Everyone has played at least 1 conference game in the Big South and here is where we stand:
Charleston Southern 5-3 (0-2)
The Bucs have taken a 180 degree turn in the wrong direction after starting the season with 5 straight wins, including one over the other FCS college in the Charleston, The Citadel. A 1 point loss to Vanderbilt from the SEC, was thought to be a confidence springboard for the team, but they went out and scored exactly three points in a loss to Presbyterian (more on them later) and then a 21 point loss to in-state rival Coastal Carolina.
Before teh season, a lot of people were not too high on the strength of the Bucs' schedule, including this writer. That lack of confidence seems to have born itseelf out as CSU is now out of the running for the Big South title, and if they don't get the ship righted soon, could find themselves on a one way ticket to the bottom of the conference! This weekend will be a good chance to get some confidence back against a Monmouth squad that is coming off their own loss to the Blue Hose last week
Coastal Carolina 8-0 (2-0)
The Chants just keep winning. In their last 22 games against FCS competition, CCU has won 19 of them. They have not won pretty many weeks, but the important thing is they have more points on the scoreboard at the end. The way things are going, as long as Coastal takes care of business, they are on a collision course with Liberty (more on them later) for the Big South title on the Grand Strand
Gardner-Webb 4-4 (0-1)
The Runnin Bulldogs have been somewhat bipolar in their play this year, losing three of five games (with wins over Wofford and Virginia University of Lynchburg), then winning back to back games over UNC CHarlotte (transitioning to FBS Conference USA in 2015) and former conference mate VMI before being shut down completely in a shutout loss in Lynchburg to Liberty.
The Bulldogs looked like they were in the race for third behind the Flames and the Chanticleer, but they will need to get the offense figured out before they start their final 3 games with a trip to North Charleston for a breakfast matchup with the Bucs.
Liberty 5-3 (1-0)
THe Flames had probably the two most diametrically opposed weeks in the conference, losing a gut-wrenching double overtime game with Richmond, which possibly doomed their at-large prospects, and then winning a good old fashioned shootout down in Boone over first year FBS program Appalachian State, who turned around and smashed Troy the next week. With the surprise strength of the Big South and the overall results of the non-conference opponents, the FLames, if they keep winning, could find themselves playing on Thanksgiving weekend for the first time ever regardless of the outcome, but the attitude on the mountain is just two words...NO SHARING...and they continue that quest with a win down in CLinton against our next and most surprising team this season...
PResbyterian 5-3 (1-1)
The Blue Hose, as I noted in my preview post yesterday, have exceeded expectations, winning more games this season than in the last two seasons COMBINED, including wins over a pair of Southern Conference squads in Furman and a resurgent Western Carolina. With a loss to Coastal, though, this weekend is a major test for PC to see if they can take a step they have never taken before, into Big South contention. A win probably cements them into second behind CCU, but a loss not only ends their hopes for the Championship, but also confirms that they are not quite ready to claim their place as the third team in the Big South
Monmouth 5-2 (0-1)
The Hawks, in their first year in the Big South, have also had scheduling questions, but they did win five of their first six games, with only a loss to former conference mate in the Northeast Duquesne, leading the conference in scoring, before scoring only 12 in a loss to Presbyterian down in Clinton.
MU does have a chance to play spoiler in the race between Liberty and Coastal (facing both in back to back weeks), after hosting the reeling Buccaneers in West Long Branch this Saturday.
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