NSCF 19 (Everything Thread)

[Ranoria]

Alton McNair; The Lesser Son: Chapter 3

Alton McNair stepped into the huddle, with the clock, after their final timeout, down to ten seconds. A senior quarterback, he’d won dozens of accolades, media attention, and had already verbally committed to a powerhouse school in Vricksinburg State. He’d been unstoppable this season, and, down 31-34 in the state championship, he wasn’t worried.

Yes, the weight was there, the expectations of everyone around him. The idea that he had to win this football game to cement a legacy of his own, something beyond ‘he was never as good as his brother,’ still hung over his head. But this?

This felt like destiny.

“61 Dagger, 61 Dagger!” He got the play from the sideline and rolled his shoulders. There were only a few minutes left in this game, and he had every intention of punching this in, from twenty nine yards out, and putting it in his team’s control.

He took the snap, the entire season passing through his mind.

Their 3 week stretch to open the season, in which they’d put up a total of 129 points.

The tough week 10 game that they nearly lost before he ran in a walk off touchdown.

The first playoff game, where their home crowd stormed the field after a convincing victory.

Fighting through the semi final while hurt to eek out a 27-20 win.

And now, as he pulled the ball back, he felt as if it were all coming together. The hours he’d put in that his teammates would never think of investing.

One shot and it was done, his hands raised as soon as the ball left his hand. His man caught it in the end zone to go up 37-34 and take the lead late in the game.

The quarterback charged down the field, embracing his offensive linemen with a laugh of pure joy, barely getting off the field in time to let their extra point team kick it in for another point, McNair embracing his coach as he came off the field.

“We did it coach! We made it! We’re gonna be champions!”

Their coach grunted, however, but McNair, not letting that get him down, tore off his helmet and jumped onto the bench even as their special teams were kicking off the ball for what was, in essence, nothing but a formality now, and let out a cry of victory into the stands, fist in the air as the fans in the stadium returned his enthusiasm with a cheer.

And then, all of a sudden, it died down. McNair shrugged with a grin, hopping off the bleachers, and clapped one of his teammates on the back.

His friend didn’t respond. “Yo, Buck, what’s up?” Alton inquired, wondering why anyone would be so down right now, and then he suddenly realized that their sideline was silent.

“You fucking dumbass.” Buck cursed, shaking, his uncovered knuckles white.

Alton looked onto the field, and tilted his head when he saw one of their opponents in the end zone. That was weird. They should’ve been lining up on the fifty by now.

And then it hit him.

The scoreboard read 40-38.

The kick return had gone for six.

“No...”

It was nothing more than a whisper, but all of the emotions he’d been feeling, the adrenaline, the excitement, the pure joy?

That all left his body with that one word.

“NO!” Even as the opposition’s crowd stormed the field, he denied it. It wasn’t possible, hand whipping his helmet onto the ground and grabbed one of the coverage guys by his pads. “You had one. FUCKING. JOB.

All sense of brotherhood was gone. There was nothing but rage and denial as Alton threw the sophomore into he ground, the field immediately turning into a melee between teammates, all formalities done and over. The rest of the special teams who’d been on the field were either bursting into tears or going at their star quarterback, the rest of the team trying to break up the fight.

It didn’t take long, Alton eventually just letting them drag him away, sobbing in his own right.

They had no idea what it had meant to him. Everything he’d ever worked for. Everything he’d dreamed of, shattered. He could already hear the announcer of the stadium’s speakers.

“And McNair is being dragged off the field. You’d have never seen this sort of explosive behavior out of his brother, who won four championships with this squad...”

Why him, Alton thought as he was pulled away, shoulders quaking, Of all the men I had to live up to, why him? It doesn’t matter what I do, no matter how hard I work, I can never catch up. I’ll never be him.

Honestly, he just didn’t understand. He’d been in the weight room, and on the field, for three hours a day, minimum. Getting faster, getting stronger, more accurate.

What did you do that I didn’t?

What did anyone do that I didn’t?

When they stopped trying to drag him away, he just stopped, stood there. He walked with the others when they put an arm on his shoulder, but he was just following the tide. He didn’t know what was happening.

He didn’t know how it was happening. And he didn’t want to.

Because two words kept going through his head, just two.

“Why him?”

[Banija]

Northern Moravica wins third straight Celestia Conference crown as they clinch a playoff berth in NSCF 19


The Northern banner is flown after the team clinches third straight conference crown

HERZEGOVINA CITY, MORAVICA- A familiar story from Banija's oldest city. For the third straight season, and the fifth time in their six seasons of NSCF play, Northern Moravica are the Celestia Conference champions. For the third straight season, they edged out Loyola-Istria on a tiebreaker, and they continued their stunning reign atop the Celestia Conference. To win five conference titles in six seasons is an incredible feat, as they will add this trophy to the conference championships earned in NSCF 12, NSCF 13, NSCF 17, and NSCF 18. What a run that the Cougars have had.

Of course, an excellent run for any school, though you have to look further to see the full story. They've won the conference five times, meaning that they've had five automatic playoff bids- bids that have resulted in exactly one playoff victory in that same time span, since they joined the NSCF in NSCF 12. At the same time, they've watched Loyola-Istria, their neighbors to the South, put on an incredible, historic run- they won the NSCF 13 Pioneer Bowl, and then both the NSCF 14 and NSCF 17 championships, before they finally lost a postseason game, losing the NSCF 18 Title game. A stunning run, a shocking result, but yes- they've shown themselves to be the bar between the two Banijan schools.

Northern Moravica is hoping to rewrite that history this season, as they put their eyes on the prize, a prize that their archrivals have won twice- the NSCF championship. To first get to that point, though, we have to explain Northern Moravica's conference dominance, compared to their non-conference output. In their six seasons of NSCF play, Northern Moravica are 49-11, which is a winning percentage of 81.67%. alongside five conference titles. They have not held to that same level of excellence, however, in non-conference play.

In their five seasons of NSCF play before this one, the Cougars are just 6-9 all time in non-conference play, for a lowly winning percentage of 40%. Why has this happened? What explains the dropoff from conference play to non-conference play, every single season? It's really hard to say. Tough scheduling? Is it poor scouting, being ill-prepared for the opponents that you are not seeing twice a season? Who knows? But with a new coaching staff, the pressure is high to play well in non-conference play. They will never do anything more than win a Celestia Conference championship if they cannot overcome their non-conference demons.

Horace Browning, the former head coach and now Athletic Director, did not exactly give the team an easy schedule. Cold Hill University, who were NSCF 18 semifinalists last season and are 7-3 right now, fighting for an at-large playoff berth, are Northern's first opponent. Then, of course, a tough trip to the University of the Commonwealth of Baker Park. This school, in their first season, came to Herzegovina City and gave the Cougars a beatdown last year, so the Cougars are looking to return the favor. Of course, that school is 8-2 and the Mineral Conference champs, so the clash between two conference champs will be a fun one.

And then, of course, on senior night they will play Kanjin University. This is a strange year for Northern Moravica- for the first time in NSCF play, they will not play Stoneshore College in non-conference play. However, let's focus on their first opponent, Cold Hill University. Can the Cougars prevent Cold Hill from coming in and pulling off what would surely be a statement victory, a win that would seriously bolster their playoff resume?

The Cougars have always been known for their strong defense, and while the offense has made great strides, even though Chae Heung-Kim missed a game, their defense is still king. THey are the only team who has a scoring defense below 10 points per game, only allowing 9.8 points per game throughout conference play. That defense will look to be the cornerstone of this effort to defeat Cold Hill University. And they will have to stop a prolific offense, specifically, they will have to stop the lethal combination of Thorn Davis and Jarrett Hauptmann.

This quarterback is built like a linebacker. Weighing in at 6'5, 250 pounds, he is a dual threat, because he's so hard to bring down. He will run over people in your secondary, he takes multiple people to bring down. Not to mention, of course, his own ability to throw the football. With weapons like Hauptmann, they can do anything. Hauptmann is a tough man for anyone to guard. He comes in at 6'5, 225 pounds, and he is a freak of an athlete. How do you stop this lethal combination?

Expect Denes Bakas, the fourth year junior at cornerback, to have his hands full with Hauptmann. We expect that Klaus Levas, the strong safety, will be helping over the top on every down, ensuring that there are two people on this receiver at all times. Of course, considering how prolific the Davis/Hauptmann combination is, it may not matter, but they certainly have to try. But the strength of the Northern defense is not in the secondary- it is in the front seven. It is in the ability of them to consistently put pressure on the quarterback, to get to the quarterback quickly. It takes a very talented quarterback to beat this pressure, and really, only Isaka Jawara was able to do it with any kind of consistency throughout the season. Of course, Thorn Davis is arguably just as talented, so they have their hands full as well.

How to stop Davis? The Quebecois middle linebacker, Hector Sosa-Onyeaju, is expected to have his hands full, probably spying on many downs to ensure that Davis isn't ever forgotten. But with a spy, and double coverage on Hauptmann, there are going to be quite a few one on one battles. Receivers like Karl Kraus and Griebel will be in single coverage the entire game- it comes down to who can win those one on ones. Can the Celestia Conference champs make a statement here, and say that their non-conference struggles are behind them? Or will those demons rear their ugly heads once again, giving Cold Hill a large step forward towards the playoffs? This is, of course, the game of week, so we'll find out under the lights in Herzegovina City.

32 and counting- why Loyola-Istria doesn't lose at home in the NSCF


Fans dressed for a Stripe Out when Northern Moravica paid a visit to the Istria Lightning Yard

ISTRIA, MORAVICA- We all know the history of the Blue Thunder. We all know the potential, their two NSCF titles, their lone Celestia Conference championship. Of course, they've had back to back 9-1 seasons in the Celestia Conference, and in both seasons, they lost the conference championship to their archrivals to the North based on tiebreakers. A little bit unlucky in that regard, but it is what it is. Today, we're going to focus on an incredible record that Loyola-Istria has, and is currently expanding, and is favored to build upon in their next two games, as they prepare for a week 13 showdown with Richardson University- their 32 game home winning streak.

This winning streak started in NSCF 13, their first season in the NSCF. In week 2 of non-conference play of that season, the Blue Thunder lost, at home. They won the following week, on senior night, to punch their ticket to the Pioneer Bowl. Boy, nobody thought that victory would be the start of something incredible, did they? That was the first of 32 straight home victories in the NSCF for the Blue Thunder. In NSCF 14, they went 8-0 at home en route to their first ever conference title, and more importantly, their first ever NSCF title. In NSCF 17, their return to the NSCF, they won another NSCF championship, with many thanks given to another 8-0 performance at the Istria Lightning Yard. And in NSCF 18, en route to their runner-up finish in the NSCF, they went 10-0 within the city limits, including three playoff wins at the Istria Lightning Yard.

It's an old adage in sports that you have to take care of business at home first. And nowhere is that more true than Loyola-Istria. It has honestly been an incredible run, and it has to be approaching some sort of NSCF records. They are 36-2 all-time in home games in the NSCF, with those two losses happening in NSCF 13. And there bears a certain amount of questioning? Why is this team so strong at home, strong enough to have this crazy home winning streak? Is it the atmosphere? Is it the team just plays with an extra pep in their step at home? Is it the stadium itself?

It's hard to say. College sports in general, and college football, specifically, tend to have the largest home field advantages. Is the home field advantage for the Blue Thunder greater than it is for everyone else in the NSCF? Well, you'll have to give them some credit. The fans at the Istria Lightning Yard make a lot of noise, and are very high energy. However, having loud and passionate fans is not something that is necessarily unique to the Blue Thunder. Plenty of teams have venues and fans that give them home field advantages. The Academy of Space comes to mind, with their venue tough to adjust to due to the travel. Fans at Army Academy and Tecumseh are no slouches either, and we haven't even mentioned schools like Richardson, Ramusok Capital, and UCBP.

But why does this venue produce a 32 game winning streak? The fans here are special. Look at the color coordinated games- so many of these games are color coordinated. They have the stripe out game, an annual tradition for the rivalry with Northern Moravica. They have a whiteout, that is traditionally saved for the biggest games of the season, though it was used three times for the three home playoff games the Blue Thunder had last season. They even have two blue outs, one royal blue, and one for navy blue, which is the school color. That consistent color coordination can help enhance the home field advantage.

But no, this team's home winning streak is due to one thing that seemingly has nothing to do with the venue- their offense. The Blue Thunder move pretty quickly, and like to bark out commands when they don't huddle. Of course, they have plenty of talent on the offensive side of the football, with quarterbacks like Dennis Zervos, and the senior right now, Isaka Jawara. And with excellent coaching staffs, you'll always need that kind of firepower to win football games as consistently as they have, I don't care what they say.

But at home, this offense always seems that much stronger. Why? They don't have to deal with noise. While other fans get as loud as Blue Thunder fans, and some sets can get even louder, the difference here is that Blue Thunder fans know when to get quiet. They say that you can hear a pin drop when the Blue Thunder are on offense, and they are right. The ability of the fans to stay silent while they are on offense, allows them to get the offense going. That's why it sounds like an explosion of sound whenever the Blue Thunder score- because they've spent the last 4 minutes staying silent, allowing the offense to communicate.

Offensive communication is seamless at home. Zervos, the offensive cooridnator, who likes to remain on the sideline rather than go into the booth, can yell instructions, and Jawara can clearly hear them and yell at his teammates. When Zervos himself was quarterback, it was the same thing. No silent counts, and most of their signals being verbal rather than visual, allows them to run like a well oiled machine. Of course, over the first 10 games, they averaged a staggering 46.0 points per game- what would surely be a NSCF record if they maintained that through non-conference play and the postseason.

