Toucanbird's Week 3 NSIC Power Rankings

Hey everybody, I am starting a blog segment called the NSIC Power Rankings. I'll be ranking each team in the NSIC based on performance and talent level. I decided to wait until the third week since we can't really tell much based off of pre-season and the first game. Now that two games are in the books, let's take a look.

1. #3 UM-Duluth 2-0 (1-0 NSIC)
LW - Bye
TW - W @ Upper Iowa (0-2) 62-13
NW - vs. #22 Wayne State (2-0)
Note - Not only do the Bulldogs look like the best team in the NSIC, they look like one of the best teams in the country. For them to go into Central Washington and come away with a convincing W and follow it up with another blowout win vs. Upper Iowa, color me impressed. Vogler has been impressive even when he's not putting up monster numbers. I laughed at his stat line against the Peacocks. 4-of-6 for 146 yards and 2 TDs. He averaged approximately 37 yards per completion and a touchdown pass in 1 of every 2 completions. It was also nice seeing Odim break out of his shell. 15 carries for 163 yards and 5 TDs? I'd call that an NSIC Offensive Player of the Week sort of performance.

2. #22 Wayne State 2-0 (1-0 NSIC)
LW - Bye
TW - W vs. UM-Crookston (1-1) 68-6
NW - @ #3 UM-Duluth (2-0)
Note - I can honestly say when the season started, I never foresaw myself ranking Wayne State this high. Silas Fluellen who? Who needs Fluellen when you have Cyle Schultz? Schultz went 14-of-19 for 252 yards and 4 TDs against UM-Crookston and didn't even play the whole game. Granted, we can't put that much stock into it since it is Crookston but he had a great performance week one against a very solid Nebraska-Kearney program. Wayne State will get their biggest test of the year next week when they travel to UM-Duluth. Considering how both teams are playing, that could be one of the best games in D2 college football this year.

3. #19 Winona State 2-0 (1-0 NSIC)
LW - Bye
TW - W vs. MSU-Moorhead (0-2) 58-3
NW - @ St. Cloud State (1-1)
Note - Another team I'm rating surprisingly high, but I can't help but be impressed by what the Warriors are doing in all aspects of the game. The quarterback play is dramatically improved under Evan Aber and even backup QB Bryan Bradley looked really sharp against MSU-Moorhead. What's most impressive about the Warriors is perhaps their return game. Dewberry, after having a kickoff return for a touchdown in week 1, followed it up with a punt return for a TD against MSU-Moorhead. Ironically, the Dragons only score came off a muffed punt by Dewberry. Right now, the question remains, can WSU beat the really good teams in the NSIC? We have yet to see. They'll get a good test next week when they travel to St. Cloud.

4. Augustana 2-0 (1-0 NSIC)
LW - W vs. St. Cloud State (1-1) 32-23
TW - W @ Bemidji State (1-1) 10-0
NW - vs. U-Mary (0-2)
Note - Although the Vikings look far from perfect in their two victories, the one thing I will say about them is they are persistent. This week against Bemidji, they were a little rough around the edges, but that defense showed up big time. They held the Beavers to 0 points and 97 yards of total offense. Granted, the Vikings offense didn't look great, but it's tough to look good offensively against a solid defensive program like Bemidji State. Augustana can make one claim, they beat two very solid football programs in back-to-back weeks. Luckily for Augustana, they probably don't play another tough football game again until Week 7 when they go to Winona State.

5. St. Cloud State 1-1 (1-1 NSIC)
LW - L @ Augustana (2-0) 32-23
TW - W @ Concordia-St. Paul (1-1) 35-10
NW - vs. #19 Winona State (2-0)
Note - There are a lot of things about St. Cloud State's football team that I like. They have one heck of an aerial attack. Freshman quarterback Phillip Klaphake has been really impressive. His performance against Augustana was very good in it's own right, but then he followed it up with a 14-for-21 301 yard 4 TD performance against Concordia-St. Paul. This is no fluke. This kid has got skill and he's got a great WR core to throw to. Fred Williams continues to dazzle with 7 catches for 165 yards and 2 TDs this week, as he appears to be one of, if not, the top wide receiver in the conference. The Huskies will be tested next weekend when Winona State come to town.

6. #18 MSU-Mankato 2-0 (1-0 NSIC)
LW - W vs. Northern Michigan (1-1) 7-6
TW - W vs. Northern State (0-2) 21-14
NW - @ UM-Crookston (1-1)
Note - I'm not going to lie, for a team that won the NSIC last year, the Mavericks have been far from impressive. They limped away with a gutty win over Northern Michigan last week (which looks better now considering what NMU did to Findlay) but they follow it up with another tough gutty win against a less than average NSIC team. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Right now, MSU is fooling no one. They do not look like a team that will compete for the NSIC South crown, let alone the NSIC crown. As weird as this might sound, the game at UM-Crookston next week should be very telling. If this team struggles to beat Crookston, it could be a LONG year in Mankato.

7. Bemidji State 1-1 (0-1 NSIC)
LW - Bye
TW - L vs. Augustana (2-0) 10-0
NW - @ SW Minnesota State (2-0)
Note - If I were the Beavers, I'd be embarrassed by their effort against Augustana. The Beavers had an extra week to prepare for the Vikings and still, Bemidji State couldn't break 100 yards of total offense. We already know BSU is a defensive football team...but that defense is going to have to be opportunistic if their offense can't score. It doesn't get any easier for Bemidji either. They travel to Marshall next weekend and considering the way the Mustangs are playing right now, that might not be an easy game.

