Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

Five Things we learned at Big North media days
By Dan Moore - ESPN BNC Blogger and Host of the Dan Moore Show
July 21, 2014 - 9:00 AM ET

New York -- After three days of talking and discussing all things Big North, we now focus our attention to fall practice, which starts in a couple of weeks.

As we get closer to the regular season, let's look back at the week that was with five takeaways from what happened here in Toronto:

1) Final Big North Media Days for Vance: On the last day of Big North Media days, Big North Commisioner Tom Vance announced his retirement after serving for 25 years as the man in charge at Big North Headquarters in New York. Having taking over a conference that was in danger of folding in the late 1980s, he not only saved the Big North, his actions helped to elevate the conference into one of the top FBS conferences in the nation. He was also instrumental in bringinging in Alaska State into the fold as well as Vancouver State and Victoria State, the first two Canadian colleges to play football at the FBS level. He will be truly missed.Deputy commissioner Celeste Ly, the first female deputy commissioner in Big North history will take over on July 1 of next year.

2) Tougher schedules: After last year's pathetic non-conference schedule of many Big North teams, Vance demanded every school to add at least one tough game every year. With only three non-conferernce games, the lure of adding cupcakes to your schedule is tempting, but not only does it hurt your team's strength of schedule, it also hurts the conference. While some teams have made the effort to schedule tougher non-conference games this season (Bismarck State @ Georgia, Alaska State vs. BYU and @ Arizona State, Vancouver State @ Michigan State, etc), Vance told reporters that he won't be satisfied until every school has at least one tough game on their non-conference slate from this year on.

3) Evans, Franklin, Moody on hot seat: After years of underperforming, Vancouver State head coach Chester Moody got a repreive after a dismal 4-8 season. Moody, alongside Columbia State head coach Carl Evans and South Dakota Tech head coach Peter Franklin know that another losing season could spell trouble for them. In the case of Evans, I feel that he should not be on the hot seat due to a bad season. Unfortunately in this business, you got to win now, especially for a program that has gone two decades without finishing with a winning record.

4) Vermont State favorites to repeat: After completing the perfect season last year, James Thomas and his Timberwolves will be looking to do something that has yet to happen since the conference went to twelve teams: repeat as conference champions. Could it happen? With the key players of the team being either freshmen or sophmores, Vermont State has the chance to repeat as champions.

Don't discount the other teams, however. Both Alaska State and Providence State look to knock off the Timberwolves as Alaska State travels to Vermont State following their game with Providence State the week before. Meanwhile, watch out for sleeper teams like Bismarck State and Delaware College as both teams finished with good records and return key starters from last year's teams.

5) Billings State has something to prove: Amiss the discussion about Vermont State and new rival Alaska State, you'll almost forget to mention Billings State. After picked to at least contend for the Western dvision title last season, James White's 49ers finsihed with a dismal 6-6 record and three games behind the Bears. With Austin Chase gone after an injury-plague season, it will be up to sophomore Marty Gonzales and others on the team to reestablish themselves as a contender in the West.

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

Freshmen that could make an immediate impact for their teams this season
By Dan Moore - ESPN BNC Blogger and Host of the Dan Moore Show
August 10, 2014 - 9:00 AM ET

With the college football season nearly here, we decided to look teams that have freshmen that could make an impact for their teams this season. Here are a few freshmen to keep an eye out for.

George Burns, WR, Oklahoma
One of the top receivers in this year's class, Burns will most likely see an immediate impact on special teams. While Burns is currently slated as the fourth receiver in the Sooner rotation, I expect him to get a decent amount of targets in this offense.

D.J. Porter, HB Vermont State
The second-best recruit in this year's class, Porter will see a lot of playing time this year at both the running back position and in the return game. Although he will be the backup to junior Kory Joseph, Timberwolves coach James Thomas promised that Porter will get a good amount of touches in the offense. In the return game, he will be paired up with wide receiver Matt Viselli in terms of fielding kicks.

Matthew Viselli, CB, Florida
Considered one of the top defensive recruits in this year's class, in most cases Viselli would be starting. In the case of Florida, a team that is loaded at cornerback, he will not see the field on defense most games. On special teams, however, I expect him to make an impact in the return game.

Derek Fogarty, SS, Alabama
One of the Crimson Tide's first recruits, Fogarty enrolled early to learn the team's playbook. According to reports from T-Town, he managed to get the backup spot behind junior Landon Collins, but his playing time might be limited as he doesn't appear on any of Alabama's early depth charts. However, there is a chance that he could play a few snaps, especially if Alabama dominates their opponents early.

Adam Foster, QB, Clemson
One of the best quaterback recruits in Canadian history, Foster will have his work cut out for him as he and Chad Kelly vie for the backup position behind starter Cole Stoudt. A player with quick feet and a good arm, he could possibly take over the starting role after Stoudt graduates this season.

D'Atron Goodwin, HB, LSU
One of the top running backs in the country, Goodwin shunned his home state of Mississippi for the Bayou Bengals. Joining perhaps the best group of running backs in the country, Goodwin will most likely not see much playing time, but he could be a factor next season as long as he stays.

Here is the final depth chart determination for current CAP players:

Alabama
SS Derek Fogarty: Backup (Not listed on depth chart)

Bismarck State
LE Jack Jamison: Starter
DT Joe Yeboah: Starter

Columbia State
QB Patrick Parks: Starter
HB Devon Welch: Starter

Delaware College
HB Braylen Wright: Starter

Florida
CB Matthew Viselli: Sixth on depth chart (Starting returner)

Manchester State
TE Cody Cruise: Starter

Oklahoma
WR George Burns: Fourth on depth chart (Starting returner)

Portland Tech
QB Frankie Leonard: Starter

Providence State
HB Dontae Brown: Starter
WR Matthew King: Starter

Vancouver State
QB Vernon Parrish: Starter

Vermont State
QB Jace Cooper: Starter
RB D.J. Porter: Backup (Starting returner)
WR Matt Viselli: Starter
ROLB Kenyon Marks: Starter

Victoria State
HB Kennedy Hudson: Starter

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

Top Stories and Predictions Heading into the 2014 Season
By Dan Moore - ESPN BNC Blogger and Host of the Dan Moore Show
August 20, 2014 - 11:0 AM ET

With the season a couple of days away, there have been a lot of things that have happened during the off-season. Here are some of the top storylines that have occurred during the off-season.

1) Can BYU repeat?

After surprising Ohio State in the BCS National Championship game, BYU is looking to repeat as champions, but will they do it? Led by rising star quarterback Taysom Hill and a strong defense, BYU was able to dominate their opponents following an early season loss to Texas. With Hill returning and many of their key players returning as well, can the Cougars win it again? With a tough schedule ahead, the road to the championship will not be easy.

2) Conference Realignment continues

Another season, another series of conference realignment. While not as eventful as last year's, the ACC and Big Ten continued to change their conference. Maryland departs from the ACC to their new home in the Big Ten along with Rutgers who spent last year as an independent. Louisville, in its successful one year stint in Conference USA, replaces Maryland in the ACC while Connecticut joins Conference USA after being offered a spot following their stint last year as an independent.

3) New Coaches

This season, there will be 24 teams with a new head coach, including former Vermont State DC Mike Grant at Arkansas State, former Utah State HC Matt Wells at Cal, former Western Kentucky HC Bobby Petrino at Colorado, and former UL-Lafayette HC Mark Hudspeth at Utah. Will any of the new coaches find success like Alaska State head coach Martel Goodwin and Delaware College head coach Travis Phillips did last season?

4) Can the SEC return to the top?

After the SEC's best shot for an eighth-straight national champion lost in the last week of the regular season (#1 Texas A&M lost to Missouri in the final regular season game for both teams), all eyes will be on the conference to see if last season's outcome was a fluke. With six teams in the top 15, the conference is sure to have a team in the running for a chance at the national title. Will they win or will the results from last season become the norm for the conference?

As the season begns to unfold, here are three of my fearless predictions for the upcoming season:

1) At least two teams will finish up with 10+ wins: I know, not too surprising. but with each team playing nine conference games as well as a tougher schedule, nothing is guaranteed other than a trip to a BCS game for the winner. If I had to guess, I believe that Alaska State has the best chance from the West to pull this off, although their schedule is tough. As for the East teams, I would pick both Providence State and Vermont State to pull this off, although both schools have to play Alaska State in back-to-back weeks.

2) Vermont State will repeat. Mark it down now!: Of all of the top teams in the conference, guess which team has their quarterback returning this season? If you guessed the Timberwolves, you will be correct. With Both Alaska State and Providence State having to replace starters, Vermont State (as well as Manchester State) returns their quarterback as well as several key parts of their championship run. To me, this gives them the edge over Alaska State and Providence State.

3) At least one coach will be fired after this season: After having three teams finished with 4-8 records, I expect almost everyone to improve this season. Two teams that I feel are in danger or repeating or having a worse record are Vancouver State and Columbia State. Both teams lack the players needed for their systems to work, which could put both Chester Moody and Carl Evans in danger of losing their jobs. Although Columbia's State had an influx of transfers coming in during the off-season, there is a possibility that Evans won't even get to coach team if the team repeats their performance.

[djp73]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

leggo Vermont State!