Let's look at their home scoring totals. 72 points in week 1, 40 in week 3, 53 in week 4, 33 in week 7, and 50 in week 10. They averaged 49.6 points per game at home during conference play. Of course, they were no slouches on the road either, putting up 42.4 points per game, but that is a touchdown difference per game. Why the extra score? Because this team can move faster, because they move with power. They have never been slouches on the road, of course, with an all-time 19-9 away record in the NSCF, which is extremely tough to do, and a 2-1 neutral site record. But this is an incredible home streak, and it is one that deserves respect.

They have two more home games to build upon this season- they will be favored both against the Avalon Institute in week 11, and on senior night against Kanjin University in week 12. They will be expected to notch wins 33 and 34 in a row at the Istria Lightning Yard, to improve upon a record streak. Both teams finished below .500, and that's puts the Blue Thunder in a great position, to work the final kinks out of their system before the real season begins- kicking off with the Rebel's Cannon Bowl, their annual rivalry game with Richardson to end the regular season.

An incredible run that has seen a great number of games. There was this season's 33-31 home win over Northern Moravica, where Ensa Gassama kicked a game winning 47 yarder as time expired. There was last season's playoff win over Northern Moravica in the NSCF 18 Quarterfinals. There was that first ever NSCF playoff win, a 31-20 victory in the NSCF 14 Quarterfinals. Or their NSCF 17 & 18 Semifinal blowout victories, against RCU and Cold Hill, respectively? Lots of great memories, and big time victories at their home field. The stadium has been a fortress, and the offense has flourished there.

We'll see if the winning streak can be extended to 33 this weekend, against the Avalon Institute, a school that went 4-6 in the season but is harboring some ambitions to pull off what would certainly be the biggest upset of week 1.

[Ranoria]

New Look, New Dynasty: Richardson Secures Third Big 8 Championship In Four Seasons

Richardson needed a week ten victory to secure it, with the then 6-3, now 7-3 Cold Hill Buffalo nipping on their heels, but after cruising to an easy victory in this one, the Governors have clinched their third Big 8 Championship in four seasons, an impressive feat against international competition. At 8-2, the Governors are on a year, having won their final three games of conference play and scoring a Big 8 high 342 points while they were at it, despite losing their star quarterback John Garrett and struggling to find a replacement until later in the year.

That starter, Ifeatu Chineze, has performed well. And while you’d have expected an outburst from him with this kind of a win, he put up a quiet 213 yards, 2 touchdowns, and one interception while hitting 20 of 33 pass attempts.

Oh, but don’t worry. There was plenty of exciting offensive production going on. One of Chineze’s Touchdowns went to star WR Kieran Kweo-Atkison, who has been lighting up the stat sheet this season. Here, the athletic freak caught ten balls for one hundred and twenty one yards and a touchdown, continuing his place as he undisputed engine of this offense, as his receiving stats nearly match those of all Richardson’s other receivers combined.

One of those, however, was unexpected in this one. Alton McNair, who started three games at quarterback for the Governors, has been used as an offensive weapon all over the field since Chineze, Banija’s number one overall recruit, stepped in and took his spot. He lined up in the slot on 30% of the team’s offensive snaps, and from their caught two passes, one that went for a yard and one that saw him burst up he seam, his speed leaving no room for the single high safety to catch up on a 41 yard touchdown bomb. He also caught two passes out of the backfield on shovel concepts and ran seven times. Four times at running back for 17 yards, although 14 of those yards came on one carry, and three jet sweeps. The sweeps were more successful, generally, as they went for 12, 19, and 9 yards, respectively. Not to diss McNair’s day, but he did also contribute three drops one of which caused Chineze’s interception.

After the game, McNair made it very clear that while he thought he was the better quarterback, he was willing to do whatever he needed to do to help his team win ball games.

And, of course, we can’t forget about our rising star, Vice Jackson III. Jackson was listed as a player to watch for Richardson, a young, talented back, and the grandson of RFL great Vice Jackson. Our Jackson was dominant in this one, garnering 27 totes for 147 yards and a trio of rushing touchdowns, two of them on the goal line. Jackson has run for over 450 yards and pounded in 7 of his 8 rushing touchdowns in the past three contests. He is on a tear, and hopefully, he doesn’t slow down until a champion is crowned.

Meanwhile, on the defensive side, Judas Wolfson was the best player on the field, again. He took away his seventh interception of the season in the third quarter, a pick that he took back for six points, and was effective on edge blitzes against TN State, tallying a pair of sacks and a tackle for a loss. He also managed a season high ten tackles, second in the team. As has been the case every game, monstrous middle linebacker Isaiah Bryce led them in that category with 12 today to go along with a sack and a pass deflection.

The Governors, also, for the first time this season, managed ten sacks, three coming from Bryce and Wolfson. Speed Rusher Douglas Starling notched two to add to a tackle for loss and six tackles, while 6’9” strong side end Emmanuel Miller notched three sacks, nine tackles, and three for a loss. The other two came courtesy of defensive tackle Julius Volt and linebacker Alexander Carthage. Their final stud, defensively, was sophomore corner Spencer Houston, who got his second start on the outside this season and tallied his fourth interception.

Overall, it was a dominant performance for the Governors, who never slowed down in this one, and hopefully, if they can add onto their current win streak until the playoffs roll around, we can get the trophy that John Garrett seemed destined to win.

Cold Hill, Thorn Davis Take People’s Isle by Storm in Win

The Buffalo never stopped in this one. But really, they were never given the opportunity to do so.

Despite jumping out to a 14-3 lead at halftime, with one touchdown off of Davis’s arm and one from runner Hue Ross, the Buffalo looked to slow the game down and chew the clock, but People’s Isle made an impressive stand against the run, at least, forcing four straight punts from Cold Hill, and holding Ross to a total of 31 carries for 84 yards.

So, with little other choice in the matter, they threw the football.

The results were disastrous for People’s Isle, the squad allowing for a 23 point outburst from the late third quarter on, with three touchdown passes and a safety. To their credit, they managed to snag an interception along the way, but it didn’t help much, as Davis finished 37-58 for a career high 485 passing yards and four touchdowns to go along with thirty yards on seven runs.

Unfrtounately, however, despite the win, Cold Hill was unable to win the conference after Richardson’s win. They still have a shot to make the playoffs, but a tough out of conference schedule isn’t doing them any favors on that end. If this team can manage to go 2-1 in that stretch, which is entirely doable, then they should be able to make the tournament, where they made waves last season after making it in off of committee vote and storming their way to the semifinal.

Whether or not they make it in, though, will wholly depend on the arm, and legs, of quarterback Thorn Davis. He’s the best in the country, right now, and has made it very clear that, championship or no, he wants another shot at Loyola-Istria, who knocked them out with a shutout victory in last year’s tournament semifinal.

[Vangaziland]

Championship 19: Svennish Isles

The Islands
On the northeast outskirts of the Caribbean sits a group of islands, known as the Svennson Tropical Island Chain. 420,000 Vannish citizens live here among the teal crystal waters. A major part of the economy revolves around tropical fruits and seafood. Tourism and the beach are also a major part of the island's business environment.

The Svennish Isles were officially admitted into the Vannish Empire in 1880. This was after 82 years of naval warfare. The islands were unofficially claimed by Vannish privateers. To keep Vangaziland officially neutral in a war they were technically fighting, the island was declared an independent territory. This was despite receiving direct support and regular troops from Vangaziland proper.

The island developed into a tourism hotspot early in the late 1930s. The reputation lasted into the 1950s, as technology brought the island's tourism to a golden age. When corruption caused the island's top 3 hotels to shutter their doors, the island was hit hard. The economy took a major hit. It took 25 years to rebuild.

Today, the Svennish Isles are a great place to hit the beach or shop for luxury goods. The island is known for its large population of Caribbean Scandinavian. Many think it is unique to hear such tropical accents and see long dreadlocks on so many blonde Vangazi.

The City
Olson is the second largest city, located on the largest island. An international airport is located just outside of the city limits. Buses and brightly colored taxicabs help shuttle tourists across the island. There are only three tall skyscrapers, located in a small downtown section. Much of the area is full of luxury shops. The city is not densely populated. A network of highways connect parts of Olson with other Svennish cities.

Svennson University is located in the Collegiate District of the town. The school is often competitive in Vannish sports, just because its such an attractive place to live. The city is known for its tropical cuisine of barbeque fish and pork. There is also a high variety of fruit and spices that grow on the island. It's easy to sample many different top quality restaurants in one trip.

Security will be provided by Olson PD. The island can get rough in some places. There are all sorts of people on the Svennish Isles. The local joke is that they're all the descendants of surly pirates. Piracy was an issue on the island as late as 2015. The Vannish Navy has worked with the Svennish Coast Guard to severely impact maritime terrorist operations. The Svennish Isles are safer than ever.

The Stadium

Name: VannAir Stadium
City: Olson, SVN
Home Team: Svennish Seabirds, Imperial Gridiron Association
Capacity: 52K Seated
Entertainment Venues: Tropical Garden, Dining, Alcohol & Cannabis Concession (non smoking), Dance Zone Nightclub, Luxury Boxes
Nearby Attractions: Cane Beach, Johannsson Mall, Scandinavian-Caribbean History Museum, Stormfront Casino, Olde Boardwalk Théâtre


Since the island has one sports franchise, VannAir Stadium is known for its rabid fanbase. Local crowds are often motivated and excited for Seabirds games.. They will be interested in seeing international teams compete. Of course, there will be many outsiders. The Svennish are used to tourists and are quite friendly. It should make for a peaceful atmosphere in the stands.

The field is natural grass. The end zone will be modified to read NSCF on one side and Championship on the other. VannAir Stadium is designed to be a tourist attraction in itself. It was built in the 1980s, but based on styling cues from the island's golden age. Part of the stadium is open, to give views over to the nearby ocean. The beach is a short drive away.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

A year later, UC, Richardson meet again
Teresa Bramlage
Daily News Football Writer


In week 11 of NSCF 18, the University of the Commonwealth traveled to Ranoria, to face their first non-conference game versus Richardson University, after having captured the Mineral Conference title at home.

The game was set to be a marquee matchup between two of the top senior quarterbacks in the competition—RU's John Garrett and UC's James Knapke. Garrett lived up to his promise, but Knapke and the Warriors suffered a bit of a letdown, & the Governors cruised to an easy 26-10 win; Garrett was later voted as the Most Outstanding Player in NSCF, and he carried the offense as Richardson chased an at-large playoff spot, but losses in their final two games put an end to their hopes.

This time the venue and the leading men will be different, and the stakes will a bit lower, as RU edged out their rivals from Cold Hill University to win the Big 8 title and the automatic berth to the NSCF 19 playoff, but there will still be pride on the line and a chance for both teams to keep sharp ahead of the final part of the season.

The Warriors are led by Grant Loy, who has stepped into Knapke's shoes and handled the UC offense superbly, as evidenced by the 35 ppg average rolled up by the team. RU are led by freshman Ifeatu Chineze, who has seemingly won the three way race that the Govs have conducted throughout their schedule to find a successor to Garrett

Coach Scott Newell is looking forward to the challenge the Governors present. "They really were supposed to be in a rebuilding mode this time, and it was Cold Hill who was getting a lot of attention and focus. You have to remember, both of them were in the same conference as Mar Sara last year, and although the Vanorian schools didn't enter this time, they were pushed by a newcomer from Tecumseh University to the very end, much as we were by Clawtown and St Leon. Obviously both sides know more about the other than we did last year, and I think it'll be a good test for us. This week a lot of guys talked about not playing their best over there (in Ranoria) and wanting to atone for that. But wanting to do it and actually going out and performing are two different things."

__________________________________________________________________________________

USL on the road to open final third
Tony Ferguson, College Football Editor
for The Exponent


The University of St Leon will make their first away visit to an opponent not in the NSCF Mineral Conference when they take on Sadeg State in Drawkland, the first of three non-conference games that will close out the Raiders first attempt at multiverse football.

Both teams are long shots for consideration for an at-large bid to the 12 team playoffs, but they could still see some post season action in one of the bowl games scheduled.

The Red Raiders have rebounded from their second loss to University of the Commonwealth to close out the conference portion of the slate in strong position. At 7-3, they finished runners-up to UC as a result of their sweep of Clawtown University, and USL Coach Kevin Meredith said the experience gained will be a benefit to the team come next fall's domestic season. "Just as Commonwealth used their success as a springboard to a great year, we hope that the extra work and the situational aspects of this foray will lead us to better things down the road as well. I never expected this be easy, it has been about as competitive and demanding as I thought it would be."

The home standing Skyhawks are having a bit of a disappointing year by their standards and at 6-4 they will probably need a huge amount of things to fall right for them to be in the running for a bid.

[NSCF]

Non-Conference: Week 1

Tecumseh University 10–13 Army Academy

University of Loyola-Istria 64–7 Avalon Institute of Eternal Memories

Northern Moravica University 16–30 Cold Hill University

University of the Commonwealth of Baker Park 19–13 Richardson University

Sadeg State 40–13 University of St. Leon

Imperial Military Academy 28–16 Dominic Anneria University

Xannerian Polytechnic Institute 0–30 Ramusok Capital University

University of Auster 7–3 St. Catherine State

[Ranoria]

Same Old Story
After Richardson stole the Big 8 crown with 8 wins, both squads show true colors at the start of out of conference play

Richardson may have won the Big 8, but they were 8-2, with both of those losses coming at the hands of the Cold Hill Buffalo. And while Richardson dropped a low scoring affair to Baker Park, Cold Hill did exactly what they were expected to do.

Coming into their showdown with Northern Moravica, they were certainly underdogs. The Banijan squad had a tough defense, one that had allowed only 98 points all season long, with a good chunk of those coming against the Isaka Jawara led offense of Loyola-Istria. Their ability to generate pressure on almost every snap, blitz or not, was one of the keys to their success, as was their discipline to stop the run game, as well.

