They say that football is a game of inches, and I felt like this game turned on a single play. Sioux Falls had the ball with approximately 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. The Coo had fallen behind by 11 on a halfback pass from Brandon Smith to Tyler Walker and the Coo were on the verge of collapse, when Jon Eastman threw a deep ball down the right sideline to Austin Vanhove that was overthrown and went right through the hands of the defensive back covering the play, I’m pretty sure it was Jerel Kyles. If he makes this play Sioux Falls doesn’t score to get the deficit back to single digits, and if Northwestern can come up with a scoring drive, it probably breaks the back of the Coo and becomes the favorite to win the GPAC title. Instead the Coo score 3 plays later, Northwestern turns it over on their next two possessions on a fumble and a blocked punt, the Coo score two touchdowns, and the Coo win there millionth game in a row (Ok, so it was only their 30th).

What we learned from this game is that Sioux Falls is still good, really good! They won a tough game against a very good team and did it with a packed house of screaming Raider fans doing everything they could to disrupt them. However, the Coo is not the same Coo that rolled through back to back unbeaten seasons without much of a challenge. The defense appears to be susceptible to a strong running game and were burned on several deep balls that could have been huge gains or touchdowns that Northwestern quarterback Jayme Rozeboom just missed on.

Offensively, new quarterback Jon Eastman looks very good, with a strong arm and good mobility, but he is not on the level of Lorenzo Brown. Brown was a threat to score, whether with his arms or legs, every time he touched the ball, and Eastman just doesn’t have the game breaking athleticism of Brown. Running back transfer Chevron Walker brings crazy speed and a definite big play threat, but with the line play against Northwestern, Coach Stugart will have to find more creative ways to get him the ball in space against top tier defenses.

Regarding the Red Raiders, they took a definite jump from last year, and will be right in the thick of things at the end of the year. They were one or two plays, and a couple of inopportune turnovers away from pulling this out and should have an excellent season. They have a dynamic running game with Brandon Smith and Taylor Malm and a competent passing game. Unfortunately the schedule makers did Northwestern no favors, as they have to try and bounce back against a Hastings squad on the road, who seems to be picking up right where they left off last year.

Anyway, hear are my power rankings for this week:

1.) Sioux Falls- They will stay here until someone knocks them down. They could have a very tough game at Midland with the Warriors having two weeks to prepare.

2.) Morningside- Did what they were expected to do against weak competition.

3a.) Hastings- Beat down a Briar Cliff team who many thought could make the jump to the top half of the conference this season.

3b.) Northwestern- Strong team! Can’t penalize them to much for losing to the Coo.

4.) Midland Lutheran- Had the week off, can they use the extra week to give Sioux Falls a scare?

5.) Dakota Wesleyan- Did what they were supposed to against a weak Dordt squad.

6.) Concordia- Undefeated, and apparently with a VERY good defense! Blanked Nebraska Wesleyan.

7.) Briar Cliff- Bad loss vs. Hastings, but could surprise some people this year.

8.) Nebraska Wesleyan- Looked bad vs. Concordia, and it won’t get any easier against Morningside next weekend.

9.) Doane- A chance to get their first win this week against Dordt.

10.) Dordt- Not there yet.