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty



1. Oregon - 99 OVR/99 OFF/97 DEF ******
2. Ohio State - 99 OVR/99 OFF/97 DEF ******
3. Alabama - 99 OVR/99 OFF/97 DEF ******
4. Auburn - 97 OVR/99 OFF/92 DEF ******
5. Louisville - 93 OVR/99 OFF/88 DEF *****
6. BYU - 90 OVR/93 OFF/87 DEF ****
7. Georgia - 97 OVR/99 OFF/93 DEF ******
8. Texas A&M - 91 OVR/97 OFF/88 DEF ******
9. Ole Miss - 93 OVR/95 OFF/90 DEF *****
10. Florida State - 99 OVR/99 OFF/93 DEF *****
11. Washington - 93 OVR/97 OFF/90 DEF *****
12. USC - 97 OVR/99 OFF/95 DEF *****
13. UCLA - 95 OVR/97 OFF/92 DEF *****
14. Missouri - 88 OVR/90 OFF/88 DEF *****
15. Michigan State - 95 OVR/95 OFF/93 DEF ****
16. Oklahoma - 91 OVR/91 OFF/92 DEF *****
17. Texas - 93 OVR/97 OFF/90 DEF ******
18. Wisconsin - 90 OVR/91 OFF/87 DEF ****
19. Georgia Tech - 88 OVR/90 OFF/87 DEF ****
20. Iowa - 88 OVR/86 OFF/88 DEF ****
21. Nebraska - 86 OVR/86 OFF/88 DEF *****
22. Notre Dame - 95 OVR/90 OFF/99 DEF ******
23. Miami - 95 OVR/99 OFF/92 DEF ****
24. Kansas State - 88 OVR/88 OFF/87 DEF ***
25. North Carolina - 90 OVR/90 OFF/90 DEF *****
==========================================
35. Vermont State - 81 OVR/83 OFF/82 DEF ***
46. Providence State - 83 OVR/88 OFF/80 DEF ***
54. Alaska State - 84 OVR/88 OFF/83 DEF ***
66. Billings State - 79 OVR/79 OFF/82 DEF ***
75. Manchester State - 75 OVR/81 OFF/73 DEF **
76. Bismarck State - 79 OVR/79 OFF/80 DEF **
85. Delaware College - 70 OVR/72 OFF/70 DEF *
96. Portland Tech - 74 OVR/77 OFF/71 DEF *
114. South Dakota Tech - 79 OVR/83 OFF/76 DEF **
116. Victoria State - 70 OVR/72 OFF/68 DEF *
118. Columbia State - 72 OVR/75 OFF/68 DEF *
119. Vancouver State - 74 OVR/77 OFF/73 DEF *

*

1. Georgia State - 67 OVR/70 OFF/65 DEF *
2. UMass - 70 OVR/70 OFF/71 DEF *
3. Southern Miss - 74 OVR/68 OFF/78 DEF **
4. Hawaii - 81 OVR/83 OFF/78 DEF *
5. North Texas - 75 OVR/77 OFF/75 DEF *
6. Akron - 77 OVR/81 OFF/76 DEF *
7. Miami (OH) - 74 OVR/77 OFF/73 DEF *
8. Vancouver State - 74 OVR/77 OFF/73 DEF *
9. Columbia State - 72 OVR/75 OFF/68 DEF *
10. Temple - 81 OVR/81 OFF/83 DEF **

Heisman Watch - Updated: Aug 27, 2014
NAME	POS	SCHOOL		SEASON STATS
Johnny Manziel	QB	Texas A&M
Todd Gurley II	HB	Georgia
Marcus Mariota	QB	Oregon
Tre Mason	HB	Auburn
Chuckie Keeton	QB	Utah State

2014-2015 NCAA Preseason 1st Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M	6'1"	206	Jr.
HB	Tre Mason, Auburn	5'10"	205	Sr.
HB	Todd Gurley II, Georgia	6'1"	233	Jr.
WR	Davante Adams, Fresno State	6'2"	213	Jr.
WR	Brandin Cooks, Oregon State	5'10"	186	Sr.
TE	Cody Cruise, Manchester State	6'5"	297	So.
LT	Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama	6'6"	310	Sr.
LT	Cameron Erving, Florida State	6'6"	311	Sr.
C	Dillon Day, Mississippi State	6'4"	302	Sr.
RG	Christian Lombard, Notre Dame	6'5"	323	Sr.
RG	Laken Tomlinson, Duke	6'3"	321	Sr.
LE	Brian Mihalik, Boston College	6'9"	285	Sr.
RE	Chris McCain, California	6'6"	252	Sr.
DT	Olsen Pierre, Miami	6'4"	307	Sr.
DT	Ellis McCarthy, UCLA	6'4"	333	Jr.
LOLB	Alani Fua, BYU	6'5"	218	Sr.
LOLB	Travis Feeney, Washington	6'4"	226	Jr.
MLB	Rodney Hardrick, Oregon	6'1"	232	Sr.
CB	Raymon Taylor, Michigan	5'10"	186	Sr.
CB	Peniel Jean, Wisconsin	5'11"	187	Sr.
FS	Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Alabama	6'1"	209	Sr.
SS	Kadetrix Marcus, South Carolina	6'1"	195	Sr.
K	Kyle Brindza, Notre Dame	6'1"	226	Sr.
P	Mike Sadler, Michigan State	6'0"	195	Sr.
RS	Ronald Butler, Utah State	6'0"	187	Sr.

2014-2015 NCAA Preseason 1st Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Marcus Mariota, Oregon	6'4"	220	Jr.
HB	Malcolm Brown, Texas	6'0"	225	Sr.
HB	Darius Staten, Navy	5'6"	193	Sr.
WR	Devante Parker, Louisville	6'3"	226	Sr.
WR	Mike Evans, Texas A&M	6'5"	186	Jr.
TE	Jace Amaro, Texas Tech	6'5"	265	Sr.
LG	Max Garcia, Florida	6'4"	308	Sr.
C	Hroniss Grasu, Oregon	6'3"	296	Sr.
RG	Hamani Stevens, Oregon	6'3"	299	Sr.
RT	Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M	6'5"	301	Sr.
RT	Daniel Koenig, Oklahoma State	6'6"	310	Sr.
LE	Marcus Rush, Michigan State	6'2"	247	Sr.
RE	Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina	6'6"	276	Sr.
DT	Louis Nix III, Notre Dame	6'3"	349	Sr.
DT	Joe Yeboah, Bismarck State	6'4"	248	So.
LOLB	David Cooper, Indiana	6'1"	237	Sr.
MLB	Stephone Anthony, Clemson	6'2"	247	Sr.
ROLB	Michael Barton, California	6'1"	228	So.
CB	Loucheiz Purifoy, Florida	6'1"	185	Sr.
CB	Randall Evans, Kansas State	6'0"	190	Sr.
FS	Eric Rowe, Utah	6'1"	206	Sr.
SS	Su'a Cravens, USC	6'3"	216	So.
K	Tyler Hadden, Hawaii	5'11"	181	Sr.
P	Drew Meyer, Wisconsin	6'3"	189	Jr.
RS	Teondray Caldwell, Washington State	5'8"	199	Jr.

* I plan to do the Bottom Ten every five weeks instead of weekly. That way, it will be easier to keep track of the worst teams.

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

CONFERENCE PREVIEW

By Dan Moore - ESPN BNC Blogger and Host of the Dan Moore Show
August 21, 2014 - 8:00 AM ET

As we enter the final week before the college season, I will give my pre-season predictions for how the conference will end up at the end of the regular season. Here are how I believe the conference will shape out.

BNC West

(84 OVR/88 OFF/83 DEF)
After losing to Vermont State in the Big North title game, the Bears look to return to the championship game for the third-straight year. With a team that returns nearly every starter from last year's team, the Bears are once again favored to win the West. A tough schedule and having to replace your starting quarterback could possibly keep the Bears from winning it all this year.

(79 OVR/79 OFF/82 DEF)
After a disappointing season, the 49ers come into the season with a lot of questions. After a disappointing season in which the 49ers lost their starting quarterback to injury, the team lost most of their key contributors to graduation. While starting quarterback Marty Gonzales gained some experience last season, it remains to be seen if he could lead the team back into the post-season.

(79 OVR/79 OFF/80 DEF)
One of the most surprising teams last season, Bismarck State finished with a winning record for the first time in years as they leaned on a defense that improved as the season wore on. The defensive line duo of Jack Jamison and Joe Yeboah caused chaos for Big North teams all year and kept the team afloat while backup quaterback Blair Morrow took over for Alex Robison, who suffered a season-ending injury. With most of their starters coming back, including Robison, the Rough Riders could be a dark horse candidate to win the West.

(79 OVR/83 OFF/76 DEF)
Last year, the Storm suffered their first losing season under Franklin as they struggled to win all season. With a year of experience, I expect Jevon Matthews to perform better this season and lead his team back to a winning record after a disappointing first year as the starter.

(70 OVR/72 OFF/68 DEF)
Despite not having a winning record last year, the Islanders were a little more successful than in previous years, winning three more games as well as defeating rival Vancouver State en route to a 4-8 record. Coach Taylor knows that his team must perform better than they did last season as Victoria State had the second-worst offense in the Big North as well as the worst defense. Running back Kennedy Hudson was one of the few bright spots for the offense that lacked a strong passing attack. Junior Robby Norton must improve on his performance from last year if the Islanders expect to win more than three games.

(74 OVR/77 OFF/73 DEF)
After finishing last in the conference and tied for the worst record at 4-8, the Tigers look to rebound from last year's heartbreaking loss of freshman quarterback Vernon Parrish to a season-ending injury. Without him, the team struggled to remain competitive, but managed to sneak out a win against Billings State. Now fully healthy, Parrish will be expected to lead the Tigers to at least five wins. To me, the Tigers are a few years away from making noise in the division.

BNC East

(81 OVR/83 OFF/82 DEF)
After winning their first conference title in four years, the Timberwolves look to repeat. Led by a strong freshman class that included starting quarterback Jace Cooper, wide receiver Matt Viselli, and outside linebacker Kenyon Marks, Vermont State is coming into this season on the longest win streak in school history with 15 wins. With everyone gunning for them, as well as a couple of tricky non-conference games, the road to an undefeated season will be hard, but I expect them to win the conference with ease.

(83 OVR/88 OFF/80 DEF)
Missing out on the chance to win the Eastern division following a heartbreaking loss to Vermont State in the regular season finale, the Titans look to redeem themselves this season. With a strong offense featuring returning conference rushing leader Dontae Brown and wide receiver Matthew King, the Titans will look to return to the conference title game.

