Bucknell @ Villanova

[Gangtackle11]

Bucknell 0-3 @ Villanova 2-1
6pm start

I expect Nova to take it out on the Bisons, but doesn’t change my skepticism about this team in the CAA race.

[Anthony215]

Nova should win pretty easily this week although I'm still pretty shocked about how poorly the defense played against Towson at home.

[cx500d]

Bison by 50

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

The only chance Bucknell has is if Jay Wright pays off the Villanova football team to throw game so his alma mater can avoid an 0-11 season.

The Bucknell basketball team might be able to score more points than the football team's offense.

[LehighU11]

Nobody cares about football at either school. Replace this hoops at the Wells Fargo Center and the place would sell out.

It's a shame for the Nova players that their fan base is among the most football-apathetic in FCS, since they usually have a solid team. Even a national championship didn't bring sustained crowds to the Main Line.

[Gangtackle11]

Bison by 50

Wrong thread. xpeacex

[cx500d]

Wrong thread. xpeacex
Oh, my bad

[Sader87]

Never understood the so-so support for Nova football....solid program going back many years; talking 1940s, 50s etc but never seemed to have a solid following then or after they resumed football in the late 1980s.

Not that Holy Cross always banged out Fitton Field from the 1940s to today but it's always had a much better football following than Villanova....even today probably.

[Schism55]

Bison by 50
Thats's the right answer my man xsmiley_wix

[caribbeanhen]

Nova should win pretty easily this week although I'm still pretty shocked about how poorly the defense played against Towson at home.

I had been impressed with the Nova D before this game, but also posted lets see how they do against Flacco..... Towson is now a threat

[Pards Rule]

The bad news continues for the Bison, last week alum Leslie Moonves and this week Nova!!! Luckily, hardly anything named for him on campus in Lewisburg, PA as opposed to the multitude of buildings named for Ken Langone (co-founder of Home Depot) and his parents! Ken's parents had some dough as the Langone University Center has been there since the 70s (I know as my BU '61 parents took us to campus many a time).

[Gangtackle11]

I had been impressed with the Nova D before this game, but also posted lets see how they do against Flacco..... Towson is now a threat

Towson came in & looked like they were going to be blown out down early 14-0. Nova let them out of a punting situation next series with a dumb penalty. It turned the game on a dime. Towson smacked Nova’s defense around from that point on the rest of the half. Game was evenly played after half, but Towson had already stepped on Nova’s neck by then.

The adage “You are never as good or bad as you may appear” is probably where Nova’s defense lies. Good, but certainly not elite is my guess. Bucknell more than likely won’t be the litmus test, @SB, @ Maine & Home for JMU before the bye certainly will.

Thought we’d be 3-1 after this game. Just got here in a peculiar way. The loss to Towson may be a killer if several CAA teams are bunched at 7-4 at season’s end. xpeacex

[Gangtackle11]

Hearing that several starters are banged up & may miss this week’s game. Towson played a physical game that Nova didn’t answer back with the same vigor.

I saw that Penn had 10 sacks against Bucknell. My oh my.

xpeacex

[Go...gate]

Towson came in & looked like they were going to be blown out down early 14-0. Nova let them out of a punting situation next series with a dumb penalty. It turned the game on a dime. Towson smacked Nova’s defense around from that point on the rest of the half. Game was evenly played after half, but Towson had already stepped on Nova’s neck by then.

The adage “You are never as good or bad as you may appear” is probably where Nova’s defense lies. Good, but certainly not elite is my guess. Bucknell more than likely won’t be the litmus test, @SB, @ Maine & Home for JMU before the bye certainly will.

Thought we’d be 3-1 after this game. Just got here in a peculiar way. The loss to Towson may be a killer if several CAA teams are bunched at 7-4 at season’s end. xpeacex

I saw one site that has you guys with a first-round bye and playing the winner of the Colgate-Duquesne game.

[Gangtackle11]

I saw one site that has you guys with a first-round bye and playing the winner of the Colgate-Duquesne game.

Doubtful Colgate & Duquesne would be matched up. I’d say PL & NEC champs get sent to 2 non-seeded CAA teams before you see that matchup. Never know.

Villanova needs 5 more wins from Bucknell, @SB, @Maine, JMU, UNH, @Richmond, W&M, @Delaware to be considered for playoff spot at 7-4. Troubling if Towson gets to 7 now. Temple win helps though.

Hard to see a playoff bye with the Towson loss & schedule ahead.

Long way to go. Bucknell 1st & only concern. xpeacex

[Ivytalk]

Should be a YUGE crowd for this one. Maybe 200.

[MR. CHICKEN]

.........TALK'LL.....BE ..........HOW DUH ROUND BALL SQWAD.....DUMPED JAY.......FO' NBA.......BRAWK!

[Gangtackle11]

Should be a YUGE crowd for this one. Maybe 200.

Its Parents Weekend. Probably 400. xpeacex

[Go...gate]

Why can't you guys draw more fans?

[Gangtackle11]

Why can't you guys draw more fans?

Nova draws 5000-6000 fans 80% of the time. Draw 8000-10000 10% & 2000-4000 10% of the time.

