SAC Week Four Preview

September 26th, 2024 1:00pm

Week three and opening weekend in the SAC brought some outstanding football and gives week four something to live up to. More important than football, as week four gets ready to kick off, is the severe weather hitting the southeastern US right now from Hurricane Helene. Some schools have already made scheduling changes due to the incoming/ongoing weather, and I will do my best to keep up with any potential cancellations or postponements for games this weekend. As someone who spent time doing Katrina relief in New Orleans, and lived in the Crescent City for two years, it hits home a little bit. Hopefully the damage is to a minimum and everybody takes precautions to stay safe.

In news around the conference off the gridiron, two SAC athletes have been named semifinalist for the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame's (NFF) 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Congratulations to Carson-Newman’s Major Williams and Wingate’s Trevor Bryan! Outstanding work gentlemen!

Players of the Week

Offense: Dustin Noller (Limestone): 15/23, 368 yards, 5 touchdowns.

Defense: Chendrick Cann (Emory & Henry): 2 interceptions, four tackles, forced fumble.

Special Teams: Bennett Smith (Carson-Newman): 2/2 field goals, 3/3 extra points including game winner.

SAC Power Rankings

1. Lenoir-Rhyne
2. Carson-Newman
3. Wingate
4. Emory & Henry
5. Limestone
6. Newberry
7. Mars Hill
8. Barton
9. UVA Wise
10. Tusculum
11. Catawba
12. Anderson

Last Week: 4-2*

Season: 21-7

Tusculum Pioneers at #12 Lenoir-Rhyne Bears ***THIS GAME HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF HURRICANE HELENE. THEY ARE HOPING TO PLAY TOMORROW (9/29)

Location: Hickory, NC / 1 PM

Line: Lenoir-Rhyne -26.5 / SP+: Lenoir-Rhyne 41.9, Tusculum 11.2

Series: Lenoir-Rhyne leads 16-11. (Lenoir-Rhyne won last meeting, 48-7, in 2023)

The Pioneers found themselves down two scores less than 2 ½ minutes into last Saturday’s SAC opener against Newberry, and that was just the beginning of the suffering. Newberry ended up taking a 33-6 lead into the half, before calling off the dogs and pulling away with a 50-20 win in Greeneville. Both sides of the ball continued to struggle, giving up over 450 yards while only putting up 250. The run game had a little bit of success, rushing for 180 yards, but a third of that came on one play. There are some obvious growing pains with new systems on both sides of the ball, but there is still some players there talented enough to make this team more competitive.

Lenoir-Rhyne trailed 21-10 midway through the 3^rd quarter last weekend to in-state rival Mars Hill, before going on a 19-0 run and holding on for a 29-21 win. There were a lot of positives, and some negatives for Coach Socha’s crew in this one. The Bears outgained their opponents by a total of 404 to 173; they completely shut down the Mars Hill run game; the defense got to the quarterback; field goal kicking was perfect. The negatives: didn’t finish drives and put the ball in the end zone; turned the ball over 3 times; had double digit penalties and 100 penalty yards. The bottom line is though; despite not looking dominant early on, the Bears have found ways to win ball games however necessary. You can’t complain about that!

Prediction: Lenoir-Rhyne rolls to a 4-0 start.

Unfortunately, I expect this rematch of the 2023 SAC Championship Game to go very much like the game went last year: a Lenoir-Rhyne blowout win. Tusculum is still finding it’s footing, and the first two games have been painful, as they’ve been on the wrong end of two butt kicking’s. The new offense has struggled to find any sort of consistency, and the defense has been gashed as well. Anyone can beat anybody on any given Saturday in college football, but it would be the most surprising result of the conference slate this weekend if the Pioneers pulled off the upset. The Bears have looked better in all phases early on and I’m not sure if Tusculum has enough offense to keep up, or defense to slow down, the Bears attack.

