Valpo @ Mercer:

[setshot]

Mercer will have a long trip home from San Diego and that trip should play to Valpo's advantage. Mercer's loaded with kids from football rich Georgia,but most had never left the state until the SD game.Still,though wide eyed and travel weary I'll pick Mercer by 30+ points.  BOOK IT!

[milanmiracle]

Hmm, tough call here...

Mercer is 4-0 and Valpo can't beat anybody not named Campbell.

Mercer is in their first year of college football, Valpo plays like it's never seen a football. Carlson is still the coach, so I think I can safely predict a loss. 

[VULB#62]

......In front of 8,000+ fans.

[usc4valpo]

Mercer draws more for one game than Valpo does for one season.

[covufan]

Even though Mercer is in their first year of football, they won't show any mercy.  Another big loss, with the only hope against Morehead St.

Mercer   45
Valpo     10

[VULB#62]

Are you sure... ?      Morehead State 45 - Campbell 36

Other scores:

Butler 35 - Stetson 15  (surprisingly close)
Dayton 40 - Davidson 8  (Davidson is bad; too bad they are not on the schedule this year.

[VULB#62]

I'll wait until I see the USD V. Mercer final score.  If it's close we are in BIG trouble.

[covufan]

Are you sure... ?      Morehead State 45 - Campbell 36

Other scores:

Butler 35 - Stetson 15  (surprisingly close)
Dayton 40 - Davidson 8  (Davidson is bad; too bad they are not on the schedule this year.

I said hope, not chance. 

Since it is a home game and if Morehead makes some mistakes, we could might have a shot.

[usc4valpo]

Didn't Morehead State beat us 70-20 or something like that last year?

Wow, Mercer is a prohibitive favorite over Valpo and they are a first year program.  Sounds like they have their act together.  Perhaps we can learn from this.

[covufan]

Didn't Morehead State beat us 70-20 or something like that last year?

Wow, Mercer is a prohibitive favorite over Valpo and they are a first year program.  Sounds like they have their act together.  Perhaps we can learn from this.

I think that Mercer is a one year member of the PFL.  In 2014 they move up to  FCS scholarship, but I can't recall the conference.

[milanmiracle]

Didn't Morehead State beat us 70-20 or something like that last year?

Wow, Mercer is a prohibitive favorite over Valpo and they are a first year program.  Sounds like they have their act together.  Perhaps we can learn from this.

I think that Mercer is a one year member of the PFL.  In 2014 they move up to  FCS scholarship, but I can't recall the conference.

But...don't they know scholarship football is too expensive and not feasible?

[usc4valpo]

So are the Mercer football players on athletic scholarship?

Their stadium BTW looks beautiful.

[VULB#62]

USD 45 - Mercer 13.
Mercer scored all 13 in the first half and went into the locker room at the half down 13-28.  USD adjusted, scored 17 unanswered points in the second half.  USD QB went 23 -27 for 413 yards.  But Mercer did get to him for 3 sacks. 

VU the only PFL team to get shut out this week.

Based on the USD score and the 413 they gave up in the air:  Mercer 35 - Valpo 21

[milanmiracle]

So are the Mercer football players on athletic scholarship?

Their stadium BTW looks beautiful.

They're only playing in the PFL this year. Next year they'll be a scholarship program.

[VULB#62]

They're only playing in the PFL this year. Next year they'll be a scholarship program.

Maybe 5 years from now, but not right away.  They got their butt kicked today by USD.  They'll come down to earth (but not next week).  I posted a small comparison between scholarship FCS and the PFL on the 2013 FB string.  It puts a move to scholarship FCS into perspective for any school.

[bluehorseshoe]

so easy for other schools to scheme vs our D and O...same plays used to score on us , no changes anywhere. For the O...One back in protecting, they send the house, pressure, int, sack... they go single coverage and we have yet to see a break away RB threat to worry about so far. Gotta wonder what happens in film...?? You return 9 or so starters on O and D and have to worry about Mercer???  Very confused.

[valpotx]

Mercer 35
Valpo 17

Is it confirmed that they are moving to FCS right away after this season?  I hadn't seen that anywhere

[milanmiracle]

They're only playing in the PFL this year. Next year they'll be a scholarship program.