(75 OVR/81 OFF/73 DEF)
After returning to a bowl game last season, Manchester State has its sights set on not only returning to a bowl game, but winning the Eastern division. Quarterback JaMarcus Moss and tight end Cody Cruise will look to once again be among the best offensive tandems in the conference. After losing several of their top defensive starters, the offense could be in some shootouts this season if the defense is unable to stop opposing offenses.

(70 OVR/72 OFF/70 DEF)
Another surprise team, the Swedes managed to win seven games behind the arm of quarterback Jeremy Pratt and running back Braylen Wright. With the team adding more players to the roster, Delaware College could soon be challenging the top dogs in the conference if they can keep their momentum going.

(74 OVR/77 OFF/71 DEF)
After starting off the season with five wins in six games, the Owls were only able to win one of the final six games of the season. Quarterback Frankie Leonard looks to be healthy after being injured in the middle of the season. With the loss of halfback Timi Sarria to the NFL, the Owls must rely on Leonard to lead them to victory and hope that he can stay injury-free for the season.

(72 OVR/75 OFF/68 DEF)
After a less than stellar season last year, Columbia State hopes that this season will be different than last year's disappointing season. Quarterback Patrick Parks must make better decisions as he at times looked lost as the season went on last year. I expect halfback Devon Welch to do better this season as he struggled to get yards last season. This season could be a make-or-break season for Carl Evans as the Statesmen AD has little patience for losing.

Here is how I see the conference shaping out (overall records are in (). Does not include post-season predictions.

Vermont State (11-2, 9-1) - Conference Champion
Alaska State (10-3, 8-2) - Western Division Champion
Providence State (10-3, 6-3)
Bismarck State (8-4, 6-3)
Manchester State (9-4, 6-3)
Billings State (7-5, 5-4)
Delaware College (8-4, 5-4)
Portland Tech (6-6, 5-4)
South Dakota Tech (6-6, 4-5)
Vancouver State (6-6, 3-6)
Victoria State (4-8, 2-7)
Columbia State (4-8, 1-8)

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

Alaska State Bears 2014-2015 Season Preview
By Dan Moore - ESPN BNC Blogger and Host of the Dan Moore Show
August 21, 2014 - 8:00 AM ET

With the season days away, we decided a couple of weeks ago to do a season preview for each team. We have now arrived at our final team, the defending Big North Western division champions, the Alaska State Bears.

The Bears have released their final roster and depth chart list for their game against the defending national champion BYU Cougars. Here is the official Alaska State roster for the 2014-2015 season:

Alaska State 2014-2015 Roster
#	OFFENSE	POS	HT	WT	CLASS	HOMETOWN
9	Von Hawthorne	QB	6'1"	199	SO (RS)	Evansville, IN
12	Frank Shelton	QB	6'1"	201	SR (RS)	Glenview, IL
7	Josh Barrett	QB	6'1"	178	FR	Miamisburg, OH
19	Marc Moore	QB	6'4"	208	FR (RED)	Greenwood, IN
1	Trey Wright	QB	6'2"	225	FR (RED)	Lorain, OH
3	Mickey Newman	HB	5'7"	186	SR	Chicago, IL
27	Arnold Hart	HB	5'10"	179	SO (RS)	Orland Park, IL
43	Evan Williams	HB	6'2"	173	FR	Pembroke Pines, FL
40	Chris Arnold	HB	5'11"	216	FR (RED)	Stockton, CA
39	Ricky Larsen	HB	6'0"	194	FR	Kodiak, AK
42	Curtis Evans	FB	6'3"	224	FR	Aberdeen, MD
48	Jay Jackson	FB	5'11"	234	FR	Bradenton, FL
47	Vernon Bowman	FB	5'10"	234	SR (RS)	Roselle, IL
82	Tyrell Conley	WR	6'4"	222	SO (RS)	Chicago, IL
10	Antwain Cobbs	WR	5'7"	162	JR	Rivera Beach, FL
4	Mitchell McGill	WR	6'0"	194	SO	Streamwood, IL
22	Tye Floyd	WR	5'11"	193	SR (RS)	Coconut Creek, FL
87	Trevor Huston	WR	6'1"	185	SR (RS)	Aurora, IL
85	Randall Adams	WR	6'0"	192	FR	Bridge City, LA
84	Michael Black	WR	6'2"	185	FR (RED)	Ripley, MS
83	Eric Huff	TE	6'3"	253	SO (RS)	O'Fallon, MO
88	A.J. Palmer	TE	6'8"	267	SR (RS)	Omaha, NE
80	Chaz Bush	TE	6'1"	237	JR (RS)	Scott City, KS
75	Jorge Kirk	LT	6'5"	283	SR (RS)	Oshkosh, WI
78	Burditt Rutledge	LT	6'6"	283	SR (RS)	Skokie, IL
67	DeShawn Sykes	LT	6'5"	294	SO	Naperville, IL
61	Russell Melton	LG	6'3"	290	JR (RS)	Detroit, MI
72	Troy Espinosa	LG	6'6"	300	SO (RS)	Detroit, MI
60	Paul Johnson	LG	6'3"	261	FR	Bellevue, WA
55	Jared Anthony	C	6'3"	288	JR (RS)	Indianapolis, IN
59	J.B. Arnold	C	6'3"	290	SO (RS)	O'Fallon, MO
77	Simon Gibson	RG	6'3"	322	SO (RS)	Greenfield, WI
73	Davon Romero	RG	6'5"	305	JR (RS)	Moline, IL
76	Bennie Ridgeway	RT	6'5"	315	SO (RS)	Elmhurst, IL
65	DeShawn Webb	RT	6'3"	285	SO (RS)	Greenfield, WI
63	Greg Tate	RT	6'3"	315	FR	South Tuscon, AZ
#	DEFENSE	POS	HT	WT	CLASS	HOMETOWN
79	Nelson Scales	LE	6'1"	245	SO (RS)	Milwaukee, WI
96	Morgan Spencer	LE	6'3"	261	SR (RS)	Milwaukee, WI
90	John Hopkins	LE	6'5"	246	FR (RED)	Carson City, NV
97	Zack Sims	RE	6'0"	239	SO (RS)	Park Forest, IL
89	Todd Gant	RE	6'3"	237	JR	Kennett, MO
44	Raul Broussard	RE	6'0"	220	SR (RS)	Roselle, IL
91	Jamie Shaw	DT	6'3"	280	SO	Lauderhill, FL
94	Quincy Gschwend	DT	6'0"	281	SO	Indianapolis, IN
92	Bryson Brant	DT	6'0"	282	SO (RS)	Chicago, IL
69	Jared Heard	DT	6'2"	318	FR (RS)	Indianapolis, IN
95	Joel Cotton	DT	6'2"	275	FR	Ellensburg, WA
6	Ron Quinn	LOLB`	5'10"	228	SR (RS)	Miramar, FL
49	Loren Berry	LOLB	6'0"	208	JR (RS)	Chicago, IL
34	J Sears	LOLB	6'2"	206	FR (RS)	Crystal Lake, IL
45	Kris Garrison	MLB	6'0"	232	JR (RS)	Westmont, IL
35	Nik James	MLB	6'0"	232	JR (RS)	Westmont, IL
31	Damon Alvarez	MLB	6'1"	229	SR (RS)	Barlett, IL
52	Chuck Sanchez	ROLB	5'10"	212	SR (RS)	Glenview, IL
58	Brock Ingraham	ROLB	6'1"	226	JR	Miami Beach, FL
37	Leonard Schroeder	ROLB	6'0"	212	FR (RS)	Ottawa, IL
30	James Harwell	CB	5'9"	181	JR (RS)	Fort Walton Beach, FL
2	Bradley Singletary	CB	5'10"	174	SO (RS)	Fort Walton Beach, FL
17	Nick Lowe	CB	5'8"	177	SR	Mobile, AL
29	Edmond Vogel	CB	5'9"	179	JR (RS)	Schaumburg, IL
20	Darrius Wise	CB	5'9"	166	SR (RS)	Mobile, AL
23	Kevin Lawson	FS	6'0"	201	FR	Palm Harbor, FL
5	Drew Higgins	FS	5'11"	172	FR (RS)	Aurora, IL
24	Arthur Garcia	FS	6'2"	209	FR	Palo Alto, CA
25	Quincy Tucker	SS	6'2"	197	SO (RS)	Bolingbrook, IL
33	Bubba Pittman	SS	5'9"	195	JR	Hammond, IN
46	Mark Cochran	SS	6'1"	202	FR (RED)	Anaheim, CA
#	SPECIAL TEAMS	POS	HT	WT	CLASS	HOMETOWN
13	Mark Smith	K	6'0"	183	FR	Casa de Oro, CA
8	Chad Simmons	P	6'3"	211	FR	Phoenix, AZ
26	Keenan Christensen	P	5'11"	190	SR	Marshfield, WI

Players that are being redshirted this season for the Bears:
QB Marc Moore - 6'4" 208 - Greenwood, IN
QB Trey Wright - 6'2" 225 - Lorain, OH
HB Chris Arnold - 5'11" 216 - Stockton, CA
WR Michael Black - 6'2" 185 - Ripley, MS
LE John Hopkins - 6'5" 246 - Carson City, NV
SS Mark Cochran - 6'1" 202 - Anaheim, CA

Here is the depth chart for the Bears:

