Here we go with Week 5:

#5 Appalachian State (3-1) @ #24 Elon (2-1)
9/29/07

Time: 1:30pm

TV: None
Rhodes Stadium
Surface: Natural Grass
Capacity: 11,250
Jeff Sagarin Rankings:
ASU:     66.92
Elon:    54.11
Home advantage: 2.93 points
ASU is favored to win by 10 points

Series: ASU leads 25-9-1
Last Meeting: ASU 45, Elon 21

Everyone expected Appalachian State’s record to be 3-1 going into this weekend’s battle at Elon. Nobody could have realistically imagined how the Apps would get there though. Wofford executed every play nearly perfectly. If the schools play again later this year, Wofford will try to do the same exact things to win again. Forget about it. You cannot dwell on the past in college football. That is probably what lost ASU the game at Wofford. We all possibly guilty of celebrating the Michigan win a week longer than we should have. We were all definitely spoiled, watching our team take the field 17 times in a row and coming out on top in all those games. It was bound to happen. One team was going to figure it out. Wofford figured it out on Saturday. Big deal. You must move on and get ready for the next team that is going to try to beat you. Elon is going to try to kick the Apps while they are down. That is the question. Are the Apps “down“? Did Wofford write the book on how to defeat the 2007 Mountaineers? Is the defensive line too inexperienced? Saturday will tell the tale.

Elon has been waiting for this moment for a long time. They have not been waiting since last year, or the year before that. They have been waiting since 1964 for this moment. That was the last time an Elon football team defeated Appalachian State. None of the players were born on either side. Even Elon coach Pete Lembo had not been born. You can imagine its been a long time coming. Its been 11 games and 43 years. Are the Phoenix going to be the second team in as many weeks to snap a Mountaineer streak?

The ASU defense has to prepare for a totally different offense this week. Elon is as pass happy as it gets. Instead of facing a 3 year starter and senior, the Apps will have be given the task to shut down a freshman quarterback. Scott Riddle isn’t just any freshman, he leads the nation with 313 yards passing yards a game. His favorite target is All-America candidate Terrell Hudgins who has hauled in 38 catches for 453 yards. Riddle hooked up with Hudgins on all of his touchdown passes in the win against Liberty.

Everyone wants to know: Where is Kevin Richardson? We are all waiting for #28 to have his breakout game. I can sit here and write each week that this is the game where it happens. Either way, I look good when he does. I plan to dig deeper than just saying, “This week is it”. In his career, Richardson has carried the ball 45 times against Elon for 242 yards. That breaks down to about 80 yards a game and about 5.4 yards a carry. Richardson has also caught 9 passes for 92 yards. Easy math there, 3 catches a game for about 31 yards. Four rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns in all against the Phoenix. Last year, Elon was the fifth game of the season and Richardson’s first 100 yard effort of the season. Richardson is still 760 yards away from John Settle’s career record as ASU.

The hot topic around Boone these days keeps getting hotter each week. With Armanti Edwards re-injuring his shoulder against Wofford, the debate continues. Who will be ASU’s starting quarterback against Elon? Some will say that the offense seems to be in better sync right now with Trey Elder. Some say that Armanti should not play until his arm is completely healed. It makes for very interesting conversation. Armanti surely has his talents that involve using his speed and quickness to elude defenders for extra yardage. Trey has a better looking throw, which bodes well if ASU is forced to air it out. Is Trey Elder a better quarterback at 100%, than Armanti Edwards at 80%. Another piece of the puzzle to throw in there, is that Armanti has only played in two games thus far this year, and is still eligible for a redshirt. If Armanti cannot play this week, then most would think his services would not be needed against Gardner Webb. After Homecoming is the bye week. That gives Armanti a possible 4 weeks of rest before the Georgia Southern game. By then, some think that offense should be kicking into gear right around then: Why mess things up by switching quarterbacks? Either way, Elon is going to have to prepare for the both of them.