And of course, the centerpiece of this defensive unit, Hector Sosa-Onyeaju, was a stud on the football field. It would be a tough task for any football team to move the ball on this unit.

But that didn’t mean they were a defensive minded squad. On offense came quarterback Chae Heung Kim, a 6’5”, 245 pound stud. The sophomore passer had helped this offense take the next step in terms of production, and has shown the ability to put the ball anywhere on the field. Stopping him, along with top wideout Kutubo Colley and Ranorian recruit Kalen Rhodes, will be a tough ask on a unit with just four established playmakers.

So when the game began, no one was entirely surprised with the opening sequence. A three and out by Cold Hill followed by a Northern field goal. That score set the tempo of the game, as the Cougars, after the end of the first quarter, were held to just that field goal. Despite that, it was clear that they were moving the ball with ease, and just unable to finish the drives, while the Buffalo offense continually sputtered.

Thorn Davis and his squad, however, got another shot at it at the end of the first period, and looked to be moving the ball despite the Northern crowd’s enthusiasm after a 24 yard scramble by Davis. But it was apparent that he wasn’t scrambling because he saw opportunity. Rather, it was because he saw there pocket collapsing. He had no confidence in his offensive line at that point, and on the next play, when he tried to force a throw to Jarrett Hauptmann, he forced the ball downfield intentionally, thinking that the wideout’s massive, 6’5” frame would be enough to extend and make the catch. It wasn’t a wrong assumption, but he completely failed to account for safety Klaus Levas, who snagged he ball out of the air for Northern’s first forced turnover of the game, and by after a drive that got this one well into the second quarter, Northern put in a second field goal, up now 6-0. The drive had been highlighted by a Chae Heung Kim throw to wideout Kutubo Colley on a deep post to get inside the thirty yard line.

And on the other side, Cold Hill looked beaten. They’d allowed three sacks to this point, with left tackle Kevin Eakin the only one among the group to have not allowed a pressure. They’d tried leaving extra blockers in, but Northern was good enough in coverage that there was nowhere to throw, or they’d simply blitzed, their five or, once, six, rushers able to overwhelm the Buffalo’s six or seven blockers.

So now they tried something new, going five wide. Well, three wide, rather, as it saw running back Caleb Katterfield and tight end Jabari McNair in the slot.

For a moment, it worked, Davis managing to hit Katterfield for a nice gain and McNair, afterwards, to get into the red zone. However, Davis himself was having trouble processing everything that was going on on the field. With so many receivers running routes, it was slowing down his processing of the snap, resulting in two straight sacks, and one incompletion when he targeted Jarrett Hauptmann for only the second time.

It was a good strategy, taking away his top target. He’d already forced the ball to him twice, and while Hauptmann was a freak athlete, he wasn’t good enough to consistently beat double coverage from such an elite defensive unit.

They were able to get three out of the possession, however, before giving the ball back to Chae Heung Kim and his offense. That unit quickly established a tempo, running the ball through Beluchi Okparro for awhile before a DeAngelo Gordon tackle for loss forced a third and long, and a 4th down when middle linebacker Jakeem Butler tipped the pass attempt, knocking the ball off course.

Cold Hill would somehow get itself three more points after a 46 yard field goal attempt, tying the game up at 6-6 before the half came to an end, but going into the locker rooms after the second quarter, it was clear, despite the score, who was in control of this ballgame.

And when they came out at he half and put up another three, it seemed like one of the toughest 3 point leads to overcome in the history of the game for all of five minutes.

Thorn Davis, now in the second quarter, showed why he was the best quarterback in Ranorian football, quickly making throws and running the football, being sacked only once on the drive. And when he got into the red zone, it took only one play to travel 20 yards, a slant that Jabari McNair caught in stride, the RAC specialist trucking through a Northern defender on his way to scoring the first touchdown of the game, one that gave Cold Hill their first lead, as well, at 13-9.

A Jakeem Butler sack ended Northern’s next drive, their first sack of he game, but Cold Hill, too, only mustered 24 yards on the next series before disaster struck.

Davis, pulling back, fired the ball to his normally reliable, 6’3” wideout Karl Kraus, who had been covered man to man all game despite having been productive for the Buffalo, compiling 530 yards and three scores on 46 catches.

But unfortunately, while Kraus had been good so far in this one, it just want meant to be. Cornerback Saihou Fadika was a little bit quicker to react, and in a crazy sequence in which he snagged the ball, Kraus knocked it out, and Fadika tipped it back to himself, Davis threw his second interception of the game, the first time he’d done that all season.

The return got the Cougars offense good field position at the opposing thirty one, and they intended to capitalize on the swing in momentum with one play.

Chae Heung Kim flexed his fingers before taking the snap. It wasn’t long before he took a five step drop, and his primary target was running a fade to the end zone, Freshman Kalen Rhodes, one of Ranoria’s top recruits a season ago, against sophomore cornerback Clarence von Arris. As the rainbow throw traveled father and farther down the field, it seemed more and more likely that it would go out of bounds, by Arris didn’t bite, knowing that in the heat of the moment, he could make a mistake like that and surrender a touchdown, which he hadn’t done all season.

And as Rhodes and Arris crosses the goal line, all appearances were correct. The ball was headed out, just barely. But Rhodes didn’t give up.

The receiver couldn’t stop running at full speed now, and reached out a hand, snagging the top of the ball one handed while keeping von Arris with his other arm, reeling the football into his body as he fell and dragging his feet, just barely in bounds, as the two slammed into the ground, rubber pellets of turf sailing everywhere as cameras zoomed in on the two. But it was apparent, the referee holding his hands up to signal for a touchdown, what had happened, Clarence von Arris staring, dumbfounded, as Northern’s home crowd erupted with excitement.

It was a 31 yard touchdown pass, the longest reception, and first touchdown, Arris had allowed this season. It had taken an absolutely perfect throw, and a brilliant catch, but a touchdown was a touchdown.

And it gave the Cougars their lead back at 16-13. Only a field goal away, but that huge play was a momentum changer.

When the Buffalo offense took the field once again, they hoped to turn the tide once again, with each side having scored one touchdown to this point, and they did just that.

Thorn Davis looked to be in a different zone as the fourth quarter turned, screaming in the huddle ‘Now or never! It’s winning time, now!’ And he meant it, running in a nine yard touchdown that have Cold Hill a lead they would ultimately take to the end of it, with Earnest Longhorn registering his first sack of the day on a third down next drive. The Buffalo didn’t try to run, either, despite having already thrown two interceptions. They knew that Northern’s front four would swallow them whole, as runners Hue Ross and Caleb Katterfield had been held to 21 carries for just 71 yards.

Faced with a one dimensional offense, and a 20-16 deficit, Northern knew they had to buckle down gear, and pinned their ears back, tallying two more sacks and five quarterback hits on the ending drive but, somehow, it didn’t matter, as Thorn Davis gave Jarrett Hauptmann his third target of the night, a target that went for 25 yards and touchdown, the freak athlete going airborne and using every inch of his 6’5” frame to haul in their second touchdown.

The instant drop off in stadium noise was evident, as the Buffalo took a 27-16 lead late in the fourth quarter. Northern’s offense stalled on fourth down on the ensuing drive after a 24 yard pass from Chae Heung Kim got them inside the fifty, but that was the last time they’d get the ball, runner Hue Ross finally finding some success between the tackles and piling on 45 yards on 8 carries, a field goal going up to end it as the game expired.

While it was much closer than the final score indicates, a fourth quarter explosion by the Cold Hill offense will be he storyline in this one. And while Thorn Davis did engineer three touchdowns, he wasn’t the best quarterback in this one, going 27/48 for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. On the other side, Chae Heung Kim was consistently accurate, and made one of the best throws we’ve seen from anyone in this NSCF season in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, Cold Hill is up to 8-3, and with this win, they have strengthened their playoff resume a good deal, and, short of a total collapse over the next two weeks, they should be able to make the tournament. They have also, notably, drawn even with Richardson, who’s offense struggled against a tough Baker Park squad.

[Xanneria]

The highs and lows of being an XPI fan
XCAAGoBlog.com

Oh the high's and lows of winning the Woodlands, XPI has found out just how those highs and lows feel, as they went from winning the title to being shut out in a matter of two games. after a 37-3 drubbing of Avalon, which saw Romeo Reynolds once again score big as he got all five of his teams TDs and had 230 yards. But against a much more expirienced and well trained Dragons teams he muster a season low 125 yards, on a season low 26 carries as XPI tried to use more of the other players to throw off the RCU juggernaut. Serge Vivek has been astounding for and frankly he was the bright spot for the Big Blue as he again had 10 tackles and two sacks, but the remainder of the team looked lost as RCU was able to open up the passing lanes and use a more Spread like offense.

Meanwhile DAU continues it's downward spiral as they got suffocated on offense and gave up several huge sacks to IMA. In fact in the 8 seasons Mark Leak has been coaching this was only the second time DAU had been shut out on offense, as they scored 3 FGs and a defensive TD. Willis was on his back frequently and probably could have made an advert for a mattress company. The line looked week and when Willis could get free the DB's of IMA Could get to the receivers. In fact Willis threw two picks.

PLAYERS OF THE GAMES

Offense

(DAU) Austin Willis 19-45 279 yrds 2ints
(XPI) Romeo Reynolds 26rushes 125yrds 1 catch 2 yards

DEFENSE

(DAU) John Hunter 8tackles 3tfl 1sack
(XPI) Serge Vivek 11tackles 4tfl 2sacks

[Banija]

New season, same story- Northern blows another non-conference game at home while Loyola wipes the floor with the Avalon Institute


Northern takes the field against Cold Hill

HERZEGOVINA CITY, MORAVICA- It was always going to be a tough struggle for Northern Moravica to beat Cold Hill on this day. Cold Hill was a solid team with lots of playmakers, and they were on the bubble in terms of the playoff picture. They needed a victory, they wanted into the playoffs, the NSCF 18 semifinalists wanted another crack at glory. And, of course, Northern's historic non-conference struggles. But this season was supposed to be different. All week long, Lance Kabuye, the team's head coach, preached that the team needed to focus and be prepared for what would be a challenging non-conference slate. He preached that this team was different, and that they needed to be different, and they were- but only for 3 quarters.

Their past in non-conference play, once again, came to haunt them. They faced a challenging proposition- Thorn Davis is one of the best quarterbacks in the NSCF, and he has a lethal combination with Hauptmann, a player whom many consider to be one of the NSCF's best wideouts. But they came in with the NSCF's best defense, the only defense that has allowed less than 100 points during the whole season. But they got torched on their own home field, allowing 30 points to the visitors- including 17 unanswered in the pivotal fourth quarter. Cold Hill's players simply got better as the game went along, while Northern's players wore down.

There was a lot of excitement heading into this one. Kabuye wasn't hired because they struggled in conference- Horace Browning himself won four Celestia Conference championships. He was hired to win these type of games- the non-conference games that Browning had struggled in, that led to his poor performance in the postseason, year after year. And yet, the first year head coach did not answer the door when the game came knocking.

What happened in the fourth quarter? Even though it was a point of emphasis to hold Thorn Davis, they lost him on a play in the red zone, that allowed him to scamper 9 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in the crucial moment in the fourth quarter. They went three and out on the next drive, that ended in a sack. But on the next drive, the secondary simply caved. Even though they got pressure, with two sacks included in their five hits on the drive, they still allowed big play after big play as Thorn Davis was willing to stand in there, take those hits, and still make throws to beat this defense. On the touchdown on that drive that drove the nail into the coffin, Hauptmann, a player who was supposed to be doubled the whole game, was left on an island, and he made the Cougars pay with an incredible catch in the back corner of the end zone.

A disappointing fourth quarter effort, as the defense simply got dominated when it mattered most. There is still time to fix this, of course- though the task does not get easier. Kabuye's Cougars will take a visit to the University of the Commonwealth of Baker Park, a team that went into Herzegovina City and smacked the Cougars around last season. Will the Cougars get revenge in the battle between two conference champions? Or will Baker Park, fresh off a victory against Richardson, have another momentum carrying win against a conference champion that firmly places them as a contender to win it all in NSCF 19?

We'll find out next weekend. Of course, we'll touch on Loyola-Istria briefly, but you'll have to read their fully story on the back page. Not much interesting- the Blue Thunder were big favorites heading in, and they did not disappoint, winning 64-7. They scored 9 offensive touchdowns, and even converted a two point conversion. The Blue Thunder were rolling, but they took care of business against a weaker opponent. Jawara accounted for 400 yards of total offense, totaling 322 yards through the air and 78 on the ground, with four passing touchdowns. The team, of course, is approaching senior night, as they have one more game before their massive matchup with Richardson University.

The home winning streak, of course, was extended to 33, and they open as heavy favorites on senior night, when they will face Kanjin University, a school that seems to be doing a tour of Banija, as they will play in Northern's senior night the following week. Again, an upset is most possible if the Blue Thunder are caught looking head to their massive game with Richardson, but we expect that not to happen when all the festivities involved in senior night are around.

Banijan Recruiting- Top Six Prospects


Quarterbacks at an Elite High School Prospect camp before the season, one of many in the country

ISTRIA, MORAVICA- As we did last season, we are going to talk about the nation's top prospects for next season's NSCF. You always have to have a look at the talent pipeline, of course? A school like Loyola-Istria is going to be desperately looking for a quarterback, as their top two quarterbacks are graduating. While they have two players redshirting, of course, they like to carry three quarterbacks traditionally on the active roster, which means that they are almost guaranteed to have at least one freshman recruited, in what is sure to be a fascinating battle to succeed Isaka Jawara as the starting quarterback of the University of Loyola-Istria.

