anyone w/ a link that gives an overview to tonights match up
- Thread starter gouch
- Start date
watched both teams play, the hens are the powerhouse in their class, colgate is a nonscholarship school so..........
delaware!! over
delaware!! over
sportsnetwork wire:
DATE & TIME: Friday, December 19th, 7 p.m. (et).
FACTS & STATS: Site: W. Max Finley Stadium (21,000), Chattanooga, Tennessee. Surface: Grass. Television: ESPN 2. Announcers: Sean McDonough, Mike Golic, Rod Gilmore and Rob Stone. Home Record: Colgate 7-0; Delaware 10-0. Away Record: Colgate 8-0; Delaware 4-1. Series Record: Delaware (4-0). Last Meeting: 1982 (Delaware, 20-13 at Delaware). Conference: Colgate - Patriot; Delaware - Atlantic 10.
GAME NOTES: The last time Delaware and Colgate got physical with each other was in the 1982 playoffs, during a mournful period in our history when songs like Olivia Newton-John?s "Physical" were passed off as quality music. In that semifinal matchup between the Blue Hens and then-red Raiders, UD head coach Tubby Raymond drummed hated rival and ?Gate skipper Fred Dunlap out of the postseason with a 20-13 win, one that sent the Hens to the ?82 title game (which they lost to Eastern Kentucky). Longtime Blue Hen and Raider fans remember that contest, and can also recall Delaware?s 21-3 victory in the 1977 regular season finale, a triumph that ended Colgate?s bid for a perfect campaign. The stakes, it seems, were often high during the two clubs? four-game series that was bookended by those two memorable affairs, but a new and markedly more contentious history is about to be forged this Friday, as Delaware and Colgate each attempt to lay claim to a first-ever I-AA title.
Delaware comes off its third consecutive impressive performance of the playoffs, as the Blue Hens contained the Wofford option and won, 24-9, last week. UD held the Terriers to 11 first downs and 207 total yards, and the team?s only touchdown came on the game?s final play. The Hens? usual defensive suspects - end Shawn Johnson (9 tackles, 1 sack), linebackers John Mulhern (9 tackles) and Mondoe Davis (8 tackles), and safety Mike Adams (7 tackles) all stepped up to hold down Wofford. Delaware has given up just 24 points in the playoffs, needing to hold Colgate to 10 or fewer to set the I-AA playoff record for fewest points allowed over the four-game tournament (Montana, which gave up 34 in the 1995 playoffs, holds the record). Offensively, Keeler and company continued to rely on running back Germaine Bennett (186 yards, 3 TD), who had a career day. Running back Antawn Jenkins (13 carries, 41 yards) and quarterback Andy Hall (12-19, 130 yards, 1 INT, 31 rushing yards) were less conspicuous, with Hall once again being limited due to a variety of injuries. In his collegiate finale, expect Keeler to allow the quick-footed Hall to throw caution to the wind.
Colgate, meanwhile, made the school?s decision not to bid on a semifinal home game seem inconsequential, as the Raiders traveled to Florida Atlantic and never trailed, defeating the Owls by a 36-24 count. Dick Biddle?s club moved it on offense both via the ground (205 yards) and the air (207 yards), with quarterback Chris Brown (16-26 passing, 207 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 78 rushing yards, 1 TD) putting together the day?s most memorable performance in his native Sunshine State. Payton finalist Jamaal Branch rushed for 130 yards and a score in his first game on a dry field since Nov. 22, and wideout Luke Graham battled injuries to catch six balls for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, the ?Gate held FAU to 52 yards and 21 carries on the ground, and picked Owl quarterback Jared Allen off three times. Safety Ainsworth Minott had one of the interceptions, and also posted a team-high nine tackles in the win. The Raiders had some trouble executing on special teams, missing an extra point and suffering a late blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown.
My pick in this game shouldn?t be much of a mystery, in light of the fact that I picked Delaware to win it all on the selection show on Nov. 23rd. I haven?t done much wavering on that prediction. For the past three weeks, I?ve watched the Blue Hens play stifling defense against a trio of teams accustomed to marching up and down the field. Colgate has moved it at will during much of the playoffs, but I don?t expect the same to occur against UD and is talented corps. On the other side of the football, I think you?ll see Hall play with his hair on fire as his career comes to a close, and once he starts running, the Raiders are going to have trouble making defensive stands. It could be a close one entering the fourth quarter, but I predict that the Hens will pull away and win by about 10.
DATE & TIME: Friday, December 19th, 7 p.m. (et).
FACTS & STATS: Site: W. Max Finley Stadium (21,000), Chattanooga, Tennessee. Surface: Grass. Television: ESPN 2. Announcers: Sean McDonough, Mike Golic, Rod Gilmore and Rob Stone. Home Record: Colgate 7-0; Delaware 10-0. Away Record: Colgate 8-0; Delaware 4-1. Series Record: Delaware (4-0). Last Meeting: 1982 (Delaware, 20-13 at Delaware). Conference: Colgate - Patriot; Delaware - Atlantic 10.