Like I have mentioned, Elon is ready for the chance to knock off ASU. Elon has been up and coming ever since coach Pete Lembo stepped on campus. Lots of the players on these rosters played against each other in high school. Elon is ready, plain and simple. ASU has not lost back to back games in a long time. Expect the Apps to take out all their frustrations on the Phoenix. The tone of this game will be set from the start. Whoever gets the ball first will likely go down the field and score on the first drive. From then, it will be a track meet. A team has not been able to consistently stop the Mountaineer attack. Once again, turnovers will play a major role. Appalachian lost the momentum against Wofford due to untimely turnovers. Appalachian must pressure the quarterback early and often. Elon’s line gives up 3 sacks a game. Where the Apps must try to take advantage of Elon is in the running game. Elon only allows 95 yards a game on the ground, but they have not been tested the last two weeks due to jumping out to big leads and forcing other teams to play from behind. It will be interesting to see if Elon has any success in the running game. ASU has been giving up 220 yards a game on the ground. Elon is ranked 99^th in the nation in rushing yardage per outing (101.3). I think Appalachian will respond this week. The team better be fired up. I would have hated to been in practice this week. The weather should be a little more cooperative. The heat in Spartanburg was tough for anyone associated with the game to deal with. ASU must get the running game going and keep Elon on the sideline. The passing game is all about rhythm and if Elon catches that it early, it may be impossible to stop. Last week was not easy and this week shapes up to be another tough outing.

The First Pick:

Yosef        38

The Birds   31

Here we go with Week 11:

#11 Elon (8-2,6-1 2^nd) @ #2 Appalachian State (8-2, 6-0 1^st)
11/15/08

Time: 3:30pm

TV: None
Stadium: Kidd Brewer Stadium
Surface: FieldTurf

Capacity: 20,150
Jeff Sagarin Rankings:
ASU:     71.42
EU:    62.79
Home advantage: 2.52 points
ASU is favored by the Sagarin rankings by 11  points (rounded).

Series: ASU leads 26-9-1
Last Meeting: ASU 49, Elon 32; September 29^th 2007

This is the time of the year that coaches and players have worked so hard for. For both Elon and Appalachian, this game will play a major factor into determining a conference champion. Elon needs some help, but it all starts with a victory over Appalachian. For the Mountaineers, they can wrap up at least a share of the conference title with a win. Both teams are most likely in the playoffs at this point and their resumes can only be made stronger by playing one another. Elon may not feel as comfortable with their playoff positioning as Appalachian. The Phoenix suffered a tough loss to Wofford and cannot afford another beating to highly ranked opponent. Elon’s other loss on the season came at the hands of Richmond, another potential playoff team. No doubt about it, Elon has been tested this season and this weekend, all will find out if all of the hard work will come to fruition as the play in best game day atmosphere in the Southern Conference.

Everyone has been waiting for Elon to return to its past glory days from the NAIA. When Elon hired Pete Lembo, people knew the Elon was making a commitment to football. Lembo landed some good recruits on the offensive side of the ball and that has helped mold Elon into the premier passing team in the league. Quarterback Scott Riddle has drawn comparisons to Brett Favre, they way he throws the football with an almost reckless abandon. Riddle leads the league with 247 passing yards per game and has thrown 22 touchdown passes despite 14 interceptions. It helps that Riddle has one of the best receivers in the conference in Terrell Hudgins, who has had an All-SoCon type of season with 76 catches for 1043 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Generally when you see team like Elon, who has such a prolific passing game that scores a lot of points, you find a team that is trying to cover up for their defense. That is not the case for Elon. The Phoenix defense is ranked 2^nd in total defense, only allowing 315 yards per game. Elon has also only given up 20.6 points per game on defense, which is also good for 2^nd in the league. In fact Elon is ranked second in pass efficiency defense and pass defense as well. Where Elon is not so good on defense is turnovers. Elon has only forced 18 turnovers on the season, good for 6^th best in the Southern Conference. The teams below them in forced turnovers are Chattanooga, Georgia Southern and The Citadel. Those teams have a combined total of four conference wins. Another glaring statistic is the Elon’s red zone defense, or lack thereof. No team in the league waves opposing offenses into the end zone better than Elon. The Phoenix give up a score 88% of time opponents reach the red zone. The teams ranked directly ahead of Elon in red zone defense are Chattanooga, Georgia Southern, and The Citadel, with those same four conference wins.

