Column by Sam Tapper — Sports Writer
As long as it seemingly took to arrive, the college football season is nearing its final stretch.
As we start to look ahead at potential bowl games and playoff berths, let’s look at how some of the other Connecticut state college football teams are looking at this point.
We will start in New Britain with the Blue Devils of Central Connecticut State University, which for the past few years, has been the top college football program in the state. The Blue Devils are currently 7-1 and ranked number 23 nationally in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), moving up from 25 the previous week. Prior to this season, the Blue Devils had not been in the top 25 since October of 2006, where they were ranked 19th in the country, the highest they have ever been ranked.
Rankings aside, the Blue Devils have won four games in a row and are 3-0 in conference play and on their home turf, Arute Field. Head coach Peter Rossomando’s squad is led this year by senior quarterback, Aaron Winchester, who has posted 1700 passing yards and over 600 rushing yards through eight games. With the way they have played so far, the Blue Devils will certainly be playing postseason ball in some capacity.
Moving down to Danbury and to the Division III level, the Western Connecticut State University Colonials have seen similar success this year. The Colonials are 6-1, coming off their first loss of the season to perennial powerhouse Framingham State. With three games remaining against UMass Dartmouth, Fitchburg State and Plymouth State, they remain atop the Massachusetts Sate Collegiate Athletic Conference standings and look to win the conference for the first time ever.
We will wrap it up with the hometown Southern Owls, whose season has been filled with ups and downs. Though the new players on offense provide much reason for optimism looking forward, the Owls suffered another heartbreaking loss for the second straight week — this time in a 25-24 loss at Saint Anselm.
Though freshman slinger Jackson Ostrowsky again threw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns, the Owls fell to 2-6 and 2-4 in the NE10, ultimately closing the door on hopes of a .500 season. With two more games left, the Owls can only hope to win out and match last season’s 4-6 record.