Anderson Trojans at Barton Bulldogs

Location: Wilson, NC / 2 PM

Line: Barton -28.5 / SP+: Barton 31.2, Anderson 19.6

Series: First Ever Meeting

The first SAC game in school history did not go the way the Trojans wanted, as they got pasted by 47 against in-state rival Limestone. Tyler Wesley completed less than 50% of his passes, while throwing for just over 100 yards and 2 interceptions. JB Seay and the run game struggled to really get anything going, as did the offense as a unit. Just two plays of 20+ yards on the day, compared to at least 7 for their opponent. I expected some struggles from the 1^st year program in their first game against D2 competition, and maybe Limestone was just on fire last weekend, but we shall see how Coach Lamb and the fellas rebound this week.

Three games into a season is still a bit early to get the full picture of a team, but it’s been tough sledding so far for Coach Hester and the Bulldogs. After a come from behind win against Chowan two weeks ago, the Bulldogs followed that up with a blowout loss to Emory & Henry, 41-0. It was 0-0 after the 1^st, and Emory & Henry took a 13-0 lead into the half. The 28-0 2^nd half just put a stamp on the day for Barton. The offense wasn’t there (92 yards passing for Trevor Nored and 57 yards rushing), and the defense unfortunately wasn’t that much better, giving up 536 yards. If the ‘Dogs continue to struggle, it could be a long farewell tour in 2024.

Prediction: Barton gets to 2-2.

This game might be the one I am the least confident in picking a winner this week, but I’m going to go with the Bulldogs in a close one. Both teams got their proverbial teeth kicked in during their SAC openers last weekend and left a lot more questions than answers. The sample size is still too small to get a fair read of Anderson, as their only game against D2 competition came against Limestone. Barton has had struggles of their own, but where I give them, the slightest advantage is who they’ve played early on. Still seem unsure about their offensive identity early on. The keys to the game are identical for both teams, and whoever can force more turnovers and get their offense going is coming away with their first SAC win of the year. Again, I have zero confidence in either team right now.

Emory & Henry Wasps at Limestone Saints ***THIS GAME HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF HURRICANE HELENE. THEY ARE HOPING TO PLAY TOMORROW (9/29)

Location: Gaffney, SC / 1 PM

Line: Limestone -9.5 / SP+: Emory & Henry 28.2, Limestone 25.1

Series: Limestone leads 2-0. (Limestone won last meeting, 47-29, in 2023)

Emory & Henry put on likely their best performance against a conference opponent since transitioning to D2 last weekend, handling business and defeating Barton, 41-0. The offense was spectacular for the most part, as Charles Mutter III threw for a career high 274 yards on 11 of 19 passing and 3 scores. Jordan Jackson continued his onslaught, as the SAC’s leading per game rusher ran for 125 yards and a touchdown. And the Wasps had three different players with 2+ catches and 55+ yards, including Cam Abshire who caught 2 passes and scored both times! The defense was suffocating as well, holding Barton to under 150 yards of offense and forcing three turnovers, two of which were SAC Defensive player of the week Chendrick Cann’s interceptions.

Limestone took advantage of a 24-0 2^nd quarter on their way to a 52-5 win on the road against Anderson. The Saints offense put up 559 yards of total offense, while holding the Trojans to a measly 233. Dustin Noller bounced back from a rough outing in Livingston, throwing five touchdowns along with 368 yards and completing 65% of his passes. Preston Lounds found the end zone twice on the ground, Kevin Lalin rushed for 130 and the receiving core “ate” as the kids say. DJ Black (6-132-1), Tre Williams (4-112-1), Jalen Jones (2-92-2), each had a big day. Dashawn Gamble and Camyen Feagins recorded interceptions for the Saints defense who had a much better performance this week as well.

Prediction: Limestone ends Wasps undefeated season.

