Cheers for !A Independents in Covid 2020

In August, 2020 Liberty(9-1) and Coastal Carolina(9-0) of the SunBelt agreed to a game on Dec, 5, 2020. In a battle of productive QBs, Willis will get the better of McCall   and give CCU it's first loss. The pollsters will quickly boot CCU from the top 20 while giving respect to the B10, and Pac 12 despite those two conferences late starting the season late not playing a lot of games. They couldn't wait to give Liberty the boot from the top 25 in some  polls after a narrow 15-14 loss to NC St (ACC).

BYU has hustled to find opponents all season and while they haven't had the toughest schedule, they're undefeated but out of the Final Four frame. Cougar managed to get a final game against San Diego St (MWC)

I've been keeping track of some exciting 1a players here Rare 1A PIGSKIN MATCHUPS

dec 3

Props to BYU football for filling the slot created when Liberty U bailed out of its game with CCU due to Covid problems. ESPN Gameday matters, and they get a battle of the undefeateds. I like BYU in a squeaker.

dec 5

Chant for the Chanticleers. It wasn't the QBs yesterday but CJ Marable, CCU RB, who rushed for 132 and 2 TDs . Coastal Carolina(10-0) 22   BYU(9-1) 17. Props for both teams for making this game happen. 

dec 9

Is Boise St planning to go Independent in football before moving to a P5 conference? Head coach Bryan Harsin began pushing school officials in September to explore an exit from the MWC. 

Dec 10

BYU recovers from the tough loss at CCU and beats San Diego St 31-20. Army has a big rushing game in a 29 -22 "home" win over Navy.

dec 13

dec 13

Army blanked Navy 15-0. San Diego St  was up 14-7 after one quarter of play but never scored again in a  28-14 loss to BYU, who got 3 TD passes from Zach Wilson

dec 16

Army hosts another military academy this week and will rush by AFA 27-19.  #TyhierTyler , the Army QB, will rush for over 100 yards.

dec 20

Army beat Air Force 10-7 on a fourth and goal TD in the 4th Q  and won Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

Week 9 Nickel's worth on Independents

Liberty @ Rutgers (B10). Flames QB, #stephencalvert is having a solid year and will lead Liberty to a 22-19 win over  the Scarlet Knights who've been blanked three times this season.
Army will re-group at home and survive an improved  San Jose St(MWC) squad that upset Arkansas earlier this season. Hopkins will toss a TD pass for Army and lead a strong rushing  attack  in 24 -23  narrow win over the Spartans, who will get two passing TDs from  Josh Love.
I miss New Mexico St playing in the Sunbelt.  Aggies RB Jason Huntley has a nose for the end zone,  but Georgia Southern(Sunbelt) will control the clock and win 20-16.
UMass # Connecticut (AAC): Can either D stop anyone? Minutemen fade at the end to the Huskies 33-31.
#NotreDame visits the Big House. Is it time to realize that Harbaugh 's  O is lacking or believe Book and the Irish boys are the real deal . Charbonnet spills in to the end zone twice and UM win 27 -26.

Oct 27

3-2 for the week. Theme of the days was yards per carry. Two incorrect picks:  Liberty got off to a fast start but flamed out . Johnny Langan(21 CAR, 118 YDS, 1 TD) for Rutgers in its 44-34 win.
Army couldn't keep pace with Josh Love's three passing  TDS and lost 34-29.
I was correct on the outcomes but not the path in these three games. NMST scored first and then got run over 41-7 by Georgia Southern. #wesleykennedy of GA Southern : 6 carries 143 yards 2TDs.
Mich 45 ND 14:  Haskins of Michigan- 20 CAR, 149 YDS
UConn 56-UMass 35:  Mensah of Uconn-: 19 CAR, 164 YDS, 5 TD 

May 17, 2020

 #Army scheduled future home-and-home series with Troy(Sunbelt) and  UTSA (CUSA). Army has never faced Troy , and they beat UTSA last season.

