Monday, October 31, 2022

RFC Weekly Predictions: Week Of November 5, 2022-Part #1 (FBS Group Of Five/FCS)

Editor's Note: For the remainder of the 2022 (regular) season (and likely beyond), future posts of the "RFC Weekly Predictions" column will be divided into multiple posts. The reason for this decision is to focus on more key games of interest across all of the divisions covered by RFC and to accommodate games involving the FBS Group Of Five that will be played midweek. With that said, on to this week's post (s).


Last Week: 74-37 (.660)

This Year: 731-319 (.696)

KEY: Projected winners are marked in RED.

Featured games in BOLD type.

FBS Group Of Five

Tuesday, November 1

Buffalo (5-3) at Ohio (5-3)

(The Bulls hit the road looking for their sixth straight win when they do battle with a Bobcats squad that has won three straight games, with first place in the Mid-American Conference East Division on the line!!! Airtime is at 7:30 pm EDT on ESPN2!!!)

Ball State (4-4) at Kent State (4-4)

Wednesday, November 2

Western Michigan (3-5) at Bowling Green (4-4)

Central Michigan (2-6) at Northern Illinois (2-6)

Thursday, November 3

Appalachian State (5-3) at Coastal Carolina (7-1)

(The Chanticleers clash with the Mountaineers in a critical showdown in the Sun Belt Conference East Division!!! Airtime is at 7:30 pm EDT on ESPN!!!)

UTEP (4-5) at Rice (4-4)

Friday, November 4

UMass (1-7) at UConn (4-5)

Saturday, November 5

Air Force (5-3) vs. Army (3-4)

(The weekend starts half an hour early from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, as the Falcons face the Midshipmen at the Commander's Classic in the battle for the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy!!! Airtime is at 11:30 am EDT/10:30 am CDT/9:30 am MDT/8:30 am PDT on CBS!!!)

Florida International (4-4) at North Texas (5-4)

(The Mean Green hosts the Panthers in a Conference USA match-up that features two teams coming off of wins in their most recent contests!!! Airtime is at 4 pm EDT/3 pm CDT on ESPN+!!!)

South Alabama (6-2) at Georgia Southern (5-3)

(In another critical Sun Belt Conference contest, the Eagles host the already bowl-eligible Jaguars, needing just one more win to become bowl-eligible themselves!!! Airtime is at 4 pm EDT/3 pm CDT, also on ESPN+!!!)

Houston (5-3) at SMU (4-4)

(In Texas, the Cougars clash with the Mustangs in a game with bowl eligibility implications in the American Athletic Conference!!! Airtime is at 7 pm EDT/6 pm CDT on the NFL Network!!!)

UNLV (4-4) at San Diego State (4-4)

(And in the early evenings on the East Coast, there's a big game in the Mountain West Conference that will be played during the late afternoons on the West Coast, as the Aztecs play host to the Rebels!!! Airtime is at 7 pm EDT/6 pm CDT/5 pm MDT/4 pm PDT on the CBS Sports Network!!!)

New Mexico (2-6) at Utah State (3-5)

BYU (4-5) at Boise State (6-2)

Tulane (7-1) at Tulsa (3-5)

UCF (6-2) at Memphis (4-4)

Navy (3-5) at Cincinnati (6-2)

Middle Tennessee State (4-4) at Louisiana Tech (2-6)

UTSA (6-2) at UAB (4-4)

Marshall (4-4) at Old Dominion (3-5)

Georgia State (3-5) at Southern Mississippi (5-3)

Troy (6-2) at Louisiana (4-4)

Texas State (3-5) at Louisiana-Monroe (2-6)

Colorado State (2-6) at San Jose State (5-2)

FCS

Thursday, November 3

Alabama A&M (3-5) at Mississippi Valley State (0-8)

Friday, November 4

Alcorn State (3-5) at Prairie View A&M (5-3)

Saturday, November 5

Sacramento State (8-0) at Weber State (7-1)

(The Hornets hope to remain undefeated when they travel east into Utah to take on the once-beaten Wildcats in another critical Big Sky Conference clash!!! Airtime is at 3 pm EDT/2 pm CDT/1 pm MDT/noon PDT on ESPN+!!!)

