The Sickos Committee’s Weather Travel and Football Master Almanac Notebook. (SCWTFMAN) - The Ohio Valley - Big South Alliance & Ivy League Outlook.
Welcome to the Sickos Committee’s Weather, Travel & Football Master Almanac Notebook aka the SCWTFMAN. Here in our SCWTFMAN we will attempt to forecast the upcoming 2023 college football season by using our Sickos Committee alert system. We’re going to do this in the Farmer’s Almanac style. If you don’t know what a Farmers' Almanac is, basically it provides long-range weather predictions for both the U.S. and Canada. We will be applying our forecast to all of Division I in the United States. We’re trying to predict what the upcoming season holds for all Division I teams in college football using our Sickos Committee Weather Alert System.
First we will preview the 128 FCS teams in a conference by conference breakdown over the next coming weeks. Then we will get to the 133 FBS teams for a total of 261 team previews in all.
Will these previews be long winded and incredibly in depth? No. Will these previews be mostly based on “vibes” as assessed by the Sickos Committee weather forecasters? Yes.
Basically, we’re going to try to assess the team as a Sickos Warning, Watch or Advisory, give you their record last year, provide a little blurb about the team and for the FCS version to advise you of any of their games against the FBS and interesting schedule tidbits. We will do a couple of parts here for the substack as we can’t fit all the teams in one post.
The Ohio Valley - Big South Alliance
The Big South and Ohio Valley Conferences will team up in football starting with the 2023 season. Both conferences are below the minimum required to maintain an automatically qualifying bid for the FCS playoffs. So let’s preview them together! The Big South up first!
Charleston Southern
Last Year - 2-8 overall and 2-3 in conference.
Fired head coach Autry Denson and brought in Gabe Giardina for his third stint with the team, first as head coach. Giardina went 37-17 in five seasons at Albany State, including one conference title.
Open the season on a Thursday against Division II North Greenville, followed by their sole FBS game this season, at Clemson, which is unlikely to bring anyone but the Tigers much joy. Out of conference games against William & Mary, Western Carolina, and Kennesaw State lead into a six game conference slate in the new OVC-Big South.
Rating - Sickos Warning - Charleston Southern made their way to the Sickos radar when they had to play Robert Morris and we don’t know what to expect in the 3rd go-around with their previous coach now turned Head Coach.
Gardner-Webb
Last Year - 7-6 Overall and 5-0 in the Big South. Conference Champs. Made FCS Playoffs and lost in the 2nd Round to William & Mary.
Head Coach Tre Lamb returns for his 4th season and they look to build off a really solid 2022 where they played FBS competition incredibly close. They nearly upset Coastal Carolina and Liberty.
Two FBS Games which is down from three FBS games last year. They open at App State and then three weeks later they go to East Carolina. The Runnin’ Bulldogs are projected 2nd in the OVC-Big South Alliance.
Rating - Sickos Advisory - We expect a good run from the Runnin’ Bulldogs to possibly make the FCS Playoffs again and maybe give some FBS teams a run for their money.
Bryant
Last Year - 4-7 Overall and 2-3 in the Big South.
Lost by one in OT to FIU to open last season but didn’t really beat any solid FCS competition last year in their first year in the Big South. Also, Head Coach Chris Meritt returns for his 5th season.
One FBS team to open the year at UNLV in Las Vegas. The rest of the schedule then has them five straight games in Rhode Island, two games in Charleston (one in South Carolina and one in Illinois), back to Rhode Island, then to St. Charles, Missouri and back to Rhode Island.
Rating - Sickos Warning - It’s an automatic warning here because they are a school in RHODE ISLAND playing in a conference called the BIG SOUTH.
Robert Morris aka Bobby Mo
Last Year - 0-11 Overall and 0-5 in Conference last year.
They were one of the two Division I teams to go winless last year. Their Head Coach Bernard Clark returns for his 6th Season with “Bobby Mo”. They lost two one possession games last year 22-20 to Dayton to open the season and 14-9 to Delaware State.
One FBS team this year and they head out to Colorado Springs to face Air Force to open the season. They welcome Charleston Southern to Moon Township, PA in the second to last week of the year which may find the Sickos Committee radar.
Rating - Sickos Advisory - Bobby Mo was picked last in the OVC-Big South Alliance. We never want to see a team finish winless and we hope Bobby Mo can get a win this year. We’re pulling for you Colonials! Let’s get some wins!
Ohio Valley Time!
Eastern Illinois
Last Year 2-9 Overall and 1-4 in the OVC.