If Emory & Henry can force the Saints offense to turn the ball over 3+ times, I really like their chances to make me wrong. Keeping Charles Mutter III upright and giving him time to make plays is vital, and it’s also vital to continue to have Jordan Jackson run the ball effectively to open things up. The Wasps have collectively looked very good early on, winning by an average of 33.0 PPG. However, I think a step up in competition may be more of a challenge than some believe. The Saints offense presents a new challenge and will test the defense all day. Last year it was a close game at half before adjustments made at halftime led to a blowout win for the Saints. If the defense can show up like that, it should be over. Turnovers will be the difference.

Mars Hill Lions at Wingate Bulldogs ***THIS GAME HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF HURRICANE HELENE. THEY ARE HOPING TO PLAY TOMORROW (9/29)

Location: Wingate, NC / 6 PM

Line: Wingate -10.5 / SP+: Wingate 29.4, Mars Hill 13.7

Series: Wingate leads 8-5

Despite being outgained by a wide margin in yards, Mars Hill took advantage of several Lenoir-Rhyne miscues and held a 21-16 lead heading into the final frame. However, after a long Bears touchdown drive, the Lions quickly went three-and-out to give the ball right back. Jalen Ferguson hit Songa Yates on the first play for a 78-yard touchdown, and the fat lady was singing, as the Lions fell to 0-2 with a 29-21 loss. While there were some improvements on the defensive side of the ball from their first game (23 days earlier), the offense was who struggled in this one. The Bears held the Lions to just 19 yards on 28 carries, they sacked JR Martin 5 times, and never really allowed the offense to get into a rhythm. I’ve given some love to Dexter Fitzpatrick early, he had another double-digit tackling performance, but Steven Reid had quit the day as well. There could still be a little rust from the long layoff, but this Lions team still must get going in a hurry. You don’t want to be 0-3 at the end of September.

Despite doing an unbelievable job shutting down the Carson-Newman running game, Wingate fell in overtime last weekend, 31-28. Ethan Wallace carried the ball 13 times for 81 yards and two scores. Brooks Bentley played extremely well for the most part, despite getting sacked 7 times by the Eagles. His ability to get out of pressure had some Eagle fans breathing into a paper bag. The Bulldogs defense held the Eagles in check overall, but miscues and the ability to take advantage of said miscues is what sent the visitors back to the doghouse. There was only 1 turnover in the ball game (a Bentley interception), but Wingate’s kickers went a combined 0 for 3 on field goals, including a block and had an extra point muffed that went the other way with Major Williams. Lots of areas to build on, but nothing to hang their heads about.

Prediction: Wingate sends Mars Hill to 0-3.

While there were a lot of improvements from game 1 to game 2, I have seen much more on both sides of the ball from Wingate early on. The defense is absolutely suffocating and creates additional opportunities for the offense. If Mars Hill can force some turnovers like they did against Lenoir-Rhyne, and take advantage of those miscues like they did, they have a solid chance. This was the matchup I had at the beginning of the season as my SAC championship prediction and while it could still happen, the Lions have a long way to go. It comes down to substance, and what I’ve seen out of Wingate has been more impressive that what Mars Hill has shown. Except for the kicking game.

#25 Carson-Newman Eagles at Catawba Indians

Location: Salisbury, NC / 6 PM

Line: Carson-Newman -8.5 / SP+: Carson-Newman 36.0, Catawba 21.6

Series: Carson-Newman leads 41-14-1. (Catawba won last meeting, 24-14, in 2023)

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: good football teams find ways to win, whatever it takes. The Eagles run game was shut down, they were down to quarterback numbers 4 and 5 (however they are listed on the two-deep) after the 1^st quarter, and STILL Coach Ingram’s guys found a way to get the job done. Taking advantage of Wingate miscues, big time defensive stops when called upon, and efficiency in the passing game (7 total completions: 3 touchdowns and 190 yards). Bennett Smith came up clutch in the kicking game, going 3 for 3 including the game winner. Grayson Campbell made one of the top 2 or 3 plays in the game though with a perfect punt near the end of the 4^th to essentially force Wingate to go to overtime. This was a “team” win for sure for the Eagles, easily the biggest win for the program since the 2019 playoffs against Bowie State.