Of course, Northern will be recruiting heavily too. While their starting quarterback is a sophomore, both players behind him are graduating, so we imagine that they will grab a couple of QBs off the market as well. Of course, they will need some offensive linemen as well. But just don't think about the Banijan schools. Last season, the top six prospects all decided to go abroad, in a shocking decision. Ifeatu Chineze is the starting quarterback at Richardson, while other players went to Quebec, Ranoria, Valanora, and Cosumar. So expect a fierce competition for Banija's top prospects.

And without further ado..

6. FS Lepolesa Ogaile- Cass Technical High School, Busukuma, National Capitol Region


The first of two appearances on this list from the same high school, Ogaile is one of Banija's top rated secondary prospects. His father, Titus Ogaile, is the owner of the Busukuma Force, a club in the Banijan Soccer League. Coming from a very wealthy family, he was able to attend plenty of football camps as a child. His father ensured that he was well traveled, as he went to football camps across Atlantian Oceania to hone his skills, once he said that he wanted to play on the gridiron instead of the pitch.

He has great ballhawking skills, and has good special teams awareness as well, as he had a pair of kick returns for touchdowns during the season. He is enthusiastic and great on the football field, but his biggest flaw may be his academics. Only a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0, the minimum GPA required to remain academically eligible to participate in varsity sports, he has never been great in the classroom. It would be tough for him to succeed at the academically toughest NSCF schools, though with some tutoring, he would do fine at many member institutions- just not schools like Saguenay. His risk for academic ineligibility is fairly high for being a top prospect, which is why he's rated this far down the list, even if his talent says otherwise.

5. DE Hatabu Kodo- St. George's High School, Jinja City, Hangaza



Kodo is a great defensive line prospect. Coming in at 6'6, 290 pounds, he is one of the better defensive ends coming out of Banija in a long time. He has a great speed and power move, and he has a specialty in rushing the passer. He had 14 sacks in 11 games last season, setting a Hangaza regional record. He is a beast on the defensive line- he throws smaller linemen away, and he will rush the quarterback. He is built for the game that sees a lot more passing.

His own fatal flaw, is that he often ignores the run game. He gets frustrated at assignments that don't have him rushing the quarterback, and can be undisciplined serving as the back door against the run. He will take some coaching to reach his full potential on the collegiate level, to be sure- but he is certainly going to be a force to be reckoned with once he starts playing college football. He will be an exciting project for any defensive coordinator to work with, as many are expected to be salivating at him, at least in passing down situations.

4. QB Mokti Dikot- Oyam Park High School, Oyam Park, Moravica



Dikot is the first of two quarterbacks to appear on this list, though he is the only high school quarterback to appear on this list. He goes to school in the shadow of Northern Moravica, with Oyam Park just 7 miles from campus, in one of the inner ring suburbs of the Moravican capitol city. While he is not a prospect who is as talented as, say, Ifeatu Chineze last season, he still packs a serious punch. Dikot slings the football around- he doesn't have the biggest arm, as he can "only" throw the football an air distance of 40 yards, but still.

He is at the top of this list due to his dual threat ability. As a running quarterback, he is downright dangerous. While he will never be as good of a passer as Isaka Jawara, he can for sure move like the Blue Thunder legend. He is 6'2, and 215 pounds, which means he is nimble even if he has a little bit of height. He can run a 4.41 40 yard dash, and is willing to hone his craft as a passer, though many will recognize it will take time. While he's a little bit of a project, as he needs to develop as a passer, his own work ethic show that, under the right coaching staff in the right situation, eventually he can be a true superstar.

3. HB Kuenda Sello- Crystal Cove Academy for Boys, Hoima, Ankole



Sello is a halfback, from Crystal Cove Academy for Boys, in Hoima. The Crystal Cove Academy for Boys is, as one might expect, an all boys private school, mainly for the sons of the elite in the Ankole region, though a few kids attending there from outside Ankole, as it is a boarding school. It is a school for the elite, and therefore has high, rigorous academic standards- Sello is easily the most academically adept player on this list. That is why he wants to attend a NSCF school with plenty of academic prestige, especially in the field of nuclear engineering, something of which there is very little opportunity at home.

Sello played in the triple option at this school, something that is not seen very often. Therefore, he got plenty of carries, and is known as a bruising running back. While he can get caught from behind, he often takes two or three tacklers to bring down, and almost seeminlgy never goes down on first contact. The only reason he isn't higher on this list is because of his lack of breakaway speed- just a 4.49 40 yard dash, which for a running back is not that fast. However, at 6'1, 245 pounds, he is a beast of a player to bring on board, and will contribute to the running game of any school.

2. WR Lamin Kah- Cass Technical High School, Busukuma, National Capitol Region



Kah, of course, comes in as the nation's top high school prospect. Cass Tech repeatedly turns in one of the nation's top high school football programs, as they consistently churn out five star prospects. This is even a banner year for them, however, as they have two of the nation's top five high school prospects. Kah comes in at a good size, as he is 6'4, 229 pounds. A big bodied receiver, he is fleet footed, running a 4.43 40 yard dash. Coming from a pressure packed school in the nation's capitol, he knows how to play the game, and he plays it well.

He has everything that you look for in a star- the durability, the ability to work hard, the body, the skillset, the energy to hone his craft. Is he flawless? Well, not exactly. As is true of many number one wideouts, he is kind of a diva. He demands the football, and you will know it if he is unhappy with his targets, or with his quarterback. His coaches put it down as his will to win, but many outsiders say that it's a kind of selfishness as he's looking to pad his own stats. If a program can deal with a guy who has a lot of energy and drive, but certainly a big personality as well, then he can fill headlines for the entire calendar year, both on and off the field. But his potential alone, even with those drawbacks, are why he's Banija's top rated high school prospect.

1. QB Omar Jassey- Wild Valley University(Graduate Transfer)



The number one prospect out of Banija is not a high school student, but a graduate transfer- something that is allowed under the new transfer rules, of course. The speedy southpaw has been a legend at Wild Valley, and will have his jersey retired at the school. The school has never been known as a football powerhouse- their specialty was always in basketball, both men's and women's, as well as women's soccer. However, with the arrival of Omar Jassey, they have become a football powerhouse. He redshirted his first season there, and then he exploded through. In his redshirt freshman year, coinciding with NSCF 16, he led Wild Valley to the national semifinals, falling to Loyola-Istria in their first appearance there in 13 seasons.

In his redshirt sophomore season, coinciding with NSCF 17 when Loyola-Istria and Northern Moravica finally left domestic play for the NSCF, he really burst onto the season. With the national college league much more open, they took it by storm, and went undefeated all the way to the national championship game, falling 28-21 to the Islamic University of Busoga. Lance Kabuye, of course, was the head coach at the time. This season, they are in their third straight national semifinal, facing the University of Ankole(coinciding with NSCF 19 Week 12). He has put up big numbers in those three seasons, throwing for over 9,000 yards and 90 touchdowns between them, in 38 games to date, which are both school records. He has also ran for 1,000 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns over the course of the three seasons.

He is graduating in the spring. Even though he has a year of eligibility left, he wants to go to law school, and Wild Valley University does not have a law school. Therefore, he announced his own intention to transfer, and said he wants to go to a NSCF school. He said that "I want to continue my education in the law, and continue my football career. I love Wild Valley, and I will be a Golden Hornet forever. However, this next step is important for me and my own career." Since he only has a year, he wants to go to a place where he can start in his final season of college football, as well as an institution that has a law school.

We'll see if he's recruited to play abroad.

Make your pitches! Send them to me via TG for any players you want, or do them in a RP. Your choice. I'll need them by next Monday, October 29th, at 7 PM EST, as that is when I'll be making the final decisions who will go where. Good luck!

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Daily 2019
UC stands tall to turn back Governors
by James Greer, National College Football Editor

University of the Commonwealth opened their non-conference portion of the NSCF 19 campaign with a close fought 19-13 victory over Richardson University in front of 44,658 at Gleason Field.

Both teams came in at 8-2 and with powerful offenses, but the tone was set early by the Warrior defense, who went back to a tried & tested strategy from last year's NSCF slate.

In an attempt to slow down RU's freshman phenon QB Ifeatu Chineze, the UC defense provided an ever shifting array of pre-snap coverage looks, which they changed out of after the young Banijan had adjusted his offensive play call. The result was an erratic outing for Chineze, who went 12 of 33 for only 113 yards and 2 interceptions, although it could've been 4.

For the home side, Grant Loy had a solid if unspectacular game, going 22 of 33 for 257 and no INT's. It was Josh Cleveland's night to shine, as the senior from Ezriquay bulled his way to the 3rd 100 yd game of the season, gaining 127 yards on 18 carries and scoring 2 of the 3 touchdowns on the night.

While the passing games took a back seat, the ground game made this matchup seem more like a contest from the UAC domestic calendar; Richardson's Vice Jackson III gained 119 yds and Benjamin Morgan and Elijah Sampson combined for 87 yards and Chineze added another 65, with the frosh accounting for the only TD for the visitors on a 5 yard scramble in the 3rd quarter.

Although he didn't connect for a score with Loy through the air, Teo Redding capped off the night with a 31 yard TD scamper on an end around with 6:29 left in the game; he would've had the extras as well if RU's Millard Jackson hadn't broken up the conversion attempt.

UC coach Scott Newell discussed the approach taken for this matchup. "We went back and looked at the tape of our game against Northern (Moravica, the upcoming opponent) because we knew that (Chineze) had a a lot of the same qualities that their guy (Chae Heung-Kim) possesses, and he's a freshman too. So we drew a lot of our gameplan from that performance (a 35-16 road win). But I'll give him (Chineze) credit because he is a competitor in spite of having a shaky game."

The NMU game will be the last for UC until the playoffs begin, and there is talk that a few up & coming player prospects from the Kingdom will be making their way to College Hill to see their countrymen face off against the Warriors. In particular, Lamin Kah, a wide receiver from Busukuma, will take the opportunity to visit the campus amid a visit to see some relatives from Banija who have settled in the Mansfield area. Kah is said to be the premier recruit in all of Banijan HS football at the moment, and Newell would not be drawn to comment on the subject, but he certainly would welcome a player of Kah's size and ability to wear the Black & Gold for the next 4 years.

[Ranoria]

Looking Ahead: Richardson and Cold Hill’s Next Matchups

Cold Hill’s fourth quarter explosion will be on headlines across Ranoria for the rest of the week, casting a light back on the storyline at the beginning of the season: their push for an NSCF Championship. The squad has lost three games across the domestic and international seasons, all coming in NSCF conference play, but a convincing win over the best team they’ve faced yet had them back in the picture to contend for a crowd.

After that explosive win at Northern Moravica to get to 3-0 on the year against conference champions, they’ll be coming back home to take on yet another perennial contender in Sadeg State.

Sadeg State didn’t do as well this season, going 6-4 in conference play, but they dominated St. Leon in their non conference opener, to the tune of a 40-13 win. That kind of victory over a quality opponent will mean that they are, just as Cold Hill is, in the playoff hunt, with one squad at 7-4 and the other at 8-3. We expect this one to be a much higher scoring affair after the Buffalo hung 30 points on the Cougar’s vaunted defensive unit, as Sadeg State’s defense let up 23 points per game and scored just 24.6.

If I had to guess, I’d say Cold Hill pulls this one without a ton of trouble at 41-28. Sadeg had a 16 point differential in terms of points scored and points against over the course of the season. Granted, it’s entirely possible that Sadeg State wins this one, and at 7-4, they are certainly quality opponent.

Richardson, meanwhile, fell to a powerhouse Baker Park squad that they rolled through last year. Ifeatu Chineze, at quarterback, totally collapsed when faced with complex coverage schemes that the Baker Park squad ran, an impressive display, especially for a collegiate defense, that led to a season-low performance of 12-33 for just 113 yards and a pair of interceptions. It marked the second time this year in which Kieran Kweo-Atkinson didn’t account for a touchdown, have ten plus receptions, and clear 115 receiving yards, the freak athlete tallying marks of seven catches for 81 yards, providing a great deal of the spark for a passing game that lacked the punch its had under Chineze.

One thing to recognize, as well, was that the freshman was taking far too many shots, throwing a good half dozen balls that could have ended in interceptions, with two being missed opportunities, two resulting in turnovers, and two more being lucky breaks given to him by Atkison, who is over 1,400 yards on the year.

One bright spot was, again, Vice Jackson III, who piled on 119 yards on 28 totes, with Elijah Sampson and Benjamin Morgan contributing as well, throwing in a combined 87 yards on 21 carries. It’s very possible that these three could turn into a three headed rushing attack, not unlike the Governors had back in NSCF 16, with Soup Shorts, Melvin Strong, and our very own Elijah Sampson.

The defense, meanwhile, did its part, holding Baker Park to 16 points, but they were unable to produce any turnovers, ending a three game run by safety Judas Wolfson in which he produced four.

Next week? One of Richardson’s bitter rivals, Ramusok Capital, who has knocked them out of the playoffs twice, and it can be argued that they did it last year by beating them in out of conference play and ending their real chances at a playoff slot. This Governor squad has beaten them just once, in a blowout two years ago, and it will take everything they have to do it here. They are playing two of the best collegiate football teams in the world over the next two weeks.

Their final opponent? The Loyola-Istria Blue Thunder, who have multiple NSCF Championships to their name, and produced a few memorable shootouts with John-Garrett led Richardson squads in the Rebel Cannon Bowl, particularly their NSCF 17. In that one, John Garrett hung 511 yards and five touchdowns on them, but Isaka Jawara was nigh unstoppable in last year’s matchup, and John Garrett repeatedly stated that he viewed the runner as his main competition for the best quarterback in the NSCF.

