THE LIGHTNING ROUND--WEEK 9

Last Week--22-18 (.550)
Year-To-Date--176-92 (.657)

Well, October is almost over, and November is almost here. As the regular season winds down, a lot of games over the final remaining weeks will decide which teams play past Thanksgiving, and closer to Christmas, and which squads will be making other plans for the postseason. Oh, just one more thing! Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour Saturday night, as the time will change from Daylight Saving Time, to Standard Time!

And on that note, it's time for this week's predictions!

Projected winners highlighted in RED.

Key games highlighted in BOLD type.

Showcase games highlighted in italics.

DIVISION I-AA

James Madison (6-1) at Richmond (5-2)

(Big showdown between Virginia foes in the Atlantic 10 Conference! Bring on the baked ham!)

Youngstown State (6-2) at Illinois State (6-1)

(Battle of the Birds in the Gateway Conference, between the Penguins and Redbirds!)

Furman (6-2) at Appalachian State (7-1)

(Showdown for first place in the Southern Conference!)

Eastern Illinois (5-3) at Tennessee-Martin (6-1)

UC Davis (4-3) at South Dakota State (4-3)

Towson (5-2) at Delaware (4-3)

Alabama A&M (5-2) at Alabama State (4-3)*

*--Magic City Classic at Birmingham, Ala.

Central Connecticut State (6-2) at Monmouth (N.J.)--(7-1)

DIVISION II

Grand Valley State (8-0) vs. Ferris State (6-2)

Valdosta State (6-1) at North Alabama (7-0)

(Great showdown in the Gulf South Conference!)

Tarleton State (4-3) at Abilene Christian (7-0)

Truman State (4-4) at Pittsburg State (7-1)

Newberry (8-0) at Tusculum (5-3)

Central Washington (5-3) at Augustana (S.D.)--(5-3)

Catawba (4-3) at Wingate (6-2)

Wayne State (Mich.)--(5-3) at Northwood (6-1)

Henderson State (6-2) at Harding (5-2)

Southeastern Oklahoma State (4-3) at Midwestern State (6-2)

Carson-Newman (6-2) at Presbyterian (5-3)

American International (5-2) at C.W. Post (6-2)

New Mexico Highlands (5-3) at Fort Lewis (6-3)

Indianapolis (5-3) at Saginaw Valley State (4-3)

DIVISION III

Capital (7-0) at Mount Union (7-0)

(Battle of undefeated "purple people eaters" in the Ohio Athletic Conference!)

Wisconsin-Whitewater (7-0) at Mary Hardin-Baylor (6-1)

(It's the "Cheese League", aka the WIAC, against the Lone Star State in this rare late-season match-up!)

Rowan (5-1) at Montclair State (4-3)

Occidental (6-0) at Cal Lutheran (5-1)

(Little big showdown in Southern California)

St. Thomas (5-2) at St. John's (Minn.)--(8-0)

Springfield (7-0) at Ithaca (6-1)

(Another potential barnburner in the Empire 8 Conference!)

Rhodes (5-2) at Trinity (Tex.)--(6-1)

Hobart (6-0) at Alfred (6-1)

Sul Ross State (5-1) at Hardin-Simmons (5-1)

Ohio Northern (4-3) at Baldwin-Wallace (5-2)

Greenville (5-2) at Concordia (Wis.)--(8-0)

Delaware Valley (5-2) at King's (5-2)

Monmouth (Ill.)--(5-3) at Illinois College (6-2)

Minnesota-Morris (6-2) vs. Rockford (7-1)**--(Friday)

**--UMAC Day at the Metrodome at Minneapolis, Minn.

NAIA

Nebraska Wesleyan (5-2) at Sioux Falls (8-0)

Carroll (Mont.)--(8-0) at Montana State-Northern (7-1)

(Real biggie re-match in the Frontier Conference!)

Urbana (5-3) at Walsh (8-0)

Benedictine (Kans.)--(6-2) at Missouri Valley (8-0)

Valley City State (5-3) at Black Hills State (6-2)

Geneva (3-3) at Ohio Dominican (4-3)

Minot State (4-4) at Jamestown (6-2)

Kansas Wesleyan (7-0) at Bethel (Kans.)--(6-1)