May 28, 2020

I read this: Ex-Georgia WR Josh Moran transfers to New Mexico St, then i read further and found that he was a scout team player who never saw game action. He should get some game action for the Aggies.

Dropping a dime on Independents Week 5

  #Byu Cougars and #utah Utes have agreed to take a two-year "Holy War" break in 2022 and 2023, allowing Utah an opportunity to schedule a home-and-home series with an SEC opponent.
This weekend an erratic BYU squad visits Toledo(MAC), who got a monster game from Bryant Koback (228 yards rushing) last weekend . Toledo 29 BYU 28
Notre Dame  will recover from a tough loss to UGA and defeat the visiting UVA Cavs 30-20. Cavs were not impressive in a 28-17 win over ODU (CUSA)
UMass hosts Akron(MAC) in a battle of bad defenses. Perhaps an aerial show AKR 36 Umass 35
Liberty will contain Tuioti, the Lobos QB, and pull out a close one at home. LIB 20 UNM 19
New Mexico St scored  55 last week at UNM and lost. Fresno  St (MWC)has played power 5 schools, USC and Minnesota, tough in losing efforts Fre 34 UNM 22

Sept 27:

Tying into this blog: UCF(AAC) football schedules future non-conference games with Boise State (MWC ) and  BYU(Independent)

Sept 29

 Koback was ok (88yds, 1TD) and Toledo got a late pick which led to rushing TD from Seymour to beat BYU 28-21
T. Jones Jr rushed for 131 yards and 3 TDs in Notre Dame's 35-20 win over UVA
I was wrong  on the outcome but close on the score Umass 37 Akron 29. It wasn't much off an aerial show. Z. Gibson (Akron)173 YDs, TD M Curtis Umass 173YDS 2TDs ,INt
Not too far off: Liberty 17 UNM 10 . S. Calvert threw form306 yards and 3TDs for the vistors.
J Cropper rushed for 118 yards and a TD on eight carries  for Fresno St in their 30-17 win over NMST.

oct 17, 2019

 Army will survive a visit to Atlanta this week (8) and edge Georgia St in the battle of rushing QBs. Hopkins (Army) , Ellington (Ga St)

oct 21

It was Ellington's arm with three TD passes, and then a final stand by the Panthers D that held off Army for a 28-21 win .

Independents week 9 quick glance

Book  a win for Notre Dame over a  Navy(AAC) team  that's had some struggles this season
UMass  Offense will carry the day is a high scoring  40-30 win over UConn (AAC) . Andrew Ford,  UMASS QB (1366 YDS, 9 TD) will have a good day in the regional contest.
#army will make it 3-0 against the MAC this season and edge EMI 23-20.

Freshman   BYU  QB  #zackwilson  will do enough for the Cougars  to beat visiting  NIU (MAC) 26-19.

 New Mexico St will  get a road win at TX St, a weak Sunbelt team. NMST 12 TXST 9  -- a battle of field goals

Oct 27

Nice grind out win for Army. weird to see emu not throwing to the end zone in the final minute.

Marquis Young came alive late  (148 yards rushing) scoring the wiining TD in a Umass 22-17 win over Uconn. two for two, so far.

Oct 28

Wilson threw for 208 yards but couldn't find the end zone in BYU's 7-6 lost to NIU.
Book was solid at QB and Dexter Williams rushed for 142 yards and 3 TDs in ND's 44-22 win over Navy.
Willie Jones III threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third  as TX St pulled away early from NMST and held on for a  27-20. 3-2 for the weekend