The Mountaineers left their home away from home with another lopsided victory over the Chattanooga Mocs. Appalachian has now won 5 games in 4 years in Finley Stadium. It was the running game that propelled the Mountaineers to victory. Three Mountaineers rang up over 100 yards on the ground: Armanti Edwards, DeAndre Pressley and Cedric Baker. The running attack will also play a very important role this weekend if the Apps want to get one step closer to a conference title. Keeping Elon off the field will be very important. You do no want Scott Riddle to get in a groove and one way to avoid that is by running the football. In the previous two games against Elon, Appalachian has rushed for an average of 315 yards per contest while scoring 47 points per game.

Appalachian’s defense has been overlooked for most of the season. Although not having the lofty rankings in certain categories that teams like Elon and Samford have, they have consistently been one of the toughest defenses to score on. The passing game while Elon’s offense is on the field will be entertaining to watch. You will have Elon’s talented receivers against best secondary in the conference. Appalachian is fifth in the nation in interceptions and Mark Legree leads the subdivision with a total of eight picks. In its last three games, Appalachian has only allowed 15 points per game. Appalachian also leads the conference in third down defense, fourth down defense and red zone defense. Appalachian has also forced ten more turnovers than their opponents. Simply put, when a play needs to be made, the Mountaineer defense is there every time.

Some folks wrote Elon off after the loss to Wofford. Mainly because the Wofford win set up a huge battle for first place on Halloween night against Appalachian. Elon quietly defeated Western Carolina and suddenly, there is another battle for first place in Boone, just two weeks removed from the last game. Over the past few years, there has been one constant about Appalachian football. When there is a big game to be played, the Mountaineers always show up big. Against Wofford, Elon could not stand up to the pressure of playing a big game. Elon also struggled early in the season against Richmond and escaped a narrow win at Georgia Southern. Basically, they have won all of the games that they were supposed to. To be considered a great team, you have to win a couple of those games against the likes of Richmond or Wofford. Elon is 4-0 on the road this year, with wins against Stony Brook, Georgia Southern, The Citadel and Chattanooga. Against Stony Brook and Chattanooga, there were less than 5,000 fans on hand in both of those games, and they won both games by double digits. The Georgia Southern(17,049) game and The Citadel(12,582) game were the two largest crowds that Elon has played in front of this year. Those games were won by 2 and 4 points respectively. What will happen when the Phoenix run into 30,000 crazy Appalachian fans in the regular season home finale on Senior Day? The weather also looks to favor the Mountaineers. The coolest kickoff time for Elon this year was 64 degrees when they played at Chattanooga. The fearless forecasters are calling for temperatures around 40 degrees with wind and the chance of light precipitation. More important then the crowd size and the weather conditions, Elon may have to weather a storm of a different kind. The last time Elon saw Armanti Edwards on the field was for his first SoCon game of his career in 2006. Edwards did not play Elon in 2007, while recovering from a shoulder injury. You cannot duplicate on a scout team what Armanti Edwards can do on the field. Beyond stingy defenses and high scoring offenses, something must break. Although Scott Riddle is a great passer, he can get a little pass happy considering his 14 interceptions. Edwards has as many touchdown passes as Riddle, with 135 fewer attempts and only two interceptions. Quarterback play will either win or lose this game. For Elon to be successful, Riddle has to play well and pass the ball consistently. On the other hand, Appalachian’s Edwards can beat teams with his arm and his legs. I think Elon is too one dimensional and their strength is going up against the strength of the ASU defense. The Apps will prevail and capture their fourth straight conference title.

The First Pick:

The Riddle             35

The Answer            49

Here we go with Week 10:

#7 Appalachian State (7-2, 6-0 T1) @ #6 Elon (8-1, 6-0 T1)
11/14/09

Time: 3:00pm

TV: SportSouth
Stadium: Rhodes Stadium
Surface: Natural Grass

Capacity: 11,250
Jeff Sagarin Rankings:
ASU:     58.62
Elon:    61.90

Home advantage: 3.11 points

Elon is favored by the Sagarin rankings by 6 ½ points (rounded).

Series: Appalachian leads 27-9-1
Last Meeting: Appalachian 24, Elon 16, November 15, 2008

This one is for all the marbles. A better script could not have been written for this week’s game. Two teams undefeated in conference play, ranked in the top ten in the nation, battling it out for the conference championship and the automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Playoffs. Elon has its first chance to win the league championship since joining the conference in 2003. Appalachian is in very familiar territory, having won the past four conference titles and has won nine of eleven all time games with a conference crown on the line. Throw in that the nation’s top offense will square off against the nation’s top defense and it is icing on the cake. What more could a college football fan ask for?

These two teams have been analyzed up and down by just about everyone, trying to see who has the upper hand. You shouldn’t have to dig deep however, because Elon should have the upper hand, because they are playing in their own backyard. However, big time games are decided and won by teams who have played in exactly those situations. From what could be determined, Elon has trailed for only eight minutes in all of their wins this season. They have jumped on opponents early and cruised to easy wins. They have won every conference game by two touchdowns or more except Furman. That has not been the case for Appalachian. Of Appalachian’s seven wins, they trailed for extended periods of time in games against The Citadel and Wofford. Appalachian has also faced tough games against Chattanooga and Samford, teams they led early but could not pull away until late in the fourth quarter. In Elon’s lone loss to Wake Forest, they were blown out. In Appalachian’s two losses, they lost by five points on each occasion and had to fight from behind in both games. It is easy to see, that Appalachian is more battle-tested than Elon. Appalachian has played six tough games. Elon has played one tough game. Appalachian should have the upper hand based on this season’s experience alone.

Elon’s Scot Riddle is the conference leader in passing yards and touchdowns and part of that is due to Elon’s pass-happy offense. Part of that is due to all everything receiver Terrell Hudgins, who averages ten catches a game. Hudgins totals also include 1195 yards receiving and 14 touchdowns. Hudgins also recently broke a NCAA record that was formerly held by Jerry Rice. You really cannot say enough about these guys. They have excellent chemistry together and it has been obvious for several years now.

Elon’s defense was a highly ranked unit last year and they have only improved on those marks in 2009. Elon’s opponents have only gained 92 legitimate first downs. Eleven other first downs were gained by penalty. That is an average of just over ten first downs a game. Elon also only allowing 3.5 yards per play and only 2.6 yards per rush. The 208 yards a game they allow is by far tops in league by over 40 yards. The Phoenix have also only given up 12 points per game. Those numbers are good, but I would have one concern. Appalachian’s offense can explode for tons of yards, first downs and points in a hurry. It will be interesting to see how the Elon defense responds if the Mountaineers have one of their patented spurts.

Appalachian came back down to earth, in terms of explosive offensive outputs last week against Chattanooga. The defense turned in one of their best first quarter performances with two interceptions which eventually led to a quick 21-0 lead for the Mountaineers. At the start of the second half, Chattanooga had cut the lead and attempted two successful onsides kicks in an effort to keep Appalachian’s offense off the field. Chattanooga controlled the football, had long drives and pulled within a point of the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers then woke up in the fourth quarter and shut down the Mocs and pulled away for the win. The Appalachian offense cannot fall asleep at anytime this weekend. They must play a complete game for quarters in order to win their fifth consecutive conference championship.

