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NC Central

Not going to be easy, but I believe our guys find a way to get the W, GO SPIDERS!
 
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Love that the PR Department is now putting out messages through players. No doubt that the crowd last week was heard and appreciated by the team. Let's bring the party to RVA and show out loud and proud Saturday. Fight song in Lot 66 at 1:30 at Peanut Gang Tailgate. See you there.

Spider attendance last year in first round was about 3000. The students are not there and season tickets holder no shows are not counted and even if they were, it would not matter, it would not make it LOUD.

I am guessing we could see higher than that attendance this year and I fear Spiders might not have a home field crowd advantage. NC Cental's home games ranged from 6000+ to 13000+ this year. I am again guessing the high one was homecoming for them but did not check. I might well be wrong and hope I am, as the lowest attendance was their last home game at 6000+, maybe their fans lost a bit of interest when they did not qualify for the Celebration Bowl (which is the HBC national championship for those in the two conferences that qualify for it), but it is a short trip and their fan base too their credit is usually loyal. Football is not a second-tier sport to their fanbase, they well might just travel very well, even if this is a letdown game to them.

I really hope I am wrong and a lot of the support they get is students at home games, but I still have a feeling they will have a crowd show up.
 
Spider attendance last year in first round was about 3000. The students are not there and season tickets holder no shows are not counted and even if they were, it would not matter, it would not make it LOUD.

I am guessing we could see higher than that attendance this year and I fear Spiders might not have a home field crowd advantage. NC Cental's home games ranged from 6000+ to 13000+ this year. I am again guessing the high one was homecoming for them but did not check. I might well be wrong and hope I am, as the lowest attendance was their last home game at 6000+, maybe their fans lost a bit of interest when they did not qualify for the Celebration Bowl (which is the HBC national championship for those in the two conferences that qualify for it), but it is a short trip and their fan base too their credit is usually loyal. Football is not a second-tier sport to their fanbase, they well might just travel very well, even if this is a letdown game to them.

I really hope I am wrong and a lot of the support they get is students at home games, but I still have a feeling they will have a crowd show up.

Tons of tickets available on “Visitors” side.
 
Spider attendance last year in first round was about 3000. The students are not there and season tickets holder no shows are not counted and even if they were, it would not matter, it would not make it LOUD.

I am guessing we could see higher than that attendance this year and I fear Spiders might not have a home field crowd advantage. NC Cental's home games ranged from 6000+ to 13000+ this year. I am again guessing the high one was homecoming for them but did not check. I might well be wrong and hope I am, as the lowest attendance was their last home game at 6000+, maybe their fans lost a bit of interest when they did not qualify for the Celebration Bowl (which is the HBC national championship for those in the two conferences that qualify for it), but it is a short trip and their fan base too their credit is usually loyal. Football is not a second-tier sport to their fanbase, they well might just travel very well, even if this is a letdown game to them.

I really hope I am wrong and a lot of the support they get is students at home games, but I still have a feeling they will have a crowd show up.
MEAC fanbases have historically traveled well to UR.
 
Haley says:

North Carolina Central (9-2) at Richmond (8-3)

Kickoff – 2 p.m. ET at E. Claiborne Stadium in Richmond, Virginia (ESPN+)

Series – First meeting

Coaches – North Carolina Central: Trei Oliver (29-17, fourth season); Richmond: Russ Huesman (41-32, seventh season; 100-69 overall)

3 Players to Watch – North Carolina Central: QB Davius Richard (150 of 246, 1,915 yards, 20 TDs, 3 INTs; 579 rush yards, 15 TDs), RB Latrell Collier (146 carries, 684 yards, 8 TDs; 23 receptions), LB Jayden Flaker (74 tackles, 4.5 sacks, INT, 2 forced fumbles); Richmond: QB Kyle Wickersham (108 of 144, 1,029 yards, 7 TDs, 2 INTs; 332 rush yards, 4 TDs), WR Nick DeGennaro (54 receptions, 702 yards, 8 TDs), LB Tristan Wheeler (104 tackles, 9 TFL, fumble recovery)

Notable – NCCU, making its first appearance in the playoffs, went 3-0 against CAA opponents in the regular season and also defeated 2022 co-champ New Hampshire a year ago. Richard has accounted for 10,704 combined passing/rushing yards and 113 touchdowns in his outstanding career. With only six lost turnovers, the Eagles tied for the lowest per-game average in the FCS. Richmond is making its 13th all-time playoff appearance, including a 2008 national title. The Spiders, who won their final six regular-season games to earn a share of the CAA title, have the lowest third-down conversion percentage (26) of any playoff team. Wheeler has four 100-tackle seasons and 470 stops (FCS high among active players) in his career.

Up Next – The winner advances to a second-round game at No. 5 seed UAlbany (9-3) on Dec. 2 (noon ET).

Prediction – North Carolina Central 27, Richmond 24
 
Interesting this site has us at 62% chance to win the first game, but second highest (though only at 34%) to advance over a seeded team.

 
Checked NC Central 2022 schedule. They have actually beaten 4 CAA teams in the last two years. Took a pretty good UNH team to the woodshed last year. QB was 18-27 for 194 and he ran it for 140 on 16 carries.
 
They are well above average on O. QB is special.

Pedestrian on D. Should be able to move the ball.

