By Corey Stewart
SouthernPigskin.com

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Itxe2x80x99s Week 5 and contenders for the Southern Conference crown are starting to emerge.

nItxe2x80x99s Week 5 and contenders for the Southern Conference crown are starting to emerge. But at this point in the season, each week is its own minefield. Like trying to cross a 4 lane highway and avoid getting hit. Like playing a game of, well, Frogger!

n1)xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0 Chattanooga (Jerry Seinfeld) xe2x80x93 Couldnxe2x80x99t have picked a better week to take off if you were the Mocs. Hopefully fans were able to skip out on the rain, maybe take a serious trip with their significant other to Pennsylvania Dutch Country? If you did, I hope it was restful (and that you left the dreadful hat behind), because the marquee game of the week is in Chattanooga this weekend with a 1:00 kickoff against visiting 3-2 Furman.
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n2)xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0 Furman (Elaine) xe2x80x93 Gutty win by the Paladins in what closely resembled hurricane conditions Saturday night in Paladin Stadium. How about a little celebratory slice of cake? I hear Entenmann’s has a lovely display case at the end of the aisle. It was all Defense all the time in the 17-3 win over South Carolina State, aided by SoCon interception leader Trey Robinsons 2 picks in the game. While the defense is in post season form, the offense continues to be an enigma for Furman; at one point in the game combining for a total of 32 yards across the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Luckily the Paladins found a spark in freshman RB Triston Luke who had 75 yards and 2 TDxe2x80x99s, his last of the day to seal the win with a little over 5 minutes left to play. At 3-2, the Paladins need to find an identity on offense fast as they face Chattanoogaxe2x80x99s #23 nationally ranked Defense this Saturday at 1:00. Until then, more cake? Oh I shouldnxe2x80x99t. I mustnxe2x80x99txe2x80xa6.
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n3)xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0 Samford (Kramer) xe2x80x93 I imagine there was a lot of Police caution tape strung up around the crime scene that is the Samford practice facilities this week. Herexe2x80x99s to hoping the Bulldogs found that potent offense they had to start the season as they make the 8 hour drive up to Lexington, VA to take on VMI this weekend at 1:30.xc2xa0
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n4)xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0 Western Carolina (Lisi) xe2x80x93 No one wants to be with a sentence finisher. Itxe2x80x99s like dating Mad Libs. But on Saturday night in Cullowhee the Catamounts used a combination of RB Detrez Newsome and WR Karnorris Benson to finish off a sporty Presbyterian upset bid 33-21. Starting the 4th quarter the Catamounts trailed 21-20 but held the ball for over 11 minutes in the final period, with Newsome and Benson leading the effort. Newsome was tabbed the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week with his 237 yard 2 TD performance on Saturday, and not far behind was Benson who hauled in 7 catches for 149 yards. As well, freshman kicker Logan Howard was named the SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week after converting 2 FGxe2x80x99s and 3 extra points in the less than hospitable conditions on Saturday. The victory gives the Catamounts some needed momentum as they head into next weekxe2x80x99s matchup hosting the reeling Mercer Bears at 3:30.
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n5)xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0 Wofford (Slippery Pete) xe2x80x93 The name says it all, as Wofford snuck out a tight OT victory on Saturday in Macon 34-33. The Terriers pounded the ball on the ground in this one to win the game, led by Lorenzo Longxe2x80x99s career high 187 yards and Evan Jacks 112 yards. Defensively the Terriers were led by SoCon Defensive Player of the Week Drake Michaelsonxe2x80x99s 11 tackles and fumble recovery to keep the game close. But in the end, it was a botched extra point by the Bears that left the door open in OT for the Terriers to win the game. Is it the year of the Cardiac Kids in Spartanburg? Wexe2x80x99ll find out more this weekend as the Terriers visit Charleston to play The Citadel at 2:00. So keep your defibrillators plugged into an outlet Terrier fans xe2x80x93 you know, the thing with the xe2x80x9cholesxe2x80x9d in it?
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n6)xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0 Mercer (George) xe2x80x93 “Oh, I was unstoppable! Perfect combination of Mountain Dew and mozzarella, with just the right amount of grease on the joystick.” The Bears thought they had finally solved the game of xe2x80x9cFroggerxe2x80x9d they were playing on Saturday night with Wofford after scoring 10 points with 4 minutes to play to fight back from 27-17 deficit and send the game to OT. It would have been an epic come back. One for the record books. But in the end, after scoring on the first play of overtime, Bears kicker Jagger Lieb missed the extra point and left the door open for Wofford to take the victory 34-33. The Bears struggled with stopping the option all game giving up 434 yards to the Wofford offense, but leaned on their QB John Russ and his 277 passing yards to get them back in the game late. Mercer has to pick up the shattered pieces of their lost victory and move on as they visit Cullowhee for a pivotal SoCon matchup with Western Carolina this Saturday at 3:30.
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n7)xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0 Citadel (J. Peterman) xe2x80x93 The Bulldogs got to spend their bye week thinking about what could have been after their fast 2-0 start has them at 2-2 in Week 5 of the season. Kind of like buying a slice of cake from the wedding of King Edward VIII to Wallis Simpson, circa 1937, for $29,000 and having it replaced with a piece of $2.19 supermarket cake. Wexe2x80x99ll see if The Citadel can put some new frosting on this season on Saturday when they host Wofford at 2:00.
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n8)xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0 VMI (The Lopper) xe2x80x93 xe2x80x9cHeadso…uh…The Denogginizer…Son of Dadxe2x80x9dxe2x80xa6lots of names for the letdown on Saturday felt by the Keydets as they lost to visiting Bucknell 28-22 in OT. Fighting through sloppy conditions all day the Keydets and Bison fought to a 22-22 tie to end the game, and after a missed 38 yard VMI field goal, Bucknell sealed the victory to send the Keydets to 1-4 on the season. QB Al Cobb had 251 yards passing for the Keydets in receiving. The road to their second victory of the season doesnxe2x80x99t get any easier this Saturday with a rested Samford team visiting Alumni Memorial Field at 1:30.