The Mountaineer defense played a very tough second half in the game against Chattanooga. They were on the field for roughly eleven minutes of the third quarter as the Mocs slowly moved the chains. They also turned back the Mocs on fourth down conversion in the red zone. In the fourth quarter the Mountaineers  recorded their third interception of the day and forced Chattanooga to three and outs on two other possessions. They stepped up when they needed to in order to preserve the victory.

What else is there to say about this game? It is highly anticipated by both sides. Elon wants to announce to the FCS ranks that they have arrived. However they cant do that until they beat the man. The man, in this case, is Appalachian State. The Mountaineers, despite a young team, have experience in key positions and one of those walks up and down the sideline all game. The biggest intangible in this game is the coaching staffs. Big games require big game experience. The Appalachian coaching staff knows what it takes to motivate players and knows what are the right calls at the right times. However, it is up to the players to execute. Both Elon and Appalachian have executed superbly this year, to put themselves into this situation. This is a matchup of some of the top ranked units in the Southern Conference and the country. When you look at this game between two evenly matched teams, what is the deciding factor? Who wins? I think the teams that wins is the one that is the most balanced in all phases of the game. The nod on the defensive side of the ball goes to Elon. Their numbers are just magnificent. They speak of championship football. I think on offense, despite both teams being so explosive, the edge goes to Appalachian. Obviously Elon can score too, but there offense is not balanced enough. Their running game plays second fiddle to Riddle and Hudgins. Those guys are the key to Elon football. Appalachian’s offense is much more balanced, averaging 220 yards on the ground and 272 yards in the air. Overall, Appalachian has more weapons on offense. Devon Moore leads in the conference in rushing with 810 yards. Appalachian is the only team with three receivers in the top ten in the conference in receiving yards, even though one of them is out for the season. On special teams, the slight edge also goes to Appalachian. The Mountaineers lead the conference in kickoff coverage. Elon has only one touchback on the year compared to Appalachian’s six. The average drive start for Elon’s opponents is the 31-yard line. Appalachian, even with numerous procedure penalties on kickoffs, gives up the 26 yard line. Five yards could play a huge difference late in the game. Elon’s long field goal of the year was 43 yards, while Appalachian’s was 49 yards. That’s another six yards that goes in Appalachian’s favor. Both teams lead the conference in turnover margin and a turnover either way will be huge. No way will someone lose the turnover battle and win the game this Saturday. In the end, Appalachian has a better balance than Elon and has the experience in big games. I think the Apps have the better team, the better athletes and the desire to push through. It won’t be by much, but it will be enough.

The First Pick:

Christians                  20

Mountaineers           27

Here we go with Week 5:

#19 Elon (2-3, 1-1 T3^rd) @ #1 Appalachian State (4-0, 2-0 1^st)
10/9/10

Time: 3:00pm

TV: Sportsouth
Stadium: Kidd Brewer Stadium                
Surface:  FieldTurf

Capacity: 21,650
Jeff Sagarin Ratings:
ASU:     66.83
Elon:    55.71

Home advantage: 3.01 points

Appalachian is favored by the Sagarin ratings by 14 points (rounded).

Series: Appalachian leads 28-9-1
Last Meeting: Appalachian 27, Elon 10, November 14, 2009

            A little over a month ago, the Homecoming game against Elon was one that fans and prognosticators circled as a challenge for Appalachian. Some people may have labeled it as a “big game.” Despite the Elon win-loss record, it still should be considered a tough game. Some of the places that Elon has played and lost are not easy wins by any stretch. Their schedule has been much tougher than the Mountaineer schedule. However you slice it, Elon plans to come to Boone and do something they have not done since 1964, and that is win a football game. The motivation to win this game for Elon has mounted with each passing week. Appalachian is the five time defending conference champion. This is also Homecoming at Appalachian, and the Mountaineers also climbed to the top of the major polls due to the results from last weekend. Nothing would be sweeter for Pete Lembo and Scott Riddle than to beat Appalachian under these circumstances. The challenge is for the Appalachian faithful. Do not get caught up in a win-loss record, in the festivities, or the fact that some sports writers think you are the best in the country. Remain hungry. Be loud. Be proud. Go Apps!!