Special teams above average. Punt returner in particular is a weapon. Trusting in Trusler to be our neutralizer there.

They have not faced a D like they will tomorrow.

Regular offense, but running the ball enough to control the clock and keep their O off field and really, really like our chances.

Go Spiders!
 
They are well above average on O. QB is special.

Pedestrian on D. Should be able to move the ball.

Special teams above average. Punt returner in particular is a weapon. Trusting in Trusler to be our neutralizer there.

They have not faced a D like they will tomorrow.

Regular offense, but running the ball enough to control the clock and keep their O off field and really, really like our chances.

Go Spiders!
I believe our D ends could have a big day, They appear susceptible to the rush from the ends.

They only have 2 reliable runners for D to focus on. RB Collier, power runner, but can avoid hit, ha wiggles. QB Richardson, can run over you, but also has some wiggles, hard to hit,
 
From their game notes:

• NCCU leads the nation (FCS) in fourth down conversions (81.8%) and ranks secondin turnovers lost (6 = 3 fumbles, 3 INT), third in red zone offense (92.9%), third in puntreturns (19.4-yard avg.),and seventh in scoring offense (36.6 points per game).• NCCU quarterback Davius Richard tops the nation (FCS) in points responsible for(210 points/21.0 points per game), and ranks second in rushing touchdowns (15), and fourth in scoring (9.0 points per game).• NCCU return specialist Brandon Codrington ranks second the nation (FCS) in punt returns, averaging 21.5 yards per return, and is one of only three players in nation with two punt return touchdowns. A three-time All-MEAC honoree as a dynamic playmaking return specialist, Codrington has accounted for four return touchdowns in his college career (3 punt, 1 kickoff).

• As a team, the 2023 Eagles have already broken the NCCU record for most pointsscored in the second quarter with 148, eclipsing the prior record of 134 from a seasonago. Richmond has out-scored its opponents 113-53 in the second quarter.

Category NCCU RichmondRecord .................. 9-2,4-1 MEAC......8-3,7-1 CAA
Scoring Offense: ....... 36.6 pts/gm.......27.6 pts/gm
Scoring Defense: ...... 26.9 pts/gm.......21.7 pts/gm
Total Offense:..........376.2 yds/gm....333.8 yds/gm
Total Defense:.........365.2 yds/gm....341.7 yds/gm
Rushing Offense: ....162.2 yds/gm....132.7 yds/gm
Rushing Defense: ...175.9 yds/gm....114.2 yds/gm
Passing Offense:.....214.0 yds/gm....201.1 yds/gm
Passing Defense:....189.3 yds/gm....227.5 yds/gm
3rd Down Conv. ........61/133 46%...... 34/128 27%
4th Down Conv.............. 9/11 82%.......... 9/12 75%
Red-Zone Scores........39-42 93%........16-24 67%
Red-Zone TDs ............33-42 79%........12-24 50%
Fumbles-Lost..........................8-3.................... 9-6
Interceptions-Yards-TD....7-106-0...........14-276-4
Sacks By-Yards.................26-150.............. 32-199
First Downs............................ 222................... 203
Rushing .............................. 106..................... 82
Passing................................. 95..................... 99
Penalty.................................. 21..................... 22
Time of Poss./game............ 31:53................ 30:15
Touchdowns Scored ................ 54..................... 39
Rushing Touchdowns............... 25..................... 12
Passing Touchdowns ............... 25..................... 21
Field Goals..........................10-12................ 11-15
 
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No stranger to playing ranked teams:

Since the start of the transition to NCAA Division I-FCS in 2007, NCCU is 6-13 against nationally-ranked FCS opponents. In the past two seasons, the Eagles are 3-0 in these contests. The Eagles knocked off No. 25 Elon on the road on Oct. 7, 2023. Last season, the Eagles took down No. 25 New Hampshire on Sept. 17, 2022, and No. 5Jackson State on Dec. 17, 2022.11/25/2023 -
#22 Richmond10/7/2023 -
#25 Elon - 34-23 W12/17/2022 -
#5 Jackson State - 41-34 OT W9/17/2022 -
#25 New Hampshire - 45-27 W9/7/2019 -
#8 Towson - 3-42 L11/17/2018 -
#12 North Carolina A&T - 0-45 L11/18/2017 -
#7 North Carolina A&T - 10-24 L12/17/2016 -
#14 Grambling - 9-10 L11/19/2016 -
#9 North Carolina A&T - 42-21 W11/21/2015 -
#13 North Carolina A&T - 21-16 W11/22/2014 -
#24 North Carolina A&T - 21-14 W11/1/2014 -
#20 Bethune-Cookman - 20-34 L11/2/2013 -
#13 Bethune-Cookman - 14-38 L9/21/2013 -
#4 Towson - 17-35 L10/23/2010 -
#14 Bethune-Cookman - 10-23 L9/18/2010 -
#1 Appalachian State - 16-44 L10/10/2009 -
#9 Appalachian State - 21-55 L9/12/2009 -
#24 Liberty - 10-35 L11/8/2008 -
#3 Cal Poly - 3-49 L9/6/2008 -
#8 James Madison - 7-56 L
 
Lets make it 7 in a row, be there, be loud this team deserves our recognition and help!
 
Don’t belong in the playoffs if we can’t compete with Central. Really? Getting beat up by Snowflake Central all day.
 
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