Week 12: Colonial Championship Game! UMass’ last stand.

I am going to take this opportunity to apologize because I was unaware that Central Arkansas was still in transition from Division II and is still not eligible for the playoffs.  That means that my potential brackets for the playoffs have been messed up from the beginning.

So to make this easier on me and you since I have been quite busy lately, I direct you to the ever cognizant Bruce Dowd from College Sporting News and his playoff explanations and predicitions.  It’s a very well written in depth article and should answer any questions people have.  Another plug I’ll put in is for the new FCS Bracketology site.  A simple yet fantastic site that is update weekly based on all the goings on in FCS.

Now, on to the game of the week!  JMU (8-1, 6-0) is poised to make history this weekend in many forms.  They are trying to win seven conference games for the first time ever, win the automatic bid for the first time ever, and take down a top 15 team for the fifth time in a season which would also be a first.

Of course they have a formidable foe to get through in order to accomplish these feats.  The Tribe of William & Mary (7-2, 5-1) have shot up the ranks by winning five straight conference games and can swipe the automatic bid from the Dukes if they can win this one.  They have been averaging 34 points a game and have relied mostly on the pass, something that has hurt the Dukes’ defense this year.  Luckily for JMU, they are playing at home where the defense has been stout, allowing only 15 points a game.  The Tribe have never faced a defense like that and there’s something else they’ve never faced:

SCOTTY MCGEE! YOU. ARE. RIDICULOUS!!!

Yes sir.  The Devin Hester of DI-AA.  McGee has four return touchdowns this season which is a school record.  Something tells me the Tribe will get cocky at some point and send the ball his way but as NC Central, App State, Richmond and Delaware will all tell you: DON’T KICK TO HIM!

In other CAA news, UMass is pretty much gone after its shocking 21-20 defeat at home to Maine.

Liam Coen sits dejected as he watches the game and most likely the season end for his Minutemen.

The Minutemen have one last shot to impress the committee by upsetting New Hampshire in Durham this weekend but they will still be a longshot.  This is shocking considering UMass has one of the most lethal passing offenses in the country.  In the end it seems that their defense did them in and they will miss the playoffs.  It’s too bad that one of the best aerial displays won’t be around in the postseason but I’d be lying if I said I was not relieved to know this.

All photos courtesy of College Sporting News.