College Football Notes by Mike Szostak: Playing like Bulldog pays off in a lofty perch for Bryant
PROVIDENCE JOURNAL -
College Football Notes by Mike Szostak: Playing like Bulldog pays
off in a lofty perch for Bryant
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Bryant's rise to prominence in the Northeast-10 Conference is one of the best stories in New England football.
The Bulldogs (7-2) buried archrival Bentley, 35-16, last Saturday and clinched a share of the Northeast-10 championship. They will share the honor with Merrimack, Southern Connecticut and C.W. Post.
Think about that for a moment. A program that didn't exist until 1999 and had one winning season in its first six wins a share of the championship.
Amazing!
And there's more. Bryant is ranked third in the Division II Northeast poll this week, which means it probably will host an NCAA first-round playoff game Nov. 18 at Bulldog Stadium.
That is truly amazing.
The top six teams in each of the four NCAA regions will qualify for the Division II tournament. The top two teams will receive a first-round bye, and the third and fourth teams will host the fifth and sixth. Under that arrangement, top-ranked Shepherd (9-0) and second-ranked Bloomsburg (9-1) will receive a bye. Bryant will play sixth-ranked California University of Pennsylvania (8-2) and fourth-ranked Merrimack (7-3) will battle fifth-ranked Southern Connecticut (7-3).
The NCAA will officially announce the Division II playoff brackets next Sunday at 5 p.m.
The rankings could change. California plays Indiana University (Pa.) on Saturday. IUP is 7-2. Both teams and Bloomsburg play in the powerful Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Shepherd is located in Shepherdstown, W. Va.
Bryant plays Division III Becker on Saturday. Bryant failed to find a Division II opponent for its 10th game, and the NCAA requires Division II postseason participants to play a 10-game schedule.
Bryant coach Marty Fine took over a program that had started fast under Jim Miceli and then stalled. Bryant finished its inaugural 1999 season with a 5-4 record but did not have another winning season until the 2005 Bulldogs went 7-2 under Fine. He was 4-5 in 2004, his first season.
The seven victories last year were a school record. A victory over Becker on Saturday -- the Bulldogs will be heavily favored over the second-year program -- will give Bryant a record for wins and the best two-year run in the school's brief football history.
The share of the title means that Bryant has arrived as an NE-10 champion.
Bryant's victory over Bentley vaulted the Bulldogs three places in the regional rankings. They had dropped from fourth to sixth, even though they had not lost since dropping a 24-21 heartbreaker to C.W. Post on Oct. 7.
Bryant displayed its balance on offense and strength on defense against Bentley. The offense generated 500 yards. Lorenzo Perry (Providence/La Salle), who should be the NE-10 player of the year, gained 195 yards on 33 carries and scored a touchdown, a fairly routine day for him
Quarterback Charlie Granatell completed 15 of 21 passes to nine different receivers for 278 yards and three touchdowns. He is the NE-10 co-offensive player of the week with Southern Connecticut QB Steve Armstrong . Justin Kix caught his 13th career touchdown pass, tying Adam Ewing 's school record.
On defense, linebacker Andrew McLarty made 11 tackles and received credit for 1.5 sacks. He made the NE-10 honor roll. Brad Boyd had an interception, and Bryce Martins broke up three passes. Bryant held Bentley to 164 yards, 51 in the first half.
