Big Early Weekend In DIAA

Now that we have a DIAA Fall Champion in Iowa Central Community College, it's time to find out who will be the spring champion.

The chase is underway and even more so this weekend. Here's a look:

Florida

The Florida season is underway finally and the noteworthy result was Florida Atlantic's defeat of Central Florida. FAU won 12-7, but it's worth noting that Central Florida often loses an early game, and has a habit of winning the return engagement. So Central Florida isn't out of it. 

North Florida beat Florida Gulf Coast, Florida State hammered Florida International, and South Florida put 102 on Florida. So at first glance it seems USF, FSU, UNF, Central, and FAU are the teams that might chase a title.

This weekend, Florida State takes on Florida Gulf Coast, FAU faces Florida, and UCF meets FIU. Those games all seem to have easily-identified favorites—FSU, FAU, UCF. In the other game, we'll find out what's what as 1-0 teams South Florida and North Florida play.

Gold Coast

Two games opened the Gold Coast season last week with Azusa Pacific beating Southern California fairly easily, and Arizona State beating San Diego 43-19. Remember, this is a hybrid conference with Azusa Pacific, Claremont Colleges, San Diego, and Mira Costa College all being NSCRO (small college) teams. They are good, too, and at least two could be good enough to go deep into the playoffs if not win the NSCRO championship.

But there are also DIAA teams in there with Cal State Long Beach coming off a nice non-conference win last week and now having to face a very strong Mira Costa College outfit.

Long Beach State Wins Warmup

San Diego Legion Academy Partners With Mira Costa College; Both Benefit

Meanwhile, Arizona State has to be thinking big after moving down from D1A. Led by three tries from fullback Kyson Jester, and with a pretty impressive attacking backline, ASU now gets to face Claremont Colleges, a very well-prepared team that wants to win an NSCRO title.

Pac West

The Pacific Western starts up this weekend. Stanford has struggled in some early games, but Head Coach Josh Sutcliffe feels optimistic. They have had to reload a little, and might take their time, but don't count them out.

Chico State faces UC Santa Cruz and is the preseason favorite to win the conference. Even so, they lost 14 players to graduation last spring, nine of whom were starters. 

"We’ve had a good lead-up this season," said Head Coach Lucas Bradbury. "The fall friendlies were a bit of a mixed bag, but that’s normal for the club. We’ve just come off a great double days and the boys are hungry for the start of the season."

Triston Haverty comes to CSU from Granite Vay and he has been a nice recruit for the Wildcats. Dixon HS grad Cameron Garlick also comes to the program with experience and an ability to read the game nicely.

The senior leadership of Jack Fondale, Anthony Riley, and Brandon is also key.

But don't count out a new-look Sacramento State which, with a little more energy and some good recruiting of players from good high school programs, won the conference 7s tournament and has really nothing to lose.

Sacramento State Wins Pac Western 7s

Sac State will host Nevada, a team that is always dangerous but sometimes doesn't travel especially well. Fresno Sate and Stanford face off and this is an important game for Fresno State in terms of making an early statement.

Our picks: