College FB '12 Dread News - Week 8

Here in Big 10 country .....
While Wisconsin and Minnesota play each year for the Paul Bunyan Axe (the Badgers kept the Axe for the 9th straight year, defeating the Gophers 38-13 last Saturday), Michigan and Michigan State play for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. Now if I understand it correctly, while Michigan fans are more preoccupied with beating Ohio State than Michigan State, Michigan State fans want nothing more than to beat Michigan. If that is true, then the most recent games between the two teams have brought a great deal of joy and satisfaction to MSU fans. For 4 years in a row starting in 2008 the wooden statue of Paul Bunyan perched on a pedestal has resided in the MSU trophy case. Prior to those 4 years, the Spartans hadn't been able to take even 2 in a row from the Wolverines since the mid-1960's. If the Spartans were to make it 5 in a row, it would mean that Denard Robinson, Vincent Smith, and the rest of the Michigan seniors would become part of a very small group of people still living to have played their entire career at Michigan without ever beating Michigan State.

Well, it wasn't easy, and it wasn't pretty; but the Michigan seniors avoided that ignominious group last Saturday.
Thanks to a tiny bit of help from Smith, a little bit of help from Robinson, and a lot of help from the kicker, Old Paul is back home in Ann Arbor where he belongs (as far as Go Blue nation is concerned). Four field goals were all Michigan could muster, but they were enough to knock off Michigan State 12-10, pretty much ending the Spartans' hopes for a 2nd straight appearance in the Big 10 championship game.

Trailing 9-7, MSU went on an 18-play, 90-yard drive in the 4th quarter. But on 4th down from the 1-yard line they settled for a FG and a 10-9 lead with 5:48 to play. Michigan punted on the ensuing possession but got the ball back at their own 38-yard line with 2:00 on the clock. That's when Smith, the 5-foot-6 RB, made his only significant contribution of the game - a 12-yard run to midfield. With the clock down to :18, Michigan had only reached the MSU 41. You knew all Robinson had to do was complete one pass downfield, but you wondered if he ever was going to. Finally, a 20-yard strike to WR Drew Dileo got the ball into FG range, and the Wolverines won it on a 38-yard FG with 5 seconds remaining.

I grudgingly will include Robinson (photo above) on this week's dread stars list. Even though he didn't have great stats, he did just enough. 126 of his 163 passing yards came on the 4 FG drives; and after being stymied by the Spartans' D last year (42 yards rushing, with 4 sacks), he almost ran for 100 yards this time. Junior S Thomas Gordon had 6 tackles (3-3) (one of them in photo below) for Michigan. Sophomore S Kurtis Drummond, one of the very few Michigan State players with dreads, had 5 tackles (2-3), with 1.5 TFL. MSU drops to 1-3 in Big 10 play, while Michigan is 3-0 heading into their showdown at Nebraska.

You never want to see a player suffer a serious injury, especially someone as talented as Florida State RB Chris Thompson. But the cold truth is that Thompson's injury, a torn ACL suffered during the 2nd quarter of last Saturday's game at Miami, came at just the right time for sophomore Devonta Freeman, the Seminoles 3rd string RB. It allowed Freeman, who played in HS at Miami Central, to get on the field for meaningful action in his first game back home. And he took full advantage of the opportunity, rushing for 70 yards and a pair of 4th quarter TD (the second of the two in photo below) to help FSU pull away from Miami and win 33-20. 

