Eagles Begin Play In NCAA Division II Tournament Saturday
Nov. 14, 2008
NOTE: Carson-Newman's NCAA Division II playoff game against Valdosta State can be viewed live thanks to a special webcast by the NCAA and CBS College Sports. CLICK HERE TO VIEW
JEFFERSON CITY - The journey to the 2008 NCAA Division II playoffs didn't go exactly how the Carson-Newman Eagles had planned.
Three losses and a couple of close calls left the Eagles sweating it out on Selection Sunday to see if they would avoid being absent from the 24-team bracket for the fourth consecutive season.
Now that they are in the postseason, however, the C-N players aren't happy to just say they made it. Their sights have returned to the national championship aspirations that they entertained before the season started.
"We feel like we are still a better team (than we showed this year)," said first-team All-SAC linebacker Brian Brown. "All three of our losses were close. When we put it all together, we could be unstoppable in the national title hunt."
In order to wear the crown, Carson-Newman must beat the defending national champions right out of the gate. A trip to Valdosta State awaits the Eagles this Saturday. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.
The Blazers won the 2007 NCAA Division II National Championship, compiling a 13-1 record and defeating Northwest Missouri State in the title game.
Carson-Newman and Valdosta State are no strangers when it comes to the gridiron. This will be the sixth time that the two schools have met in the last 13 years, with all but one contest coming in the playoffs.
The Eagles hold a 3-2 advantage in the all-time series. Carson-Newman's last playoff game in 2004 was against the Blazers, who used the services of Florida State transfer Fabian Walker to cruise to a 38-12 victory on their way to an eventual national championship.
This year's group of Carson-Newman players don't remember that game. No current Eagle was a part of the program's last playoff team. Carson-Newman went 10-1 in 2007 and didn't make the postseason, so the players know that to advance with a 9-3 record this year is a blessing.
"We didn't finish this season like we should have," said All-SAC defensive back Mario Russell, referring to the Tusculum loss last week. "We only lost one game last year and didn't make the playoffs, so we realize that we are lucky to have this opportunity."
What the inconsistent Eagles do with it is the big question. At times this season, they have looked like the team that was ranked in the top five in the country to begin the season. Other times, they haven't even "looked like a good high school team," as head coach Ken Sparks pointed out.
Valdosta State was picked to win the Gulf South Conference this season, even though the Blazers lost a number of key players off last year's championship team. They ended up finishing third in the league, with losses to champion Delta State and North Alabama.
Valdosta suffered a 41-23 loss to UNA the last weekend in October. Carson-Newman was also defeated by the Lions this season, 20-13 back on September 4.
Russell is looking at this game as a chance for redemption.
"I'm tired of hearing that the Gulf South teams are the best," he said. "We hope to change that this weekend."
"We can play with the best, as long as we play together as a team."
