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http://dailysentinel.com/sports/football/article_9ac544f4-bbba-11df-a46f-001cc4c002e0.html

9/9/10
The second week of the football season should offer more opportunity for Southland Conference teams, after the league got out to a 2-6 start — all of the losses coming to Football Bowl Subdivision teams last week.

The only team playing up in competition this weekend is McNeese, a 30-27 winner over Lamar in the Cardinals’ first game in more than 20 years.

After surviving a scare at home, McNeese is on the hot button this weekend, with a road game against Missouri. It’s one of two guarantee games for the Cowboys, who have a road date with LSU later down the line.

Closer to home, Stephen F. Austin will be out to create some momentum, energy and excitement after falling to Texas A&M 48-7 in its opener.

SFA has been outscored 99-7 in its last two games — a 51-0 loss to Montana in the playoffs last season and the 41-point decision to Texas A&M.

Sure, those are good teams.

But the live line these days is “it is what it is.”

With the remainder of SFA’s 10 games being against FCS teams, it’s time for the Lumberjacks to get it going.

To the games of the week:

Albany (1-0) at SFA (0-1): Believe it or not, SFA has just three road games remaining on its schedule. With six home games and a neutral-site contest against Sam Houston on the ledger, coach J.C. Harper likes his team’s chances.

SFA was 6-0 at Homer Bryce Stadium last season.

Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between SFA and Albany, a New York-based team from the Northeast Conference. The Great Danes — 7-4 last season — opened with a 3-0 victory over Maine.

I’m no math major, but I’m getting better with numbers as I age.

Let’s see. Albany wins 3-0 against Maine. SFA senior quarterback Jeremy Moses threw 24 touchdown passes in six home games last year. The Lumberjacks have scored 7 points in their last eight quarters, dating back to last season.

The Great Danes certainly can’t be discounted, but I’m thinking the Lumberjacks’ offense is going to throw everything, including the kitchen sink, at the visitors.

McNeese (1-0) at Missouri (1-0): After struggling to hold off Lamar, the Cowboys are up against a Big 12 opponent and about 70,000 fans.

“We’re looking forward to it,” McNeese coach Matt Viator said. “It will be a tremendous challenge, because their offense is different from what you see from week to week.”

Viator’s offense is in the hands of graduate student Jacob Bower, a transfer from Tulsa who was 18-of-31 for 292 yards with two touchdown passes against Lamar.

“Jacob is excited about the challenge,” Viator said. “But, no, he hasn’t experienced this yet.”

Samford (0-1) at Northwestern State (0-1): Northwestern State head coach Bradley Dale Peveto found some sunshine in his team’s 65-21 loss to Air Force, the program’s 12th straight loss.

The Demons trailed Air Force 24-21 at halftime. One of NSU’s touchdowns came on quarterback Paul Harris’ score, when he left his feet from the Air Force 5-yard line, took a hit in mid-air and helecoptered his way to the end zone.

“That was neat — it was fun,” Peveto said. “Northwestern State got on the Top 10 on ESPN. That’s hard to do.

“We’re looking forward to small victories,” Peveto said. “Our kids walked off the field believing in themselves.”

Samford had 300 yards in a 59-6 loss to Florida State last week.

Central Arkansas (1-0) at Eastern Illinois (0-1): UCA head coach Clint Conque says he will learn something about his team.

Eastern Illinois will be a far greater challenge than Elizabeth City, the team UCA defeated 47-20 last week.

Eastern Illinois opened with a 37-7 loss to Iowa.

Tennessee-Martin (0-1) at Southeastern Louisiana (0-1): SLU couldn’t overcome four turnovers in a 27-21 loss to Tulane.

“We had an opportunity to beat a Conference-USA opponent and allowed turnovers to take us out,” head coach Mike Lucas said.

Tennessee-Martin, which opened with a 50-0 loss to Tennessee, was 2-of-17 on third down and gained just 142 yards against the Volunteers.

Nicholls (0-1) at Western Michigan (0-1): Nicholls plays its second FBS team on the road when it ventures to Western Michigan, a 38-14 loser to Michigan State last week.

Nicholls was inside the 20-yard line three times in its 47-0 loss to San Diego State in head coach Charlie Stubbs’ head coaching debut.

“We didn’t finish drives or our special teams didn’t get on the board,” Stubbs said.

Stubbs, who is implementing a new passing attack at Nicholls, said San Diego State blized on 63 of the Colonels’ 65 offensive plays.

Southern Arkansas (0-1) at Texas State (0-1): Texas State backup quarterback Tyler Arndt may not be a backup much longer.

The true freshman was 14-of-22 for 153 yards with a score in Texas State’s 68-28 loss to Houston.

Starter Tim Hawkins was just 1-of-9 for 12 yards with two interceptions.

“Right now, we can’t go into a game expecting to play one guy all the time,” head coach Brad Wright said.

Southern Arkansas, a Division II team, is 0-1 after dropping a 17-6 decision to Arkansas-Monticello.