The 2 touchdowns by Freeman made it 6 years in a row that there has been at least 1 TD scored by a player with dreads in the Miami-Florida State game. Even before dreads became prominent in football, FSU vs. Miami was always a game I looked forward to watching; but even more so in recent years with both rosters loaded with players with dreads. There were close to two dozen in uniform for this year's game, but unfortunately I was unable to watch very much of the game. Other than Freeman, players with dreads made only small contributions on the stats sheet. Freshman WR Kelvin Benjamin caught 1 pass for 39 yards for FSU; junior WR Greg Dent had 2 catches for 20 yards; and freshman CB Ronald Darby had 3 tackles (3-0) and 1 PBU. For the Hurricanes sophomore CB Thomas Finnie also had 3 tackles (3-0) and 1 PBU; freshman LB Eddie Johnson had 4 tackles (2-2); and junior WR Allen Hurns had 3 catches for 21 yards. Sophomore TE Clive Walford, who scored a TD in last year's game, had no receptions this year ..... After starting out 3-0 in the ACC Coastal Division, Miami is now 3-2 (and fading fast?). Florida State is 4-1 in ACC play and is one of four Atlantic Division teams currently with 1 loss. 

Another game I wanted to see but didn't (sorry fans, I don't do webcasts - not unless it's an absolute emergency) was the Ohio battle between Cincinnati and Toledo. There were 4 players (2 on each team) on the field under serious consideration for my dread all-America team: for UC there were the sick dreads of junior QB Munchie Legaux and junior CB Deven Drane; and for UT we had the even sicker dreads on the heads of sophomore RB Cassius McDowell and junior WR James Green. Unfortunately, at least on this night, the level of their play fell far short of the level of their dreads.  

It was hard to tell which was the bigger upset - that the explosive Toledo offense, playing at home, was held without an offensive TD; or that Toledo was able to win the game without scoring an offensive TD. The Bearcats had the advantage in total yards 478-355; but Toledo used 5 FGs, a kickoff return TD, and a pick 6 TD by ex-dread S Jermaine Robinson to win 29-23 and improve to 7-1. Said Robinson after the game, "We worked on disguising coverages all week and we knew we could confuse him" - him being Legaux, who completed just 15 of 37 passes for 227 yards with 1 TD and 2 INT. Munchie also had 66 yards and 1 TD (photo above) rushing on 9 carries. After the last of the 5 field goals gave the Rockets a 6-point lead with 42 seconds to go, the Bearcats had one last chance. But that chance, along with their undefeated record, ended on the 2nd play of the drive when a Legaux pass was picked off by sophomore CB Jordan Haden (photo below).

Drane finished with 1 tackle (0-1). Senior Camerron Cheatham, UC's other starting CB with dreads, had 6 tackles (4-2), and sophomore S Adrian Witty had 5 (2-3), including 1 sack. For Toledo, McDowell, battling a leg injury, rushed for 22 yards, but after fumbling on his 2nd carry, his night was over. Green's name is not in the box score because he had no receptions ..... With their 7-1 record, Toledo is knocking on the door of the top 25; but whether or not their season can be considered a success will be determined when they play at nemesis Northern Illinois coming up in a couple of weeks.

South Carolina's difficult test of playing LSU and Florida back-to-back on the road is over. And sad to say the Gamecocks flunked the test. Spectacularly. I would have given them a passing grade had they won just one of the two. But after losing close at LSU, the Gamecocks lost not-close last Saturday as Florida rolled to a 44-11 victory. Believe it or not, South Carolina actually outgained Florida in total yards 191-183. But the Gators absolutely kicked the Gamecocks' ass on special teams.

The Gamecocks' defense didn't bend, but it broke, allowing TDs instead of holding Florida to FGs on 'drives' that covered 2 yards, 29 yards, and 1 yard. The first TD was set up when the Gators sacked and stripped QB Connor Shaw on the first play from scrimmage. The second came as a result of a fumble by ace punt return man Ace Sanders midway through the 2nd quarter, Then on the kickoff return following the 2nd TD, the Gators forced another fumble. Senior TE Justice Cunningham made a nice hustle play, preventing the TD on the fumble return with a diving tackle at the 1-yard line (photo below); but the Gators got the TD anyway two plays later.  

