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Date Posted: 18:06:05 04/20/03 Sun
Author: Jimmy Hanlon
Author Host/IP: 68.101.226.132
Subject: SCRAMBLE ON FOR FIFL DIVISION LEADS!

Baton Rouge Adcocate…

SCRAMBLE ON FOR FIFL DIVISION LEADS!

Week 9 looms large for division races. 15 of 18 teams are still in the hunt. Tightest of all is National Conference Pacific Division, with all 4 teams at 4 – 4. Offense will play more of a factor as defense was scaled down to level the playing field. Here’s a TV guide to games:

BREAK OUT THE POPCORN AND PRETZELS AND BEER:

Portland (4-4) at Utah (4-4)

POR offense 9th 75.5 rush - [17th] / 268.4 pass - [3rd]
defense 17th 102.9 rush - [13th] / 258.4 pass - [15th]
scoring 21.3 for - [10th] / 22.2 against - [13th]
---------------------------------------------------------
UTA offense 1st 107.4 rush - [5th] / 279.9 pass - [1st]
defense 5th 79.9 rush - [4th] / 243.8 pass - [10th]
scoring 22.1 for - [7th] / 18.0 against - [3rd]

Portland has won 2 in a row, outlasting Fargo at home last week 28 – 23. They are 2 – 0 in the division, the only team without a divisional loss. DE Joe Marsh is out for this game with a strained hamstring. Utah lost at Black Hills 16 – 21. They are 1 – 1 in divisional play… a loss here would put this team behind the 8-ball. Look for the Rattlers to break out to an early lead, hold off the plucky Prowlers and stay undefeated at home. Line set at Utah –7.

Fargo (3-5) at Black Hills (5-3)

FGO offense 7th 88.1 rush - [14th] / 260.3 pass - [5th]
defense 10th 96.3 rush - [8th] / 252.0 pass - [13th]
scoring 20.0 for - [12th] / 25.0 against - [17th]
---------------------------------------------------------
BLK offense 4th 125.9 rush - [2nd] / 234.6 pass - [10th]
defense 3rd 62.8 rush - [1st] / 245.1 pass - [11th]
scoring 25.3 for - [2nd] / 20.1 against - [7th]

Fargo took one the chin at Portland last week 23 – 28. Black Hills dispatched Utah 21 – 16 at home. DE Fred Robinson sits this out with a strained back. The Freeze need this one to stay live… lose, and it’s 3 games back of the division leader… tough to overcome in the Great Plain Division. Look for the Machine to come out running, throw the proverbial monkey wrench into the Freeze passing game, and run away with the W. Line set at Black Hills –4.

BEST OF THE REST:

Wichita (5-3) at Colorado (4-4)

WCH offense 2nd 114.6 rush - [4th] / 250.0 pass - [7th]
defense 11th 107.1 rush - [15th] / 241.2 pass - [9th]
scoring 19.6 for - [13th] / 20.1 against - [8th]
---------------------------------------------------------
COL offense 13th 105.0 rush - [6th] / 215.6 pass - [13th]
defense 2nd 84.9 rush - [5th] / 213.1 pass - [2nd]
scoring 19.4 for - [14th] / 19.6 against - [5th]

Wichita eked out a 19 – 17 W at Lincoln last week. Colorado lost in OT 10 – 16 at Honolulu. Their plight appears grim, since that loss dropped them to 0 – 3 in their division. The Wildcats must win, and get help from division rivals to have any shot at the title. The Warlords are cruising… 3 – 1 vs the division, and a .500 record on the road. Will QB Craig Strickland and HB Rickey Blake claw the Wildcats to the W? Can the 2nd rated Colorado defense curb the Warlords offensive onslaught? Line set at Colorado –2.

Madison (6-2) at Mississippi (5-3)

MAD offense 14th 103.6 rush - [7th] / 212.4 pass - [17th]
defense 7th 101.9 rush - [12th] / 226.8 pass - [7th]
scoring 23.0 for - [6th] / 17.3 against - [2nd]
---------------------------------------------------------
MIS offense 5th 125.5 rush - [3rd] / 233.6 pass - [11th]
defense 14th 103.5 rush - [14th] / 247.4 pass - [12th]
scoring 23.4 for - [5th] / 21.3 against - [10th]

Madison handled Green Bay last week 23 – 13 at home. Mississippi lost a pivotal division match up last week, 23 – 29 in OT at Mobile. OG Carl Wheeler strained a hamstring, and will sit his one out. The Mad Dogs have handled every curve thrown at them this season, and currently hold a slight edge on the rest of the American Conference. The Fire Dogs have struggled. This week, a tough assignment: win against the strongest team so far in the conference, or be perilously close to elimination. Both teams play smash-mouth old school football… 3 yards and a cloud of dust type play. Given the Mad Dogs have their backs to the wall, we expect a narrow W in their favor. Line set at Mississippi –2.