2nd Year Head Coach Chris Wilkerson returns to the Panthers after a rough first year in his tenure. Their only two wins were against bottom dwellers Murray State (OVC) and Northwestern State (Southland). They even lost in OT against transitioning from Division II Lindenwood for their homecoming game.
One FBS game in Week 2 at Bowling Green. Their conference schedule shapes up nicely with most of their games at home but they do have the defending champs SEMO on the road.
Rating - Sickos Watch - They’re picked to finish 8th in the OVC-Big South Combo conference. They do have some interesting games with lower level teams and finish the year at Robert Morris. A decade ago they were led by Dino Babers and Jimmy Garoppolo.
Southeast Missouri State (SEMO)
Last Year 9-3 Overall and 5-0 in the OVC. Conference Co-Champs and Coin Flip Winner. Made FCS Playoffs, Lost in First Round at Montana 34-24. Finished ranked 15th.
Only lost to FCS Playoff teams, (Eastern Kentucky and Montana) and their one FBS game against Iowa State. They were just really good last year.
One FBS game at Kansas State. Not too difficult of a schedule with only 2 FCS Playoff makers on the slate.
Rating - Sickos Advisory - Nearly everyone is returning from the Conference Co-Champs and they looked prime to repeat. They’re the preseason favorite to win the OVC-Big South. Also as high as 9th in the FCS Preseason polls.
Tennessee State
Last Year 4-7 Overall and 2-3 in the OVC.
An up and down season for Head Coach Eddie George’s second year last year. A brutal schedule to start was likely the reason but that also included a loss to Division II Lane in the John Merritt Classic. They then rattled off three wins in a row, then lost three in a row. They will look for consistency this year.
One FBS team this year, as they open at Notre Dame. The first ever HBCU to play at Notre Dame. They get a cool $1 Million pay for it too. On the FCS side they get FCS powers of Garder Webb and UT Martin in back to back weeks, followed by transitioning to FBS Kennesaw State. A very tough four out of the first five games.
Rating - Sickos Watch - They’re picked right in the middle of the OVC-Big South Alliance. Their schedule is very tough to start, they can hopefully get some wins in the middle but they finish with three straight on the road. A tough grind for Tennessee State.
Tennessee Tech
Last Year 4-7 Overall and 2-3 in the OVC.
An incredibly tough schedule last year, they played three ranked FCS teams in the first five games, along with Kansas to open the year. Their schedule didn’t really allow them to gain any momentum last year but they did string together three wins in a row at the end of the year.
One FBS game at New Mexico in Week 2. Their schedule is tough in the beginning and end but the middle is a little soft barring the contest at home against SEMO.
Rating - Sickos Watch - They’re picked 4th in the OVC-Big South Alliance with one more point higher than Tennessee State. Their schedule is eerily similar to Tennessee State and they play TSU to end the year. Should be interesting to say the least.
UT Martin
Last Year 7-4 Overall and 5-0 in the OVC. Conference Co-Champs and Coin Flip Loser.
Although UT Martin finished as OVC co-champions with SEMO (both with 5–0 OVC records), SEMO was awarded the automatic bid to the 2022 FCS playoffs while UT Martin was not. Both teams had identical records in conference play, and no game had been played between the two teams that season, as a result of schedule changes to accommodate new member Lindenwood. The tiebreaker to determine an automatic conference bid ultimately then came down to a coin flip, which UT Martin lost. Missed the FCS playoffs because they lost this coin toss.
One FBS Game this year and oh no… why god why… did you agree to open the season in Georgia? The rest of the schedule is much much easier than Georgia. They’ve got a shot to challenge for the OVC-Big South Alliance title.
Rating - Sickos Warning - We want to see how angry a team could be since they got snubbed out of the FCS playoffs due to losing a coin toss. We want to see the Skyhawks take no prisoners and just remember the coin toss loss from last year as motivation for this year. If you’re feeling down at any point UT Martin, just “Remember the Coin Toss Loss” and continue to fight.
Lindenwood
Last Year 7-3 Overall and 1-3 in the OVC.
In the transition from Division II to FCS, so they were ineligible to win the conference but them coming into the OVC caused the coin toss for the Conference title. Very Sickos indeed.
No FBS teams for Lindenwood this year. They nearly play a full FCS team slate for the first time except for the opening game against Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Rating - Sickos Warning - They can’t win a conference title or make the FCS playoffs due to the transition. So what is Lindenwood good for? Chaos. Cause all the chaos you can Lindenwood. Try to match causing a coin toss for a conference title. Just wreck it all until they allow you to play for everything like your other conference mates. Lindenwood please always be up to no good. We’d love it.
