Wesley 22- Salisbury 14 end of 3rd Wesley driving
Millsaps (with the ball back) works quickly, uses a lot of motion and different personnel groupings. Joseph throws a crisp ball.
It’s a handful for a defense, but this is the first real drive the Majors have put together. And it was buoyed by the same seam play pass to McCarty.
Ah. I know why it seems so quick. They don’t huddle. Duh.
That’s the crack analysis Pat sends me to San Antonio for!
Trinity made it tough, but Juan Joseph just scored on a 14-yard scramble. Nobody open, no problem!
14-7, 0:15
McSweeney 20 yrd std pass to Lanouette 29-14 wesley
67 yrd drive
W&J ties it up at 14-14… 3rd quarter.. took opening drive 70+yards in the 2nd half for the score.. good one in crestview hills ky
24 yard FG by Jeff Schebler increases Whitewater’s lead to 27-10 over Eau Claire.
80 yard scoring drive. 1: 59 in 3rd
Schebler is now 1 FG to tie the D3 record for career FG’s. He is a Junior.
Wesley pass rush is doing great job putting pressure on Curley
Caleb Urban 50-yard run for Trinity on the first play of the second quarter. Tigers got down the 1, but settled for a 24-yard field goal. Maybe 25.
14-10, 12:48 2nd.
21-14 saints… thomas more runs it down the presidents thoart, collar 44 yrd TD run 10 min left in the 3rd
Curley 56 pass to Smedley td Salisbury
29-21 Wesley. Man left alone
Wow, so even if W&J pulls it out, sounds like Thomas More is legit.
Bad news for teams with Pool C hopes.
What’s the difference in the Salisbury-Wesley game? Just the early Wolverines lead?
Saints score again after a W&J fumble…30 yard run again…28-14….presidents havnt trailed by this much all year….
Trinity booming punt, Millsaps return man drops it and his momentum carried him away from it, 1st and 10 Trinity at the 27.
One play, Wilson to Riley Curry TD.
Millsaps has given up 14 points off bad turnovers.
17-14, 8:15 2nd.
pennewell 35 td run . 35 yrd pat good wqesley 36=21
Levell Coppage takes it in from 18 yards, his 18th TD on the year…3rd of the game.
Whitewater 33 Eau Claire 10
10:39 in 4th
73 yard INT for TD.
8:41 in 4th
Whitewater turning a close game into a laugher.
40-10
Wow, Millsaps gains yardage in chunks.
It’s already 20-17 with 5:11 left with PAT pending.
Here’s how they kill you: More speed than your LBs and Safeties can cover, they are hurting Trinity bad over the middle, short and deep. And then when it gets covered, it pulls out anyone who could account for a Joseph scramble. He had a big one to set up the score and another earlier when he smartly slid. The TD was a short toss sweep by Shane Bowser, one of several RBs who rotate in for Saps.
Saw that North Central was up 30-7 at the half. Anyone know what’s going on with UMHB? NC has live stats, UMHB I don’t see any. And I can’t pump in audio in the box.
Not that there’s not plent here to keep me busy.
Thomas More lone lose was to John Caroll in wk one…since then they have rolled….good to see the Saints program back to were it used to be…I’m sure this is what the PAC imagined when the saints joined the conference a couple of years ago.
Update:
Thomas More 35 WJ 14 late 3rd W&J defense I dont think came out of the locker room…saints running all over WJ