Week 2 Predictions: Tommy's Picks

5 of 10 Last Week / 5 of 10 on Season

There’s no hiding the fact that last week was a tough one for me. I will not make excuses and blame my poor performance on not having enough seniors on my roster – instead I will own up to it like a man and blame it on your team’s awful performances. Congratulations to Eureka and Greenville for proving me wrong and winning. Morris, Martin Luther, and Westminster – shame on you. The first week of the season is always a learning experience, though, and I feel that this week I have a much better handle on what the UMAC teams will truly look like. I’m expecting nothing but perfection from myself in this week’s predictions. 

Minnesota Morris @ Greenville – While Greenville was busy pulling off a huge upset over Millikin, Morris was losing to Hamline for the second consecutive year. Apparently the Morris players were correct in saying that we don’t know anything about this conference – we gave Morris more credit than they really deserved. This is a new week though and, needless to say, these teams come into these games with very different attitudes. Greenville will be riding high and confident – potentially even overconfident. Morris should be shaken after last week’s loss and hungry for retribution. Even though Morris lost to Hamline in Week 1, they looked better than a number of other UMAC teams on Saturday. At least Hamline is a legitimate (and I use that word loosely) college team… sort of. The key for Greenville defensively will be keeping the ball out of Foss’ hands. The key for Morris will be shutting down the Panthers’ option attack. After

watching both squads last week I have a lot more faith in Greenville slowing down Foss than I do in Morris slowing down Chambers. Greenville looks like they might be the best they have been in three years and Morris looks like a middle-of-the-road UMAC team. Greenville jumps on the Cougars early before letting them back in it somewhat in the end. The final score will be closer than the game truly ever was. Greenville 38 Morris 21

Eureka @ Northwestern - The Red Devils are soaring after their 3 point win over Knox last week in what is apparently their biggest game of the year. They retain the Abraham Lincoln trophy which is their equivalent of Michigan beating Ohio State. As long as Eureka beats Knox, it doesn’t matter how they do the rest of the year – which is good because it won’t be all that well. Traditionally a running team, Northwestern went to much more of an aerial attack last week against the Oles. Their offensive line struggled early and often, but the Eagles still managed to take control in the 3^rd quarter and pull to within 3 points before falling off in the fourth. Expect the Eagles to run the ball much more effectively against the Red Devils this week. Eureka’s best chance of winning is in exploiting UNW’s secondary which was their weak spot last season and once again looked quite vulnerable on Saturday. Eureka will score but struggle to defend and lose a high scoring affair. If the game is close, however, Eureka holds a huge advantage with a kicker who can actually make extra points and field goals. Northwestern can only score 6 at a time with their abysmal kicking game. They still have more than enough to win. Northwestern 33 Eureka 17

MacMurray @ Martin Luther- Who do you pick in a game that pits a team that lost 58-7 against a team that lost to the worst-ranked team in college football? I will tell you who – the home team. I can’t believe I am saying this but… I have to give the edge to Martin Luther. MacMurray is coming up on a long bus ride to a place that is traditionally a difficult venue for UMAC road teams to play at. Martin Luther will be hungry after last week’s loss. I am sure MacMurray will be hungry as well, but they are a program that has unfortunately not seen a lot of winning in their history. At least Martin Luther saw some good things happen offensively last week. I have faith in their coaching staff to make the adjustments and I fear that a team like MacMurray will quickly begin saying to

themselves, “Here we go again” when Luke Rothe inevitably puts up points. I got burned by you once Martin Luther. If you lose again this week I am never picking you again. And suggesting that you be demoted to high school football.  Martin Luther 42 MacMurray 35

Crown @ Westminster  – Westminster lost last week to a Hendrix team that looked good, but we can probably assume that was only because they were playing a terrible Westminster squad, as Hendrix is essentially a new program, and those are never good. Crown looked ok and had a few bright spots, namely the play of senior quarterback Wes Safford, but ultimately lost to a team that got kicked out of the MIAC for an inability to field a competitive team. This is the game I have gone back and forth on the most this week. I know what I am going to get week to week with Crown College. It may not be the most talented team but they will consistently put forth a good effort. Who knows with Westminster? I wouldn’t be surprised if they have games where they have players not show up because they overslept. Despite all that, there was a reason we had Westminster ranked ahead of Crown to start the year. I expect Crown to struggle to stop Westminster’s offense as the Blue Jays win a barn-burner. Westminster 41 Crown 35

Game of the Week

Iowa Wesleyan @ St. Scholastica – In the much-anticipated return of former Saints’ Defensive Coordinator Tom Parkevich to Duluth, the Tigers of Iowa Wesleyan play their first conference game as a member of the UMAC against the 2-time defending champs. Playing Scholastica right off the bat is a tough draw, but might actually play to the Tigers’ favor as Scholastica will know virtually nothing about the Tigers while Parkevich will be very familiar with his former team. I am especially looking forward to this game as a measuring stick of who Iowa Wesleyan is. We know that Scholastica will always be a good team. Will the Tigers match up against them? The Saints are a powerful defensive squad I expect to overmatch the Tigers on that side of the ball. The key matchup to watch will be stud wideout Ridge Hobbs against the Saints strong secondary – particularly French and LaValley. Hobbs is a baller and will get his catches, but the Saints front 7 will stifle the running game and be in the backfield all game long. Offensively, the Saints will do just enough to win as long as Tyler Harper can refrain from turning the ball over. Scholastica rudely welcomes Iowa Wesleyan to UMAC play. St. Scholastica 28 Iowa Wesleyan 7