New Hampshire (6-2) at Richmond (6-2)

(The 5-0 Wildcats head south into Virginia looking to stay as the lone unbeaten squad in the CAA when they square off against the 4-1 Spiders!!! Airtime is at 3:30 pm EDT on FloSports!!!)

Southern (5-3) at Florida A&M (6-2)

(The Rattlers host the Jaguars in a huge SWAC showdown!!! Airtime is at 6 pm EDT/5 pm CDT on ESPN3!!!)

Central Arkansas (4-4) at Eastern Kentucky (5-3)

(The Colonels clash with the Bears in a battle for first place in the A-Sun Conference!!! Airtime is at 5 pm EDT/4 pm CDT on ESPN+!!!)

Abilene Christian (5-3) at Tarleton State (5-3)

(And on the "WAC" side of the "Alliance", the Wildcats take on the Texans in a tremendous Texas showdown!!! Airtime is at 8 pm EDT/7 pm CDT on ESPN+!!!)

Brown (3-4) at Yale (5-3)

Robert Morris (0-8) at Charleston Southern (1-7)

Pennsylvania (6-1) at Cornell (4-3)

Kennesaw State (4-4) at UT-Martin (5-3)

Lafayette (2-6) at Colgate (3-5)

William & Mary (7-1) at Hampton (4-4)

Monmouth (N.J.)-(4-5) at Delaware (6-2)

Delaware State (4-4) at South Carolina State (3-5)

Howard (3-5) at North Carolina Central (6-2)

St. Thomas (Minn.)-(7-1) at Valparaiso (4-4)

Youngstown State (5-3) at Illinois State (5-3)

Northwestern State (3-5) at Texas A&M-Commerce (5-3)

Butler (6-2) at San Diego (3-4)

South Dakota State (8-1) at Northern Iowa (5-4)

Southeast Missouri State (6-2) at Tennessee State (3-5)

Jackson State (8-0) at Texas Southern (4-4)

Eastern Illinois (2-6) at McNeese State (1-7)

Southern Utah (3-5) at Utah Tech (2-6)


Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.

Friday, October 28, 2022

RFC Weekly Predictions: Week Of October 29, 2022-More Bonus Predictions

Editor's Note: Only games that haven't been posted in the original post are eligible for inclusion in this bonus post. To read the original post, please click here.


KEY: Projected winners are marked in RED.

Featured games in BOLD type.

FCS

Saturday, October 29

Morehead State (2-5) at Butler (5-2)

Wagner (1-6) at Central Connecticut State (0-7)

Presbyterian (1-7) at Marist (2-5)

Valparaiso (4-3) at Dayton (5-2)

Towson (2-5) at Monmouth (N.J.)-(4-4)

Richmond (5-2) at Maine (2-5)

Merrimack (6-2)* at Stonehill (3-2)#

Harvard (4-2) at Dartmouth (2-4)

Howard (2-5) at Norfolk State (1-6)

South Dakota (2-5) at Youngstown State (4-3)

Western Illinois (0-7) at Missouri State (2-5)

Alcorn State (3-4) at Grambling State (1-6)

*-Merrimack is completing its transition from the NCAA Division II to the FCS level and is ineligible for postseason play.

#-Stonehill is starting the transition from the NCAA Division II to the FCS level and is ineligible for postseason play.


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Thursday, October 27, 2022

RFC Throwback Thursday: Southern Mississippi Early 1980's Teams


(Video #1 courtesy of ESPN.)


(Video #2 courtesy of ABC Sports.)



(Video #3 courtesy of the University of Southern Mississippi.)



(Video #4 courtesy of the University of Southern Mississippi.)

This week's installment of "RFC Throwback Thursday" focuses on the squads that played football for the University of Southern Mississippi during the early 1980s. The first game pits the Golden Eagles against the then #1 Alabama Crimson Tide in 1980, followed by two videos focusing on the 1981 squad, including a stunning upset win over Florida State, and perhaps the greatest win of all-time in USM program history, the Golden Eagles handing the late Bear Bryant his final loss ever in his otherwise illustrious career, knocking off a then #17 Crimson Tide team in 1982.

Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
 

Monday, October 24, 2022

RFC Weekly Predictions: Week Of October 29, 2022

Last Week: 85-33 (.720)

This Year: 657-281 (.700) 

KEY: Projected winners are marked in RED.