Jawara is still at Loyola-Istria, having an OPOY and an MOP award to his name. It will take a dominant performance from this Richardson defense to win that one, and by dominant, I mean hold Istria to under 35 and pray. Because that, in and of itself, would be one hell of a performance.

And while one could say that these games are meaningless, as Richardson has already secured a playoff berth, they are not only fighting for seeding, but think about the term ‘meaningless’ for a moment. This is football. Ranorian football. These guys are loving every second of it and pouring their effort and passion into every snap. It’s part of why they were allowed to participate in an additional season in the first place. So enjoy it, and savor it while it lasts. Because once the playoffs roll around, nothing is guaranteed.

[Vangaziland]

Imperial Home For First Non-Conference Match

Dominic Anneria University traveled from Xanneria to play in the hills of Central Vangaziland. Imperial Military Academy has been in solid form of late, after winning the Zephyr Conference. Imperial was able to establish their offense over the course of the regular season. IMA put up the 3rd highest season points total, behind Loyola University and the Academy of Space.

The Vannish defense may have been sloppy enough to average out Imperial's points differential. One thing was for sure. Imperial Military Academy had an exciting offense. The Rangers weren't the type of college team that went solely through the air. Establishing the run has always been an important part of the game. Charles Marlon at QB and HB Mason Knightsen work together to push the ball forward.

Play action and draw plays help blur the line between the passing and running game. Imperial favors a mix of I-form, 3WR weak right and shotgun formations. Charles Marlon hasn't quite been considered in the running for top quarterback. The fact remains that Imperial has a potent offense. The question starts to search for other reasons for the Vannish success with the football.

One player stood out in the first non-conference match of the season. Benny Banks picked up 3 touchdowns and 172 yards. It was his second best performance of the season, compared to a game where he got 3 touchdowns and 293 yards. "I found myself getting space on certain routes", Banks said after the match. The 6'2 senior also out leapt his opponents. It was a dominant performance, which seemed more of a result of his effort than his quarterback's. At one point, he caught up to a bad pass to run out of bounds for a big gain.

Benny's largest reception was a route which saw him sprint along the out of bounds line for a 52 yard reception. A burst of speed helped him earn enough Yards After the Carry to reach the end zone.

Marlon threw 21 for 27 and 326 yards. TE Bert Madland had several big catches. Madland also laid a heavy block which helped create space for Mason Knightsen's 34 yard TD run. The chase was on after a sweep play to the right. Imperial's O-line held up. FB Jim Breeze threw his body into blocking a linebacker. Madland laid a heavy hit on an approaching safety. Knightsen juked his way past an opposing CB before sprinting into space.

"I think Benny Banks should be considered one of the most exciting offensive players of the season", said QB Charles Marlon. "Our offense has put up the numbers. Banks is always in the right place with the right timing. He's the kind of receiver the Vannish National Team needs to improve their program."

Imperial will test Banks, Knightsen and Marlon against one of the tournament's most defensive teams in Army Academy. The Military Excellence Bowl may be cancelled, but that isn't stopping these two service academies from meeting on the field. Banks will hope to make an impact in the next two games and into the post-season.

IMA will also face the second highest scoring offense at the Academy of Space. The Vannish government didn't just organize the game against Space. The Rangers have spent time between practice training for a launch that will carry them into the otherworldly pitch outside of Earth's atmosphere.

"It's so much to prepare for", said Mason Knigthsen. "In the end, we're all training to be military officers... What better way to prepare for future challenges, than a mission to outer space?"

The non-conference week holds lots of adventure for the IMA Rangers. Stay tuned.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Red Raiders wrap up home schedule
Tony Ferguson, College Football Editor
for The Exponent

St Leon's football team will bring the home portion of their first NSCF season to a close as they host Tecumseh University at Presidents Park. Now at 7-4 after their 40-13 loss at Sadeg State, USL welcomes a fellow newcomer to the competition who is also coming off an excellent debut season, and a loss on the first non-conference matchday.

Tecumseh's Raiders pushed Cold Hill and Richardson through the Big 8 season, their surprise home win over the Buffaloes handing RU the title on the penultimate week of the schedule. They fell 13-10 to the Army Academy of the Free Republics,

Both groups of Raiders are probably outside of the playoff hunt at this point, but there will certainly be scouts on hand to size up both squads for possible bowl games.

The broadcast of the game will be on CommSport2, following the UC-Northern Moravica game, with the pregame from 20:00 and kickoff at 20:30.

[Ranoria]

Tucker Wolfe; The Path of Icarus: Chapter 4

Last season wasn’t an easy one for Tucker Wolfe.

He wasn’t the star. He had gone from a kid getting small school offers in middle school to a guy who got just two from bigger schools as a senior, despite winning a state championship, and his consistent two or three deep seam routes a game, throws that looked a lot farther than they were, to mask his stolen arm strength, it wasn’t enough to deceive scouts. They had seen it. After his injury, he’d never been the same, and had trouble, last year just to take the backup job over big armed but in accurate Barron Dawson, and neither of them had managed to win a game without Garrett at the helm. And now?

Now he was sitting third string. He wasn’t even backing up the starter. He was backing up his backup, whom he’d outdueled in the championship game as a high school senior. It just didn’t seem right. He knew the offense as well as anyone. He threw the football every day, trying to push to get himself back into shape to throw it just forty yards, like he’d done as a freshman before tearing his labrum and rotator cuff in his opening game.

As he sat in the locker room, watching film, he sighed. There was no one else in here. He was confident that there were other players in their dorms. Or maybe not. It didn’t matter. He was going to be ready to play, but he knew he wouldn’t. And if he did, his arm would limit the offense to a short, quick passing game that would quickly be clamped down upon. And then his confidence would collapse, and that would be the end of it.

He knew he’d never be the quarterback at this school again, and it was hard. He’d been given the impression, as a freshman, that he was being groomed as Derek McNair’s replacement, and that he was next in line.

Then, some guy named John Garrett came on, a guy who only got an offer because a once in a lifetime talent at tight end vouched for him. A tight end that was supposed to be his main target.

Instead, the unheralded ‘Farmboy’ hadn’t even given him time to compete for the job, snagging the backup role early in the domestic season, and leaving no doubt as to who the better player was, throwing for 3,742 yards and 28 touchdowns as a sophomore in the NSCF when Derek McNair announced that he wouldn’t be participating. And over the next two years, when Garrett missed time because of injury, Wolfe wasn’t able to capitalize.

He saw a play that Ramusok was running, but realized that he had been on the same play for a good eight minutes. He wasn’t getting anywhere. He shut off his tablet and sat back with a groan.

He could transfer.

Vricksinburg State, a perennial powerhouse, had an excellent quarterback coach, a wide open gap at he position, and a quick striking, high percentage offense that was perfect for his skill set. There were even rumors that the school was vying to get into the NSCF next year.

There was also Cold Hill, which would have been a slap in the face to the Governors, but their backups were barely passable. He would have a fighting chance I’ve there if Thorn Davis declared for the draft this season. But the fact that it had come to this, that he’d been so close to holding everything in his hands, to feeling the sunlight that came with stardom, was painful. The heat had been too much, burning him, breaking him, robbing him of his chances at a professional career...maybe.

But he couldn’t keep playing here. He wasn’t a clipboard guy. Whether it was a transfer to a powerhouse, a smaller school in a different class, or hanging them up, it couldn’t be here. His confidence was gone, the coaching staff had lost its faith in him, and the fan base despised him.

He needed a change. He just wasn’t sure what that change would be quite yet.

[NSCF]

Non-Conference: Week 2

University of Loyola-Istria 57–6 Kanjin University

University of the Commonwealth of Baker Park 42–24 Northern Moravica University

Ramusok Capital University 7–17 Richardson University

Xannerian Polytechnic Institute 10–20 Stoneshore College

University of St. Leon 13–0 Tecumseh University

Dominic Anneria University 7–16 University of Auster

Imperial Military Academy 13–7 Army Academy

Cold Hill University 35–10 Sadeg State

[Ranoria]

Familiar Methods, Familiar Results: Richardson, Cold Hill Go To Team Identities In Wins

To say that seeing a 17-7 Richardson win is surprising at this point would be foolhardy. Despite a 34 point per game mark in conference play, with the competition’s bar raised, the Governors got back to their normal stride in a ten point victory over rivals Ramusok Capital. Their ninth win on the year, the Governors and Dragons each struggled to move the ball, but Ifeatu Chineze had a decent outing after struggling in past weeks with turnovers, going 21/34 for 229 yards and no interceptions. Richard Steinheil, after the game, noted that he’d been putting too much on Chineze’s plate, as he’d gotten used to generational talents at quarterback. Those would include four domestic seasons with Derek McNair and two with John Garrett, who played in a trio of NSCF campaigns. Chineze, he said, isn’t ready to take in everything that the team does on offense, but he can make every throw in the book. So he simplified the reads, lowered his responsibilities at the line of scrimmage, and let the kid play fast.

They have no issues, however, at running back, and it seems Steinheil is beginning to embrace the run-heavy attacks that he favored before the days of McNair and Garrett, as Vice Jackson’s workload continues to be immense, running for a solid 101 yards on 23 carries, while backups Benjamin Morgan and Elijah Sampson chipped in with twelve runs for fifty one yards. Jackson also ran in a touchdown, Richardson’s first, in the third quarter, and, after Ramusok Capital matched it, the Ifeatu Chineze made a beautiful throw down the sideline on the following drive, hauled in by Kieran Kweo Atkison, who, while he failed to score for the third time this year, had his 10th 10+ catch, 115+ yard outing. The drive stalled, but the pass set up a field goal that ended the third quarter.

Later in the fourth, however, the Dragons were making a push to the end zone, and, with only one turnover to this point, a forced fumble my linebacker Isaiah Bryce, it looked as if they would tie the game, at least, inside the twenty. But it was not to be as the Dragons dropped back on a play action pass, and safety Judas Wolfson snagged the football in the end zone for his eighth interception on the season. He didn’t stop there, however, breaking two tackles and charging down the sideline for a pick 6, his second score of the season, to put the game on ice.

With this win, the Governors move up to 9-3, with 3 of those wins, and all of their losses, coming over top-notch opponents, as they have beaten the Tecumseh Raiders twice and now the powerhouse Ramusok Capital Dragons. The defense is back on this football team, and with a vengeance. They rallied four sacks in this game, and hopefully the offense can continue to produce steady numbers, because, as I’ve said before, our best chance is to miraculously hold Istria under 35 and pray.

A key to doing this will be our stars. Judas Wolfson, at strong safety, is arguably the best player on this football team. With 8 interceptions, now, on the season, along with a trio of forced fumbles and a 2nd place on the team 72 tackles, Wolfson is a consistent performer, but his impact goes beyond the stat line.

This season, the “safety” has played everywhere. On goal line situations, he subs in at linebacker, where he’s had five goal line tackles this year, and done well in the red zone in terms of coverage. On blitzes, he can come screaming off the edge, and has a two sack game to his name this season. And on most snaps? He’s a force in the middle, and throwing the ball in his area can lead to blackened ribs for wide receivers or tight ends, as Wolfson’s big hits are numerous. Now, he has accrued 9 flags on his own this season, a team high, but with as excellent a talent as he is, no one is really complaining. Wolfson will have to man the deep end of the field and make sure to lock that area of the field down, else Jawara’s arm could be fatal in their next contest.

Isaiah Bryce, meanwhile, may not produce the big plays that his secondary counterpart does, but he is the heart of this defense, with over 130 tackles on the season, Bryce is a team captain with decent coverage skills. He is very aware of what is taking place on the field, and had emerged as a talented blitzer this season, a nice skill to add on to his run-stuffing repertoire. The big backer will have to play spy on a significant number of snaps in order to hold back Isaka Jawara, an electric talent at quarterback who punished Richardson last season with a 79 yard touchdown run.

And finally, we have Douglas Starling, the 250 pound speed rusher, and Emmanuel Miller, the behemoth of a defensive end who stands at an imposing 6’9”, 290 pounds. These two have each cleared double digit sacks on the year, and they will need to bring it to stop Jawara’s offense. Miller has very little in terms of speed rush, due to his length, but he has a devastating long arm in his arsenal along with a bull rush and inside counter. Many of his sacks, though, have come from clean up duty. Douglas Starling is a bend rusher, and his only change ups are his speed-to-bull, relatively ineffective, but enough to keep linemen honest, a stab-club-rib that his speed to bull sets up for, and an inside spin.

Usually, his dip and rip is enough, and when he comes off the right side, quarterbacks tend to scramble and try to escape the pocket. Fortunately, Emmanuel Miller is not only very disciplined in his gap assignment, and an excellent tackler to boot, but his freakish size means that it’s almost impossible to escape his reach, leading to about four of his sacks this year. And with big men Julius Volt and Roman Seraphine pushing the pocket, it’s unlikely that Jawara will be able to escape up the middle.

So, yes, that’s the plan. Contain the running game, and Jawara, with the talented front four along with defensive captain Isaiah Bryce, while fellow captain Judas Wolfson patrols the back end, and tries to lock up the passing attack with the help of a strong secondary unit that has hauled in a combined 14 interceptions this season. And, as I said before, pray that our offense can keep up.

As for Cold Hill, hey never left any doubt against Sadeg State, tallying 508 combined yards as running back Hue Ross had his best game of the NSCF Season, rushing for 138 yards on 28 carries and scoring twice on the way. While he was impressive, Thorn davis was, once again, the star of the show, running in a pair of his own touchdowns and lifting another to Jarrett Hauptmann. Davis would finish the day with 14 carries for 75 yards to go along with 295 passing yards, going 26 for 38 in the air. It was an impressive day as well, though, for wideout Jarrett Hauptmann, who was held to just two catches against Northern Moravica. The wideout went off in this one, reeling in 12 catches for 145 yards and a score, pushing himself over not just the thousand, but the eleven hundred, mark on the season in terms of yardage.