Alaska State Bears Depth Chart - 2014
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	Tyrell Conley (85)	Mitchell McGill (80)	Trevor Huston (70)
TE	Eric Huff (82)	A.J. Palmer (79)	Chaz Bush (75)
LT	Jorge Kirk (83)	Burditt Rutledge (78)	DeShawn Sykes (76)
LG	Russell Melton (81)	Burditt Rutledge (77)	Troy Espinosa (68)
C	Jared Anthony (83)	J.B. Arnold (79)	Burditt Rutledge (78)
RG	Simon Gibson (80)	Davon Romero (77)	Burditt Rutledge (77)
RT	Bennie Ridgeway (81)	Burditt Rutledge (78)	DeShawn Webb (70)
WR	Antwain Cobbs (83)	Tye Floyd (74)	Randall Adams (69)
QB	Von Hawthorne (84)	Frank Shelton (79)	Josh Barrett (69)
FB	Curtis Evans (73)	Jay Jackson (64)	A.J. Palmer (60)
HB	Mickey Newman (90)	Arnold Hart (75)	Evan Williams (70)	Curtis Evans (71)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	Nelson Scales (78)	Todd Gant (77)	Morgan Spencer (70)
LDT	Jamie Shaw (81)	Bryson Brant (73)	Joel Cotton (72)
RDT	Quincy Gschwend (79)	Jared Heard (72)
RDE	Zack Sims (85)	Todd Gant (77)	Raul Broussard (71)
WLB	Ron Quinn (80)	Loren Berry (77)	J Sears (64)
MLB	Kris Garrison (83)	Nik James (77)	Damon Alvarez (77)	Loren Berry (75)
SLB	Chuck Sanchez (80)	Loren Berry (77)	Brock Ingraham (70)
CB	James Harwell (84)	Nick Lowe (76)	Darrius Wise (70)
SS	Quincy Tucker (83)	Bubba Pittman (77)	Nick Lowe (71)
FS	Kevin Lawson (73)	Drew Higgins (72)	Bubba Pittman (75)
CB	Bradley Singletary (81)	Edmond Vogel (73)
Special Teams
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
K	Mark Smith (80)	Chad Simmons (81)	Keenan Christensen (81)
P	Chad Simmons (81)	Keenan Christensen (81)	Mark Smith (80)
H	Keenan Christensen (81)	Chad Simmons (81)	Mark Smith (80)
PR	Tyrell Conley (99)	Mickey Newman (97)	Antwain Cobbs (98)	Randall Adams (83)
KR	Tyrell Conley (99)	Mickey Newman (97)	Antwain Cobbs (98)	Randall Adams (83)
LS	Jared Anthony (83)	Jorge Kirk (82)	Bennie Ridgeway (82)

Our next post will look at the schedule as well as Bears recruiting. We will as give a short review of the schedule that the other teams as well as their rosters to see who can make an impact this season.

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

Alaska State Bears 2014-2015 Schedule Preview
By Dan Moore - ESPN BNC Blogger and Host of the Dan Moore Show
August 25, 2014 - 11:00 AM ET

Coming off a successful season, Alaska State hopes to continue the trend this season. This year will be tougher as the Bears gets Providence State, Manchester State, and Portland Tech from the Eastern Division as well as the defending national champions and a trip to Arizona State. Here is the schedule and a breakdown by month:

Alaska State Bears 2014 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Aug 28	vs #6 BYU (Cowboy Kickoff Classic)
Sep 6	at Arizona State
Sep 20	vs Providence State
Sep 27	at Vermont State
Oct 4	vs Manchester State
Oct 9	at Portland Tech
Oct 18	at Victoria State (Rivalry Game)
Oct 25	vs Billings State (Rivalry Game)
Nov 8	vs Indiana (Homecoming)
Nov 13	vs Bismarck State
Nov 20	at South Dakota Tech
Nov 29	vs Vancouver State (Rivalry Game; Senior Day)

August/September

Alaska State Bears August 2014 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Aug 28	vs #6 BYU (Cowboy Kickoff Classic)

Alaska State Bears September 2014 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Sep 6	at Arizona State
Sep 20	vs Providence State
Sep 27	at Vermont State

Alaska State will open the season against the defending national champion BYU in the Cowboy Kickoff Classic on August 28 (Kickoff Thursday). The following week, the Bears will travel to Tempe, where they will seek revenge against Arizona State after last season's heartbreaking loss. Following a well-needed bye week, the Bears end the season with tough games against Providence State at home followed by a dangerous trip to South Burlington to face Vermont State in a rematch from last year's conference championship game.

Schedule Analysis: Easily the toughest stretch of the schedule, I could easily see the Bears lose all four games to start the season. Facing the defending national champions at a neutral site won't be easy, but having to face both Arizona State and Vermont State on the road is brutal, especially with a new starter at quarterback. Playing Providence State at home helps, especially with a new quarterback of their own playing on the road.

My prediction: 1-3 (Win against Providence State)

October

Alaska State Bears October 2014 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Oct 4	vs Manchester State
Oct 9	at Portland Tech
Oct 18	at Victoria State (Rivalry Game)
Oct 25	vs Billings State (Rivalry Game)

Compared to the first four games of the season, the games in October are a bit more manageable with the toughest games being at home. In an odd twist, Alaska State faces the top four teams in the East four weeks in a row before facing off against two of their three rivals to close out the month. The Bears will begin a month long homestand, starting with their game against Victoria State.

Schedule Analysis: The Bears should be favored to win all four games this month after a rough start to the season. Billings State is in rebuild mode after losing several of their key players while Victoria State continues its rebuilding process. Manchester State will be a tough matchup, but winnable as well as the trip to Portland to face the Owls, despite the game being played five days later.

My guess: 4-0

November

Alaska State Bears November 2014 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Nov 8	vs Indiana (Homecoming)
Nov 13	vs Bismarck State
Nov 20	at South Dakota Tech
Nov 29	vs Vancouver State (Rivalry Game; Senior Day)

After a needed bye week, the Bears start the final month with a game against Big Ten foe Indiana. Following that game, the Bears will face the Dakota schools in back-to-back Thursday games before closing out the season on Senior Day against rival Vancouver State.

Schedule Analysis: The Bears plays a managable stretch of games with only the Indiana and Bismarck State games possibly giving the Bears trouble. Like last month's schedule, I could see the Bears win all four games without any issues, but wouldn't be surprised if they lost one.

My guess: 4-0
Regular Season Prediction: 9-3 (8-1 Conference)

With the Bears preview finished, I will go over the other teams' schedule, pointing out key games on the schedule, as well as give you details on which new players could make an impact for their schools.

Here is the link to the schedule for all teams: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...gid=1384424109

Billings State Key Games:
Sept. 6 @ NC State
Oct. 4 vs. Providence State
Oct. 11 @ Vermont State
Oct. 25 @ Alaska State
Nov. 1 vs. Bismarck State

The 49ers have perhaps the toughest conference schedule in the Big North, highlighted by games against Alaska State, Providence State, and Vermont State Following the Alaska State game, the schedule is set up for Billings State to make a run through almost every other game. I expect them to get at least seven wins.

Players to look out for
QB Marty Gonzales: The new quarterback for the 49ers, Gonzales started most of last season after starter Austin Chase was lost for the year due to injury. With most of the key pieces gone from last year's disappointing team, it will be up to Gonzales to get the 49ers back to their winning ways.

SS Beau Clancy: The captain of the 49ers defense, Clancy is the best player on a defense that regressed last season. If the 49ers hope to get a bowl game this season, Clancy must play beyond his ability.

Bismarck State Key Games:
Sept. 6 @ #7 Georgia
Sept. 27 @ Manchester State
Oct. 25 vs. Vermont State
Nov. 1 @ Billings State
Nov. 13 @ Alaska State

The Rough Riders open against SEC power Georgia in Athens to start off the season. Following a game against Iowa State, Bismarck State face off against Manchester State to start off conference play. The Rough Riders could be 5-1 possibly before heading into their game with Vermont State at the end of the month. The Rough Riders end the season with games against Billings State and Alaska State before their showdown with South Dakota Tech at the end of the season.

Despite a tough game to start the season, I expect Billings State to continue their progress and win at least 8 games this season. Missing out on Providence State helps this season, although getting Manchester State is not good.

Players to look out for
QB Alex Robison: After enjoying a good start last season, he missed the rest of the season after suffering a season-ending injury in the loss to Delaware College. With most of his offensive weapons returning, a lot is expected of Robison as he enters his final season.

LE Jack Jamison and DT Joe Yeboah: One of the best defensive duos last season, both players return for their sophomore season ready to continue where they left off. I expect both players to wreak havoc on opposing teams this year.

Columbia State Key Games:
Sept. 20 @ #3 Alabama
Sept. 27 vs. Bismarck State
Oct. 18 vs. Manchester State
Nov. 15 @ Providence State
Nov. 22 vs. Vermont State

After a rough year last season, Columbia State could be in for more of the same this year. After a couple of manageable games against Air Force and Middle Tennessee State, things get kicked up a notch when the Statesmen must travel to Tuscaloosa to face the Crimson Tide.

After the Bama game, the Statesmen face off against the likes of Billings State and the Dakota schools as well as Manchester State and Portland Tech before getting a well-needed bye week. After the bye week, the Statesmen close out the season with three of their last four games away from FedEx Field(@ Vancouver State, @ Providence State and @ Delaware College).

The Statesmen have the possibility to be 2-0, 1-1 or 0-2 before their match against Alabama. Following that game, the chances for a win is few and far between as nearly every team they will face has an edge over them. I will be surprised if the Statesmen make it to four wins with this schedule.

Players to look out for
QB Patrick Parks: After a rough season last season, Parks is looking to redeem himself and help lead the Statesmen to their first winning season in decades. In order to do so, he must avoid turnovers as he had 11 last season to 13 touchdowns. With the lack of help in the receiving core and a poor offensive line, it looks like it might be a tough hill to climb.

HB Devon Welch: After a poor showing in his freshman year, Welch is looking to show the conference that he is much better than he was last year. Like Parks, he was unable to do much due to the poor showing from the offensive line as he was unable to find many openings to spring from. While the line has improved somewhat, he might still have issues getting free if the line is unable to contain the defense.

