September 8th, 2023 1:00pm
Week 2 of the NE10 football season is under way and week 1 is in the books. There were interesting games and outcomes that this guy did not expect! That is why they play games and why D2 Football is so exciting to follow.
On a side note, let's wish the best of luck to all our High School teams in New England that opened last week and this week, especially the Granby/Canton, CT Bears!! For NE10 coaches and recruiting personnel, do not forget about our student-athletes here in your own backyard. New England has many D1, FCS, and D2 caliber players that often get overlooked. The grass is not always greener on the other side. Look for local talent that can grow with the program and are not looking to the portal.
All right, so back to D2 NE10. The key questions for this week are which teams can win their second game in as many weeks and who can avoid that dreaded second loss. Losing two games in a row is not a deal-breaker for a Conference Championship but will certainly hurt a team’s chance to compete for the playoffs.
GAME PREDICTIONS
NE10 GAME TO WATCH
New Haven 21 @ Bentley 17
New Haven @ Bentley is a must-watch game this week as both teams come off hard-fought losses where the games just slipped away. Bentley led West Chester most of the way and could not close it out. New Haven went into overtime with Kutztown to eventually be stopped by two Dayne Koontz field goals. The Chargers home-field advantage will not be in play as this one is at Bentley. Even more exciting for both teams is that the game is “Saturday Night Lights”. This should be a fun atmosphere as both teams will be fighting for the dub.
Players to Watch
Bentley: LB Sal Lupoli Jr. needs to follow up his 8-tackle performance last week and help contain the Chargers run game which is due to bounce back from a lackluster week 1.
New Haven: The offensive line. Plus, RB Christopher Ais needs to make some big runs and average at least 5.0 yards per carry vs. 3.6 last week.
September 9th: Assumption 28 @ Southern Connecticut 21
Assumption showed they are still the real deal after a big win at Kutztown. The Greyhounds showed grit going for it on fourth down and converting on both occasions. Owls QB Keith Ridley will have a day, but the Greyhound's experience and playmakers help them pull this one out.
September 9th: Findlay 21 @ Pace 7
September 9th: Tiffin 17 @ St. Anselm 10
September 9th: Franklin Pierce 21 @ American International 7