There were two more FCS victories over FBS teams last weekend in a 2021 season that has seen the FCS flexing its muscle against the upper division.
Will there be more to come?
The Evil Eye foresaw one of these and considered, but rejected, the other.
Northern Arizona 21 at Arizona 19
Northern Arizona extended Arizona’s overall losing streak to a pathetic 15. On top of this, Arizona clearly falls to the bottom of the heap in the State of Arizona. Last season ended with a 70-7 loss at in-state rival Arizona State. The Kevin Sumlin era was ushered out and the Jedd Fisch era was to bring new hope. Now Northern Arizona has added insult to injury. Mizzou fans will recall that Fisch’s name was connected to the coaching search that ultimately ended in Eli Drinkwitz being hired by the Tigers.
The Flagstaff outfit that plays home games in a small, white, mountainside dome must feel on top of the world after their successful trip into the southern desert. Reports say they talked mucho smack after the game.
Arizona, on the other hand, can do nothing at this point except Bear Down. Last week, the Evil Eye projected this as a potential problem match-up for FBS, and Power Five, Arizona. It was a reach that was within the grasp of Northern Arizona. The Evil Eye admits it got lucky. Arizona football may be laboring under the words no football program wants to hear: Basketball School. Just ask Kansas.
Northern Arizona continues the Big Sky theme with this incredible regional smash. Arizona got off to a 13-0 lead, but a pick-six by NAU got them back in the game right before the half. Near the end of the game, Arizona failed on a two-point conversion that would have tied the game. Each team had three turnovers. Arizona outgained Northern in total offense by 123 yards, but had 40 more yards of penalties.
Incarnate Word 42 at Texas State 34
From one mission town to another, Incarnate Word made the trek up the interstate to meet Texas State. They were not intimidated by the school upon the hill in San Marcos. The San Antonio bunch has been upwardly mobile for a while now.
The Evil Eye considered this as a possible trouble spot for Texas State, but ultimately rejected it. The reasons included Texas State playing Baylor tough and winning at Florida International. On the other hand, Word lost at Youngstown State in overtime, a team that has not been that great lately. There was also a win against Prairie View which did not move the needle for the Evil Eye. The Evil Eye should have considered the Youngstown State game more thoroughly, but admits it would not have changed the decision. Ultimately, the Evil Eye decided Texas State was too Sun Belt tough for Incarnate Word. This proved otherwise.
This was a very good game that rocked back and forth with plenty of offense. At the end of the day, only five yards separated the teams’ total offense numbers. A great regional win for Incarnate Word.
The other games the Evil Eye spotlighted as problematic games that should be close, were indeed close. Jackson State 7 at Louisiana-Monroe 12 and South Carolina State 35 at New Mexico State 43. The game Lindy’s spotlighted was not close, Delaware 13 at Rutgers 45. The Evil Eye will refrain from told you so.
Other Random Notes
Florida’s read-option, two-point conversion attempt did not develop like the Swamp fans wanted. The Evil Eye has always favored a play-action pass in this situation and that could have developed out of the read-option that was run. An old school fake to the fullback and roll-out pass to the tight end has worked in many short yardage and goal line situations in the days of yore. That concept can still be run to freeze the defense, even with a one back set.
The other play the Evil Eye favors, if you have the right quarterback or wildcat, is a swinging gate. See Chris Petersen and Boise State. File this under when you absolutely, positively have to freeze the D. You need a special ball carrier though, someone who can dance, accelerate and make people miss. But for creating a sense of panic and a deer-in-the-headlights moment, the swinging gate can’t be beat. Unless you use a double-sided swinging gate. Calling Mike Leach.
The targeting call in the San Jose State at Hawaii game was a total joke. Well after the tackler went for an admittedly helmet-centric move at the ballcarrier’s chest the ballcarrier dipped his helmet right into you know where. I mean honestly, the ballcarrier was the one doing the targeting. Total joke. The announcers were totally at a loss for an explanation of this play as targeting and Petros Papadakis basically said several times that he did not know what he could tell the tackler to do differently in that situation. Total joke call.
SMU’s game winning Hail Mary with no time left on the clock at Louisiana Tech was just as the Evil Eye would draw it up. The Evil Eye says leave a couple of receivers out on each wing and one might catch a deflection. That is exactly what happened here. Easy catch and easy touchdown. A diamond with a big guy in the scrum might be even better. If he doesn’t get it, then the garbage men might.
This Week’s Danger Games
There are a number of potential FCS victories over FBS games this weekend that look tempting. However, a close inspection puts the lie to most of them. The Evil Eye may hold its cards close this week. On the other hand, the Evil Eye is a riverboat gambler.
There are some weak match-ups out there this weekend, but that is the problem. The FCS challenger is too weak to topple the FBS weakling they face.
The ones that give the Evil Eye pause do so because of the potential for vast amounts of pain on the FBS side. Playing the name game, they don’t look too close. But regional animus and stranger-than-fiction true-life-stories can come through.
New Hampshire at Pittsburgh is one. The official attendance at Pitt’s home game last week was 40,581, a 44-41 loss to Western Michigan. The brief glimpse the Evil Eye had looked nothing like that. Maybe everyone was out for hotdogs. What is the home field advantage here?
The other is Richmond at Virginia Tech. Richmond will be jacked-up sky high and everyone, including the Hokies, knows it. So it won’t be a surprise.
Both of these hosts are Power Five teams from the ACC. But Florida State was a home team, Power Five, ACC stone-cold loser a couple of weeks ago.
The Evil Eye is talking itself out of this prognostication. One or both of these games might be closer than comfortable. That is all the Evil Eye can muster.
Don’t be a hater.