Maybe 5 years from now, but not right away.  They got their butt kicked today by USD.  They'll come down to earth (but not next week).  I posted a small comparison between scholarship FCS and the PFL on the 2013 FB string.  It puts a move to scholarship FCS into perspective for any school.

Generally I don't post stuff like that based on speculation.

"All Mercer sports except men's and women's lacrosse and women's sand volleyball, which are not conducted in the new league, will compete in the Southern Conference. The school said that includes football, which is returning next fall after halting 72 years ago. Mercer football will compete in the Pioneer League next fall and join the SoCon for 2014."

Also, here's the link to the story

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/9326201/vmi-keydets-east-tennessee-state-buccaneers-mercer-bears-join-southern-conference

And directly from Mercer

"All Mercer sports with the exception of men's and women's lacrosse and women's sand volleyball, will compete in the Southern Conference. That includes football, which this fall will resume competition after at 72-year hiatus and play in the Pioneer Football League for 2013 only. Beginning in 2014, Mercer will award athletic scholarships in football to academically qualified student-athletes, as it does in other intercollegiate sports."

http://news.mercer.edu/articles/2013/mercer-university-accepts-invitation-to-join-the-southern-conference.cfm#.UlGAz-e9KSM

Along those lines....how much credibility does your league have when you allow a 1 year member. Kind of sums up the state of things in the PFL.

[VULB#62]

Wow.  Thanks for digging that stuff up. I don't recall the PFL ever making a comment about a one year membership when Mercer was welcomed aboard. Good reason to see why they built that stadium. 

In light of that, the question for me now is, did Mercer get into the PFL with a pass on the current freshman class getting scholarships (I believe FCS has a 65 or maybe 68 player limit spread across 4 years) so maybe 16 are on FB scholarships?  Or do the scholarships start next year and the kids they recruited for this season are on trial -- essentially trying out for those scholarships?  None of that makes me feel good about the PFL.  Am I off-base on this speculation? 

[milanmiracle]

Wow.  Thanks for digging that stuff up. I don't recall the PFL ever making a comment about a one year membership when Mercer was welcomed aboard. Good reason to see why they built that stadium. 

In light of that, the question for me now is, did Mercer get into the PFL with a pass on the current freshman class getting scholarships (I believe FCS has a 65 or maybe 68 player limit spread across 4 years) so maybe 16 are on FB scholarships?  Or do the scholarships start next year and the kids they recruited for this season are on trial -- essentially trying out for those scholarships?  None of that makes me feel good about the PFL.  Am I off-base on this speculation? 

My guess is they did not get a pass on the scholarships based on the comments from Mercer that they will begin scholarships in 2014. My guess is they're basically trying out for a scholarship next year, or they've been told they will receive one when they are eligible to offer them. Additionally I am sure there were special considerations for need based assistance and academic based assistance, all of which are not considered athletic scholarships. There are ways to dance around the "scholarship" rule and actually get a scholarship. Happens all the time.

[historyman]

If they didn't get it the PFL should have demanded a portion of Mercer's gate receipts.

[VUdad]

With Hutson out, teams will continue to send the dogs frequently like Marist did. Another "big play" seemed to kick us in the gut yesterday, the fumble recovery for a TD in the 1st quarter. My guess: Mercer 24 - Valpo 10.

[usc4valpo]

3-36 under the DC express...

Mercer 31
Valpo 7

[bbtds]

Valpo......30
Mercer....45

[vu72]

I just spent a little time looking at Mercer's record.  Other than Drake, they have beaten the likes of Reinhardt (NAIA 1400 students), Warner, who is 0-6 and lost to Ave Maria 27-3, and Berry, who is 1-4 and lost to powerhouse Maryville, 37-0.

The Drake game is a mystery although I think it must be a down year for Drake  too. They lost their opener to Grandview, another NAIA school, 21-16.  Grandview followed that up with a win over Siena Heights, 24-21.

It's hard to say given these rather non-convincing facts.  I see it being close, but Valpo's experience comes through in a shocker, 38-27.