If there was a “confidence” ranking regarding last week’s games, I probably would’ve put Catawba winning as 1. That was the pick I felt the most security in, but the Highland Cavaliers decided to punt on that idea. Catawba took a 14-7 lead on a 84 yard touchdown pass from Preston Brown to LJ Turner just a minute into the 2^nd quarter last weekend. The Indians would not have the lead again, eventually falling 31-28 to UVA Wise on the road. Catawba’s offense did their fair share to get the job done, but the defense struggled. Preston Brown threw for over 300 yards in the contest, LJ Turner and Quece Williams combined for 194 yards and 3 scores on the ground. UVA Wise countered though, with 417 yards of offense themselves and winning the turnover battle. You aren’t going to win a lot of football games like that.

Prediction: Eagles roll to 4-0 start.

When I was a student at Carson-Newman, the C-N/Catawba game was the must watch game of the year in the SAC almost every year. Last year the upstart Indians ruined the Eagles chance to have back-to-back winning seasons, controlling the entire game in Mossy Creek. This year, it seems as if the Eagles are coming in with even more momentum after their launching into the top 25. The question for me with each team is how do they respond? The Eagles seem to just keep on trucking, but will a win and becoming ranked for the first time in a while cause any distraction? How will the Indians respond to a stunning loss last week? The Indians have an excellent offense, but I have doubts the defense will be able to slow down the C-N offense at all, regardless of who is under center. Carson-Newman also has a distinct advantage in special teams and defense. Give me the Eagles to win in Salisbury by 2-3 scores.

UVA Wise Cavaliers at Newberry Wolves ***THIS GAME HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF HURRICANE HELENE. THEY ARE HOPING TO PLAY TOMORROW (9/29)

Location: Newberry, SC / 7 PM

Line: Newberry -20.5 / SP+: Newberry 32.1, UVA Wise 18.8.

Series: Newberry leads 2-0. (Newberry won last meeting, 37-14, in 2021)

In the shocker of the weekend to me and others who follow D2, UVA Wise took down up-and-comer Catawba at home 31-28 in Coach Bass’ SAC debut. The theme of the day for the Cavaliers was something Coach Bass and I have talked about: responses. After Catawba struck first to go up 7-0, they responded with a score. When Catawba went up 14-7, the Cavaliers responded. Then they took the lead and never gave it back. Jake Corkren was slinging the rock all over the yard, completing 71% of his passes for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns. But most importantly: zero turnovers. Dorien Goddard had 5 grabs for 79 yards, and Seth Fischback made some grown-man catches, 10 for 126 and a score. If Wise is going to continue to have some success this year, performances on the offensive side of the ball like Saturday are a must. The defense making key stops surely helps as well.

The Wolves scored early and often last weekend, whooping up on Tusculum like they did something to offend them. It was a three-score game after the 1^st quarter, and Coach Knight’s crew never looked back, blowing the doors off Tusculum, 50-20. Reed Charpia had yet another tremendously effective game, going 13 of 17 for 207 and a touchdown. Stud running back Dwayne Wright carried the ball just 7 times but averaged over 20 yards per carry. Keith Desaussure had scores both rushing and receiving, and it was just an onslaught. Colby Taylor anchored the defensive effort, sacking the quarterback twice. It was as good as I’ve seen the Wolves in a couple years, and they looked infinitely better than they did against Keiser the week before.

Prediction: Newberry gets to .500

Picking the Wolves in this matchup comes down to who I have more confidence in early in the season and how they’ve looked against who’ve they played. Despite how well they played last week in their win over Catawba, Newberry’s defense should provide a stiffer test, though still not getting confused for the ’85 Bears by any stretch. The Wolves offense has also shown has shown more explosiveness on offense the past two weeks and is showing some balance. For UVA Wise to pull the upset a second week in a row, some of the same things from last week will need to take place: force the opponent to play your game and put the ball in the endzone. Give me the Wolves.

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