Nov 1 Week 10

Army ' out rushes AFA and wins at home 29-20. Liberty (4-3) stays in line for a bowl shot with a big rushing game from Hickson . Lib 33 Umass 30. Rypien will lead  Boise St  by BYU in what should be a MWC game. Notre Dame  gets a tough game from Northwestern but will pull away late in a 40-30 win. Dexter Williams has been leading a solid rushing attack. NMST shouldn't lose to Alcorn St.
Nov 4: Four out of five  this week. I didn't foresee Umass outlasting Liberty 62-59. Hickson had a solid rushing game for Liberty, but #Comis threw for 540 yards, four TDs, and Young rushed for 148 yards.. Byu fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter and lost 21-16. Army got out to an early lead and hung on for a 17-14 win. ND survived a Wildcats scare behind Book's arm with a 31-21 win. NMST 52 Alcorn St 42

11/06/18

Week 11 Quick hits. Notre Dame should handle the worsening FSU Noles. Coach Taggert may be thinking I should've never have left USF for Oregon then returned  to the state of Florida.. Army should handle 1AA Lafayette.
I underestimated UMass last week against Liberty so I'll roll with their  O  against visiting  BYU.
Liberty has their moments  and Hickson may have another solid rushing game , but I don't see  them winning at UVA.

11/11/18

Book-less and ND was fine with Wimbush at QB and Dexter W rushing for 202 yards in a 42-13 pounding of the Noles. Army won, and Hickson did his best for Liberty in a loss to UVA.  BYU found some O  and outscored UMass 28-6  after the first quarter on their way to a 35-16 win over UMass. three of four for the weekend.
Nov 15: Week 12  quick peeks: Book is back for ND and they'll hold off Syracuse 34-33. Liberty will hang for awhile with Auburn but lose. Umass will get crushed by Georgia. BYU should beat NMST easily but may let it get close before eking out a win. Army will beat Colgate (1AA)

11/18/18

Book and the O played as expected in a 36-3 win over Cuse. Props to ND  defense. Liberty was blanked 53-0 and NMST played a decent first quarter in a  45-10 loss to BYU. Bit surprised UMass scored 27  in a loss to UGA.  Army won

11/21/18

ND should handle #USC in LA.  BYU  is a mediocre team and won't get by #utah, the leader of Pac 12 South. Curious  as to how Utah and Utah St are have surpassed BYU in football quality. Hickson will bounce back and rush for 100 plus as host Liberty  evens the series against NMST and makes up for the September loss.
Whipple is out as UMass HC

dec 8, 2018

 #army will make it 3 in a row over Navy today.  #byu lost to NIU of the MAC this season and now is going to the the Blue Turf in Boise to face  W. Michigan  in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in about two weeks.

dec 9

Army (10-2)  beat navy 17-10 yesterday  making it three years in a row, and captured  the #cic cup.
dec 22: I'm so tempted to take #army over #houston in the Lockheed Bowl today . Maybe I'll toss a coin? #byu crushed #wmu yesterday

dec 23

#army QB, K. Hopkins Jr. rushed for 170 yards and  5 TDs in a 70-14 blowout of Houston.  Big props to Army, but Houston hasn't been the same since the Coach Applewhite/Ed Oliver jacket confrontation

June 6, 2019 

I'm pretty sure #Army left the CUSA in 2004 ,and Marshall joined the CUSA in 2005 so it's cool to see Army, and Marshall agree to home-and-home starting in 2025.

1A Independents 2018

It's my annual piss & moan about why these schools should be in a conference, and I'll include my favorite matchup against another Independentt football school.
Notre Dame with one foot in the ACC plays only teams in conferences so I'll highlight its opening week game vs Michigan.
New Mexico St and BYU, two teams that belong in the MWC, faceoff at BYU  on Nov17.
Liberty  with all your $$$ give the Sunbelt a boost, and why the hell are you playing New Mexico St twice.
Army- you should've stayed in the MAC- faces Liberty on Sept 9.
UMass , the AAC beckons, particularly for hoop reasons, and you have a nice regional match up against UConn (AAC) on Oct 27. The next week you play Liberty.