8. SW Minnesota State 2-0 (1-0 NSIC)
LW - W vs. Northern State (0-2) 28-24
TW - W @ Mary (0-2) 21-14
NW - vs. Bemidji State (1-1)
Note - The Mustangs are a team that have me scratching my head. I just don't know if they are a good football team this year or not. Sure, they are definitely improved. However, they've been taken to the wire by two football teams that are 0-2 this year. As they say in the world of college football fans, "go out and play somebody!" Well, luckily for the Mustangs, they do get somebody next week when Bemidji State comes to town. This should be a telling game to see if SMSU is a team worthy of the top half of the conference.

9. Northern State 0-2 (0-1 NSIC)
LW - L @ SW Minnesota State (2-0) 28-24
TW - L vs. #18 MSU-Mankato (2-0) 21-14
NW - vs. Concordia-St. Paul (1-1)
Note - It might be weird to say this about Northern State football, but they really don't look that bad. They made a heck of a comeback last week against SW Minnesota State and this week, they gave the Mavericks all that they could handle. Montrel Richardson looks like a solid back, as he had 21 carries for 95 yards and a TD. That's not too shabby against that stout Mavericks defense. With Concordia-St. Paul coming to town next week, I can foresee them getting that first win if they play at the same level they've played at for the last six quarters.

10. Concordia-St. Paul 1-1 (0-1 NSIC)
LW - W vs. Minot State (0-2) 38-17
TW - L vs. St. Cloud State (1-1) 35-10
NW - @ Northern State (0-2)
Note - The Golden Bears are who we thought they were! They looked decent against Minot State and so we thought they could be much like Wayne State or Winona State this year. We thought that perhaps they were improved but at the same time, we're not completely convinced. When St. Cloud came to town, they showed why we should keep those thoughts. They got punched in the mouth early from the Huskies and fell into a 14-0 hole. They were able to narrow it down to 14-10 in the second, only to get punched in the mouth again and trailed 28-10 going into half. Let's face it...beating Minot does not make you a good football team. Perhaps the same can be said for Bemidji but at least we're expecting something out of them. If the Golden Bears play like this next week, they'll be coming home like the bald-headed, bald-butted killer bear from The Great Outdoors.

11. U-Mary 0-2 (0-1 NSIC)
LW - Bye
TW - L vs. SW Minnesota State (2-0) 21-14
NW - @ Augustana (2-0)
Note - I want to say Mary is a good football team...who am I kidding? They are ranked 11th for a reason. Their offense, which is supposed to be good with Jamal Lomax, looks dreadful. Maybe it was unfair to say Mary was bad against Chadron State since Lomax didn't play, but it wasn't like his numbers were stellar against the Mustangs. Sure, he had 113 yards rushing...but he carried the ball 31 times. I think I could eventually get 100 yards if I carried the ball that many times (okay, maybe not). The fact of the matter is, Mary needs some sort of offensive production away from Lomax. Craig Bagnell has already thrown 3 interceptions this season, so he's definitely not getting that help from Bagnell. Considering Mary travels to Sioux Falls and St. Cloud the next two weeks, I can definitely foresee them starting off the season 0-4.

12. Upper Iowa 0-2 (0-1 NSIC)
LW - L @ Texas A&M-Commerce (1-1) 33-10
TW - L vs. #3 UM-Duluth (2-0) 62-13
NW - @ MSU-Moorhead (0-2)
Note - You want to hear an amazing stat? In the last six quarters, the Peacocks have been outscored 95-13. Of course, giving up 62 points to UM-Duluth is bad...not surprising, but bad. However, it looks even worse giving up 33 points to a Lions team that got beat 31-10 this week by Angelo State. The point, the Peacocks are going to be bad this year. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Let's just face it...if Upper Iowa keeps playing like this, they might only win two games all year and one of them might be next week when they go to MSU-Moorhead. God knows Moorhead hasn't looked good at all this year.

13. MSU-Moorhead 0-2 (0-1 NSIC)
LW - Bye
TW - L @ #19 Winona State 58-3
NW - vs. Upper Iowa (0-2)
Note - Boy, how bad are the Dragons? In their first two games, they have scored 3 points (which came off a muffed punt) and 182 yards of total offense. TOTAL...offense. If you think that's an ugly stat, how about their defense? They're giving up an average of 571 yards of total offense per game. If you ask me, they are lucky they are not giving up more. WSU had two BIG punt returns, one ran back for a TD, the other down to the 2-yard-line. Let's just face it, the Dragons are AWFUL in all three facets of the game. If there is any sort of good news for the Dragons, it's that they at least get a MUCH easier game when they host Upper Iowa next week. They are probably looking at a 1-2 win season...tops.

14. UM-Crookston 1-1 (0-1 NSIC)
LW - W vs. Mayville State (1-1) 37-6
TW - L @ #22 Wayne State (2-0) 68-6
NW - vs. #19 MSU-Mankato (2-0)
Note - Well...at least Crookston has a win, right? Don't let it fool you. Most other teams in the NSIC can beat Mayville State by 70+. The Golden Eagles proved this week that they are probably the worst team in the NSIC. Yeah, I know...Wayne State is a dramatically improved team...but you still don't lose to them by 62 points. It won't get any easier for Crookston. I'm sure they are glad to be home next week but they won't be happy seeing that their opponent is MSU-Mankato. Granted, with the way the Mavericks are playing, I wouldn't be hard pressed to see if the Golden Eagles keep that within a three-score game.