[jcmanson]

Alright, I'm actually pumped for conference play for the first time in a couple years. The BS auto-bid will be won by a team with 1 loss or less as I don't see us losing 2 games in conference. We could lose 1, but not 2. So, if we beat a team, they are eliminated since at worst we'd be tied with them with 1 loss, but we would win the tiebreaker.

One game at a time.

First up: Charleston Southern

They are a legit threat to win the conference championship. They almost beat us last year. They did beat SBU and finished in 3rd place. They play @LU and @SBU so they have a tough road. But they expect to come up here and beat us. They also have had an extra week to rest and prepare for us.

This game is huge for us because if we win we'll knock CSU out of the race (1 down, 5 to go) and our next 3 weeks are VMI, off, Presby which we should be able to beat both of them while the other contenders (G-W, CCU, & SBU) start eliminating each other.

So, one game a time.

BEAT CSU

[BJWilliams]

LU has a psychological advantage in that the Bucs have lost their last 4 trips to Lynchburg. If LU can recapture the dominant team that they were last year (LU has actually scored 50 or more points in 5 straight home games...including the one at City Stadium) This one will not be close

[Schfourteenteen]

LU has a psychological advantage in that the Bucs have lost their last 4 trips to Lynchburg.

Really? How much of a psycological impact do you think a loss from 8 years ago makes?

Lets see....I'll bet those players are shaking in their boots because in 2002, a different staff with different players lost to a team with.....a different staff and different players.

They certainly won't be intimidated by us (see last year) and they know were beatable (see this year). This is a huge game for them.

[Liberty4Life]

LU has a psychological advantage in that the Bucs have lost their last 4 trips to Lynchburg.

Really? How much of a psycological impact do you think a loss from 8 years ago makes?

Lets see....I'll bet those players are shaking in their boots because in 2002, a different staff with different players lost to a team with.....a different staff and different players.

They certainly won't be intimidated by us (see last year) and they know were beatable (see this year). This is a huge game for them.

Totally agree with Schfourteen here.

[BJWilliams]

I dont know what it is but somehow even when we have looked fairly ordinary (or less than) somehow we have managed to win (close games sometimes but more often than not blowouts...) remember there are players on there who have never beaten us. Now as I said in another discussion...this year could be different but things havent borne out that way in this series...with last year being the exception (even though we won by only 7)

[jcmanson]

CSU is now down and out.

Next up: @VMI

Never easy to play in Lexington. I'm hoping with their trip to New York that will at least help us some in them having an extra day or half day in travel where we're already home and resting. Our D should be able to shut them down and I think our O should be able to score 20+ on their solid D.

Current standings:
Liberty 1-0
Stony Brook 1-0
VMI 1-1
GW 0-0
CCU 0-0
CSU 0-1
Presby 0-1

[jcmanson]

CSU and VMI are now out.

Current standings:
Liberty 2-0
Stony Brook 1-0
Coastal 1-0
G-W 1-0
VMI 1-2
PC 0-2
CSU 0-2

October 23 games:
VMI @ CSU
Presby @ G-W
SBU @ Coastal

[Keenan]

CSU and VMI are now out.

Current standings:
Liberty 2-0
Stony Brook 1-0
Coastal 1-0
G-W 1-0
VMI 1-2
PC 0-2
CSU 0-2

October 23 games:
VMI @ CSU
Presby @ G-W
SBU @ Coastal

VMI @ CSU - who cares?
Presby @ GW - no chance for the upset here although it would be awfully nice
SBU @ Coastal - dare we pull for Coastal to win this one? Definitely the Game of the Week in Big South play.

[ToTheLeft]

SBU isn't as good as we thought they were. I think CCU and G-W are our toughest competition. If CCU wins, and we beat CCU, we'll be in the drivers seat.

[Keenan]

SBU isn't as good as we thought they were. I think CCU and G-W are our toughest competition. If CCU wins, and we beat CCU, we'll be in the drivers seat.

Yeah, doesn't that feel strange SBU isn't as good as advertised? I will be following that contest with interest.

[ToTheLeft]

I think it's a chemistry thing with SBU. The didn't lose talent and they have a good coach, but they're not playing disciplined, according to their own fans.

[bozlady]

Another reason they're not playing as good is because their #1 RB, Ed Gowins has been out with a groin injury and placed on the IR list and according to the SBU site, he'll be out for another couple of weeks. Probably back just in time for the Liberty game

[ToTheLeft]

A rusty Gowins is better than a 100% Gowins.