We didn’t expect such a blowout against a quality opponent in Sadeg State, but with a 9-3 overall record, the Buffalo have certainly punched themselves a ticket to the playoffs, and at this point, with their talent, who’s to say that they won’t win it all?

One thing in their favor is their unprecedented success against conference champions, having dragged down Northern Moravica in their stadium and swept Richardson in conference play. Should that continue, this group has a real shit at building on last year’s semifinal run.

[Banija]

Loyola-Istria Offensive Film Room

Dennis Zervos, the offensive coordinator, was pacing around the meeting room. The big games were starting now- kicking off with their trip to Richardson for the annual Rebel's Cannon Bowl. This offense, of course, was one of the best in NSCF history- with their regular season home schedule finished, they have averaged a staggering 52.7 points per game at the Istria Lightning Yard- a home scoring average that has to be approaching, at the bare minimums, NSCF records.

Of course. none of that mattered now. For one, they were on the road for this game. And secondly, they remembered their last trip here A shootout between Isaka Jawara and John Garrett, the Richardson star quarterback who shredded the Blue Thunder's defense for over 500 yards, en route to a huge victory over the Blue Thunder. An energetic crowd, a long flight. But, this was going to be nothing like that matchup. For one, Chineze would be the starting quarterback, the freshman phenom from the Kingdom of Banija. Could he, the youngster, hold up under the lights and pressure of everything that this season-ending game meant?

And secondly, Richardson is a much different team now, than they were then. Not much has changed for the Blue Thunder since that game, or their big time victory two years ago- they still move the ball up and down the field, and they do so now at a better clip than they ever have before. We've seen their points per game averages- 52.7 per game at home, and just a hair over 42 points per game away from home. They are racking up all kinds of points, and they are simply improving on the same style of play.

Much has changed, however, for Richardson. In the last two games, we've seen their true colors show- as a defensive juggernaut. Taking a look at the 17-7 Richardson victory over RCU, there was a lot that Zervos didn't like. The way the Governors defense swarmed to the football. The way the Governors got such a head start from the word go. How do you neutralize a defensive with so much great individual talent? Players like Isaiah Bryce, players like Judas Wolfson, players like Emmanuel Miller- all capable of winning their one on one battles, they'd need extra attention.

This is why Zervos got paid the big bucks though, right? "Hey men!" Zervos yelled as the players in the offensive meeting room looked up. Isaka Jawara, as always, sat attentive in the front row. "This defense is the real deal. We're going to have to win the battle up front to beat these guys, and frankly, we'll simply have to beat them on the outside. win those one on one matchups. But how do you do that? Marumo- come here." The starting left tackle for the Blue Thunder walked up to the front of the meeting room.

"This is what we need to do to neutralize a threat like Emmanuel Miller. Now, Marumo get into your stance-" and he stopped, while Marumo got into his own blocking stance. "If you have pressure coming towards you, Isaka rolling out will be extremely tough. Miller can get off those blocks, and they are going to try to keep him in the pocket. Keep him from creating. How do we defeat that? It'll be the usage of the run game. We have to keep them honest by establishing the run, an outside run game. With Bryce there, an inside run game may be tough- but we need to attack those defensive ends."

"Now, that means we're going to have to run a lot of options. Not the read options that we normally like, but switching things up- the speed options to the outside, and probably more than our usual number of two running back sets. We'll see a lot of Islan in the backfield this week, with him lined up on one side of Isaka, and Obea lined up on the other. Keep their defense guessing, keep them on the back foot. If our tackles can control the line of scrimmage, with help, of course, from the extra running back and the tight end, that will do wonders for our game plan. A little old school- running to set up the pass."

"Coach?" Said Isaka Jawara, stuidously taking notes. "What about Wolfson? We can have a running back looking to block Bryce on every play, or the tight ends helping on those ends, but we have to deal with the safety."

"I'm coming to that Isaka." Said Dennis Zervos. "Wolfson is a ball hawking safety, that plays everywhere. Excellent football player, sound fundamentals. We'll have to challenge him early, and then mostly avoid him for the rest of the game. He will hit anyone coming over the middle, so receivers-" as he looked at the receivers in the back corner of the room "you have to be tough. Those footsteps, don't listen to them. Catch the ball and bring it to the body- they will look for the strip."

"The last thing we have to talk about is crowd noise. Governors fans are some of the rowdiest in this whole competition- nearly 95,000 can fit in there, and you can bet every single seat will be filled for this one. You understand the pressures of coming here- Loyola football is the dictionary definition of success, and as the world's premier college football program, we always have a target on our backs. Add the fact that we beat them last season, and it's a rivalry game... Well, you understand. We're going to do something that we haven't done before..."

"Look out the window." ANd all the players looked out the window, gathered around it, onto the practice field. "See those loudspeakers? We need to practice for the noise. We got off to a poor start at Northern because we weren't prepared, but that won't happen again. From the moment we step onto that field, those will be blasting at full volume, all week long. You won't be able to hear yourselves think. But that's what the game will be like- constant noise. It'll be close, it'll be gritty. This isn't Kanjin- we won't be up 24-0 after the 1st quarter, or 38-0 at halftime. It'll be close, it'll be energetic, but we have to win. We have a legitimate opportunity to earn a top seed for this postseason, which means every single game at the Istria Lightning Yard. Too good of an opportunity to pass up- we must be ready."

As he broke the meeting room, he went to the field, and the music immediately started blasting. He found a track that they would find annoying- just a two song constant loop of the Northern Moravica and Richardson fight songs, on repeat. He had seen rain on the forecast for Wednesday's practice, a good thing, in case it rained on Saturday. He found himself screaming to the point of being hoarse- but of course, this noise was for the coaches as much as the players. It could be tough to think when there was that level of noise, trying to communicate in timeouts, calling plays, etc... This helped them.

Then, of course, Zervos thought of an idea. He implored them to practice a two minute drill, with the loudspeakers on. Lots of hand signals, lots of confusion- they did it three times, and each one ended in an interception. Ugly, of course, but it was only Monday. They might need to work on that, and he knew that as he developed their silent count, they would get better throughout the week. They might need to run this. Slowly, but surely, he was going to make sure that his offense was ready for the challenge for meeting with suddenly the most ferocious defense in college football. He would make sure his unit brought their A game...

Northern Moravica Locker Room, post UCBP game

Another game, another fourth quarter collapse by his team. The locker room was a mixture of anger, disappointment, and frustration. These men were sitting at their lockers, after a shocking 42-24 loss to the University of the Commonwealth of Baker Park. This made it their second loss in a row to UCBP, as well as their second loss in a row, in general. But the way they lost, was what made them angry. They allowed 42 points- for a team that prides itself for being the best defensive unit in the NSCF, this was bad. This was their worst defensive performance, on the scoreboard, that they've had since Sadeg State knocked them out of the NSCF 17 Playoffs, by putting up 45 on them in the first round of that postseason.

Not only did that happen, they were outscored 21-0 in the fourth quarter. Entering the fourth quarter, once again, with a three point. And everything, after that, absolutely falling apart. What was the worst part? Tight End Hunter Folkertsma barreling through strong safety Klaus Levas for the go-ahead touchdown with 9 minutes left? Was it Teo Redding, with just 6 minutes left on the home team's ensuing possesion, taking a wide receiver reverse on 2nd and 3 44 yards down the sideline, into the end zone, to give the hosts a 35-24 lead? Or was it Austin Valdez, on Northern's very next play from scrimmage, intercepting a screen pass and taking it back 25 yards into the end zone?

The defense- no, the team- wore down on this day. Again. Another close game in the fourth quarter, and another win for the opponents. This happened on their trip to Istria, when Jawara engineered a great two minute drill to beat the Cougars on the last play of the game. This happened on their home field, just last week, to Cold Hill University. And it happened right here. Lance Kabuye knew the kind of questions he was going to get in the post game press conference, scheduled for a few minutes from now. Could Northern Moravica actually finish games? Could Northern Moravica overcome their late season, big game demons and actually win something?

The team looked up as he went to address them. "Guys", Kabuye started with. He needed to be careful here- these were young men. He needed to channel their frustration, they knew what was going on. That said, he didnt' want to destroy their confidence. Their confidence, as a team, was dangerously fragile. Two losses in a row are not good for any team- but two losses in a row, that happened in this fashion, getting their butts kicked in the fourth quarter, at this level, could destroy confidence.

"We need to learn how to finish better." Kabuye said. He paused, and then continued. "That much is clear. The same thing happened last week, as happened today. These are the type of games that we need to win if we want to reach our destiny, get to the promised land- re-establish this school's supremacy as the premier college football team in all of Banija, rather than playing second fiddle in Loyola's world. However, we cannot- we cannot! Do what we have done the past two weeks." He was started to get more heated, as his frustration was seeping through.

"We cannot continue to miss coverages in the fourth quarter. We were the best damned defense in the whole NSCF after conference play- we allowed 98 points in the first 10 games of the season. But we've allowed 72 points in the last two weeks? What the hell does that mean? WE get late in games, and all of our discipline seems to go. Our coverages constantly break down. We're slow at the point of attack, the line of scrimmage, on both sides of the football. We aren't giving Okparro running lanes, we aren't giving Chae Heung-Kim time to throw the football. And we aren't getting anyone into the backfield, on running or passing plays. Why? Why are we so gassed?

We are not conditioned enough. I don't know what happened- but it is clear. Over the next two weeks, heading into the postseason, we are going to fix that as best as we can. WE are going to be the best damn conditioned team in all of college football when the playoffs come around, and I don't care how we make it happen. And we are going to make sure that we sub. Maybe i haven't subbed enough this season, but that ends now. WE are going to have player rotations, we are going to have every one of us be fresh in the fourth quarter- I don't give a damn how we do it.

You see what they're doing at these other schools? The standard of excellence needs to be carried at all times, to compete for championships. We've won the Celestia five times- but we only have one playoff win. This is not OK. Places like this school, like Cold Hill, like Richardson, like RCU, all ensure that they get stronger in the fourth quarter, not get weaker, like we have. But that ends now. We are going to win this damned season, and we're going to overtake Loyola, and I don't give a damn how it happens- this will happen.

Get in here!" And all the Cougars players stood up, and put their fists towards the middle. "Cougars on three! One! Two! Three!" And the team boomed Cougars, as they started to clean up while Kabuye walked out to his post game press conference. He told the press what he told the players- that his team wasn't well conditioned enough, that he did not substitute, and he would do everything in his power to ensure, by the time the playoffs came, the Cougars would get stronger, rather than weaker, by the time that the fourth quarter rolls around.

[Ranoria]

“Judas, you don’t need to worry about being right over the quarterback,” defensive coordinator Eric Dietrich said with a sigh. His favorite chess piece was having a difficult time with his assignment, something he’d never done before. As a matter of fact, this was exactly the opposite of that they normally did to neutralize mobile quarterbacks, “If anything, shade to the right side. He’s going to have more trouble escaping to the left with Emmanuel there, so give Douglas some extra help. If you’re more comfortable right over him, you can do that, but make sure you don’t get in the other linebackers’ way.”

Wolfson, who was wearing his practice jersey cropped, in the cold of Ranorian winter, much at the behest of his coaches, nodded, “Not a problem, coach.” He was familiar with the jobs and assignments of the starting three linebackers, and, of course, his own role in this game. Rather than have Isaiah Bryce as the quarterback spy and him as a deep man, they were doing the exact opposite of what everyone thought they were. They were bringing Wolfson down as a QB Spy, subbing out linebacker Denton Pillar, who wouldn’t have a huge role in this game, to do so. Wolfson had played about 40% of his snaps in the box this season, but he’d never been asked to be a quarterback spy.

They’d read through what the press had to say, obviously. Keep Jawara in the pocket with Bryce, force him to move with Starling, take away the ability to step up into the pocket with their tackles, and keep him contained with Miller. That was all well and good, but that wasn’t exactly something they hadn’t seen before.

No, with Wolfson down there, Jawara trying to escape was a death sentence. It wasn’t that Isaiah Bryce wasn’t a monster. He could swallow up runner and lay the hammer down when he wanted to, and he was a great athlete who was solid in coverage. But Wolfson? Wolfson had a god-given ability to to make someone wish they’d never put the pads on with a single blow. And he was faster, more athletic, than Bryce as was demoted by his position. He would, occasionally, be asked to cover a tight end man to man, with one of the outside linebackers acting as the spy, but this was their strategy.

And on the back end? Their corners were going to do what they had done all season, and play man coverage, and as Alton McNair tossed the ball up to their 2nd-team wideouts, it appeared they’d be just fine doing that, Millard Johnson swatting the football away in commanding fashion. Alton was the perfect substitute for Isaka Jawara in practice, even if he wasn’t as talented as the Banijan Star, he presented a threat as a runner and had a strong arm.

Those three corners? Spencer Houston, Millard Johnson, and Xavier Yannick-Lotz. All three would’ve been capable CB1s at another school, and while Millard was the best of the bunch, it was only by a hair. They wouldn’t be alone, of course, with oft-injured free safety Leroy Dent back in the lineup. He’d been active in only three games this NSCF season, and played only thirty snaps. Now, he was apparently back to full health, as he could have played last week, but the coaching staff knew that they’d need him here. His sideline to sideline speed would be invaluable to their efforts in stopping the deep ball.

