CAA Picks: Week 7

HARRISONBURG – The game of the week? It features a team that had been the league’s perennial doormat traveling to a first-year league member. Yep, Towson at Old Dominion grabs the headlines this week in the Colonial Athletic Association.

The Tigers and Monarchs are among teams seeking to prove they not only have the talent to win CAA games, but they also possess the intestinal fortitude to do it week in and week out. (And you can add a very impressive Maine team to that list.)

Meanwhile, teams like William & Mary, Delaware and Massachusetts – already saddled with early-season losses – find themselves fighting to stay relevant.

As for me, a 4-2 mark last week was nothing to write a blog about. But I guess I just did. Maybe this week will be better as I look to pad my 35-12 overall record.

Here are this week’s picks.

New Hampshire at William & Mary: UNH hasn’t beaten William & Mary since 1998, losing eight straight games against the Tribe. That run of futility prompted New Hampshire coach Sean McDonnell to quip this week that he can’t even beat W&M’s Jimmye Laycock in a game of golf.

Well Coach, leave your clubs in the bag this weekend. You should find success on the football field.  The Wildcats have been one of the CAA’s top teams despite less-than-stellar play from its defense. UNH is giving up a league-worst 38.2 points per game. Luckily for McDonnell, his always-explosive offense – led by quarterback Kevin Decker – leads the CAA in scoring at 40.2 points per game.

The Tribe, the preseason favorite in the league, have struggled, dragged down in large part to inconsistent play and injuries at the quarterback spot. Quarterback Mike Paulus threw two interceptions last week as W&M was shut out 21-0 by Delaware.

PICK: New Hampshire 38, W&M 20

Rhode Island at Maine: While the Rams are leaving the CAA with a whimper, the Black Bears are roaring. Back-to-back wins over Delaware and James Madison have established Maine as a legitimate contender for a spot in the Division I-AA playoffs.

Disappointing Rhode Island will have better luck reaching the postseason when they move down to the limited-scholarship NEC.

PICK: Maine 24, Rhode Island 13

Massachusetts at Delaware: The Blue Hens bounced back from their surprising loss to Maine by whipping William & Mary 21-0, coming up with a pair of interceptions and getting a big game from tailback Andrew Pierce. The less Delaware asks young quarterback Tim Donnelly to do, the better of it is.

Massachusetts has its own issues at quarterback but – like Delaware – the Minutemen have an absolute horse of a tailback to ride in Jonathan Hernandez, the CAA’s leading rusher this season.

Both teams can score. But only Delaware can play defense. That’s the difference in this one as the Hens keep themselves in the running for a CAA title and postseason berth.

PICK: Delaware 27, UMass 24

Towson at Old Dominion: Who would of thunk it? This is the biggee in the CAA this week. But it’s true. The Tigers are undefeated against I-AA foes this year. Their only loss came at I-A Maryland. And they’re 2-0 in the CAA, beating downtrodden Villanova and outscoring – barely – Richmond.

Running back Terrance West is an emerging star and quarterback Grant Enders continues to play well for Towson.

Old Dominion’s rush defense has been great all year and it will have to contain West on Saturday.

The Monarchs’ only loss came at Delaware in a game that was close until the fourth quarter. Playing at home gives ODU an edge and backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke has been sharp in relief of the injured Thomas DeMarco, who may be available Saturday.

Still, ODU is the new kid on the block. Towson has paid its dues – and then some.

PICK: Towson 27, Old Dominion 24

Villanova at James Madison: The reign of the Szczurs is clearly over. Minus star do-it-all-guy Matt Szczur and rugged quarterback Chris Whitney – among a huge group of seniors on last year’s team – Villanova is taking its lumps this year. Lineup-wide youth combined with a rash of offensive injuries have taken the Wildcats from the top of the hill to swirling the bottom of the bowl seemingly overnight.

As for JMU, the Dukes are trying to claw back into the ranks of the elite after back-to-back 6-5 years that saw them miss the playoffs. JMU is 4-2 but the record is prettier than the recipe. It’s overcome struggles on both sides of the ball, the suspension of its starting quarterback and season-ending injuries to its two starting defensive tackles.

Now, the Dukes are trying to bounce back from a gut-wrenching overtime loss to Maine. Quarterback Jace Edwards – filling in for the suspended Justin Thorpe – has been steady and has yet to make a major mistake. Running back Jordan Anderson has emerged both as a big-play threat and a reliable yard-gainer, taking pressure off Edwards.

The JMU run game will be too much for Villanova to handle. And the Wildcats’ offense should be bad enough that the Dukes will look good.

PICK: JMU 24, Villanova 10