            The face of the Elon football program the last four years has been that of Scott Riddle. There are many titles that have been bestowed upon him in his time at Elon. Riddle will ultimately break almost every significant Southern Conference record in the passing department. Despite his lofty numbers, many critics have labeled him as a system quarterback. It is a fact. Elon likes to pass the ball up and down the field, and run the ball just enough to keep a pass rush honest. Riddle has benefited through that strategy, but that is not to say just anyone could do it. Riddle has also benefited from having a wide receiver that will go down as one the all time best in NCAA history, in Terrell Hudgins, who graduated last year. Riddle has stats this year that mirror his career marks, including a 65% completion rate. Riddle is averaging his most yards per game passing since his freshman season. His touchdown passes are also on pace to match that of his freshman season as well. Riddle may miss Hudgins on the field, but his numbers are not showing it. However, last year Riddle only had four interceptions through nine game before meeting Appalachian. This year, he has thrown five interceptions in as many games.

            The Elon defense was rated tops in the country last year for most of the season, and then they met Appalachian. The tables have been turned upside down quickly for the Phoenix. Through last week, Elon was ranked 98^th in the nation in total defense, and has been giving up over 30 points per game. They are very young in the secondary starting three freshmen and a sophomore that played linebacker last year. Their cornerbacks average 5’8” tall and 160 pounds. Across the board, Elon is starting only five upperclassmen on defense. Simply, they have not played enough college football to be consistent. It will be very difficult for Elon to match up against a very explosive Mountaineer offense, especially in the secondary.

            Despite a very lackluster second half against Samford ten days ago, the Mountaineers went to Birmingham and brought back with them they needed, another conference win. The heat had a huge affect on both teams, to the point where playing the second half was almost unnecessary. The Appalachian offense did run up 459 yards of offense against Samford, but it was well under the previous three games of the season. DeAndre Presley continued to be very effective with 97 yards on the ground rushing and another 176 yards passing and four total touchdowns. Just another day at the office for DeAndre.

            The defense came out of its shell against Samford and forced Dustin Taliaferro into throwing three interceptions, all which gave Appalachian excellent field position in the second quarter. The Mountaineers held Samford to 323 total yards, but are still vulnerable to the big play. Samford was able to connect on a 36 yards touchdown pass, and Fabian Truss broke free on a 74 yard touchdown run. Take out those plays, and Appalachian held Samford to 213 yards on 70 plays. Appalachian kept all conference running back Chris Evans in check as well, only allowing 42 yards on thirteen carries.

            To revisit something I was talking about earlier, I keep thinking about how Elon has won both their games at home, against Shaw and Samford, but has lost all of their road games, at “hostile environments” I will give them Georgia Southern. Hostile is being very generous when you talk about Georgia Southern, but I don’t know how hostile they can be toward a team that they are not rivals with. I could be wrong, those two schools could hate each other, but I doubt it reaches the levels of Southern and Appalachian. Richmond opened their new on campus stadium against Elon, in front of about 8,700 fans. I have been to many games with less then 10,000 fans, and never was it hostile. Elon also lost at Duke. Did they play in Cameron Indoor? Once again, never thought of using Duke football and rabid fan base in the same sentence until now. Enter Kidd Brewer Stadium. Appalachian fans can be hostile. Appalachian fans like to take offense to teams trying to take something from them, like a conference championship. Appalachian fans also don’t like certain teams that employ certain strategies that can be considered borderline unethical. I guarantee, to all those Elon players, who are underclassmen, and were not on the travel squad in 2008, that Kidd Brewer will be like nothing you have ever seen. Kidd Brewer is not Wallace Wade. Our coach broke a Wallace Wade record, twice. Anyway, back to the game. Elon has done their talking recently. Scott Riddle and wide receiver Sean Jeffcoat have mentioned how they want payback, or to stick it to Appalachian in their last chance as seniors. I read just about every article about Appalachian football during the week. Last year, before the Elon game, you did not hear a word from an Appalachian player. In the last two weeks, I have not read or heard a word from an Appalachian football player about Elon. The Mountaineers are focused. They knew the task and will do the talking with their play. Elon in simply too young and unhealthy. Their top running back, center, and wide receiver are out with injuries. It just does not add up to much of a game, much less an Elon win. Appalachian has had two weeks to prepare, but sometimes it can also be looked at as two weeks to get rusty. I will expect some rust on offense, but it will not take too long for the Mountaineers to find the end zone.