Featured games in BOLD type.

FBS Group Of Five

Thursday, October 27

Louisiana (4-3) at Southern Mississippi (4-3)

(The Ragin' Cajuns hit the road to square off against the Golden Eagles in a key Sun Belt Conference West Division showdown!!! Airtime is at 7:30 pm EDT/6:30 pm CDT on ESPN2!!!)

Friday, October 28

East Carolina (5-3) at BYU (4-4)

Louisiana Tech (2-5) at Florida International (3-4)

Saturday, October 29

Toledo (5-3) at Eastern Michigan (5-3)

(The Rockets hit the road to take on the Eagles in a battle for first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division!!! Airtime is at noon EDT on ESPNU!!!)


Cincinnati (6-1) at UCF (5-2)

(The Bearcats head south into Florida to face the Knights in a game with American Athletic Conference championship implications!!! Airtime is at 3:30 pm EDT on ESPN!!!)

North Texas (4-4) at Western Kentucky (5-3)

(The Hilltoppers host the Mean Green in a critical Conference USA contest!!! Airtime is at 3:30 pm EDT/2:30 pm CDT on Stadium.

SMU (3-4) at Tulsa (3-4)

Temple (3-4) at Navy (3-4)

UAB (4-3) at Florida Atlantic (3-5)

Middle Tennessee State (3-4) at UTEP (4-4)

New Mexico State (2-5) at UMass (1-6)

Old Dominion (3-4) at Georgia State (2-5)

South Alabama (5-2) at Arkansas State (2-6)

Coastal Carolina (6-1) at Marshall (4-3)

Colorado State (2-5) at Boise State (5-2)

San Diego State (4-3) at Fresno State (3-4)

Nevada (2-6) at San Jose State (4-2)

Wyoming (5-3) at Hawai'i (2-6)

FCS

Friday, October 28

Yale (4-2) at Columbia (3-3)

Saturday, October 29

Rhode Island (5-2) at William & Mary (6-1)

(The Tribe takes on the Rams in a critical CAA contest, with both teams sitting at 3-1 in conference play!!! Airtime is at 1 pm EDT on FloSports!!!)

Fordham (6-1) at Holy Cross (7-0)

(The undefeated Crusaders play host to the one-loss Rams in a potential showdown for the Patriot League crown!!! Airtime is at 1 pm EDT on ESPN+!!!)

Eastern Kentucky (4-3) at Southeast Missouri State (6-1)

(The one-loss Redhawks from the OVC host the Colonels from the A-Sun Conference in a rare mid-to-late season non-conference clash!!! Airtime is at 2 pm EDT/1 pm CDT on ESPN3!!!)

Chattanooga (6-1) at Furman (6-2)

(The Mocs hit the road to play against the Paladins in another key Southern Conference contest!!! Airtime is at 2 pm EDT, also on ESPN3!!!)

Southern (5-2) at Jackson State (7-0)

(The Tigers will look to remain unbeaten when they square off against the Jaguars in a showdown of SWAC powerhouses!!! Airtime is at 2 pm EDT/1 pm CDT, also on ESPN3!!!)

Incarnate Word (7-1) at Texas A&M-Commerce (5-2)

(The Cardinals hope to continue their run towards a Southland Conference title when they take on a Lions squad that's starting the transition from the NCAA Division II to the FCS level!!! Airtime is at 3 pm EDT/2 pm CDT on ESPN+!!!)

Montana (5-2) at Weber State (6-1)

(The Wildcats will try to bounce back from a tough loss to Montana State when they host a Grizzlies squad that lost a heartbreaker to Sacramento State in a key Big Sky Conference contest!!! Airtime is at 3 pm EDT/2 pm CDT/1 pm MDT on ESPN+!!!)

Illinois State (5-2) at North Dakota State (5-2)

(Having taken a bye to get the stunning loss to South Dakota State out of their system, the defending national champion Bison find themselves in a rare must-win situation when they host the Redbirds in a key MVFC contest!!! Airtime is at 3:30 pm EDT/2:30 pm CDT on ESPN+!!!)