It was a tough ask, of course, to task four defensive backs with covering a trio of upperclassmen wide receivers all game, with only one man to help over the top. If they needed to bring out Alexander Carthage, their other outside backer, do put in Freshman safety Carter Coleman, they’d do it, but it would make containing that run game difficult.

“Good, Wolfson, very good!” Dietrich grinned as Wolfson trailed and wrapped up a scrambling Alton McNair. He wasn’t as fast as him, much less Jawara, step for step, but he was athletic enough to keep up with their movements in the pocket.

Dietrich knew what his defense needed to do. They had to beat the man in front of them, just as they’d been asked to do all season long. And with eleven men who could do just that, they’d been successful. Of course, they were moving some pieces around in this game, but for the most part, he was still confident that they could do that, even against such a fast-striking, electric unit like Loyola-Istria’s offense. Their defensive line was up there for the best in college football, and they had two of the best players in Ranoria at middle linebacker and strong safety.

Regardless, they knew what their game plan was. They knew that there were going to be big plays. They knew that their gameplan was a total boom or bust, and that if Loyola came out with something that they didn’t normally run, it would hurt, just as it had gotten them back into the game when Richardson had gone five wide and given John Garrett the ability to surgically diagnose and shred their defense.

But they would live and die by their philosophy, by their players win their one on one matchups. Judas Wolfson with Isaka Jawara. Bryce with stud runner Chinou Obea. Millard Johnson, Xavier Yannick-Lotz, and Spencer Houston with Artemesio Take, Adras Kappas, and Kormos Lambusa. The defensive line against the offensive.

And he had a feeling, one that was enticing and yet sickening all at once, telling him that Loyola-Istria’s unstoppable force of an offense, and Richardson’s immovable object at defense, would be on the field to decide the end of this one.

And, with a smirk, he knew what he wouldn’t have it any other way.

---

---

Ranoria’s Top Five High School Recruits this season!

#5: Linebacker Sean Morgan-Horne
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 219 lb


Morgan-Horne isn’t your prototypical, 250 pound thumper between the tackles. No, while he filled that linebacker spot for his school this season, he isn’t that archetype of player. Rather, he is a coverage specialist who hadn’t excelled as a tackler. While he tallied almost a hundred stops as a senior, he missed ten percent of his attempted tackles, something that his new coaches will have to work with. Despite that, he is a gifted athlete, able to run with some wide receivers and hauling in seven interceptions as a senior. He has actually flashed some ability at corner, where he lined up for a good 5% of his snaps, so that is another route that his coaches would have to look at, even if he as strictly stated that he is a linebacker.

One thing, as well, that Morgan-Horne has flashed is a willingness to lay the hammer down in the run game. Again, he isn’t a solid tackler, and he needs to refine his timing and form when laying hits, but he’s leveled more than a few runners who come too close. At the same time, he’s earned a good number of flags for dirty hits. Despite that, he is too much of a physical talent for many schools to look past him.

#4: Defensive Tackle Edmund Harris
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 287 lb

Harris is a rarity for this sort of list, a small school player who was so dominant that we just couldn’t leave him out. He could, arguably, be in the top slot, but he rarely played against top level competition in high school.

Harris started as a freshman all the way through his senior year, competing in football, baseball, and track as a discus thrower. With all of this, he is also a practitioner of martial arts, which helps explain the insane quickness in his hands. He led his team in tackles as a junior and senior. As an interior defensive linemen, while playing offensive tackle on the other side of the line.

There is no true ‘flaw’ we could find in Harris’ game, and it’s even been speculated that he could be an edge guy for a school running a 4-3 front. Regardless, he has been open to the idea of playing at a non-Ranorian NSCF school.

#3: Center Kaleb Fried
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 291 lb


Fried is known by his teammates as AB ardent study of film, a team leader, and a very knowledgeable player. His coaches called him a coach on the field. Fried is a big man, and is focused on improving his strength before his freshman year of college football, but he has even heavily recruited within Ranoria, with his superior blocking complemented by his calling of protections late in his senior season.

Fried also, however strong he is, struggles with weight. While he tries to bulk up every season, he often also accrues a good amount of body fat. It has never hindered him on the field, but he will need a quality strength training program in order to reach his potential.

#2: WR Khalil Hauptmann
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 219 lb

Khalil Hauptmann was impossible to cover after his freshman year in high school. He was just too big, too powerful, too fast. As the younger brother of Cold Hill’s number one receiver, Jarrett Hauptmann, he apparently has an offer on the table from that school as well as Ranoria State, but he’s said that he’s looking to play abroad in the NSCF. Hauptmann is an electric talent at wideout, but red flags have been raised due to his love for alcohol, which earned him a night in jail on one occasion, and his temper, which earned him a pair of two game suspensions as a junior.

Through his four years in high school, Hauptmann has earned a total of 278 receptions for 4,809 yards and a whopping 51 touchdown receptions. He never really faced a corner who could contend with his height, so it will be interesting to see how he performs against more athletic competition at the next level, but considering the many hurdles he’s put on in high school, we have no doubt that his vertical ability, along with being 6’6”, will allow him to quickly be a favorite red zone target for any quarterback. And, as a bonus, he has a devastating stiff arm and a surprisingly strong upper body. Overall, Hauptmann is an electric talent who has a real chance to earn a significant amount of targets, especially in the red zone, even as a true freshman.

And, without any further ado...

#1: QB Ballast Queen
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 238 lb



Queen is exactly what the doctor ordered in terms of your prototype quarterback. He’s a big, tall guy who can throw the football with a cannon for an arm. Scouts have claimed that he threw passes as far as 55 yards in the air in high school, and that the first time he did it, no one was within twelve yards of his receiver, because they simply didn’t think that d could throw that far. Reportedly, he has improved his arm strength even since the end of the season.

The one knock on him is, well, his confidence. With that arm strength, Queen is supremely confident in his arm, and turned the ball over a startling 16 times passing this season, with most being him trying to fit the ball into a tight window, and others being his wideouts simply failing to catch a pass with that much heat on it. At the same time though, he’ll give you two beautiful, highlight reel throws for every decision that makes you cringe.

Queen is not a superior athlete, but is, rather, a pocket passer through and through. His speed and lateral movement is commonly referred to as “adequate,” but his strength is impressive, allowing him to often shed would-be-tacklers.

He is currently considering Cold Hill, Ranoria State, or Vricksinburg State as his top options, but has said that he’s open to, and excited about, the idea of playing abroad, as well. Ballast is very intellectual kid, and while he hasn’t, admittedly, been as studious as he should in the film room, hes one to get get excited about trying new things and seeing new places. If a coach could direct that energy towards football, as well, then the sky would be the limit for this guy.

Another knock on him, however, is that media personalities seem to knock him about his personality. Ballast Queen tends to be very blunt, and while those outside the school consider him a bit of a rude and cocky individual, many that know him have said that, rather, he is, while very confident, just someone who doesn’t put up with crap, and is smart enough to know when he needs to stick up for himself. Time will tell...

[Vangaziland]

Imperial Military Academy vs Army Academy

IMA tried to bring an event called the Military Excellence Bowl to General Harvold Adelawson Field. The idea was to feature two service academies that were not going to make the playoffs. This season saw less military colleges than we've had in the past. Ceneisis Naval Academy managed to sneak by the University of Auster to avoid the consolation bowl. Now the Ensigns will test their skill in the playoffs.

Army Academy would have been eligible for the Vangaziland hosted bowl. They had a tough go of the Celestia Conference, finishing 3rd at 5-5. Without another military team to face Army Academy, event planners looked for a way to utilize some of the events they planned. Imperial invited the other military school to non-conference match 2.

Artillery fire once again signaled the start of the game. The Vannish Army scheduled a flyover after the rounds impacted and the airspace was clear. Four RAH-66 helicopters flew over the stadium in a diamond formation. Three of the helicopters broke away and headed back to base after the flyover. One helicopter turned to the same hill the artillery rounds had landed. This was a targeting range that happened to be on a large hill visible from most of the stadium. The fact that cadets and enlisted artillery could be trusted to fire 155mm live rounds over their campus should show the faith the Vannish military has in their artillery skills.

The Comanche helicopter climbed straight up in the air like a roller coaster. It crested until the front of the helicopter pointed down. The nose dove as the pilot guided the aircraft into a dive bombing run. For the cadets at IMA, the maneuver was something they were all too familiar with. This was the typical way an experienced pilot would attack a target during their close air support training. The climb and dive signals the location of the target to the squadron. The next helicopter usually comes in with a flatter, more horizontal approach.

Rockets lit the sky as they streaked down from the helicopter's weapons pod. They landed with a booming impact. Any civilians in the crowd would be excited to hear that rockets did actually make that 'whooshing' noise people hear on TV.

Finally, the explosions and weapons were put away. It was time for football.

Things were not easy for 21st ranked Imperial. Their first drive stalled into a field goal, when Mason Knightsen was stopped on the 11 yard line. He tried a sweep up the center right. A linebacker caught him and dropped him for a loss. The O-line cracked on the play. "It shows what we're working with", said the halfback. "We aren't one of those teams with a polished future pro in each spot. We work through weaknesses."

Imperial did not score again until halftime. The running game was a thorn in the side of Imperial's offense all game. They were forced to go to the air, more and more. It worked for distance. Benny Banks beat his man for a 32 yard touchdown reception. In a 3WR set, the second and third options cut sharp to the right. Benny Banks ran a route which saw him sprint across center.

The receiver found himself on the right side after the jagged route. He picked up two defenders, with others nearby. Banks leapt and was able to get to most shaky grip on the ball. By the time he landed, he brought it under control. It was the kind of play that seperated Banks from the average NSCF receiver. Benny had great hands and enough size to take a hit. He was also speedy enough to challenge many cornerbacks.

"Banks really makes my job easier at QB", said Charles Marlon. "He's the reason we've put up so many points this season. My job is to spread the ball around to take pressure off him. Mason needs to give us room too", he added. "But Benny Banks is a name people should consider if Imperial makes any sort of playoff run."

The Marlon-Banks linkup was Imperial's only TD of the game. It turned out to be a hard fought, gritty battle between the two service schools. "This is how it should be", said a Vannish sergeant working security for the event. Rumors had leaked about Army Academy, that they used the team to gather intel on nations they visited. Each visiting player was fingerprinted and photographed. The opposing cadets were escorted at all times and had no free reign over their travel.

"It's unfortunate that we couldn't have exchanged more pleasantries", said Captain Fran Jansson, head of Academy Security. "They still had access to the gym and a computer lab." The Captain would not answer whether the visitors' browsing was monitored. "The Army Academy students also got to eat at our chow hall with the Imperial team. We hope it was a bonding experience, even if both teams are competitive."

"Hopefully, they'll see that we make better allies than enemies", said 1st option receiver Benny Banks. "It was pretty cool to see another military college on the field. There's a bond we could probably connect over.

Kicker Randall Coolidge added a 52 yard field goal lat ein the 4th quarter. It's his longest kick of the season, which saw him make several other clutch distant attempts.

Imperial's defense was beat one time for a touchdown. IMA's defenders looked tired that set. After giving up a big run, they were demoralized. Henry Spellbound spoke up to motivate the team. "Dig deep", he told the squad. "We need to play all four quarters. Drink water! Take a breath! Then get back out there and shut this team down." The team shouted and jumped as they rose their hands in the center of the huddle.

Marlon threw 17 for 25 for 295 yards. A big catch by Banks, which saw him stopped just before the red zone added to the total. An opposing safety chased down the Vangazi. Marlon unfortunately threw an interception on the next play. Knightsen ran for 88 yards and was kept scoreless. Benny Banks had 142 receiving yards. He was a big target all game. Marlon seemed to be targeting Banks more than he has at other times during the season.

Things will go from challenging to downright astronomical as they fly out of the planet to take on the Academy of Space in their outer-planetary facility. Vannish astronauts will pilot three seperate missions to transport the team to the stadium. The cadets will ride in modified payload containers.

"I'm not going to lie", said Mason Knightsen. "I'm terrified for my life. I guess this is a part of being in the military. At some point, there comes the moment when your life is on the line. I just think about the rockets and how close we'll be to the fuel. That's a lot of fire."

The reporter asked the halfback how he felt about the team from Space themselves. "Talk about leaping from the frying pan into the flame. So after we risk life, limb and love to get there, we have to face the highest scoring offense of the regular season... The team that went 10-0, averaging around 40 points a game."

"This is just the kind of test we need", said QB Charles Marlon. "Just making the playoffs isn't enough. Our program needs to face tough teams like Space to grow as a program."

The Rangers hope to return to Earth with a hard fought third non-conference win under their belts.

[Ranoria]

Alton McNair; The Lesser Son: Chapter 4

“Coach, what the hell is this?” Alton McNair scoffed at the installs that had just been sent to him from his coach, new plays that they intended to run.

Plays that didn’t have him at quarterback.

“We’re starting Chineze this week at quarterback, and unless he really plays terribly, that’s the way that it’s going to stay. You’ve done well, but we think he’s the better of the two, and it’s better that we figure that our now than when the playoffs roll around.” Richard Steinheil’s voice was firm, but not demeaning.

“What are you on?” He exclaimed, “Coach, I’m 3-0 as a starter! I’ve thrown twice as many touchdowns as I have picks! This doesn’t make any damn sense!” Alton was obviously angry, taking a step towards his head coach.

“You’re right. You’ve played very well for us. But we don’t think you’re the quarterback that Chineze is.”

“You have no reason for benching me though! I don’t get this shit man! I’ve been balli-“

Richardson’s Head coach held up a hand. “I know. I’d be upset too, but we aren’t benching you. You’re too athletic, too talented for us to not use. We’re going to use you all over the field as an offensive weapon. An X factor. Slot guy, backfield, double pass, jet sweep, that sort of thing. I know it’s not ideal for you, but this is our best chance to win games. And no, you’re not changing my mind.” He then went silent for a moment, frowning, as his generally supportive demeanor turned hard, cold even. “Now, Alton, tell me. Are you going to sit on he sideline and talk about how you should be the starting quarterback, or are you going to do what you have to do to help this football team win games?”