The First Pick:

Burning Birds           17

Mountaineers           38

Here we go with Week 11:

 #9 Appalachian State (7-3, 5-2 T2) @ Elon (5-5, 3-4 T6)

Time: 3:00pm

TV: SoCon Sports Network

Live Video: ESPN3.com       

Rhodes Stadium         

Surface: Natural Grass

Capacity: 11,250 


Jeff Sagarin Ratings: 


ASU: 61.85

ELON: 50.76

Home: 2.41 points

Appalachian is favored by the Sagarin ratings by 8 ½ points (rounded).

Series: Appalachian leads 29-9-1

Last Meeting: Appalachian 34, Elon 31, October 9, 2010, Boone, NC

WXAPP’s Elon(e) Gameday Weather Trends:

A few clouds. Dry.

10 AM: Mid 40’s

1 PM: Mid 50’s

Kickoff: 55

End of Game: Lower 50’s 

            We all knew the chances were very slim that Appalachian would win its seventh consecutive conference title. It was a feat that will remain unprecedented for a few more years to come. If there is any consolation in not bringing home the trophy for the first time since 2005, was that the team that did win, their only conference loss came to Appalachian. Georgia Southern held the record, Appalachian tied it, and Georgia Southern was there in the end to ensure one of their many records was not broken at the hands of their biggest rival. All is not lost for the 2011 season. The Old Mountain Jug was returned to its cozy shelf on the fourth floor of the Appalachian Athletics Complex and there is a playoff home game possibly on the line. What we do know, is that a win over Elon puts Appalachian in the playoffs. There has never been a Jerry Moore coached team that finished the regular season at 8-3 that did not make the playoffs, and most of those years it was when there were only 16 teams invited. We also know that one home game in the playoffs is just that – its one game. What happens throughout the rest of the country on that day will determine if there are more games to be played at Kidd Brewer Stadium. In 2007, Appalachian was guaranteed one playoff game, yet hosted three before eventually lifting the national championship trophy for the third straight time. Anything can happen in college football and that is why we must all stick behind our beloved Mountaineers in Burlington this Saturday and not allow the Phoenix to spoil our season any further.

             Most knew that Elon was going to be in a transition year after losing record setting quarterback Scott Riddle. What they didn’t know was that head coach Pete Lembo was going to run out of the south as fast as he could and grab the first Division I-A job that came available. Lembo is now with Ball State. Insert first time head coach Jason Swepson, the former running backs coach at NC State and Boston College graduate. He has the Phoenix’ record all even at 5-5 and would love nothing more than to finish his first season as a head coach with a winning record, and victory over Appalachian. Swepson has been quite vocal about what his goals were coming into the Southern Conference. To paraphrase, Swepson said that he wants his team to brush their teeth better, dress better, study in classroom better and practice harder than Appalachian State.