Of the 3 fumbles, Sanders' was the most devastating (and most disappointing). Up to that point the Gators, despite leading 7-3, had picked up 0 1st downs. With the Gamecocks' offense struggling nearly as much as Florida's, you hoped that maybe Sanders would provide a spark with another one of his big punt returns. But the Gators' punting was fantastic, averaging 54.3 yards (and 50.4 net!) on 7 punts. The Gamecocks had -13 yards on their 3 returns and had the momentum-changing fumble. By halftime Florida almost had more points (21) than total yards (29). When the Gators began the 2nd half with a 59-yard TD drive to make it 28-6, it was all over.
Sophomore DE Jadeveon Clowney played better than last week, providing consistently pressure on the QB (until the game got out of hand and he lost interest). He finished with 5 tackles (4-1), including 2 TFL and 1 sack. Senior LB Shaq Wilson added 6 tackles (4-2) with 1.5 TFL. But it was obvious that if the Gamecocks wanted to win, their defense was going to have to score; and they were unable to. Sanders finished with 2 catches for 32 yards. Senior RB Kenny Miles (being tackled by S Matt Elam in photo below) had 15 yards rushing on 5 carries. Cunningham had 2 catches for 13 yards. For the Gators senior S Josh Evans played well, as usual, with 7 tackles (3-4), 1 TFL, and 2 PBU. Sick freshman RB Matt Jones ran for 11 yards on 3 carries. 

ELSEWHERE

Junior WR  Kenny Bell scored his 2nd TD catch of the season, senior S Robert Lester got his 2nd INT, and junior RB Eddie Lacy gained 97 total yards as Alabama kept rolling, winning at Tennessee 44-13 to improve to 7-0 ..... Senior S Kemal Ishmael had 10 tackles (6-4) and a key FR that ended a Memphis drive at the UCF 2-yard line, and sophomore S Clayton Geathers had 13 tackles and a key FF that resulted in a scoop and score for a TD as UCF improved to 3-0 in CUSA East with a 35-17 road win; senior CB Robert Steeples had a 27-yard scoop and score for Memphis ..... Sophomore LB D.J. Lynch had a career high 10 tackles(4-6), 2 TFL, and 1 PBU; and junior S BooBoo Gates got his 2nd INT of the season as Bowling Green recorded their first shutout in 8 years, winning at Massachusetts 24-0 .....

..... Almost making the dread stars list this week: Clemson senior RB Andre Ellington (96 yards and 1 TD (photo above) rushing on 19 carries in a 38-17 home win over Virginia Tech; Oregon State senior WR Markus Wheaton (7 catches for 90 yards in a 21-7 home win over Utah); Utah State senior WR Chuck Jacobs (4 catches for 94 yards, including a 49-yard TD, in a 41-7 home win over New Mexico State); MTSU senior WR Anthony Amos (6 catches for 93 yards in a 45-3 loss at Mississippi State); and Houston freshman WR Deontay Greenberry (6 catches for 94 yards in a 72-42 loss at TCU) .....Senior S Phillip Thomas got his 7th INT of the season and took it 20 yards to the house for his 3rd TD of the season, and had 1 TFL, 1 FF, and 2 PBU for Fresno State in a 42-14 home win over Wyoming ..... And senior LB Taylor Reed got his 1st and 2nd INT of the seasons, returning one of them 7 yards to the house (photo below) as the SMU defense forced 9 turnovers in a 72-42 blowout of Houston.

IN THE FCS

Two running backs (one with dreads) who expected to be playing for FBS schools were the feature attraction as Tennessee State traveled to Jacksonville State (in Alabama, not Florida) for a key OVC contest last Saturday. Already with 2 league losses on their record, it was a must-win for JSU, whose playoff hopes would all but end if they were to fall 3 games behind TSU. Well, it wasn't easy, and it wasn't pretty; but JSU got the job done. In a wild finish in which it looked like neither team wanted to win, Jacksonville State kept hope alive with a 31-28 overtime victory that ended TSU's dreams of an undefeated season.