That one took him a moment. It wasn’t an easy question.

Alton could feel it in is bones, he was ready to explode. His entire life, he’d given everything that he had, and for what? To be compared to his brother, to be told he wasn’t good enough.

Steinheil watched, wondering if he’d be able to contain himself, contain the fire in his eyes and the anger that drove him to his success.

And Alton, after a moment in which his breathing picked up and eyes narrowed, simply nodded, getting his teeth.

“Yeah. I’ll do it.”

He couldn’t say more than that. He knew he’d blow up, scream at his coach, and blow his chances to get on the field at all.

“Good. I’m happy to hear that, Alton. I’ll see you on the field tomorrow.”

Steinheil left the locker room, his footsteps fading in the distance as the lights shut off one by one, leaving McNair alone in the dark. Alone with with thoughts.

He waited for a moment after he heard the footsteps fade away, making sure that no one would hear his outburst before the young man screamed, cursing as he slammed a bare fist into the side of a metal locker, blood welling up from beneath the skin immediately, but he didn’t care. It didn’t matter.

Everything that he had worked for was slipping away. He’d just lost his starting job to a quarterback on the same year as himself, meaning that, more than likely, he didn’t have a chance to win it back later on in his career.

He’d been relegated to a gadget weapon. From starting quarterback at the nation’s premier football program to a gadget weapon.

Another cry of frustration, where it was too dark for anyone to see, and too secluded for anyone to hear, echoed through the block walls of the Governors’ football locker room.

A cry of a man scorned, of a destiny torn from his hands.

And he knew, deep in his heart, that he couldn’t stay here next year.

[Banija]

Loyola v. Richardson- The NSCF's newest rivalry


Loyola v. Richardson two years ago

ISTRIA, MORAVICA- Loyola is making their second trip to Ranoria for the third annual Rebel Cannon's Bowl- the new found rivalry between Richardson University and the University of Loyola-Istria. Well, technically their third, if you include the NSCF 17 title game, but that's besides the point. This game is young, and yet they have quickly turned into one of the fiercest international rivalries in all of college football. With the moving of the game to the last weekend of the regular season, the stakes are high when the two teams meet. They compete in recruiting, with multiple former Loyola targets on the Richardson squad, and vice versa. That includes, of course, Richardson's freshman quarterback, Ifeatu Chineze, who is from the Moravica region.

What is the history of this game? What makes this international rivalry stick out to neutral observers? So many have come and gone in the NSCF- one that comes to mind is Northern Moravica v. Vietussia Academy, when Vietussia Academy was in the Celestia conference with the two Banijan schools. Well, of course, if you look at the history of these two schools, both on and off the field, then you'll see exactly why they are rivals, and why this rivalry will only grow in stature in the years to come, as these two schools continue to improve.

First Matchup- Richardson 34, Loyola 30

This was a thriller in the first non-conference week of NSCF 17. This was the first two times these teams had met. The Ranorian schools, of course, had participated in NSCF 16, so this wasn't exactly new to them. However, it was the first time both Richardson and Loyola were in the NSCF together, and they scheduled each other, expecting a big game. And boy, was it an absolute thriller. Richardson was the conference champs, and Loyola were 8-2, desperately fighting to get an at-large playoff berth. Big play after big play, Isaka Jawara and John Garrett dueled with each other, until Jawara was picked off in the red zone in the game's dying moments. It was one of the games of the season, and one that fans of all stripes thoroughly enjoyed.

Of course, with the stakes so high, it is not one that is easily forgotten. Of course, we all know how the story was written. That was the final loss of Loyola's season, as the committee voted them into the playoffs on an at-large basis, and they stormed through the postseason before beating Space Academy in the NSCF 17 Title Game. A rematch almost materialized in the semifinals of NSCF 17, but Richardson was upset by Ramusok Capitol University, the Cosumarite school. Loyola was not going to forget that game. They wanted revenge, they felt that they had that game won, before the stunning defensive play by Richardson. And then, the next year...

Second Matchup- Loyola 29, Richardson 24

They traveled down to Busukuma, to play at the Stadium of the Restoration. There was a number of reasons for the move to a non-traditional venue- to access the large alumni base in Busukuma, to solve political problems in a dispute with the Banijan Collegiate Sports Group over a NSCF 18 Title Game host bid, and, of course, to showcase the game.

But the game had just as high stakes. Richardson, like Loyola the year before, was trying desperately to impress the committee, to show that they indeed deserved a spot in the playoffs. And of course, their superstar senior quarterback, one of the best players in school history, was determined to ensure that his collegiate career did not end without even a spot in the playoffs, to try and win that elusive NSCF championship. Loyola, the defending champs, against Richardson.

Richardson, entering the game at 8-4, knew that they absolutely had to win the game if they want to make the NSCF 18 Playoffs. If they wanted John Garrett to get one last shot at winning the national championship. This was an entertaining battle, but different then the previous season's matchup. The previous season was an offensive shootout, a game with both teams trading punches, and Richardson landing the knockout blow in the game's final moments. This one, of course, was a game of runs.

Loyola took a big 29-10 lead early in the fourth, but Richardson came storming back. They rattled off two fourth quarter touchdowns, thanks to John Garrett, and drove all the way down to the Loyola 15 yard line, with a chance to win the ball game in what would be a stunning comeback in Busukuma. Until, of course, the Ranorian defender, Corrin Fairless, intercepted John Garrett on the last play of the ball game, to keep Richardson out of the playoffs. A tough pill for the Governors to swallow. Something, of course, that they surely have not forgotten.

Two great games between these teams, both decided by interceptions in the dying moments of one score football games. We expect that this game will be close as well- this will be a slugfest. But on the field, is not the only reason they are rivals. How about off of it?

Recruiting

They say a good way to develop a college sports rivalry is to put it on the recruiting trail. Once coaches start competing against each other for players, then you know that the rivalry's ante will be upped. ANd that has happened between these two teams on multiple occasions. We'll just take a look at a few players. Let's look at Ifeatu Chineze, the Richardson starting quarterback. Of course, we all know that Loyola have a problme at quarterback next year- their backup this year is also a senior, like Jawara. They went hard after Ifeatu Chineze, and they reportedly were big fans of the kid from Umebeho. However, even after all their effort, he ended up signing with Richardson University, a big blow to the Blue Thunder's psyche.

Now, of course, look at Daron Dempsey, a Ranorian. He was recruited hard by Richardson last year, and he was the #1 high school recruit out of Ranoria. However, where did he go? He didn't go to school in Ranoria. He decided to make the decision to go to the University of Loyola-Istria, and join the Blue Thunder. Of course, he's currently third string at his position of left outside linebacker, but his coaches rave about him, and he is almost guaranteed to start next year, as the two players above him are graduating.

Those battles on the recruiting trail harden fan bases, and coaching staffs, against one another. And that is just a small sampling, how each school last season got the top rated recruit in the other country. Starting corner Corrin Fairless is Ranorian, starting linebacker Frederick Hans is Ranorian, while there are other Banijans on the Richardson team, including Isaiah Bryce and Kieran Kweo-Atkison. That kind of crossover gives special meaning to those players for this game, as they have personal relationships with players on the other team, former opponents, or even teammates, from high school.

As these teams continue to play close, meaningful games against one another, this rivalry will only grow in importance. Both teams seem pretty assure of a playoff spot- Richardson's is written in stone, and Loyola is 11-1, which should leave it in a good spot to get an automatic, at-large berth in the postseason. However, this will be a big game in terms of seeding. Loyola is nearly unbeatable at home- a victory here would almost ensure that they get to play all their playoff games at home, while a victory for Richardson puts them in a spot to do the same.

What is our prediction, then, for the third annual Rebel Cannon's Bowl? It'll be a close one, and tightly contested. We believe that it will be low scoring, as the Richardson defense is capable of making sure that this game isn't a shootout. However, we believe that Loyola-Istria can pull out a victory. The Blue Thunder are on a redemption tour- they felt as if they were the NSCF's best team last season, and are determined to prove last season's NSCF title game loss was a fluke. That focus, and energy, should put them over the top. We're thinking a final score of 24-21, in favor of the visitors.

[NSCF]

Non-Conference: Week 3
EDIT: Xanneria's RP below was posted before scores were generated and was therefore included in the grading

Stoneshore College 6–3 Tecumseh University

Richardson University 17–17 (20–17 OT) University of Loyola-Istria

Northern Moravica University 57–0 Kanjin University

Ramusok Capital University 21–10 Army Academy

Cold Hill University 35–20 Xannerian Polytechnic Institute

Dominic Anneria University 20-13 University of St. Leon

Academy of Space 13–10 Imperial Military Academy

Terrestrial Acclimation Academy 13–10 University of Auster

[Xanneria]

XPI plays well against Stoneshore, but not well enough
http://www.XCAAgoblog.com

XPI vs Stoneshore, it was quite a fascinating game especially for people who were alive during the 1990-2002 period. Stoneshire had an offense that was a beauty for fans of that period. While we saw a usual XPI Demonstration of running and even more running, Stoneshore was an odd combination of an old school offense that ran from under center, old school splitback and power I formations and a run game on par with Reynolds and co. With Stoneshore you got old fasion drop back passing with a heavy heavy dose of duel RB and even three back sets. Stoneshore QB Jakub Draper put on a performence. He passed 11 times out of 22 attempts and garnered 280 yards. He had no touchdowns though but also no interceptions. Romeo Reynolds had 202 yards once again proving his worth but no TDS may have been an undoing for him and the Big Blue. The duo of Demarcus Toro and Mirko Petrovic gained 230 yards with Toro going for 145 and both of Stoneshires' TDs. Meanwhile DAU struggled with Auster losing 13-7 in the dry.

Q   1   2   3   4   Final
XPI  0   7  3    0  10
STN  7  0  3    10  20

XPI Highlites

OFFENSE:
Terrence White 2/5 19 yrds 17rushes 49 yards
Romeo Reynolds 45rushes 202 yrds

DEFENSE
Serge Vivek 12tckls 5tfl 1int 17yrds 1TD
Keith Cooper 9tckls 2tfl 2sacks

[Xanneria]

Stop that damn Kat!
http://www.XCAAgoblog.com

In XPI's final test, they face a frigid and formidable Cold Hill team looking to finish off strong. Cold Hill took out XPI with a thrashing of 35-20 and that wasn't as close as it could have been. Cold Hill dominated from the start with runningback Caleb Katterfield running all over XPI's defense in the first half with 19 carries and 76 yards. Hue Ross his backup also had a good second half as he split time with Katterfield and gained 68 yards on 19 carries most in the second part of the game. While the real Star of the show was QB Thorn Davis. Davis was unlike any QB the team had seen before and was able to throw three bombs against XPI's somewhat vaunted defense. He threw three TDs one each to, Jabari McNair,Jarrett Hauptmann and Katterfield. Katterfield ended the day with 115yrds rushing and 109 yards receiving, mostly due to his recieving TD being 80 yards long.
We're also now in an interesting situation as XPI Lost three straight but DAU beat St Leon, meaning that DAU will get national bragging rights despite losing the conference.

TEAM   1    2    3    4    F
XPI       0    7    10  3    20 
CLD      7   21   0    7    35

(Sorry can't get the pre tag to work)

STAT LEADERS

QB
CLD Thorn Davis 19-28 271 yrds 3tds / 7 rushes 11 yards / 1 fl / 1fr
XPI Terrence White 0-2 1INT / 20 rushes 95 yards 1TD

Rushing
CLD Caleb Katterfield 28 rushes 119 yards 1 TD / 5 receptions 109 yards 1td
XPI Romeo Reynolds 35 rushes 162 yards 2tds

Recieving
CLD Jarrett Hauptman 10 catches 102 yards 1TD / 2 rushes 8 yrds
XPI NONE

Defense
CLD Marcell Salley 6tackles / 2 defl / 1INT
XPI Serge Vivek 8 tackls / 2tfl / 1 FF

[NSCF]

The regular season is over! Congrats to our seven conference champions. They qualify automatically for the NSCF 19 Playoffs:

Cold Hill University (RAN)
Big Eight Champs

Xannerian Polytechnic Institute (XAN)
Woodlands Champs

Stoneshore College (COS)
Horizon Champs

University of the Commonwealth of Baker Park (CBP)
Mineral Champs (back-to-back)

Northern Moravica University (BNJ)
Celestia Champs (back-to-back)

The Academy of Space (SPA)
Sequoia Champs

Imperial Military Academy (VNG)
Zephyr Champs


As for the other five places, three will be allotted to the teams with the highest remaining OSPIs. As per the seeding spreadsheet, these are:

Loyola University (BNJ)
Akers State University (NOK)
Palæontological-Centered Research University (NTN)


The remaining two Playoff spots will be voted on at-large by the NSCF Committee. I will telegram NSCF Committee members to ask for their nominations. They are welcome to use any statistics or other criteria contained in the above spreadsheet that they wish to make their decision. The final 12-team Playoff field should be finalized by my cutoff time on Tuesday. The match-ups for bowl games and NSCF Championship Game venue will be announced then. That will give everyone 48 hours to RP before the postseason begins Thursday. Good luck to all competing schools.

Ceneisis Naval Academy
Clawtown University
Richardson University
University of St Leon
University of Auster
The Terrestrial Acclimation Academy
Ramusok Capital University
Dominic Anneria University
Sadeg State University
University of Saratoga-Rogerbei
Tecumseh University
Bowerstone University
Army Academy