Jacksonville State (6-2) at Austin Peay (5-2)

(The Governors will go up against a Gamecocks squad that's ineligible for postseason play, due to the visiting team's transition from the FCS to the FBS level!!! Airtime is at 4 pm EDT/3 pm CDT on ESPN+!!!)

Idaho (5-2) at Sacramento State (7-0)

(Finally, coming off an incredible overtime win over Montana, the Hornets hope to continue their historic unbeaten streak against the surprising Vandals in another huge Big Sky Conference showdown!!! Airtime is at 9 pm EDT/8 pm CDT/7 pm MDT/6 pm PDT on ESPN+!!!)


South Carolina State (3-4) at Morgan State (2-5)

St. Francis (Pa.)-(5-2) at Sacred Heart (4-3)

Cornell (4-2) at Princeton (6-0)

Charleston Southern (1-6) at Kennesaw State (2-4)

Hampton (4-3) at Villanova (4-3)

Bryant (2-5) at Gardner-Webb (3-5)

North Carolina Central (5-2) at Delaware State (4-3)

San Diego (3-3) at St. Thomas (Minn.)-(6-1)

Northern Iowa (4-4) at Southern Ilinois (5-3)

Abilene Christian (5-2) at North Dakota (4-3)

Sam Houston State (4-2)* at Tarleton State (5-2)*

*-Sam Houston State is transitioning from the FCS to the FBS level, while Tarleton State continues its transition from the NCAA Division II to the FCS level. Both teams are ineligible for postseason play.

NCAA Division II

Thursday, October 27

East Central (Okla.)-(6-2) at Ouachita Baptist (8-0)

(The unbeaten Tigers from Arkansas hope to stay that way when they take on the Tigers from Oklahoma in a key Great American Conference contest!!!)

Edward Waters (2-6) at Miles (1-7)

Saturday, October 29

Wheeling (6-2) at Concord (6-2)

(The Mountain Lions play host to the Cardinals in a showdown for at least a share of the Mountain East Conference championship!!!)

Indiana (Pa.)-(7-0) at Gannon (6-2)

(The undefeated Crimson Hawks hope to move one step closer to advancing to the PSAC championship game when they face the Golden Knights in a critical West Division clash on the road!!!)

New Haven (6-1) at Assumption (5-2)

(The Chargers hit the road to go up against the Greyhounds, with the winner moving another step closer to claiming the Northeast 10 Conference crown!!!)

Wingate (7-1) at Lenoir-Rhyne (6-2)

(The Bulldogs do battle with the Bears in a key South Atlantic Conference contest, with the winner keeping themselves in the conversation for the league championship!!!)

Augustana (S.D.)-(6-2) at Winona State (6-2)

Minnesota State (6-2) at Sioux Falls (7-1)

(In yet another "double dose" of action from the NSIC, the Vikings travel to Minnesota to match up against the Warriors, while the Cougars from South Dakota will square off against the Mavericks!!!)

Northwest Missouri State (6-2) at Nebraska-Kearney (6-2)

(The Bearcats are on the road to face the Lopers in a contest that has major implications on the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association [MIAA] championship race, as well as the playoff picture in Super Region 3!!!)



St. Anselm (5-2) at Pace (5-3)

Chowan (5-3) at Virginia Union (8-0)

Davenport (7-0) at Saginaw Valley State (6-2)

Tuskegee (6-2) at Kentucky State (4-4)

Truman State (6-1) at Quincy (4-4)

West Texas A&M (5-3) at Western New Mexico (4-4)

Pittsburg State (8-0) at Central Oklahoma (5-3)

Colorado Mines (6-2) at Western Colorado (5-3)

Limestone (5-3) at Newberry (7-1)

Western Oregon (4-4) at Midwestern State (4-4)

Texas A&M-Kingsville (7-1) at Central Washington (4-3)


NCAA Division III

Friday, October 28

Cornell (Iowa)-(2-5) at Illinois College (3-4)

Saturday, October 29

Utica (6-1) at SUNY Morrisville (6-1)

(In the first of what's likely to be a long string of critical games, the Pioneers will hit the road to face the Mustangs in a key Empire 8 Conference match-up, not to mention a battle of one-loss teams!!!)