JSU was led by RB Washaun Ealey, who played 2 seasons at Georgia before transferring. He had 190 total yards on 38 touches; but it wasn't a game high 190 yards because the Tigers' star RB did even better. That would be junior Trabis Ward, who never made it to Minnesota (for whatever reason) and ended up in Nashville. TSU fans are certainly glad he did - Ward has been nearly a constant on the dread stars list this season. He's on it again this week after surpassing the 200-yard mark in total yards for the 2nd week in a row. 

Senior WR Travis James (with those reduced dreads) finished with 5 receptions for 86 yards and 2 TD. His 2nd TD of the game, an 11-yarder, tied the game at 28 with 9:20 to go. After that, all hell broke loose. The teams' next 3 possessions all ended with turnovers - in a span of 4 plays. TSU took over at their own 25 with 5:36 to go; and on their final drive, both teams conducted a clinic on how NOT to finish a football game. A dumb personal foul penalty on sick junior S Robert Gray gave TSU a 1st down at the JSU 49. On the next play an 11-yard gain by James was nullified by a penalty. But the Tigers got the 1st down anyway three plays later on a 9-yard reception by junior TE Wesley Samuels to the JSU 34. Then (after another penalty) on 3rd and 16 QB Michael German was sacked for a loss of 3, but JSU was charged with a facemask penalty, giving TSU the 1st down. But the ball stayed right there at the spot of the sack because German took his helmet off after the play and was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, effectively offsetting the facemask penalty.

With the clock now down to :46 we had a Jeremy Pryor sighting. The junior WR made his only catch of the game, good for a 7-yard gain. On the next play German ran for the 1st down but fumbled the ball, TSU recovered - luckily - at the 28-yard line with 10 seconds remaining. Ward made the impending FG attempt 3 yards shorter with a run to the 25. And with :01 on the clock K Jamin Godfrey, 5 of 6 on the season from 40+ yards, came on and nailed the 42-yard FG to win the game. But no. TSU was called for a false start, so the FG didn't count. Godfrey then missed (of course) from 47 yards, sending the game into overtime .....

..... where the goofiness continued. TSU got the ball first and moved to the 12-yard line. But on 3rd and 9 German took a sack for a loss of 13, turning a would-be chip shot FG into a 42-yarder. Godfrey missed again. Now needing only a FG to win, JSU gained 7 yards on 2 runs by Ealey. But on 3rd and 3, instead of handing off to Ealey again, QB Coty Blanchard dropped back to pass (huh?) - and was almost immediately sacked for a loss of 9 back to the 27-yard line. K Griffin Thomas ended the madness, at last, on the next play with a 44-yard FG to win it for JSU. JSU's players dashed onto the field, chasing after Thomas, who was running as fast as he could away from his teammates trying to avoid being mobbed. Meanwhile on the TSU sideline, nobody moved, everyone too stunned to move, everybody wondering, "WTF just happened? How the hell did we lose?"

When he wasn't committing stupid penalties, Gray was making 5 tackles (5-0). Freshman CB Jermaine Hough had 2 INT for JSU to take OVC defensive player of the week honors. TSU drops to 3-1 in the OVC, tied with 3 other teams with 1 loss - with JSU right behind them at 3-2.

Not at all taking a back seat to Paul Bunyan (the axe or the trophy) is the Brice-Cowell Musket. That's the argument you likely would get from the folks in northern New England. The 18th century rifle is the prized possession of the winner of the annual game between New Hampshire and Maine. The two rivals met for the 100th time last Saturday, and as you can tell by the photo (above) it was New Hampshire coming away with the victory, 28-21, to retain the Musket for the 4th straight year as well as stay on course for a playoff bid. Senior CB Dontra Peters (#1 in photo above) had 4 tackles (3-1) and 1 PBU, and sophomore CB Steven Thames got his 2nd INT of the season for the Wildcats, who are now 6-2.

Sick freshman CB Sherrod Baltimore (photo below, trying to tackle WR R.J. Harris) got his 1st INT in a Maine uniform in the 1st quarter, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when I saw the photo. I remember seeing him on the sideline in a game last season (his redshirt year), and I'm almost positive his dreads were longer than this. That's why I included him on my top 50 list of the best dreads in the FCS. Hopefully Sherrod will let them grow back to their previous length as quickly as possible.
 