GAME NOTES: The last time Delaware and Colgate got physical with each other was in the 1982 playoffs, during a mournful period in our history when songs like Olivia Newton-John?s "Physical" were passed off as quality music. In that semifinal matchup between the Blue Hens and then-red Raiders, UD head coach Tubby Raymond drummed hated rival and ?Gate skipper Fred Dunlap out of the postseason with a 20-13 win, one that sent the Hens to the ?82 title game (which they lost to Eastern Kentucky). Longtime Blue Hen and Raider fans remember that contest, and can also recall Delaware?s 21-3 victory in the 1977 regular season finale, a triumph that ended Colgate?s bid for a perfect campaign. The stakes, it seems, were often high during the two clubs? four-game series that was bookended by those two memorable affairs, but a new and markedly more contentious history is about to be forged this Friday, as Delaware and Colgate each attempt to lay claim to a first-ever I-AA title.
Delaware comes off its third consecutive impressive performance of the playoffs, as the Blue Hens contained the Wofford option and won, 24-9, last week. UD held the Terriers to 11 first downs and 207 total yards, and the team?s only touchdown came on the game?s final play. The Hens? usual defensive suspects - end Shawn Johnson (9 tackles, 1 sack), linebackers John Mulhern (9 tackles) and Mondoe Davis (8 tackles), and safety Mike Adams (7 tackles) all stepped up to hold down Wofford. Delaware has given up just 24 points in the playoffs, needing to hold Colgate to 10 or fewer to set the I-AA playoff record for fewest points allowed over the four-game tournament (Montana, which gave up 34 in the 1995 playoffs, holds the record). Offensively, Keeler and company continued to rely on running back Germaine Bennett (186 yards, 3 TD), who had a career day. Running back Antawn Jenkins (13 carries, 41 yards) and quarterback Andy Hall (12-19, 130 yards, 1 INT, 31 rushing yards) were less conspicuous, with Hall once again being limited due to a variety of injuries. In his collegiate finale, expect Keeler to allow the quick-footed Hall to throw caution to the wind.
Colgate, meanwhile, made the school?s decision not to bid on a semifinal home game seem inconsequential, as the Raiders traveled to Florida Atlantic and never trailed, defeating the Owls by a 36-24 count. Dick Biddle?s club moved it on offense both via the ground (205 yards) and the air (207 yards), with quarterback Chris Brown (16-26 passing, 207 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 78 rushing yards, 1 TD) putting together the day?s most memorable performance in his native Sunshine State. Payton finalist Jamaal Branch rushed for 130 yards and a score in his first game on a dry field since Nov. 22, and wideout Luke Graham battled injuries to catch six balls for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, the ?Gate held FAU to 52 yards and 21 carries on the ground, and picked Owl quarterback Jared Allen off three times. Safety Ainsworth Minott had one of the interceptions, and also posted a team-high nine tackles in the win. The Raiders had some trouble executing on special teams, missing an extra point and suffering a late blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown.
My pick in this game shouldn?t be much of a mystery, in light of the fact that I picked Delaware to win it all on the selection show on Nov. 23rd. I haven?t done much wavering on that prediction. For the past three weeks, I?ve watched the Blue Hens play stifling defense against a trio of teams accustomed to marching up and down the field. Colgate has moved it at will during much of the playoffs, but I don?t expect the same to occur against UD and is talented corps. On the other side of the football, I think you?ll see Hall play with his hair on fire as his career comes to a close, and once he starts running, the Raiders are going to have trouble making defensive stands. It could be a close one entering the fourth quarter, but I predict that the Hens will pull away and win by about 10.
upi sportswire:
2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Preview
Finley Stadium Site of Championship Battle
posted December 19, 2003
Two outstanding programs led by two superstar players meet to decide the 2003 Division I-AA National Championship in what is almost sure to be a night to remember.
One school has had football for 113 years. The other has a proven track record of post-season success.
One has the best running back in Division I-AA. The other has the best defensive lineman in the country.
When Colgate collides with Delaware to decide the national title, it will be a matchup of two teams who have been building toward this opportunity.
The Raiders, who have been playing football for more than a century, are riding the nation's longest Division I-AA winning streak with 21 consecutive victories, despite being a non-scholarship program. Colgate is enjoying its first undefeated season since 1932.
The Fightin' Blue Hens suffered just one defeat this season, and are no strangers to appearing in the Division I-AA playoffs. With 12 appearances in the playoffs and 17 postseason appearances overall, Delaware has reached heights that few have seen.
Tonight's appearance in the championship is the Fightin' Blue Hens first since 1982, and their chance to hang a I-AA banner next to their Division II championship from 1979.
Whether that trophy ends up in Newark, Delaware, or Hamilton, New York, could come down to a matchup of the team's superstars.