LE Lucus Tutins: One of the few bright spots in the Statesmen defense last season, Tutins returns for his senior year as captain. Consistently able to disrupt opposing offenses, Tutins will be tough to stop if your offensive line struggles against blitzes. I look for him to finish with a good number of tackles this season.

Delaware College Key Games:
Sept. 13 vs. Northwestern
Oct. 11 vs. Bismarck State
Oct. 25 @ Manchester State
Nov. 15 @ Vermont State
Nov. 22 vs. Providence State

The Swedes start off the season against UC Davis before hosting Big Ten member Northwestern at home. Following manageable games against the bottom half of the Western division, Delaware College faces off against Bismarck State in a game that could mean a lot for both schools.

Following a bye, the Swedes must face new ACC member Louisville before facing off against Vermont State and Providence State in back-to-back weeks. The Swedes end the year with a game against rival Columbia State.

With a favorable start to the season, things get kicked up a notch in the second half of the season to back games against the top Eastern teams as well as a trip to Louisville thrown in for good measure. With how the schedule shapes out, I wouldn't be surprised if the Hornets win 6 games.

Players to look out for
HB Braylen Wright: Behind a strong offensive line, Wright was doing well before a torn pectoral muscle ended his season. After spending the off-season recovering from his injury, Wright will look to improve on his numbers from last season as he hopes to lead his team to a bowl game after missing out last year.

ROLB Wyatt Bratton: The captain of the Swede defense, Bratton led the Swedes with 91 total tackles, in addition to 3 sacks and an interception. With the defense much improved and his improvement since last season, Bratton looks to once again dominate the field.

Manchester State Key Games:
Sept. 27 vs. Bismarck State
Oct. 4 vs. Alaska State
Nov. 1 @ Vermont State
Nov. 8 vs. Providence State

After an impressive season last year, the Kings start off this season against FCS power and in-state rival New Hampshire. After a couple of manageable games, the Kings face their first true test as they face the two of the top teams in the West in back-to-back weeks. Following a couple of easy games, the Kings will face off against both Vermont State and Providence State in back-to-back weeks before hitting a needed bye week.

After the bye, Manchester State travels to San Diego State for a late out of conference game before closing out against Portland Tech.

Manchester State has the chance to be 2-0 before their matchups against Bismarck State and Alaska State. Assuming they win one of these two games, the Kings have a chance to be either 6-2 or 5-3 before facing their two toughest games of the season. I expect the Kings to repeat their 8 wins from last season.

Players to look out for
TE Cody Cruise: One of the biggest surprises last season, Cruise led the Big North Conference in receiving yards and receive 1st Team All-American honors and finished second for the John Mackey Award (he really should have won it over Eric Ebron). Can he do it again this season? I believe his numbers will drop a little, but I believe that he will have similar success once again this season.

LOLB Deon Parham: Parham led all Kings with 88 tackles last season, in addition to 4.5 sacks, 6 deflections, and a forced fumble. Parham was one of the key cogs of a defense that got better as the season went on. I believe that he will top those numbers this season and could possibly make an impression on NFL scouts this season.

Portland Tech Key Games:
Sept. 13 @ #3 Alabama
Oct. 9 vs. Alaska State
Nov. 1 @ Providence State
Nov. 8 vs. Vermont State
Nov. 29 @ Manchester State

After a challenging game against Villanova, Portland Tech must face off against the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, a week before Columbia State must travel there. The next challenge for the Owls will be against Alaska State, a game sandwiched in between several winnable games.

Following tough games against both Providence State and Vermont State in back-to-back weeks, the Owls get a bye before facing off against Victoria State. To close out the year, the Owls must head to Manchester State to face the Kings in a game that could have bowl implications for both teams.

With several winnable games on the schedule, and missing both Billings State and Bismarck State this year, the Owls have a chance to return to a bowl game after missing out last season following a total collapse due to losing starting quarterback Frankie Leonard midway during the season. With this schedule, I expect at least seven wins.

Players to look out for
QB Frankie Leonard: After getting off to a good start last season, Leonard's season came to an end late in the season during their epic collapse following a 5-1 start. After spending the off-season healing up, I expect Leonard to go out and improve greatly on last season's numbers.

ROLB M.J. Haumiller: The returning tackles leader for the Owls, Haumiller leads all returning players with 81 tackles and 8.5 sacks along with 5 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. One of the hardest workers on defense, Haumiller has led his team in sacks the past two years. With their quarterback back and healthy and defense that had time to jell, I expect Haumiller to go out and dominate.

Providence State Key Games:
Sept. 20 @ Alaska State
Oct. 4 @ Billings State
Nov. 8 @ Manchester State
Nov. 29 vs. Vermont State

After two winnable games to start the season, the Titans will face off against Alaska State in Anchorage for their fourth showdown in the last three years. After their matchup with the Bears, Providence State favored in nearly every game they play up until their match with Vermont State at the end of the season.

With their first two games looking easy, the Titans should head into the Alaska State game with a 2-0 record. Assuming they can get past the Bears, with the exception of games against the Kings and Timberwolves, the Titans should be favored in every other game that they play. I predict them to win at least ten games.

Players to look out for
QB Mitchell Marquardt: After stepping in for starter Alonzo Perez following his season-ending injury, Marquardt led the Titans to ten wins last season. Now the starter for his final season, Marquardt looks to continue where he left off last season. With most of his weapons returning this season, I believe that he can put up even greater numbers than last season.

HB Dontae Brown and WR Matthew King: Two of the top freshmen from last season's great class, both Brown and King look to repeat the same success that they had last season. For Brown, he hopes to once again lead the conference in rushing for the second year in a row, while King looks to take the receiving crown away from Manchester State tight end Cody Cruise. I expect both to perform about the same as last season or even better.

ROLB Marc Gibbs: One of the breakout players on defense last season for the Titans, Gibbs led all returning defensive players with 83 tackles. With another year under his belt, I expect Gibbs to be one of the top defensive players in the conference this season.

South Dakota Tech Key Games:
Sept. 6 @ Maryland
Sept. 20 vs. Manchester State
Nov. 8 vs. Billings State
Nov. 20 vs. Alaska State
Nov. 29 vs. Bismarck State

After facing new Big Ten member Maryland on the road,South Dakota Tech will host Manchester State in the conference opener for both schoools. After a few manageable games, the schedule toughens up with games against the top three teams in the conference in a four game stretch, ending with "The Battle for Dakota" game against Bismarck State at the end the season.

With both Providence State and Vermont State off the schedule this year and with there three toughest games at home, this will be the Storm's best chance to win the Western division. With this schedule, I predict at least six wins.

Players to look out for
QB Jevon Matthews: After an up and down year, Matthews hopes that this season goes differently for both him and the Storm after a disappointing 4-8 season. In order for Matthews to take it to the next level, he must stop turning the ball over as he had 13 turnovers last season. I believe that Matthews will have a better season this year, but I don't know if it will be enough to right the ship.

LOLB Rian Salyer: A three year starter, Salyer led the team with 75 tackles, in addition to 3.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. One of the few bright spots for a defense that underachieved last season, I expect Salyer to continue his pace from last season.

Vancouver State Key Games:
Sept. 6 @ #15 Michigan State
Sept. 27 @ Providence State
Oct. 11 @ Manchester State
Nov. 1 @ Miami
Nov. 20 @ Bismarck State
Nov. 29 @ Alaska State

After starting off the season on the road against #15 Michigan State, Vancouver State must play six of their final ten games on the road, with tough games against Providence State, Manchester State, Billings State, Miami, Bismarck State, and Alaska State all on the road.

One of the toughest schedules in the conference, the Tigers toughest games are all on the road. While avoiding Vermont State is good, the lack of possible wins are alarming. With such a horrible stretch of games, I expect the Tigers to win four games.

Players to look out for
QB Vernon Parrish: After such a promising start in his first game, Parrish missed the rest of the season after being injured in his second game. After spending a long time recovering from his injuries, Parrish hopes to put together a successful season, something that the Tigers hope for as they faltered after his absence last season.

MLB Troy Pope: Despite not having the season that he expected last season, Pope still managed to do his part causing chaos on the field. With an improving defense, Pope hopes to improve on his numbers from last season.

Vermont State Key Games:
Sept. 19 vs. #9 Ole Miss
Sept. 27 vs. Alaska State
Oct. 25 @ Bismarck State
Nov. 1 vs. Manchester State
Nov. 29 @ Providence State

After facing off against Coastal Carolina to start off the season, the Timberwolves face their toughest challenge to their 14 game winning streak as they host #9 Ole Miss in a rare SEC trip north of the Mason-Dixon line followed by a game against Alaska State in a rematch to last year's conference championship game. Following the game against the Bears, Vermont State has stretch of winnable games before back-to-back matchups against Bismarck State and Manchester State. After a few more manageable games, Vermont State ends the season with a road trip to Providence to take on the Titans.

With a tougher schedule to start the season compared to last season, I expect the Timberwolves to be 1-1 coming into their matchup with Alaska State. If they can beat the Bears again, it sets up the table for another undefeated season in conference play for Vermont State. I expect them to win at least ten games.

Players to look out for
QB Jace Cooper: After a strong start to his career last season, Cooper comes into the season as the best quarterback in the conference. Despite many of his targets graduating, I expect Cooper to put up similar numbers to last season.

HB D.J. Porter: The former top two prospect from last year's class, Porter is expected to see a lot of time on special teams, but will from time-to-time see playing time behind starter Kory Joseph.

WR Matt Viselli: After a disappointing season compared to his contemporaries, Viselli is expected to have a bigger impact now that he is the top receiver on the Timberwolves roster. I expect his numbers to increase tremendously.

OLB Kenyon Marks: Among the top defensive players in the country last season, Marks looks to continue where he left off this season. As the leading returning tackler from last season's team, Marks now leads a unit that lost some of their best players to graduation. I expect Marks to continue his dominance, with a slight decrease in his production.