Senior WR Cameron Bailey had 4 catches for 81 yards and 2 TD to help Eastern Kentucky improve to 4-1 in the OVC with a 42-28 road win over Tennessee Tech ..... Junior RB Sam Ojuri rushed for 76 yards and 2 TD as North Dakota State got back on track with a dominating 54-0 road win over South Dakota ..... Freshman S D.J. Cameron had 9 tackles (6-3), 1 FF, and 1 INT as Southern Illinois, behind a +5 advantage in turnovers, won at Youngstown State 38-21 - the 3rd game in a row that the Salukis have come back from a double figure deficit to win ..... Sophomore RB Dominique Swope rushed for 67 yards and 2 TD on 14 carries to help Georgia Southern to a 38-17 road win over Furman; senior RB Jerodis Williams had 98 yards and 1 TD rushing for Furman to just miss the dread stars lists. Also barely missing the dread stars list was Morehead State senior WR Donte Sawyer, who had 9 catches for 92 yards and 1 TD in a tough 39-35 loss at Butler ..... Senior WR Spencer Nelson rushed for 31 yards and 1 TD, caught 5 passes for 63 yards, and threw  14-yard TD pass in Prairie View A&M's 52-37 home win over Alcorn State ..... Junior CB Jermond Colston took his 2nd INT of the season 85 yards to the house to put the icing on the cake in Delaware State's 24-0 shutout of North Carolina A&T ..... Junior S T.J. Lumar got his 2nd INT of the season, and sick freshman CB Darvin Butler got his 1st; but Nicholls State allowed 515 yards passing in a 44-10 road loss to Stephen F. Austin ..... And sick sophomore CB James Davis (from Miami Northwestern HS) had 3 tackles (3-0), 2 PBU, and his 1st INT in a Northern Colorado uniform in a 52-14 romp over Idaho State.

FINALLY

That sigh of relief you heard last weekend came from Tempe. The knee injury suffered by Arizona State junior DT Will Sutton is not serious! Honestly, my heart sunk when I tuned to the Oregon-ASU game shortly after the opening kickoff - only to see Sutton (photo above) already out of the game and on crutches. Sutton, in the midst of an all-American season, might be thinking about jumping to the NFL a year early. But a torn ACL would have ended those thoughts. Thankfully it's less serious than that, and Sutton is expected back on the field before the season is over. Fittingly, on the play he was injured he added 1 more to his total of TFL (he now has 14 on the season) and forced a fumble. Get well soon, Will. The ASU defense needs you. Here's more from the Arizona Republic.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/articles/20121019asu-will-sutton-week-to-week-knee-injury.html


