For the first time since week four, there has been a change in the top three of our rankings.
Each week, The Good Five Cent Cigar Sports Staff votes on each team in the Coastal Athletic Association football conference.
Here is how our rankings turned out for week 11:
14th Place: University at Albany Great Danes (1-9, 0-6) (-)
UAlbany received its sixth consecutive loss at the hands of Bryant University on Saturday.
The only bright side? The 27-24 loss was the first time since their 37-32 loss against Delaware State University on Sept. 6 that the Great Danes scored more than 17 points in a game.
13th Place: Hampton University Pirates (2-8, 0-6) (-)
Staying winless in conference play, the Pirates were taken down this weekend by the University of Maine in a 35-7 score.
Coming off facing the conference’s top two offenses, Monmouth University and Villanova University, the Pirates’ defensive struggles continued. The Pirates’ tough schedule will not get any easier in their remaining two games, and it’d take an enormous amount of effort to earn a conference win this season.
12th Place: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Aggies (-)
It seems the Aggies have found their rightful place in the bottom three of our rankings following their 38-12 loss to Stony Brook University over the weekend.
Once again, defense sank the Aggies into the ground in this one, as Stony Brook got up 31-6 before halftime. With the lack of offense to rally back, which was not the first time the Aggies have dug themselves into a hole they couldn’t get out of, there is no feasible way they deserve to be ranked any higher in this list.
11th Place: Bryant University Bulldogs (3-7, 1-5) (-)
A 27-24 victory over the worst offense in the conference, UAlbany, was not convincing enough to move the Bulldogs up our rankings this week.
Yes, the Bulldogs picked up their first conference win of the season and snapped their six-game losing streak, but it should be of no comfort that it came in a tight game against the Great Danes.
10th Place: Campbell University Camels (2-8, 2-4) (-)
A scoreless fourth quarter killed the Camels’ momentum in their 30-27 overtime loss to the College of William and Mary on Saturday.
Despite the close contest, the result was still a loss, and the Camels have collected three straight. The Camels’ last conference win over Hampton on Oct. 11 feels like ages ago, but they still have a chance to get to .500 in conference play in their final two games.
9th Place: Towson University Tigers (4-6, 2-4) (-1)
Towson’s top-five conference defense could not put a stop to Villanova’s rushing game in Saturday’s 28-10 loss.
There have been some questionable losses throughout the season for the Tigers, but this is not one to hang their heads about. The Tigers stayed close to Villanova until 4:08 remaining in the game, when the Wildcats jumped ahead to claim the victory.
8th Place: Elon University Phoenix (4-6, 2-4) (-1)
Similar to the Tigers, Elon took on a strong team in the University of Rhode Island, but things are more nerve-racking for the Phoenix, as this makes four consecutive losses.
The Phoenix have not scored more than 21 points in a game since their 41–20 win over Hampton on Sept. 27. Fortunately for the Phoenix, their final two games are against Campbell and NC A&T, so hopes are that their offense will end on a high note.
7th Place: Stony Brook University Seawolves (5-5, 3-3) (+2)
As our only conference team to sit exactly at .500, it makes sense to have the Seawolves right in the middle of our rankings.
On paper, this Stony Brook team should be competing alongside the best of the best in the conference, but inconsistent play has prevented that. However, the Seawolves will have an opportunity to prove themselves against Villanova next week.
6th Place: College of William and Mary Tribe (6-4, 5-2) (-1)
Our top five teams have been switched up this week, and there was no room to fit the Tribe, even after securing their fifth conference win of the season.
The Tribe rallied back after trailing against Campbell in the third quarter to force overtime, where third-year quarterback Tyler Hughes ran into the end zone to ice the game. The Tribe will look to carry the momentum from a season-high 505 total yards into the final two games of the season.
5th Place: No. 12 Monmouth University Hawks (8-2, 5-1) (-4)
Well, this is a shocker. Dropping their first game since Sept. 13, the Hawks hosted the University of New Hampshire and posted a season-low 13 points in the 34-13 loss.
The Hawks still have the top offense in the conference; this is a fact, but we couldn’t cut them any slack for this loss, especially so late in the season. Will this carry impact into their next game against NC A&T? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
4th Place: University of Maine Black Bears (6-4, 5-1) (-)
It’s been six straight victories for the Black Bears, and their latest came with a defensive effort that stands out as one of the more complete games of their season.
Maine held Hampton to 189 total yards while collecting 311 yards and five touchdowns. Although not in the top three, the Black Bears have been consistently performing week in and week out, and they’re hoping it’ll soon pay off past the regular season.
3rd Place: University of New Hampshire Wildcats (6-4, 4-2) (+3)
Beating the best team in the conference has its perks, and for the Wildcats, that means leaping into a top-three spot in our rankings.
The Wildcats beat the Hawks on their own field, holding them scoreless for the second half. This is by far the most impressive win of the season for the Wildcats and in the conference in general, and the sky is the limit for the Wildcats from here on out.
2nd Place: No. 9/11 University of Rhode Island Rams (8-2, 6-0) (+1)
The Rams have finally made it back into our top two, continuing their undefeated conference play with a road win.
In their last four games, the Rams have averaged 42 points per game. With the top defense in the conference, holding opponents to an average of 20.7 points per game, URI is a double-edged sword.
1st Place: No. 7/10 Villanova University Wildcats (7-2, 6-1) (+1)
Second-year running back Ja’briel Mace’s program record of 291 rushing yards and four touchdowns helped give Villanova its sixth consecutive victory.
The Wildcats will continue their path to the postseason with their final conference matchup against Stony Brook next week.