aug 1, 2018

#BYU faces five P5 schools Arizona  California, Wisconsin, Washington, and Utah. Cal is the only one of those teams traveling to Provo.

aug 19, 2018

New Mexico St is selling tickets for as low as $3 for first home game on national TV (ESPN) in a decade. #wyoming (MWC) is coming to #LasCruces for an Aug 25 matchup.

aug 26

#NMST falls at home to Wyoming 29-7  Nico Evans ran for 206 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries to help #wyoming beat 29-7. That's one way to replace Josh Allen. attendance 20,322

aug 29, 2018

#Army coach Jeff Monken named Kelvin Hopkins Jr. the starter at quarterback in the opener at Duke. He takes over for Ahmad Bradshaw, who led the Black Knights to consecutive winning seasons for the first time in three decades.

aug 31 2018

NMST was up 10-7 early against Minnesota, and I noticed that #FrankSpaziani, the former the DC then HC at BC, was their Defensive Coordinator. It went downhill for the Ags from there. Minn 48 NMST 10
sept 1: #army passed for more yards (197) than rushed (168) in a 31-14 loss to Duke
sept 15: #army hosts  #hawaii and their rushing attack  eating up the clock may be the best way to slow down the Rainbows' aerial show but they'll losea squaeker 24-21.
sept  29, 2018:  Plenty of road work for the Independents this weekend.
#army travels to Buffalo (MAC): Bulls Tyree Jackson's arm will do enough to edge Army 24-23 in an intrastate battle
#umass travels to Ohio (MAC).  Look for Ohio to slow down their former MAC foe and pull out a 28-27 win.
#Liberty  travels to New Mexico (MWC): Lobos 19 Liberty 14
#BYU travels to UW (Pac12) Another tight game . UW D gets a pick 6 and wina 23 -20
Notre Dame hosts Stanford (PAC12):  Maybe a special teams play turns the gave for the Irish. in a 27-26 win.

Sept 30, 2018

Props to #army and I was 100% wrong on Jackson's arm. Army 42 Buff 14
 The Bobcats roared into gear in the second quarter and never looked back in 58- 42 win over UMass.  N. Rourke, the Ohio QB, tossed three TD passes and rushed for a TD.
I was wrong on the amount of O and the winner as  Jones, the Libert QB, threw  for 417 yards and three TDs in 52-43 win over the Lobos.
UW defense was stingier than I guessed and Browning had a solid game for the Huskies in a 35-7 win over BYU.
ND defense was solid and Book threw four TD passes in a 38 -17 win over the Cards. Three out of 5 correct picks

oct 7, 2018

UMass got trounced  by USF. Notre Dame smacked  VTech, and #Nmst with 4 td passes from Josh Adkins, outlasted  #Liberty 49-41
Oct 13, 2018 7:52AM EST
INDEPENDENTS (FBS) W L
 Notre Dame                        6 0
 Army                                   3 2
 BYU                                3 3
 Liberty                               2 3
 New Mexico State       2 4
 Massachusetts               2 5

Oct 20,2018

Alabama adds New Mexico State to its 2019 and 2021 home football schedule.

Big game for #army (4-2) today to stay in the bowl game hunt as they host Miami (Ohio).

oct 21, 2018

G. Ragland (30-53, 329 YDS, 4 TD) effort for Miami O wasn't enough as Coach Martin's decision to go for a two pint conversion in OT backfired in a 31-30 loss at Army. Woofolk and Thomas led the strong Army rushing attack.

UMass football left the MAC--why?

 UMass left MAC football apparently because the MAC wanted them to be an all sports member. A lot of chatter about them going to the AAC, but if they couldn't hack the MAC, they won't fare better in the AAC.  Perhaps, the Sunbelt , who've turned them down once,  downgrading to AA, or eliminating the  football program. Minuteman have a brutal schedule this year including three solid SEC  teams.