Johns Hopkins (7-0) at Susquehanna (7-0)

(The Blue Jays from Baltimore travel into the Susquehanna Valley of Pennsylvania to square off against the River Hawks in a battle of unbeaten teams from the Centennial Conference!!!)

Rowan (5-2) at Salisbury (6-1)

(The Sea Gulls host the Profs in a key NJAC showdown!!!)

Howard Payne (6-1) at Hardin-Simmons (6-1)

(The Cowboys clash with the Yellow Jackets in another showdown featuring one-loss teams, this time in the American Southwest Conference!!!)

Monmouth (Ill.)-(6-1) at Lake Forest (6-1)

(Meanwhile, in the Midwest Conference, another battle of squads with only one loss will ensue, as the Scots square against the Foresters!!!)

Aurora (6-1) at Benedictine (Ill.)-(6-1)

(The Eagles play host to the Spartans in yet another showdown between one-loss squads from the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference [NACC]!!!)

Wisconsin-River Falls (5-2) at Wisconsin-Whitewater (5-2)

(How about a battle of two-loss teams, with the Warhawks hosting the Falcons in a game that will have a tremendous impact on the WIAC race!!!)

Linfield (6-0) at George Fox (6-1)

(Finally, in the Pacific Northwest, the Wildcats will face the one-loss Bruins in hopes of not only staying unbeaten but also moving one step closer to clinching another Northwest Conference championship!!!)


Trinity (Texas)-(7-0) at Centre (5-2)

Bridgewater State (4-3) at UMass-Dartmouth (7-1)

Anna Maria (3-3) at Gallaudet (5-2)

Salve Regina (5-2) at New England (4-3)

Alma (7-0) at Olivet (5-2)

RPI (5-2) at Ithaca (7-0)

Springfield (5-2) at Merchant Marine (5-2)

Franklin & Marshall (4-3) at Muhlenberg (4-3)

Union (N.Y.)-(6-1) at Hobart (4-3)

John Carroll (6-1) at Muskingum (4-3)

Wittenberg (4-3) at Wooster (4-3)

Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.)-(4-3) at Augsburg (5-2)

Randolph-Macon (7-0) at Washington & Lee (5-2)

Wisconsin-La Crosse (6-1) at Wisconsin-Oshkosh (4-3)

Wisconsin-Platteville (4-3) at Wisconsin-Stout (4-3)

Carleton (6-1) at Gustavus Adolphus (4-3)

Pomona-Pitzer (6-1) at Redlands (2-5)

Pacific (Ore.)-(3-3) at Lewis & Clark (4-2)

NAIA

Saturday, October 29

Indiana Wesleyan (6-1) at Siena Heights (4-3)

(The Wildcats will hit the road to square off against the Saints in a game where the visiting team is unbeaten in MSFA Mideast League play at 4-0, while the home team has just one loss in league play at 3-1!!!)

St. Francis (Ill.)-(5-2) at Olivet Nazarene (4-3)

(The "Game Of The Week" in the MSFA Midwest League pits the visiting Saints against the home-standing Tigers in a contest that could decide who finishes on top on that side of the conference!!!)

Bethel (Tenn.)-(8-0) at Lindsey Wilson (7-0)

(Speaking of which, the contest that just about every fan in the Mid-South Conference had circled on their calendars all season long is just around the corner, as the Blue Raiders are ready to do battle against the Wildcats in a showdown of undefeated squads, in the "Game Of The Year" by far, so far!!!)

Montana Tech (5-2) at Rocky Mountain (5-2)

(And the top game in the Frontier Conference pits the Battlin' Bears against the visiting Orediggers, with the winner keeping themselves in contention for a conference title!!!)

Kentucky Christian (2-6) at Point (2-6)

Pikeville (4-3) at Thomas More (4-4)

Roosevelt (6-1) at St. Ambrose (2-5)

Dakota State (4-4) at Iowa Wesleyan (4-5)

Grand View (8-0) at Peru State (4-4)

Valley City State (3-4) at Dickinson State (5-2)

Ave Maria (4-2) at Keiser (5-3)

Oklahoma Panhandle State (4-4) at Arizona Christian (5-2)

BONUS PREDICTION

Saturday, October 29

Robert Morris (FCS)-(0-7) at Appalachian State (FBS Group Of Five)-(4-3)


Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
 
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