This week did quite a number on the Big South. Only two of the seven teams came out with a win and it looks like offense was the core issue for most. Four teams saw FBS action, but none came away with a win.
Here are the updated power rankings.
Note: last week’s rankings are in (parenthesis).
1. (1) Coastal Carolina 2-0, 0-0 (Nationally ranked #2)
Some thought Coastal’s matchup with South Carolina State was going to a difficult one (Including me). It turned out to be a blowout as the Chanticleers were up by 41 before the Bulldogs got on the board. QB Alex Ross and RB De’Angelo Henderson had record-breaking performances for the school as Ross threw his 54th touchdown and Henderson climbed further up the rushing leader list. Their defense had a great outing as they forced three turnovers and held South Carolina St. to 69 total yards in the first half.
Next up: Western Illinois, 6:00pm
2. (2) Liberty 1-1, 0-0 (Nationally ranked #15)
The Flames met with one of the best teams they had seen this past Saturday in Morgantown, West Virginia. The Mountaineers highlighted weaknesses in the offensive line and held Liberty’s dynamic rushing attack to 92 yards. The theme of the day: Missed opportunities. Whether it be dropped passes, missed field goals, or a fumble that looked to be a touchdown, there were many points left on the field. Though the Flames lost, it’s difficult to knock them down, as it is with any FCS team that loses to an FBS squad.
Next up: Vs. Montana, 7:00pm (Nationally ranked #8)
3. (3) Charleston Southern 1-1, 0-0
As mentioned with Liberty, when an FCS team loses to an FBS team, I’m not as poised to move them. This is also the case with CSU as they lost to Troy on Saturday. While I thought the Buccaneers would possibly break a 17 game losing steak against FBS opponents, the Trojans had other plans and gave the CSU their first loss of the season. An interesting thing to note: The passing game was practically non-existent. QBs Austin Brown and Kyle Copeland completed a total of 10 passes between each other for 111 yards. The bright spot of the game was Darius Hammond as he rushed for a career-high 161 yards.
Next up: Vs. East Tennessee State, 7:00pm
4. (4) Presbyterian 0-2, 0-0
Presbyterian’s offensive struggles were alive and well against Charlotte this past weekend. They put together 9 total passing yards on 3 completed passes for the entire game. On the night, they had 112 total yards. It looks like the 49ers defense was just too much for the Blue Hose to handle. With Big South play coming up in a few weeks, Presbyterian will have to look for ways to move the ball if they hope to have any success. The defense did look pretty impressive at times. Three players, Ed Britt, Ugonna Akoh, and DaRon Dickey all had career highs in tackles.
Next up: Vs. Campbell, 7:00pm
5. (5) Gardner-Webb 0-2, 0-0
After going into three overtimes, Gardner-Webb eventually fell to Elon. The Phoenix got the first touchdown of the game halfway through the 3rd quarter. The Bulldogs got on the board in the last seconds of the game to force overtime. The teams would go back and forth with a pair of field goals until Elon eventually got in the endzone to end the game. G-W’s best performer was QB Tyrell Maxwell who threw for 112 yards and a touchdown.
Next up: Vs. Virginia Union, 6:00pm
6. (6) Monmouth 0-2, 0-0
The Hawks took on their first ever FBS opponent this weekend as they traveled to Mount Pleasant to play Central Michigan. The Chippewas had little issue with Monmouth as they more than doubled their total yards on the day: 402-181. Both teams did struggle on the ground as neither managed to get over 75 yards. Cody Williams got his second start for the Hawks, throwing for 114 yards and an INT.
Next up: @ Wagner, 6:00pm
7. (7) Kennesaw State 2-0, 0-0
Through two games, the Owls are averaging 57 points. Through the spread, they are averaging 361 yards. It is clear that Kennesaw State is able to handle their own, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. While they rank near the top in most categories for the Big South, this is no surprise after seeing who they have played. I am excited to see how his team progresses in the coming weeks. It is just difficult to gage where they truly are until Big South play opens.
Next up: Shorter, 1:00pm