2016 U Mass schedule
at Florida Gators (SEC)
Boston College Eagles
FIU Golden Panthers
Mississippi State Bulldogs (SEC)
Tulane Green Wave (HC)
at Old Dominion Monarchs
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
at South Carolina Gamecocks (SEC)
Wagner Seahawks
at Troy Trojans
at BYU Cougars
at Hawaii Rainbow Warriors

It  appears to be a tougher road than  their MAC days to become bowl eligible.

June 12, 2016

Sunbelt, who turned down UMass a few years ago, could use another team as they move toward a 2018 title game, but travel would be brutal with N Mex St and Idaho in the conference. Minutemen better find some $$$$ if they want to join the AAC.
 I would like to see UMass in the AAC for hoops reasons.

June 15, 2016

UMass has scheduled regional games with BC on the schedule this season and UConn next. Interesting tidbit: UMass and Boston College series started1901 but they only  played a total of 24 contests. BC lead the overall series 19-5 and have won eight straight.

June 21, 2016

You can find UMass and other teams in

always looking for a new owner or two who will pay attention to their roster weekly

Seven weeks til 2016 automated draft.

1)acc ,b10,sec, aac, independents Aug 12

2)PAC12, B12,CUSA,SUNBELT, MAC, & MWC Aug 14

Free Fantrax leagues. Email me vaporbust4@gmail.com if you're interested and specify if which one(s) you want to join.

July 28, 2016

UMass on the road @BYU and @ Hawaii to finish the regular season-that's nuts and I doubt if they'll fly back home between games.

may 18, 2017

Some of the same teams as on the @UMass 2016 schedule plus @Tennessee. Heavy southern flavor, particularly the Sunbelt.

Sat, Aug 26 vs Hawaii

Sat, Sep 2 @ CO CAR

Sat, Sep 9 vs Old Dominion

Fri, Sep 15 @ Temple

Sat, Sep 23 @ Tennessee

Sat, Sep 30 vs Ohio

Sat, Oct 14 @ South Florida

Sat, Oct 21 vs GA Southern

Sat, Oct 28 vs Appalachian St

Sat, Nov 4 @ MS State

Sat, Nov 11 vs Maine

Sat Nov 18     @ BYU

July 13, 2017

Is #umass leaning toward the SunBelt? Would their hoops teams stay in the Atlantic 10?

sept 16 2017

When you're an Independent and #Irma hits: To fill the vacated matchup with #usf , #UMass willplay #FIU in Miami on Dec2.  if FIU doesn't qualifies for the #cusa title game

Jan 20,2018

#Umass has a heavy southern 2018 schedule which includes ending its regular season @  #UGA. I still suspect the Minutemen land in the SunBelt and may fill the void left by the departure of New Mexico St to the  small group of 1A indies.  It would be cool to see NMST land in the #MWC.

Feb 13 2018

Is #newmexicostate mens  hoops making a strong case for  the entire sports program to move to the #mwc? Ags are heating up #WAC hoops.

April 21, 2018

#umass is still afloat in 1A football, and it may be time for them to  consider joining the Sunbelt. Heavy southern flavor in the #Minutemen  2018 football schedule. #AAC would be cool for hoops
Sat, Aug 25 Duquesne
Sat, Sept 1 Boston College
Sat, Sept 8 Ga Southern
Sat, Sept 15 FIU
Sat, Sept 22 Charlotte
Sat, Sept 29 Ohio
Sat, Oct 6 USF
Sat, Oct 20 C. Carolina
Sat, Oct 27 UConn
Sat, Nov 3 Liberty
Sat, Nov 10 BYU
Sat, Nov 17 Georgia

April 27, 2019

Walter A. Bell IV , the new UMass HC replaces Whipple , who is is now the OC at Pitt U . Will the 1A independent form their own league? Umass   travels to Army and hosts BYU and Liberty , three 1A Independents,  this season.

May 21, 2019

 Buffalo (MAC), UMass will start a six-game series starting in 2022.

					BYU