The Raiders are led by workhorse tailback Jamaal Branch. The junior has set new standards for running backs this season, finding the end zone on 29 occasions while carrying the ball 430 times for 2,271 yards. Branch deservedly has earned consideration for the Walter Payton Award.
While Branch has been arguably one of, if not the best offensive players in the nation, the Blue Hens' Shawn Johnson may be the nation's top defender. A transfer from Duke, Johnson has been a dominant force throughout the year with 13 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss. He was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the nation's best defensive player.
Georgia Tech transfer quarterback Andy Hall has piloted the Blue Hens' offense, keeping defenses on their toes with a no-huddle attack that varies its pace. Hall, another finalist for the Walter Payton Award, has been equally adept running and throwing. Hall has passed for 2,581 yards and run for 674.
Colgate quarterback Chris Brown has never lost a game as Colgate's starting quarterback, posting a perfect 18-0 record.
The Raiders have another standout on the offensive side of the ball that Delaware will have to contend with in All-American tight end John Frieser. In addition, Luke Graham has proven to be Brown's most prolific target, despite playing with a shoulder injury. Graham has a team-high 1,108 receiving yards this season and eight touchdown catches.
Delaware running back Germaine Bennett had to wait three years for his opportunity to carry the ball. He certainly has made the most of it in 2003, carrying the ball 303 times for a school-record 1,565 yards. Bennett also leads the team in scoring with 19 touchdowns.
Hall will be throwing against a Raiders' secondary that hasn't intercepted many passes this season. But interceptions haven't been necessary with Patriot League defensive player of the year senior linebacker Tem Lukabu roaming the field. Lukabu has a team-high 103 tackles on the year, including 10.5 tackles for loss.
The superstars that shine the brightest may ultimately determine who claims this year's national championship, thus earning the right to etch their name in the NCAA Division I-AA history books forever.
2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Preview
Finley Stadium Site of Championship Battle
posted December 19, 2003
Two outstanding programs led by two superstar players meet to decide the 2003 Division I-AA National Championship in what is almost sure to be a night to remember.
One school has had football for 113 years. The other has a proven track record of post-season success.
One has the best running back in Division I-AA. The other has the best defensive lineman in the country.
When Colgate collides with Delaware to decide the national title, it will be a matchup of two teams who have been building toward this opportunity.
The Raiders, who have been playing football for more than a century, are riding the nation's longest Division I-AA winning streak with 21 consecutive victories, despite being a non-scholarship program. Colgate is enjoying its first undefeated season since 1932.
The Fightin' Blue Hens suffered just one defeat this season, and are no strangers to appearing in the Division I-AA playoffs. With 12 appearances in the playoffs and 17 postseason appearances overall, Delaware has reached heights that few have seen.
Tonight's appearance in the championship is the Fightin' Blue Hens first since 1982, and their chance to hang a I-AA banner next to their Division II championship from 1979.
Whether that trophy ends up in Newark, Delaware, or Hamilton, New York, could come down to a matchup of the team's superstars.
The Raiders are led by workhorse tailback Jamaal Branch. The junior has set new standards for running backs this season, finding the end zone on 29 occasions while carrying the ball 430 times for 2,271 yards. Branch deservedly has earned consideration for the Walter Payton Award.
While Branch has been arguably one of, if not the best offensive players in the nation, the Blue Hens' Shawn Johnson may be the nation's top defender. A transfer from Duke, Johnson has been a dominant force throughout the year with 13 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss. He was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the nation's best defensive player.
Georgia Tech transfer quarterback Andy Hall has piloted the Blue Hens' offense, keeping defenses on their toes with a no-huddle attack that varies its pace. Hall, another finalist for the Walter Payton Award, has been equally adept running and throwing. Hall has passed for 2,581 yards and run for 674.
Colgate quarterback Chris Brown has never lost a game as Colgate's starting quarterback, posting a perfect 18-0 record.
The Raiders have another standout on the offensive side of the ball that Delaware will have to contend with in All-American tight end John Frieser. In addition, Luke Graham has proven to be Brown's most prolific target, despite playing with a shoulder injury. Graham has a team-high 1,108 receiving yards this season and eight touchdown catches.
Delaware running back Germaine Bennett had to wait three years for his opportunity to carry the ball. He certainly has made the most of it in 2003, carrying the ball 303 times for a school-record 1,565 yards. Bennett also leads the team in scoring with 19 touchdowns.
Hall will be throwing against a Raiders' secondary that hasn't intercepted many passes this season. But interceptions haven't been necessary with Patriot League defensive player of the year senior linebacker Tem Lukabu roaming the field. Lukabu has a team-high 103 tackles on the year, including 10.5 tackles for loss.
The superstars that shine the brightest may ultimately determine who claims this year's national championship, thus earning the right to etch their name in the NCAA Division I-AA history books forever.