[kuntryboimike]

CSU and VMI are now out.

Current standings:
Liberty 2-0
Stony Brook 1-0
Coastal 1-0
G-W 1-0
VMI 1-2
PC 0-2
CSU 0-2

October 23 games:
VMI @ CSU
Presby @ G-W
SBU @ Coastal

VMI @ CSU - who cares?
Presby @ GW - no chance for the upset here although it would be awfully nice
SBU @ Coastal - dare we pull for Coastal to win this one? Definitely the Game of the Week in Big South play.

We don't necessarily have to pull FOR Coastal. We can just pull AGAINST SBU haha.

[jcmanson]

I'm pulling for SBU in that one. I have more confidence in us beating SBU at home in a revenge game than I do in us winning at Coastal.

I also think SBU is still pretty good but their coach is just having them prepared for conference play and not these other games (Laffy, Brown, etc.).

[Sly Fox]

I agree with jcmanson that the road trip to Conway scares me the most of our remaining games. Incidentally some of you may have heard about a possible bus trip ... get on it.

But honestly all we have to do is keep on keeping on and the rest really doesn't matter. Based on the greater possibility of us losing at CCU of all of the options, I would suggest it is probably better that they pick up a loss than the other contenders. But that's just personal opinion.

[Rooster Cogburn]

some of our big injuries are making me nervous. Connely and now Garner. Is BJ Hayes ok?

[BigAl57]

i have already cancelled my trip up north to my moms and the in-laws for that weekend. Guess i'll have to go up at Christmas between the semis and championship.

[Sly Fox]

I love that thinking.

[R i]

SBU @ COASTAL,

I feel that our chances against Coastal on th road will be slightly better than our chances vs Stoney Brooke at home. Rocco has Coastal's number. Stoney Brooke gives us fits.

For that reason I would like to see a Coastal Win.

[LUnpretty11]

SBU @ COASTAL,

I feel that our chances against Coastal on th road will be slightly better than our chances vs Stoney Brooke at home. Rocco has Coastal's number. Stoney Brooke gives us fits.

For that reason I would like to see a Coastal Win.

So what you're saying is we don't have issues playing Coast on the road, and they don't give us fits when we play on the beach?
And you're saying that our 33-0 shallacking of SBU back in '08 was SBU giving us a fit?

Sure they beat us last year, by 2 points (I may be off by a couple, I can't quite remember) at their place. So this will be the 3rd time we play SBU, and the 2nd time at our place. And you're more concerned based on history? If you want to talk about the past, check out how we've played @Coastal.

[ToTheLeft]

SBU @ COASTAL,

I feel that our chances against Coastal on th road will be slightly better than our chances vs Stoney Brooke at home. Rocco has Coastal's number. Stoney Brooke gives us fits.

For that reason I would like to see a Coastal Win.

So what you're saying is we don't have issues playing Coast on the road, and they don't give us fits when we play on the beach?
And you're saying that our 33-0 shallacking of SBU back in '08 was SBU giving us a fit?

Sure they beat us last year, by 2 points (I may be off by a couple, I can't quite remember) at their place. So this will be the 3rd time we play SBU, and the 2nd time at our place. And you're more concerned based on history? If you want to talk about the past, check out how we've played @Coastal.

Exactly. CCU at CCU will be our toughest game. And Rocco doesn't "have their number" since the last time we were at Conway it was a total shootout. SBU isn't the same SBU, and we have them at home.

At this point I'm more worried about G-W than SBU.

[LUnpretty11]

At this point I'm more worried about G-W than SBU.

Before this weekend, I would have disagreed. Now I agree with you, completely.

[ToTheLeft]

They have a big strong runner and efficient QB's. That's a recipe to compete against our defense.

[LCA&LU Mom]

CSU and VMI are now out.

Current standings:
Liberty 2-0
Stony Brook 1-0
Coastal 1-0
G-W 1-0
VMI 1-2
PC 0-2
CSU 0-2

October 23 games:
VMI @ CSU
Presby @ G-W
SBU @ Coastal

VMI @ CSU - who cares?
Presby @ GW - no chance for the upset here although it would be awfully nice
SBU @ Coastal - dare we pull for Coastal to win this one? Definitely the Game of the Week in Big South play.

Coastal v. Stony Brook will air on MASN if anyone cares to know.