For the final week this year, all 14 teams in the Coastal Athletic Association clashed in conference play.
Each week, The Good Five Cent Cigar Sports Staff comes up with its cumulative ranking of CAA football teams.
Here is how the CAA stacks up at the end of week 12:
14th Place: University at Albany Great Danes (1-10, 0-7) (-)
This team can’t do anything right.
Fourth-year kicker James Bozek was taken off extra point duties in the team’s 36-19 loss to Towson University after being 13/14 on the season for the debut of third-year kicker Steven Sadek, who went 1/3 on point-after-touchdown attempts.
13th Place: Hampton University Pirates (2-9, 0-7) (-)
No better way to celebrate senior day than getting blown out once again. Not many teams can give up 55+ points twice in a season without a buy game; Hampton just does it for free.
With the University of Rhode Island next, the Pirates will have to batten down the hatches. 60 points could be on the table for a Rams team hoping to pick up a first-round bye in the playoffs.
12th Place: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Aggies (2-9, 2-5) (-)
Not many teams give up 60+ points four times in a season. At least the Aggies brought in $465,000 for one of their clobberings, courtesy of the University of Central Florida.
Just try not to give up 60 again to finish the season against Elon University. Please?
11th Place: Bryant University Bulldogs (3-8, 1-6) (-)
We were all having fun when Bryant beat the University of Massachusetts on Sept. 6, but injuries have ruined a great thing.
The silver lining? With every bad day the Bulldogs have, the Minutemen losing to such a program looks worse and worse.
10th Place: Campbell University Camels (2-9, 2-5) (-)
Campbell continued its classic trope of losing close games as Elon took a 31-24 win over the Camels thanks to a 96-yard touchdown with just over a minute to go.
It feels like deja vu because it is. It’s the Camels’ fifth one-possession loss and third in a row. They have wasted a promising season, leaving them saying, “so close, yet so far.”
9th Place: Elon University Phoenix (5-6, 3-4) (-1)
Elon drops a spot for its struggle against Campbell on Saturday. The Phoenix needed all four quarters, but snapped a four-game losing streak.
Somehow, Elon has earned one singular vote in this week’s coaches’ poll. Some might think the Phoenix shouldn’t have earned any national recognition, but they can justify it against NC A&T this week.
8th Place: Towson University Tigers (5-6, 3-4) (+1)
Towson took down UAlbany without much struggle, which doesn’t mean much.
Finishing the season against Campbell could only mean one thing: a one-possession win for the Tigers to finish the year .500.
7th Place: Stony Brook University Seawolves (5-6, 3-4) (-)
Stony Brook took Villanova University to the brink in an overtime loss. Instead of a signature win on the season, the Seawolves continue to trade their wins and losses.
This is a team destined to finish .500. Hosting Bryant on Saturday, they should be able to make it happen.
6th Place: University of Maine Black Bears (6-5, 5-2) (-2)
A six-game winning streak is gone, and it leaves us wondering: was this ever a good team? The Black Bears didn’t do much convincing, as Rhode Island outmatched Maine across all four quarters.
Taking on the newly ranked University of New Hampshire next week will be the last chance for Maine to prove that we didn’t overrate this team for weeks on end.
5th Place: College of William and Mary Tribe (7-4, 6-2) (+1)
Welcome to the top five, William and Mary. The Tribe were the first team outside of a crowded room before Maine was exposed as a pretender.
Now with three straight wins, they’ll have their Capital Cup game against the University of Richmond this weekend. It’s a chance to do the CAA proud and make the Spiders regret leaving for the Patriot League after last season.
4th Place: No. 12/T-11 Monmouth University Hawks (9-2, 6-1) (+1)
Second-year backup quarterback Frankie Weaver brought Monmouth its best performance on offense yet. He threw for six touchdowns and 428 passing yards against NC A&T, which was quite the bounce back from last week’s loss to New Hampshire.
Recovering fifth-year Derek Robertson shouldn’t be needed for UAlbany, but it will be interesting to see how the Hawks handle their quarterback room heading into the playoffs.
3rd Place: No. 25/NR University of New Hampshire Wildcats (7-4, 5-2) (-)
Four wins in a row have the Wildcats on the doorstep of an at-large playoff bid. Don’t throw it away now.
Holding home-field advantage should be an extra boost against Maine on Saturday, with UNH hoping to solidify its case to continue its season.
2nd Place: No. 9/7 Villanova University Wildcats (8-2, 7-1) (-1)
Villanova’s one week at the top was fun, but you don’t stay there with an overtime struggle against Stony Brook at home.
Lucky to avoid a second conference loss, the Wildcats will finish the season with a not-to-be-overlooked and soon-to-be-CAA member, Sacred Heart University.
1st Place: No. 10/9 University of Rhode Island Rams (9-2, 7-0) (+1)
Back on top for the first time since week five, the Rams have been one of the best the conference has to offer on both sides of the ball.
Rhode Island now has a chance to clinch its first outright CAA title in program history with a win against Hampton on Saturday. Doing so in a convincing fashion could even be enough for a first-round bye.
