UALBANY AT NO. 10 STEPHEN F. AUSTIN

At Homer Bryce Stadium, Nacogdoches, Texas, 7 p.m.
(WOFX 980-AM — www.980online.com)

Records: UAlbany (1-0 overall) — Stephen F. Austin (0-1 overall)
Last Meeting: First Meeting.
Last Week: UAlbany defeated Maine 3-0 — Stephen F. Austin lost to Texas A&M 48-7
About the Great Danes: UAlbany is coming off of their first season-opening shutout since 1979, when they defeated Hobart 10-0. The Great Danes are playing their highest ranked opponent since opening the 2008 season against No.5 Massachusetts, a game they lost 28-16. The most recent ranked opponent UAlbany played was last season against No. 20 Maine, which they won 20-16.
About the Lumberjacks: In 2009, Stephen F. Austin led the country in passing yards (343.7), was second in total offense (468.9) and sixth in scoring (34.9 ppg). Quarterback Jeremy Moses is already the school’s all-time leading passer and is on the Walter Payton Award Watch List, given to the top player in the country. Coach J.C. Harper was a grad assistant under both current Texas coach Mack Brown at North Carolina and Lou Holtz at Notre Dame.
Edge: Stephen F. Austin is playing at home and they are the better team. UAlbany will have to play great to come up with an upset.

RPI AT ENDICOTT

At Endicott Stadium, Beverly, Mass., 1 p.m.
(WRPI 91.5-FM — www.wrpi.org)

Records: RPI (0-0 overall) — Endicott (1-0 overall)
Last Meeting: RPI 28, Endicott 0 at East Campus Stadium, Troy, Sept. 12, 2009 — RPI leads the all-time series 6-0
Last Week: Endicott defeated Framingham State 33-27, 3OT
About the Engineers: RPI has won nine consecutive season openers. Senior captain Pat McCarthy caught 12 passes for a personal best 195 yards last year against Endicott. The Engineers have never lost in three games at Endicott.
About the Gulls: Endicott was ranked to finish third in the Boyd Division of the New England Football Conference (NEFC) in the preseason poll. In six games against RPI, the Gulls have averaged just six points.
Edge: RPI has the upper hand. The Engineers are looking for a solid 2010 season and this is the beginning.

UNION AT ITHACA
At Butterfield Stadium, Ithaca, 1 p.m.
(WABY 1160-AM — www.teamline.cc)

Records: Union (0-0 overall) — Ithaca (1-0 overall)
Last Meeting: Union 24, No. 8 Ithaca 21 at Frank Bailey Field, Schenectady, Sept. 12, 2009 — The all-time series is tied 3-3
Last Week: Ithaca defeated St. Lawrence 33-3
About the Dutchmen: Union begins the season receiving votes in the D3Football.com Top 25 poll. Senior running back Chris Coney rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns in last year’s meeting against Ithaca.
About the Bombers: After a slow start last week, Ithaca scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to finish off St. Lawrence. In three all-time meetings, Ithaca coach Mike Welch has not defeated Union. Welch and Union coach John Audino were members of the 1976 coaching staff at UAlbany.
Edge: This is a bit of a toss up. Union is likely the better team, while Ithaca is at home. It should be a terrific game.

SCHENECTADY - Union had their football media day today.

While it did rain a little, that only made it feel more like fall.

The Dutchmen open up the season Sept. 11 at Ithaca, a game that will be one of the biggest matchups in the country I'd assume, without looking at the schedule.

"We've found that the better schedule we play, the better we perform," head coach John Audino said.

The Dutchmen were 8-3 last season and expect to contend for the Liberty League crown, which they shared with Susquehanna in 2009.

"The expectations are high, just like any year," said junior quarterback Drew Connolly.

Union is going for their 30th consecutive non-losing season of football. Their last losing season was 1980, when they finished 2-6.

Audino has never had a losing season in his 18 years in Schenectady.

"This is one of the top opportunities in the country, in terms of a job in Division III," Audino said. "We have a great school, great academics, great kids, great coaches. We're a family and we try to treat each other that way. I'm just glad to be back with the guys."

From the score alone, I can only assume that the RPI football team didn't play their best game in a 23-21 loss to Merchant Marine.

With Hobart's victory, 10-7 Rochester, the Statesmen get the Liberty League title and automatic bid in the NCAA's.

Hobart would have won the league even with a loss because of the Engineers loss.

While on the topic of Division III football, I have to give a shoutout to my alma mater, Ithaca, who trounced previously unbeaten #7 Cortland 35-13 to retain the Cortaca Jug.

RPI might get an ECAC game, but boy would they have been kicking themselves if Hobart had lost.