DG

1. Freshman CB Jalen Collins of LSU breaks up a pass intended for Texas A&M WR Uzoma Nwachukwu late in 2nd quarter at College Station, TX. The play didn't count because LSU was offside. A&M was dominating LSU for the first 25 minutes, leading 12-0, until Collins got his 1st INT in an LSU uniform to change the momentum. The Tigers went ahead before the half was over 14-12 and went on to win 24-19. 
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2. Sophomore WR Sammy Watkins uses a stiff-arm to try to get past Virginia Tech S Detrick Bonner. Watkins had 8 catches for a season high 84 yards. Despite gaining only 295 total yards, Clemson got the home win 38-17. 
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3. Trying to avoid being tackled for a loss, sophomore WR Marcus Leak tries hurdling over North Carolina State LB Rickey Dowdy and CB David Amerson during 3rd quarter. Despite this catch for a loss of 3, the drive ended with a TD. Leak almost made the dread stars list, finishing with 4 catches for 94 yards; but Maryland missed a last-second 33-yard FG, allowing N.C. State to escape with a 20-18 road win.
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4. Louisville sophomore DE Lorenzo Mauldin sacks South Florida QB B.J. Daniels at the 9-yard line on 3rd and 6 during 1st quarter, forcing a punt on the next play. Mauldin sacked Daniels again in the 2nd quarter and forced him to fumble, ending a drive that was in FG range. Mauldin finished with 6 tackles (4-2), 3 of which were TFL.
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5. RB Lindsey Lamar is tackled by sophomore S Calvin Pryor (left) and sophomore CB Stephan Robinson after an 18-yard gain during 2nd quarter at Louisville. The play was called back due to a penalty. Pryor had 8 tackles (3-5), and Robinson finished with 3 tackles (0-3) and 1 PBU. Louisville won a thriller over USF 27-25 to improve to 7-0.
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6. Temple QB Chris Coyer tumbles over after being sacked and stripped, and Rutgers senior LB Khaseem Greene scoops up the fumble .....
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7. ..... and scores (!) on a 20-yard return with 10:51 remaining in game. It was Greene's 1st career TD as well as Rutgers' 5th TD in the 2nd half. After trailing 10-0 at the half, Rutgers stormed back to win 35-10 and improve to 7-0.
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8. Not again ..... Senior QB Denard Robinson loses his shoe for the 2nd week in a row, this time on a tackle by Michigan State LB Denicos Allen after a 14-yard run early in 3rd quarter. Robinson made the dread stars list, and Michigan ended a 4-game losing streak in their series with MSU with a last-second 12-10 home win.
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9. Florida State freshman WR Kelvin Benjamin had just 1 reception, but he makes it count, beating Miami sophomore CB Thomas Finnie for a 39-yard gain to the 20-yard line early in 4th quarter. The drive ended with a TD 4 plays later to give FSU a 10-point lead, and the Seminoles went on to win 33-20.
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10. Senior RB Roosevelt Watson of Georgia State carries the ball against Villanova in CAA action at the Georgia Dome. Seeing his first significant playing time of the season, Watson had 8 rushes for 45 yards and 1 catch for 11 yards. But GSU dropped to 1-7 and 0-5 at home with a 49-24 loss to Villanova.
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11. With the game tied at 7 late in 4th quarter Jackson State senior WR Rico Richardson tries for his 2nd TD catch of the game, but the pass is broken up by Mississippi Valley State senior CB Marquez Floyd. Richardson finished with 4 catches for 32 yards, while Floyd had 5 tackles (2-3) and 3 PBU. With both teams having 2 SWAC losses, it was pretty much an elimination game for the loser. JSU stayed alive, winning 14-7 in overtime.
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12. This would have looked so much better if JMU S Jakarie Jackson still had his dreads. Jackson, who made the dread all-America team last year, tackles sick freshman RB Jacobi Green of Richmond after a 31-yard kickoff return midway through 4th quarter at Richmond. Green finished with 21 yards rushing on 4 carries and 70 yards on 3 kickoff returns. 
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13. Now that's what I'm talking about. Senior CB Darryl Hamilton, who had his dreads reduced last week, looks so much better when he lets them flow free. Hamilton and teammates celebrate after an incomplete pass into the end zone on the final play of the game. Darryl finished with 8 tackles (7-1) and 3 PBU as Richmond held on to knock off FCS #2 JMU 35-29.
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14. Sick junior S Marcus Trice, the former OU Sooner, celebrates with senior DT Tevinn Cantly after the ref announces that his fumble recovery has been confirmed after a replay review. The FR came with 1:39 remaining in the game and clinched the victory for North Texas. Trice also had 7 tackles (5-2) and 1.5 TFL in the game as UNT defeated Louisiana-Lafayette 30-23. 
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15. With dreads coming out of every part of his helmet, junior RB James Baker of Idaho carries the ball against Louisiana Tech. Baker, a 228-pound bruiser, rushed for 42 yards and his 2nd TD of the season, and had a 30-yard reception; but Idaho fell to 1-7 after being slaughtered by Louisiana Tech 70-28.