School plays in Big East for all sports except Football. Only program not playing at the highest level of sport. Many negative alum are critical of that. Nova was headed up in 2012, but Big East imploded & the school didn’t want to take the Temple, Cincinnati route for football.

We arent the state’s team like in the Midwest or even Delaware or New Hampshire. Pro sports dominate the headlines in Philly not an FCS football program.

Besides very few FCS schools would fair well to play Nova in hoops. (Except Big East Butler). It’s a basketball school.

That all said. We own Delaware recently (11 of 12) and they think they are a football school. Can’t resist. (Sorry Carrib & Mr. Chicken)

New AD has tried to do things to attract fans, but it’s a long slog. Our attendance is typical of a lot of schools in these parts with a few exceptions. Is what it is.

xpeacex

[UNHWildcat18]

PL sucks worse than usual this year, Nova 45-14

[Gangtackle11]

PL sucks worse than usual this year, Nova 45-14

....with the possible exception of Toothpaste U. xpeacex

[UNHWildcat18]

....with the possible exception of Toothpaste U. xpeacex

Nah... UNH has the most pitiful offense in 15 years and a back up QB and they barely escaped, nothing I saw from them impressed me. Not that anything from UNH has impressed me either

[The Boogie Down]

School plays in Big East for all sports except Football. Only program not playing at the highest level of sport. Many negative alum are critical of that. Nova was headed up in 2012, but Big East imploded & the school didn’t want to take the Temple, Cincinnati route for football.
xpeacex

According to someone very-very-VERY much in the know, Villanova football had been in a 15 year discussion w/the old Big East to move up. Despite lots and lots of arm-twisting from the league in that time, Villanova wouldn't/couldn't ever commit to making the jump.

Looking back, had the Wildcats moved up they'd probably be in the AAC now. All things considered, not sure if that (remember, as bad as UConn football has been, they did win a national championship in hoops as an AAC member) woulda been a better fate or not.

[crusader11]

PL sucks worse than usual this year, Nova 45-14

Excited for our date with UNH in October!

[LehighU11]

School plays in Big East for all sports except Football. Only program not playing at the highest level of sport. Many negative alum are critical of that. Nova was headed up in 2012, but Big East imploded & the school didn’t want to take the Temple, Cincinnati route for football.
Hey, "we could have been in the Big East" is Holy Cross' shtick! Find a new excuse, Villanova!

[UNHWildcat18]

Excited for our date with UNH in October!

idk if you will win but, I think HC really has a head coach who's going to turn them around in the next few years

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

idk if you will win but, I think HC really has a head coach who's going to turn them around in the next few years

He'll turn it around but I don't think he's going to stay in Worcester long enough for Holy Cross to truly take off on a consistent basis. The question will be if the next guy can sustain what Chesney builds. HC doesn't want a Moorhead to Breiner type transition.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Temple took care of Tulsa tonight on ESPN to even our record at 2-2. While we're not going to be challenging Alabama any time soon, my Owls have proven quite capable the last two weeks against Maryland and Tulsa. Villanova's win over us will prove to be one of the best in FCS this year.

[Go...gate]

Temple took care of Tulsa tonight on ESPN to even our record at 2-2. While we're not going to be challenging Alabama any time soon, my Owls have proven quite capable the last two weeks against Maryland and Tulsa. Villanova's win over us will prove to be one of the best in FCS this year.

Nice work beating Tulsa!

[RichH2]

Temple took care of Tulsa tonight on ESPN to even our record at 2-2. While we're not going to be challenging Alabama any time soon, my Owls have proven quite capable the last two weeks against Maryland and Tulsa. Villanova's win over us will prove to be one of the best in FCS this year.

Congrats. Armstead and Wright.are fun to watch.

[Gangtackle11]

Stealing from Dennis Green “ They were who we thought they were”. Bucknell played hard, but they aren’t in the same class as the ‘Cats.

Nova throttled down late 2nd Q when it was 42-7 & most starters were gone at half. Even 2s were done at the end of 3q leaving the entire 4q to mostly 3s & walkons. I wasn’t surprised by the score, but surprised at the smallish # of Bucknell players. I’d say they had 40-45 dressed.

On to CAA play where Nova has to play catch-up. xpeacex

[LehighU11]

I’d say they had 40-45 dressed.
That's disgraceful. Bucknell should drop football, as they clearly have no interest in fielding a competitive team.

The dumpster fire that is Patriot League football is only going to get worse as long as Bucknell lingers around and Lafayette remains almost as disinterested in all of D1 athletics. PL needs to remove roster caps, add the additional 3 scholarships to get to 63, and dump the AI. If Bucknell and Lafayette are opposed, so be it. Colgate, Fordham, Holy Cross, and Lehigh are the only ones out of the 7 that show any interest in competing in FCS.

[Go...gate]

Stealing from Dennis Green “ They were who we thought they were”. Bucknell played hard, but they aren’t in the same class as the ‘Cats.

Nova throttled down late 2nd Q when it was 42-7 & most starters were gone at half. Even 2s were done at the end of 3q leaving the entire 4q to mostly 3s & walkons. I wasn’t surprised by the score, but surprised at the smallish # of Bucknell players. I’d say they had 40-45 dressed.

On to CAA play where Nova has to play catch-up. xpeacex

REALLY? WTH is going on in Lewisburg?