The Ivy League
Just a blanket statement here, no one in the Ivy League plays any FBS games.
Brown
Last Year Overall 3-7 and 1-7 in the Ivy.
Led by head coach James Perry, a former Brown quarterback who has a 7-23 record in three seasons with the program.
Out-of-conference schedule is in-state rivals Bryant and Rhode Island as well as Central Connecticut. Brown went 2-1 against the same OOC slate last year.
Rating - Sickos Advisory - Brown seems content to win 2-3 games a season and is unlikely to make waves in the Ivy this season. The game against Bryant is typically high scoring and competitive, so it’s worth tuning in to their season opener in Week 3.
Columbia
Last Year Overall 6-4 and 3-4 in the Ivy.
Coached by the wonderfully named Al Bagnoli in his 8th season (35-35 record)
Out of conference against Lafayette, Georgetown, and Marist, all of which should be winnable games.
Rating - Sickos Watch - A consistently middle of the pack Ivy League team, Columbia is usually good for one win over a team in the top of the conference and a loss to a team at the bottom of the standings.
Cornell
Last Year Overall 5-5 and 2-5 in the Ivy.
Out of conference slate of Lehigh, Colgate, and Bucknell means Cornell could possibly finish with more wins in the Patriot League than the Ivy. They’ve only won 3 games in conference once in the past decade.
Returning QB Jameson Wang led the Ivy League in touchdowns last season with 22 (14 pass, 8 rush), so the offense may have enough bite to get them out of the bottom of the league.
Rating - Sickos Advisory - Another team seemingly content with its place in the league, but anything is possible.
Dartmouth
Last Year Overall 3-7 and 2-5 in the Ivy.
The Big Green will look to rebound from a disappointing 2022 campaign after winning the Ivy League the previous two seasons. They will have to do so without their legendary Head Coach Buddy Teevens, who is recovering from a tragic cycling/motor vehicle accident earlier this year. We wish you well Buddy. We know your team will miss you and we will too.
Out of conference: New Hampshire, Lehigh, Colgate.
Rating - Sickos Watch - Dartmouth returns both quarterbacks from the two-QB system they ran last year, so expect more volatile results.
Harvard
Last Year Overall 6-4 and 4-3 in the Ivy.
Harvard may have the most “what were you thinking” schedule in the league this season. They open with St. Thomas (Minnesota), the traditional D-III power that won the Pioneer League in their first year in FCS last fall, followed in week 3 by a Holy Cross team that went undefeated last season and made the FCS quarterfinal. Their easiest out of conference game is against Howard, who finished second in the MEAC last year.
Rating - Sickos Warning - Basically just for the aggressive scheduling. Is it a good idea? Probably not. But imagine if it works out for you.
Penn
Last Year Overall 8-2 and 5-2 in the Ivy.
The only team to beat Princeton last year, Penn returns QB Aidan Sayin and should be in the hunt for their first Ivy League title since 2016.
Out of conference: Colgate, Bucknell, Georgetown.
Rating - Sickos Advisory - A fairly competent team and no weird scheduling should lead to a good season for the Quakers.
Princeton
Last Year Overall 8-2 and 5-2 in the Ivy.
Princeton was undefeated last season before dropping their last two games to Penn and Yale. Should find themselves near the top of the league again this season, but lost their top two receivers this offseason.
Out of Conference: San Diego, Bryant, Lafayette
Rating - Sickos Advisory - Another stable team near the top of the Ivy League.
Yale
Last Year Overall 8-2 and 6-1 in the Ivy. Conference Champions.
Yale has alternated between the top of the Ivy League and lower middle of the pack every season since 2016. After winning last year, they are due for a 3 or 4 loss year if the pattern holds. Returning QB Nolan Grooms led the team in passing and rushing last year, so offensive continuity may be enough to keep them up near the top this year.
Out of conference: Holy Cross, Morgan State, Sacred Heart. The opener against Holy Cross will be an immediate test of whether this team is at last year’s level or if they are looking to continue the oscillating seasons.
Rating - Sickos Watch - As volatile as it gets in the Ivy League, but still quite enough to warrant a preseason Warning. Worth keeping an eye on, and the Holy Cross game should be fun.
This has been an excerpt from the Sickos Committee’s Weather, Travel & Football Master Almanac Notebook.
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