Victoria State Key Games:
Oct. 4 vs. Vermont State
Oct. 9 @ Providence State
Oct. 18 vs. Alaska State
Nov 8 @ Bismarck State

After an improvement last year, the Islanders hope to start the season off with a win as they face Southern Illinois. Following games against Buffalo and Delaware College, the Islanders face their toughest stretch of the season as they face off against Vermont State, Providence State, and Alaska State in back-to-back-to-back weeks. After a couple of manageable games, they face off against rising Bismarck State before finishing up with a road game at Fresno State, Portland Tech, and a road game against Billings State to end the season.

I expect the Islanders to win at least two games before their gauntlet begins with Vermont State. After going through that stretch, I expect the Islanders to win at least four games.

Players to look out for
HB: Kennedy Hudson: One of the biggest surprises last season, Hudson gained nearly 850 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns in an offense that was constantly bogged down by the poor play of quarterback Robby Norman. I expect Hudson to rush for 1,000 yards this season with at least six touchdowns.

LE Riley Gandy: Gandy was one of the few bright spots for a defense the gave up the most points last year. With a unit that is among the least experienced in the conference, I expect Gandy's numbers to increase across the board.

Here is the final depth chart determination for current CAP players:

Bismarck State
LE Jack Jamison (82 OVR): Starter
DT Joe Yeboah (85 OVR): Starter

Columbia State
QB Patrick Parks (84 OVR): Starter
HB Devon Welch (84 OVR): Starter

Delaware College
HB Braylen Wright (82 OVR): Starter

Manchester State
TE Cody Cruise (83 OVR): Starter

Portland Tech
QB Frankie Leonard (84 OVR): Starter

Providence State
HB Dontae Brown (88 OVR): Starter
WR Matthew King (87 OVR): Starter

Vancouver State
QB Vernon Parrish (84 OVR): Starter

Vermont State
QB Jace Cooper (86 OVR): Starter
HB D.J. Porter (80 OVR): Backup
WR Matt Viselli (85 OVR): Starter
ROLB Kenyon Marks (85 OVR): Starter

Victoria State
HB Kennedy Hudson (83 OVR): Starter

Non-Big North CAPS

Alabama
SS Derek Fogarty (80 OVR): Backup

Florida
CB Matthew Viselli (79 OVR): Fifth-String

Oklahoma
WR George Burns (80 OVR): Fourth-String

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

Alaska State Recruiting News
By Jamie Choi - ESPN BNC Blogger
August 26, 2014 - 5:00 PM ET

As we get ready to start the football season, another season is already in full swing. That's right fans, it's time to look at recruiting.

With the season getting ready to start, here are the players that the Bears are targeting this season:

Alaska State Bears Recruiting - 2014
NAME	POS	CLASS	HOMETOWN	HT	WT	CALIBER
J.W. Greyvenstein	ATH	HS	Calgary, CN	6'1"	190
Eric Jackson	ATH	HS	Des Moines, IA	6'0"	266
Kenny Myrick	CB	HS	Homer, AK	6'1"	194
Sam Powers	T	HS	Santa Maria, CA	6'5"	292
Tom Strickland	OLB	HS	Portage, MI	6'4"	227
Courtney Wilson	MLB	HS	Merritt Island, FL	6'2"	239
Clint Manning	MLB	HS	Edinburg, TX	6'2"	241
Tim Coleman	CB	HS	Ken Caryl, CO	6'1"	186
Craig Richards	QB	HS	Southlake, TX	6'2"	228
Jamie Stevenson	WR	HS	Duncan, OK	6'1"	184
Reggie Houston	WR	HS	Panama City, FL	6'1"	180
Andy Riley	TE	HS	Belton, TX	6'3"	234
Shane Adams	T	HS	Valencia Heights, SC	6'7"	306
Tremayne Johnson	G	HS	Bothell, WA	6'5"	325
Tim Davis	DE	HS	Hampton, VA	6'5"	266
Travis Edwards	OLB	HS	Tell City, IN	6'1"	223

As you can see, the Bears are looking to mostly fill spots that the outgoing senior class is leaving behind. With 16 spots opening up, it seems that the coaching staff is looking to upgrade several positions across the board.

The most interesting recruiting target is J.W. Greyvenstein, the top recruit in this year's class. The 6'1" 190 pound athlete from Cagary is very interested in Alaska State. According to reports, he could either play at halfback or be switched over to defense as a cornerback or a safety. In addition to Alaska State, Providence State, Billings State, Ohio State, and Michigan are all interested in Greyvenstein.

Another recruit that is getting attention is wide receiver Andre Howe from Alexandria, Virginia. Howe, who is a very fast receiver, has several schools targeting him. His top 5 schools are BYU, Oregon, California, Alabama, and Texas A&M.

One final recruit to watch for as well is quarterback Jerrod Pope from Flower Mound, Texas. One of the best quarterbacks in this year's class, the top 5 schools that are after the four star QB are Michigan, BYU, Kentucky, Arizona State, and Utah with Wake Forest also showing interest.

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

Matchup Preview *|* August 28, 2014
	@
Alaska State Bears (0-0, 0-0 Away)		#6 Brigham Young Cougars (0-0, 0-0 Home)
Injury Report Game Notes The opening of the college football season begins in Arlington as the Alaska Bears face off against the defending national champion BYU Cougars in what should be an interesting game. The key matchup to watch for will be BYU quarterback Taysom Hill versus the Bears defense. Last season, Hill, who had nearly 2,400 yards of offense and 19 total touchdowns, is a dual threat each time he touches the ball, which could cause trouble for a defense that had issues stopping the run at times last year. Slowing down Hill and running back Jamaal Williams will be crucial to a Bears victory. As for the Bears, most of their starters return on offense, led by senior running back Mickey Newman, who rushed for 1,067 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Bears will be breaking in a new quarterback, redshirt Von Hawthorne, who has thrown 83 passes in his short career. For the Bears to win, it's crucial that Newman and the ground game get going early to take the pressure off of Hawthorne and to make things easier for him. The offensive line must also do a good job to limit the blitz from a strong Cougar defense that was one of the best last season.

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

Week 1 BNC Predictions
Dan Moore and Jamie Choi - ESPN BNC Bloggers
Aug 28, 2014 - 11:00 AM EDT

With Alaska State playing defending national champion BYu tonight in Jerry's World, we'll give you our predictions for the big game.

Alaska State vs. #6 BYU - 7:30 PM EDT (@ AT&T Stadium)

Choi: This is one game that I was waiting for once the schedules were announced. On paper, this game has BYU all over it, but a closer look shows that Alaska State has the tools to defeat the Cougars. Alaska State brings back nearly every starter on both sides of the ball on a team that went 11-3 last season. Even with a new starter at quarterback, I feel that Alaska State will pull out enough stops to pull of the upset. I'm picking the Bears to win a hard-fought game 31-27.

Moore: Opening the season against the defending national champions is hard for anyone, but during it with a new quarterback will be tough. While BYU lost one of their top defensive players in Kyle Van Noy, the Cougars bring back several key starters, including quarterback Taysom Hill, running back Jamaal Williams, and pre-season first team All-American outside linebacker Alani Fua. Despite being wrong in the past when it comes to picking against the Bears, I feel that the Cougars will be too much. I'm going with BYU 31-20.

(Sorry about the lack of updates. I actually everything up to Week 3 written. I will post everything that I have finished shortly.)

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

Bears stun defending national champion Cougars in a thrilling 37-35 shootout
Associated Press

Arlington, Texas -- Freshman running back Evan Williams ran for three touchdowns, including the game-winning score that helped Alaska State defeat defending national champion BYU 37-35 win at AT&T Stadium on Thursday night.

Bears quarterback Von Hawthorne threw for a career best 345 yards and a rushing touchdown, and sophomore running back Arnold Hart rushed for 123 yards on 25 carries as the Bears (1-0) managed to close out the game thanks to converting two critical fourth downs on the final drive to end any chance of the Cougars (0-1) getting the ball back.

Hill, who scored all five of the Cougars touchdowns, finished with 315 total yards of offense and constantly kep the Bears defense on their toes all game. Jamaal Williams rushed for 92 yards on 10 carries and wide receiver Ross Apo caught five passes for 91 yards and a touchdown.

The two teams combined for 941 total yards of offense and 49 first downs. Hawthorne broke school records in passing attempts and completions, while Hill matched his career high in passing touchdowns with four.

After both teams were forced to punt on their opening drives, BYU struck first when Hill ran in from eight yards to put the Cougars up 7-0 with over three minutes left in the first quarter.

On the next drive for the Bears, starting running back Mickey Newman was lost for the game after getting a first down. A few plays later, Hawthorne scored from two yards out to tie the game at 7 with less than a minute to go in the quarter.

Following a BYU punt, Alaska State drove the ball down the field before being stopped in the redzone. Matt Smith's 24 yard field goal gave the Bears their first lead of the game at 10-7 with 8:16 left before halftime.

On the ensuring Cougars drive, Hill threw his first touchdown pass of the game to wide receiver Marcus Matthews from six yards out to retake the lead less than two minutes gone off the clock.

Alaska State didn't waste any time with an answer as Williams scored from seven yards out to give the Bears a 17-14 lead with 3:47 left before halftime.

Following a BYU punt, Alaska State once again drove down the field. Using the clock to their advantage, the Bears were driving for a potential touchdown before Hawthorne was sacked by Cougar linebacker Alani Fua. After a timeout, Smith kicked another field goal, this one from 42 yards, to give Alaska State a 20-14 lead at the half.

On BYU's first drive in the second half, Hill threw his second touchdown pass, an 18 yard pass to Eric Thornton, to help the Cougars retake the lead early in third quarter.