            I don’t know what kind of toothpaste Elon junior quarterback Thomas Wilson uses, but whatever the brand, it has allowed him to step in to the starting role quite nicely at Elon. Wilson has amassed 2,713 passing yards on the season. Last week against Furman he threw a career high four touchdown passes in Phoenix’ 41-34 win. He has thrown for at least 200 yards in every game this season, but has thrown an interception in nine games this season while averaging an interception every nineteen passing attempts. Only Brad Attaway of Stephen F Austin has thrown more interceptions on the season (21) than Wilson (19). To compare, Jamal Jackson has thrown an interception every 35 attempts.

            Without a doubt, Wilson’s favorite receiver is Aaron Mellette. Upon the graduation of Terrell Hudgins, another holder of several Elon records, Mellette has posted back to back 1,000 yard seasons and has also eclipsed double digit touchdowns for the second straight year. Mellette leads the country in receiving yards per game at 140 and is second in catches per game at 9.9 per contest and also has scored eleven touchdowns, good enough for second in the country. He is responsible for 51% of Elon’s receiving yards and 39% of their receptions. 

            It was a great day for records this past Saturday at The Rock. DeAndre Presley ceremoniously threw a screen pass to Brian Quick that he turned into a 33 yard catch and run and surpassed a record that stood for thirty one years. Quick now has 53 catches for 905 yards and nine touchdowns on the season. Quick has never had a season with 1,000 yards receiving or double digit touchdowns, but is well within reach of that this Saturday. In three career games against Elon, Quick has 20 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns.

            The other record that was broken was one that a lot of fans felt pretty indifferent about. Freshman kicker Drew Stewart drilled six field goals and added three extra points for a 21 point performance. As much as Appalachian likes to see field goals going through the uprights, the fans have not come to expect points in the kicking game in that fashion. Maybe six extra points and a couple field goals would be more like it. Regardless, field goal kicking problems may have cost Appalachian at least once conference game this year, whether it be Wofford or Furman. One conference game is going to be the difference between home field advantage throughout the playoffs and one home playoff game. That is, of course, if Appalachian can beat Elon.

             When it comes to the Elon road game, it always makes Mountaineer fans a little wary. For reasons that I cannot determine, besides being the closest Southern Conference school to their campus that has a football team, Elon fans really want to beat Appalachian. It is the one game all season where they pack their stadium. Elon has averaged 9,021 fans this season per game at home. In the four games Appalachian has played at Rhodes Stadium, an average 11,029 fans were in attendance. The last time I checked, about 1,000 grass seats had been sold in a stadium that seats 11,250. Add in stadium personnel and participants in the game, we shall see close to 13,000 this weekend. I understand that we played Elon regularly from 1937-1971 before the Southern Conference so graciously invited them into the conference for the 2003-2004 athletic calendar. I just don’t understand the fascination. Anyway, back to the game. What will Appalachian have to do to guarantee its seventh straight playoff berth? First off, it is all about scoring touchdowns. When Appalachian beat Elon in 2009, they raced out to a 21-0 lead fueled by interceptions by Scott Riddle. We touched on interceptions earlier, but Elon has also lost more fumbles this season than all but 15 schools in the country. Statistically, they are the worst in the nation in turnover margin. Not only are they giving it up, but they are not forcing the turnovers either. When Appalachian ends those Elon possessions, they must make them pay. Field goals are great and all, as long as they all go in, but nothing hurts an opposing defense more than a touchdown. That’s why they are worth twice as much on the scoreboard. Appalachian cannot sleep on the running game either. Even though the Phoenix only average 108 yards a game on the ground, they burned Furman for 163 rushing yards last week. Appalachian only mustered 87 rushing yards on Furman a few weeks ago. Appalachian is only 1-3 on the road this season, a true testament to the youth on this team. Elon is 2-2 at home, but have only scored 50 points at home against SoCon competition in three games. I think this Appalachian team will find a way to win. Elon just turns the ball over way too much for my liking. Mountaineer corners Rodger Walker and Demetrius McCray are tied for the SoCon leading in interceptions on the year, and at least one of them will add to their total.

The First Pick:

Elonkers                      14                   

Mountaineers              30