DREAD STARS

• Trayion Durham - Kent State - 19 carries for a career high 124 yards rushing and 1 TD in 41-24 home win over Western Michigan
• Denard Robinson - Michigan - 96 yards rushing on 20 carries, and went 14 for 29 for 163 yards passing with 1 INT in 12-10 home win over Michigan State
• William Dukes - FAU - 5 catches for a career high 119 yards, including a 50-yard TD, in tough 37-34 road loss to South Alabama in 2 OT

• Jonathan Wallace - FAU - 21 carries for career high 101 yards rushing and 1 TD, but Owls blew 31-17 lead and missed 32-yard FG attempt on last play of 4th quarter
• Trabis Ward - Tennessee State - 34 carries for 168 yards rushing and 1 TD, and had 3 catches for 41 yards, but Tigers suffered 1st L of season, 31-28 in OT at Jacksonville State
• Teddy Allen - Charleston Southern - named Big South offensive player of the week - career high153 yards and 4 TD rushing on 21 carries in 31-21 home win over Presbyterian
• Deonte Williams - Cal Poly - 169 yards rushing on 27 carries and 3 receptions for 22 yards as CP improved to 7-0 with 37-25 home W over Portland State
• Tromaine Dennis - Northern Colorado - career high 178 yards and 2 TD rushing on 27 carries in easy 52-14 home W over Idaho State

• Jordan Harris - Bryant - 5 catches for 107 yards and 2 TD in 27-24 road W over Monmouth
• Albert Wilson - Georgia State - had school record 290 all-purpose yards, including 6 catches for 104 yards and 1 TD and 5 kickoff returns for 176 yards in 49-24 home loss to Villanova
• Demarcus Rouse - Presbyterian - 109 yards and 3 TD rushing on 12 carries in 31-21 road loss to Charleston Southern

HOUSE OF DREAD

A perfect storm of conditions came together at Charleston, SC, causing there to be 7 TDs by players with dreads in one game: both teams had a feature RB with dreads; both teams were somewhat evenly matched; and both teams were not particularly strong defensively. Add to that mix the fact that Alabama State had a bye this week, and your HOD winner is the end zone at Buccaneer Field, the home of the Charleston Southern Buccaneers. There were 7 TD scored in CSU's 31-21 victory over Presbyterian, and all 7 were by 2 RBs with dreads. Junior Teddy Allen scored on runs of 12, 63, 6, and 18 yards for Charleston Southern. And sophomore Demarcus Rouse had TD runs of 6, 15, and 5 yards for Presbyterian.
HONORABLE MENTION - 6 TD at Legion Field Birmingham .....

HEAD DREAD

...... 3 of those 6 TD at Legion Field were scored by this week's player of the week. East Carolina improved to 4-1 in CUSA East, and junior RB Vintavious Cooper was a big reason why. Cooper had 172 yards and 2 TD rushing on 26 carries and had a 30-yard TD reception as ECU won a shootout against UAB 42-35. Cooper's 3rd TD of the night was a 3-yard run that put the Pirates ahead 42-28. And after UAB closed to within 7, Cooper rushed for 49 yards and 2 1st downs to kill the final 3:47 off the clock without letting UAB get the ball back. Cooper's dreads are just at the point where they're barely coming out of his helmet, so I'll include a helmetless photo from a couple of weeks ago along with an action photo from the game. And the link after the photos is to a video with highlights of the game and a few words from Vintavious, where he gives all the praise to his offensive line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v3WMR8Vd1k&feature=plcp

NEXT WEEK

There's a lot to decide from, especially in the FCS. ODU is on TV against Delaware. If you get Fox College Sports, you'll get to see the super sick dreads of Eastern Illinois RB Jake Walker in action at Eastern Kentucky. And probably the game with the most dreads is the Magic City Classic showdown between Alabama State and Alabama A&M. As for the big boys, South Carolina-Tennessee should be interesting. So should Florida-Georgia. And I'll probably watch a little bit of Purdue-Minnesota.