On the second drive for Alaska State, Smith kicked his third and final field goal, this one from 22 yards out to give the Bears the lead back for good with 3:31 left in the third quarter

In the fourth quarter, following a punt by BYU, Williams scored from 22 yards out for his second touchdown of the day as Alaska State pushed its lead to nine with over nine minutes left in the game.

Less than 45 seconds later, Hill answered back when he connected with tight end Devin Mahina to pull BYU to within two

On Alaska State's next possession, the offense attempted to drain the clock. Going to the run game, the Bears were able to burn over four minutes off the clock. ending with a two yard touchdown run by Williams to give Alaska State a 37-28 lead with 4:42 left in the game.

Not to be outdone, Hill led another impressive drive down the field, using his dual-threat ability to confuse the defense to his advantage as he made the plays needed to lead his team down the field in quick fashion. On the fourth play of the drive, he connected with wide receiver Ross Apo on a 31 yard pass with 3:05 left in the game to make the score 37-35.

With the momentum on their side, BYU kicked the ball to Alaska State, hoping to force a quick three-and-out. Hawthorne and the Bears had other ideas, as they managed to run out the clock, thanks to converting two critical fourth down situations.

Alaska State at Brigham Young Cougars
Aug 28, 2014	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Alaska State (1-0)	7	13	3	14	37
#6 Brigham Young Cougars (0-1)	7	7	7	14	35

Team Stats Comparison
	AKST	BYU
Total Offense	530	411
Rushing Yards	185	220
Passing Yards	345	191
First Downs	30	19
Punt Return Yards	28	6
Kick Return Yards	55	184
Total Yards	613	601
Turnovers	0	0
3rd Down Converstion	16/24	4/10
4th Down Conversion	3/3	2/3
2-Point Conversion	0/0	0/0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	6-3-3	4-4-0
Penalties	4-25	2-10
Posession Time	27:06	17:22

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		AKST	BYU
3:07	(BYU) Taysom Hill 8 Yard Run (Otis Collins Kick)	0	7
0:32	(AKST) Von Hawthorne 2 Yard Run (Matt Smith Kick)	7	7
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		AKST	BYU
8:16	(AKST) Matt Smith 24 Yard Field Goal	10	7
6:36	(BYU) Marcus Matthews 6 Yard Pass from Taysom Hill (Otis Collins Kick)	10	14
3:47	(AKST) Evan Williams 7 Yard Run (Matt Smith Kick)	17	14
0:00	(AKST) Matt Smith 42 Yard Field Goal	20	14
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		AKST	BYU
8:04	(BYU) Eric Thornton 18 Yard Pass from Taysom Hill (Otis Collins Kick)	20	21
3:31	(AKST) Matt Smith 22 Yard Kick	23	21
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		AKST	BYU
9:19	(AKST) Evan Williams 22 Yard Run (Matt Smith Kick)	30	21
8:45	(BYU) Devin Mahina 0 Yard Pass from Taysom Hill (Otis Collins Kick)	30	28
4:42	(AKST) Evan Williams 2 Yard Run (Matt Smith Kick)	37	28
3:05	(BYU) Ross Apo 31 Yard Pass from Taysom Hill (Otis Collins Kick)	37	35

Alaska State PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Von Hawthorne 40/52 345 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Arnold Hart 25 123 4.9 0 Evan Williams 7 38 5.4 3 Mickey Newman 5 18 3.6 0 Tyrell Conley 1 8 8.0 0 Von Hawthorne 9 0 0.0 1 Mitchell McGill 1 -2 -2.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Mitchell McGill 8 94 11.7 0 Eric Huff 9 65 7.2 0 Tyrell Conley 6 63 10.5 0 Curtis Evans 4 31 7.7 0 Antwain Cobbs 2 19 9.5 0 Mickey Newman 2 18 9.0 0 Trevor Huston 1 10 10.0 0 Tye Floyd 1 10 10.0 0 Evan Williams 2 8 4.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Simon Gibson 2 1 Russell Melton 2 0 Eric Huff 2 0 Bennie Ridgeway 1 0 Jorge Kirk 1 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Kris Garrison 9 0.0 0 0 Quincy Tucker 8 0.0 0 0 Kevin Lawson 4 0.0 0 0 James Harwell 4 0.0 0 0 Edmond Vogel 4 0.0 0 0 Ron Quinn 3 1.0 0 0 Nelson Scales 3 0.0 0 0 Jamie Shaw 3 0.0 0 0 Bubba Pittman 2 0.0 0 0 Morgan Spencer 2 1.0 0 0 Chuck Sanchez 2 1.0 0 0 Quincy Gschwend 1 0.0 0 0 Bryson Brant 1 1.0 0 0 Zack Sims 1 0.0 0 0 Loren Berry 1 0.0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Matt Smith 3/3 4/4 13 43 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Chad Simmons 3 118 39.3 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Tyrell Conley 2 55 27.5 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Tyrell Conley 3 28 9.3 0

Brigham Young Cougars PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Taysom Hill 21/27 191 4 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Taysom Hill 19 124 6.5 1 Jamaal Williams 10 92 9.2 0 Paul Lasike 2 4 2.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Ross Apo 5 91 18.2 1 Eric Thornton 5 48 9.6 1 Marcus Mathews 4 43 10.7 1 Mitch Mathews 1 13 13.0 0 Devin Mahina 2 7 3.5 1 Jamaal Williams 4 -11 -2.7 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Brett Thompson 2 0 Solomone Kafu 2 0 Paul Lasike 1 0 Brock Stringham 1 0 Michael Yeck 0 2 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Alani Fua 13 1.0 0 0 Toloa'i Ho Ching 9 0.0 0 0 Joe Green 9 0.0 0 0 Jordan Johnson 8 0.0 0 0 Manoa Pikula 8 1.0 0 0 Jherremya Leuta-Douyere 7 0.0 0 0 Chris Badger 7 0.0 0 0 Drew Reilly 7 0.0 0 0 Marques Johnson 4 0.0 0 0 Craig Bills 3 0.0 0 0 Bronson Kaufusi 3 1.0 0 0 Austin Holt 2 0.0 0 0 Michael Davis 1 0.0 0 0 Remington Peck 1 0.0 0 0 Jordan Egbert 1 0.0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Otis Collins 0/0 5/5 5 0 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Scott Arellano 4 168 42.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Adam Hine 5 153 30.6 0 Jamaal Williams 1 31 31.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Adam Hine 1 6 6.0 0

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

What we learned in the BNC: Week 1
By Dan Moore - ESPN BNC Blogger and Host of the Dan Moore Show
Sept 2, 2014 - 9:00 AM EDT

With the season starting (and only Alaska State playing), I've looked at the results of the Bears win over BYU and came up with the following conclusions:

1. Bears offense will be fine: After watching the Bears take down the defending national champs in Texas, one thing that I learned from watching the game was that the offense will be fine under Hawthorne. While not having the speed that former quarterbacks Buster Holiday and Adrian Olsen had, Von has a strong, accurate arm that will serve him well. That is not to say that he can't run as he proved during the game that if there is no one open, he can run with needed or if nothing is open.

As for the running attack, it's good when you have multiple backs that can step in when called as both Evan Williams and Arnold Hart showed Thursday night. With Newman graduating this season, both players are showing what they can do when given the chance. While they won't get as many carries going forward, once Newman returns this coming week, coach Goodwin has to be pleased that he can depend on these two when needed.

2. The Bears defense needs work: Coming into the season, most of the starters from last season's team returned and was expected to pick up where they left off. Against the defending national champions, they were exposed as Cougar quarterback Taysom Hill did nearly everything that he wanted to against one of the better defenses in the Big North. If the Bears want to make some noise this season, their defense must be able to contain dual-threats such as Hill or else the same result could repeat itself as the season progresses.

With a tough game on the road against Arizona State, a team that defeated them at home last season, the defense can't afford to have another horrible game.

Now that we talked about the Bears, let's look at the key games this weekend.

#23 Alaska State vs. Arizona State (6:00 PM EDT on ESPN 2) - Fresh off of a win Sunday against the defending champion BYU, the Bears stay on the road as they face off against a very capable Arizona State team that is capable of putting up points.

Bismarck State @ #6 Georgia(3:30 PM EDT on ESPN 2) - The Rough Riders were one of the surprise teams in the Big North last year, finishing with seven wins. They face a difficult road test "Between the Hedges" as the Bulldogs are coming off an impressive victory against rival Clemson. Will the Rough Riders be up to the challenge or will the Bulldogs be the ones doing the roughing up?

South Dakota Tech @ Maryland (3:30 PM EDT on ABC) - This season is now or never for Coach Franklin and the Storm as they take on a Maryland team that is expected to be one of the top teams in the Big Ten this season. Can Jevon Matthews lead the Storm back to their winning ways or will the Terrapins be too much at home?

Billings State @ NC State State (6:00 EDT on ESPN 2) - After last season's disappointing 6-6 campaign, the 49ers look to regroup as the team lost several key members to graduation. They head on the road to take on a Wolfpack team that was picked by many to be among the worst in the conference. Can the 49ers start off the season with a victory, or will the Wolfpack add onto the misery that started last season?

Here is this week's schedule of games for the conference:

Big North Week 2 Schedule

Results

Villanova @ Portland Tech (12:30 PM EDT on ESPN 3)

New Hampshire @ Manchester State (12:30 PM EDT on BNN)

Southern Illinois @ Victoria State (3:30 PM EDT on ESPN 3)

South Dakota Tech @ Maryland (3:30 PM EDT on ABC)

Bismarck State @ #6 Georgia (3:30 PM EDT on ESPN 2)

Coastal Carolina @ Vermont State (3:30 PM EDT on BNN)

Columbia State @ Air Force (3:30 PM EDT on ESPN U)

Billings State @ NC State (6:00 PM EDT on ESPN 2)

Jacksonville @ Providence State (6:00 PM EDT on BNN)

#23 Alaska State @ Arizona State (6:00 PM EDT on ESPN)

UC Davis @ Delaware College (6:00 PM EDT on ESPN 3)

Vancouver State @ #14 Michigan State (8:00 PM EDT on ABC)

As the season is still young, I won't come out with a power rankings until all teams have played at least one game. Expect the first poll to come out next week.

