By George Kopf (@GeorgeKopf19) & Matt Reynolds (@MattRey30)
Football playoff season is here and multiple Peak schools are in the hunt for a title to add to the trophy case. A decent helping of some upsets on the basketball court seems to make perfect sense nearing the Thanksgiving holiday. Hope you've got extra room on the table, because vol. 13 of the Peak Sports Weekly Recap is coming in hot and ready to fill your belly before Thursday's feast.
Rolling Into Round 2
Ferris State and Pittsburg State dominated their first-round matchups and will square off against each other in a Peak Playoff Classic on Saturday. The Bulldogs (10-1) ran through Davenport with ease, defeating them 41-7 in a snow-filled showdown. The Ferris State defense held the Panthers to just 129 yards of total offense while QB Mylik Mitchell threw for three touchdowns. In Kansas, the Gorillas (11-0) shut out Indianapolis 35-0 to continue their perfect season. Their defense totaled five interceptions on the day, including two by Antione Nunn Jr, our Athlete of the Week (see below). Pittsburg State's made a statement and something has to give when they meet up in Big Rapids, MI this weekend.
Kings of the Southland Jungle
The Southland Crown is Southeastern's! The Lions (8-3, 5-1) scored 23 unanswered to beat Nicholls 40-17 in the River Bell Classic on Thursday. With the road win, Southeastern Louisiana secured the Southland's automatic bid into the FCS Playoffs and will host Idaho in a first round playoff game on Saturday. The Lions are one of two Southland teams to get into the playoffs, with Incarnate Word receiving an at-large bid, despite technically sharing the Southland title. With the offense clicking, this Lions team is hard to stop and may help Southeastern make a run through the bracket.
Gamecocks Close FCS Chapter
After 27 years of competing in the FCS, the Jacksonville State Gamecocks won their final game at that level, beating Central Arkansas 40-17. The victory gave the Gamecocks (9-2, 5-0) the outright ASUN Conference title, but are ineligible to compete in the FCS playoffs due to their transition to FBS. The future is bright for Jacksonville State, as they will enter their first season at the highest level of college football with a three game win streak.
Elite Eleven for Holy Cross
The Crusaders upended Georgetown 47-10 to complete an 11-0 regular season, the third occurrence in school history and first since 1991. The consistent offensive showings from QB Matt Sluka should not go unnoticed, compiling a 25-3 TD/INT ratio on the year. Holy Cross was named the 8-seed in the FCS playoffs, receiving a first round bye and now await the opponent they will host in the second round.
Rivalry Classic Crowns
Two Peak programs took home victories on Saturday in rivalries. First, Florida A&M (9-2, 7-1) used a strong first half to propel themselves over Bethune-Cookman 41-20 in Orlando. Taking home the Florida Blue Classic, the Rattlers head into 2023 looking to build on their season-ending nine-game win streak. Elsewhere, The Citadel (4-7, 3-5) used a huge fourth quarter run to win the Military Classic of the South 26-22 over VMI. The Silver Shako stays in the Bulldogs' possession for another year. The future is bright in both Tallahassee, FL and Charleston, SC, as both teams ended their seasons on winning streaks.
Hoop, There It Is!
Last week, Peak schools were the stars of the upsets. Notably, the Murray State Racers knocked off No. 24 Texas A&M 88-79 in the Myrtle Beach Invitational. Their first top-25 win in ten years was just part of their 2-1 performance that netted a third-place finish. Northwestern State beat a good Illinois State team on the road 70-67, while Central Arkansas got a win on international soil, beating Rider 90-85 in Ireland. Finally two stunning wins occurred within hours of each other. Southeastern Louisiana completed a 20-point comeback in the last five minutes to beat Campbell 70-69 at the buzzer, while Portland State got their first ever win over Oregon State 79-66 in a game dominated by the Vikings.
Acing the Test to a Tourney Ticket
Three Peak schools have booked their ticket to the postseason tournament. Southeastern Louisiana punched their ticket at home, taking the Southland title and staying unbeaten inside the University Center. In the SWAC, Florida A&M outlasted Alabama State to secure their conference's automatic bid. Finally, for the first time since 1986, the Delaware State Hornets will play in the Big Dance, winning the MEAC on home court.
Scores from Peak Action
#23 Southeastern Louisiana 40, Nicholls 17 (Thursday)
The Citadel 26, VMI 22
#12 Furman 63, Wofford 28
#6 Holy Cross 47, Georgetown 10
#2 Ferris State 41, Davenport 7 (Round 1 of Playoffs)
Campbell 34, Delaware State 7
#17 SEMO 52, Murray State 22
Memphis 59, North Alabama 0
#5 Incarnate Word 66, Northwestern State 7
#3 Pittsburg State 35, Indianapolis 0 (Round 1 of Playoffs)
NC Central 22, Tennessee Tech 20
Florida A&M 41, Bethune-Cookman 20 (in Orlando)
BYU 52, Utah Tech 26
Jacksonville State 40, Central Arkansas 17
Cal Poly 49, Portland State 42
Peak Sports Athlete of the Week
Week 12: CB Antione Nunn Jr, Pittsburg State
The saying goes, "defense wins championships." Well, that is what Nunn and the Gorilla's defense are hoping to prove correct. The sophomore cornerback led the way for Pittsburg State, making two solo tackles, one pass breakup, and most importantly, two interceptions. His 68-yard pick-six put the icing on the cake on a 35-0 shutout victory, helping Pittsburg State advance to the second round of the Division II playoffs.