Fort Wayne (4-4) at Louisiana (5-3)

FWS offense 17th 80.9 rush - [15th] / 215.4 pass - [14th]
defense 4th 100.6 rush - [11th] / 213.9 pass - [3rd]
scoring 19.2 for - [15th] / 20.0 against - [6th]
---------------------------------------------------------
LOU offense 3rd 90.3 rush - [12th] / 272.4 pass - [2nd]
defense 6th 94.5 rush - [7th] / 231.6 pass - [8th]
scoring 20.5 for - [11th] / 19.0 against - [4th]

Fort Wayne defeated a tough Dayton squad 24 – 20 at Fort Wayne. Louisiana absorbed a 24 – 14 drubbing at Springfield. The Safari desperately need this W… an advantageous 3 – 1 division record clashes with 4 - 4 overall. The Beast will be motivated as well… they now trail Mobile for the division lead. Louisiana has frantically altered its’ roster the past 2 weeks attempting to cover for dinged players… the new and improved final edition will face a determined Safari squad this week. Fort Wayne has had zero luck vs Louisiana… and that’s ominous, especially this season. Look for the Beast to establish the running game, and then balance it with the accurate “wheels” asset. Line set at Louisiana –2.

Honolulu (4-4) at Springfield (5-3)

HON offense 11th 100.1 rush - [9th] / 238.0 pass - [9th]
defense 15th 96.9 rush - [9th] / 263.5 pass - [17th]
scoring 21.6 for - [8th] / 20.3 against - [9th]
---------------------------------------------------------
SPR offense 6th 89.0 rush - [13th] / 268.0 pass - [4th]
defense 13th 97.7 rush - [10th] / 252.9 pass - [14th]
scoring 23.8 for - [3rd] / 21.4 against - [11th]

Honolulu rained on Colorado’s parade last week 16 – 10 in OT at home. LB Craig Walls will miss at least 2 weeks with a bruised shoulder. Springfield took a bite out Louisiana 24 – 14 at home. DT Josh Fordyce is out again this week, as he continues to rehab his strained back. We expect this one to employ fireworks everywhere. There is no clear-cut motivation for either team to cling to. Honolulu is O-fer-the-season on the road, Springfield is tough at home. Look for both teams to relax and open it up offensively. No real feel, so Line is set at even… pick ‘em.

GET YOUR SPRING CLEANING DONE:

Mobile (6-2) at Lincoln (1-7)

MOB offense 8th 91.4 rush - [11th] / 253.4 pass - [6th]
defense 12th 89.6 rush - [6th] / 260.0 pass - [16th]
scoring 25.3 for - [1st] / 22.4 against - [14th]
---------------------------------------------------------
LIN offense 15th 101.4 rush - [8th] / 212.6 pass - [15th]
defense 16th 152.0 rush - [18th] / 208.6 pass - [1st]
scoring 17.3 for - [17th] / 23.3 against - [15th]

Mobile proved its’ mettle with an impressive 29 – 23 OT W vs division rival Mississippi last week. Lincoln failed to hold serve at home losing 17 – 19 to Wichita. Mobile gets a breather. Line set at Mobile –8.

Texas (4-4) at Green Bay (1-7)

TEX offense 10th 99.0 rush - [10th] / 239.9 pass - [8th]
defense 9th 74.9 rush - [3rd] / 264.1 pass - [18th]
scoring 23.5 for - [4th] / 22.0 against - [12th]
---------------------------------------------------------
GBY offense 18th 65.4 rush - [18th] / 212.6 pass - [16th]
defense 8th 114.5 rush - [16th] / 219.0 pass - [4th]
scoring 14.4 for - [18th] / 23.3 against - [16th]

Texas destroyed Steel Valley last week 49 – 23 at home. Green Bay bowed to Madison 23 – 13 at Madison. Texas gets another powder-puff. Line set at Texas –11.

Dayton (5-3) at Steel Valley (1-7)

DAY offense 12th 135.8 rush - [1st] / 198.1 pass - [18th]
defense 1st 71.6 rush - [2nd] / 224.1 pass - [6th]
scoring 21.4 for - [9th] / 16.9 against - [1st]
---------------------------------------------------------
STV offense 16th 76.1 rush - [16th] / 222.6 pass - [12th]
defense 18th 143.4 rush - [17th] / 222.2 pass - [5th]
scoring 18.6 for - [16th] / 27.5 against - [18th]

Dayton lost 20 – 24 at Fort Wayne. Steel Valley disappeared vs Texas 23 – 49 at Texas. Perfect foil for a Dayton comeback. Line set at Dayton –15.

Advocate staff writers.

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