Before I do the recruiting update, let's look at one of the players that we're focusing on this season.

#3 Alabama - Won 38-21 over West Virginia
SS Derek Forgarty - 1 Tackle

Now let's look at recruiting. Let's look at the three recruits that we discussed a week ago to see where they stand.

First is the top recruit in the country, Athlete J. W. Greyvenstein. After one week, it seems that Alaska State is the top team on his list of teams recruiting him, followed by Providence State, then Billings State in a distant third, followed by Michigan, and Ohio State. Alaska State and Michigan have already offered him a scholarship with the other schools sure to follow.

*Alaska State - Leader (24% Lock)
*Providence State - 520 behind
Billings State - 720 behind
*Michigan - 725 behind
Ohio State - 785

The next recruit, quarterback Jerrod Pope is being targeted by six schools. The leader after week one is Arizona State, followed by Michigan, BYU, Kentucky, Utah, and Wake Forest. Arizona State have offered a schollarship, with Michigan and BYU soon to follow suit.

*Arizona State - Leader (24% Lock)
Michigan - 460 behind
BYU - 539 behind
Kentucky - 715 behind
Utah - 879 behind
Wake Forest - 895 behind

The last recruit that we're following is wide receiver Andre Howe, who is being targeted by five schools. The leader after week one is BYU, followed closely by Oregon, California, Alabama, and Texas A&M. No one has offered him as of today, but I'm sure that he will get offers as the season progresses.

BYU - Leader (18% Lock)
Oregon - 234 behind
California - 295 behind
Alabama - 344 behind
Texas A&M - 439 behind

* Denotes scholarship offer

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

Week 1 in Review
By Dan Moore - ESPN BNC Blogger and Host of the Dan Moore Show
Sept 2, 2014 - 11:35 AM EDT



Looking back at the first week of the college football season, most of the top 25 teams in the nation won their first game while some took an early bye week. Let's look at the scores from the weekend:

Top 25 Scoreboard Week 1

Results

#2 Ohio State 35, Navy 7

#3 Alabama 38, West Virginia 21

Alaska State 37, #6 BYU 35

#7 Georgia 28, Clemson 7

#9 Ole Miss 34, Boise State 21

#10 Florida State 31, Oklahoma State 21

#11 Washington 27, Hawaii 10

#12 USC 42, Fresno State 26

#13 UCLA 38, Virginia 21

#17 Texas 35, North Texas 13

#18 Wisconsin 44, Washington State 21

#22 Notre Dame 33, Virginia Tech 7

Tennessee 27, #24 Kansas State 20

As you can see, two teams were upset over the weekend, led by Alaska State's stunning win over the defending national champion #6 BYU 37-35 and former #24 Kansas State 27-20 loss to Tennessee.

Now let's look at the new coaches poll that came out Sunday:

NCAA Football Rankings - Coaches Poll - Updated: Aug 31, 2014
RK	LW	TEAM (VOTES)	W	L	POINTS
1	1	Oregon (36)	0	0	1500
2	2	Ohio State (24)	1	0	1450
3	3	Alabama (1)	1	0	1360
4	4	Auburn	0	0	1293
5	5	Louisville	0	0	1227
6	7	Georgia	1	0	1099
7	8	Texas A&M	0	0	1038
8	9	Ole Miss	1	0	978
9	10	Florida State	1	0	919
10	11	Washington	1	0	879
11	12	USC	1	0	806
12	13	UCLA	1	0	768
13	14	Missouri	0	0	699
14	15	Michigan State	0	0	648
15	16	Oklahoma	0	0	598
16	17	Texas	1	0	549
17	18	Wisconsin	1	0	516
18	6	BYU	0	1	503
19	19	Georgia Tech	0	0	457
20	20	Iowa	0	0	413
21	21	Nebraska	0	0	370
22	22	Notre Dame	1	0	329
23	NR	Alaska State	1	0	291
24	23	Miami	0	0	290
25	25	North Carolina	0	0	215

Others receiving votes: Michigan (180), Cincinnati (146), Boston College (123), Tennessee (79), Utah State (54), Northern Illinois (34)

Dropped Out: Kansas State (#24)

The top 5 spots remained the same, with Oregon, Ohio State, and Alabama splitting the 61 votes. Of the teams that lost, Kansas State fell the furthest, falling off of the poll completely, while BYU fell 12 spots to #18. Meanwhile, Alaska State made the biggest leap, going from unranked (#54 in the Pre-Season) to #23.

Here is a look at the schedule for the Top 25 for this week:

Top 25 Games Week 2

Results

#20 Iowa @ Pittsburgh (12:00 PM EDT)

UL Lafayette @ #8 Ole Miss (12:00 PM EDT)

#12 UCLA @ #10 Washington (12:30 PM EDT)

San Jose State @ #4 Auburn (1:00 PM EDT)

Utah State @ #25 North Carolina (1:00 PM EDT)

#22 Notre Dame @ Syracuse (2:00 PM EDT)

#3 Alabama @ #15 Oklahoma (3:30 PM EDT) - Game of the Week

Bismarck State @ #6 Georgia (3:30 PM EDT)

South Dakota St @ #13 Missouri (3:30 PM EDT)

Florida A&M @ #24 Miami (3:30 PM EDT)

Cincinnati @ #2 Ohio State (3:30 PM EDT)

#5 Louisville @ Marshall (3:30 PM EDT)

#21 Nebraska @ Fresno State (6:00 PM EDT)

#23 Alaska State @ Arizona State (6:00 PM EDT)

#7 Texas A&M @ SMU (7:00 PM EDT)

#18 BYU @ Memphis (7:00 PM EDT)

#12 USC @ Boston College (7:00 PM EDT)

Vancouver State @ #14 Michigan State (8:00 PM EDT)

Wyoming @ #1 Oregon (9:00 PM EDT)

The NCAA this morning announced the national players of the week. Here are the top players of the week.

National Players of the Week:
Offense: Baylor RB Lache Seastrunk - 23 Carries for 158 yards and 4 touchdowns and a reception for 11 yards against SMU (Won 49-14) (Surprised that Hill didn't win the award for his performance)

Defense: Penn State LOLB Mike Hull - 4 Tackles (2 TFL), sack, force fumble, and an interception against Temple (Won 30-27)

Meanwhile, the Big North Conference announced their top players from last week's game (let's be honest, this is all Alaska State players here). Anyways, here are the top players in the BNC from last week's game.

Big North Players of the Week:
Offense: Alaska State QB Von Hawthorne - 40-52 for 345 yards and a rushing touchdown against BYU (Won 37-35)

Defense: Alaska State MLB Kris Garrison - 9 Tackles (2 TFL) against BYU (Won 37-35)

After one week, the Heisman Watch list remains the same, with the exception of Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller, who replaces Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keaton. Miller led the Buckeyes to an easy 35-7 win over Navy, completing 13 of his 22 passes for 201 yards and rushing 12 times for 74 yards and three total touchdowns.

The only other candidate who played this week was Georgia running back Todd Gurley II, who rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. He also caught two passes for 28 yards in the 28-7 win over Clemson.

Heisman Watch - Updated: Aug 31, 2014
NAME	POS	SCHOOL		SEASON STATS
Johnny Manziel	QB	Texas A&M
Todd Gurley II	HB	Georgia		24 Carries, 140 Yards, TD, 2 Rec, 28 Yards
Marcus Mariota	QB	Oregon
Tre Mason	HB	Auburn
Braxton Miller	QB	Ohio State		13-22, 201 Yards, 12 Carries, 74 Yards,3 Total TD

NCAA Major Injury Report - Updated: Sept 2, 2014
Pos	Player	Injury Note
QB	J.T. Barrett (Ohio State	Broken Ankle - 7 Weeks
LG	Jordan Rigsbee (California)	Foot Fracture - 10 Weeks
RT	Rob Havenstein (Wisconsin)	Broken Tibia - 10 Weeks
RT	Troy Baker (Baylor)	Abdominal Tear - 7 Weeks
MLB	Amarlo Herrera (Georgia)	Dislocated Ankle - 8 Weeks

[DeltaTiger]

Re: Rebirth of the Big North Conference (BNC): A CAP Simulation Dynasty

Matchup Preview | September 6, 2014
	@
#23 Alaska State Bears (1-0, 0-0 Away)		Arizona State Sun Devils (0-0, 0-0 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 37.0 Points Per Game N/A 530.0 Total Offensive Yards N/A 345.0 Passing Yards N/A 185.0 Rushing Yards N/A Defensive Stats Comparison 35 Points Allowed N/A 411.0 Total Yards Allowed N/A 191.0 Passing Yards Allowed 220.0 Rushing Yards Allowed Injury Report Game Notes Ranked for the first time in two years, the #23 Alaska State Bears head to Tempe to take on the Arizona State Sun Devils, one of the three teams that defeated them last season. Thanks to the efforts of backup running backs Arnold Hart and Evan Williams, the Bears were able to pull off the upset against defending national champion BYU 37-35. Von Hawthorne, who played very well against the Cougars (40-52 for 345 yards and a rushing touchdown), will be call upon once again to do well against a team that has the ability to put up points in a hurry. For Arizona State, the key to winning will be with their offense, which is expected to be just as potent as last season. Led by senior quarterback Taylor Kelly, the Sun Devils will be a tough matchup against the Bears, who are coming off one of their worst defensive performances in years. Middle linebacker Carl Bradford, defensive tackle Jaxon Hood, and free safety Damarious Randall leads a defense that is in rebuilding mode as several starters have either graduated or were drafted in last year's draft.