By Grant Ashworth, CAC Network
Week 11 delivered shootouts, defensive heroics and a double-overtime thriller, but its greatest impact might be felt in December.
No. 21 Keweenaw Tech and No. 19 York Tech continued strengthening their résumés. High Plains remained perfect in conference play. Elsewhere, five CAC programs entered the final stretch sitting exactly one victory short of bowl eligibility.
With six wins required to receive a bowl invitation, Week 12 has effectively become elimination football across much of the conference.
Lake Charles State built an early advantage and survived a late Blue Ridge State rally to secure a critical sixth victory, 31–28.
The Trawlers led 14–3 after the first quarter and 21–6 at halftime. They added 10 points during a frantic third quarter, carrying a 31–21 advantage into the fourth. Blue Ridge scored the only seven points of the final period but could not complete the comeback.
Lake Charles narrowly outgained Blue Ridge 422–408 despite committing three turnovers to the Wayfinders’ two.
Mike Walter produced four touchdowns and 332 passing yards for the Trawlers, although Blue Ridge intercepted him three times. His biggest completion was a 76-yard bubble-screen touchdown that swung the momentum firmly toward Lake Charles.
Nathan O’Grady caught six passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns, while Alex Everett added 112 receiving yards and two scores.
Terry Fowler completed 32 of 48 passes for 228 yards and one touchdown, but his two interceptions included a costly turnover while Blue Ridge was driving to cut into the lead. Fowler also led the Wayfinders with 84 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Sam Osgood caught eight passes for 74 yards and a touchdown.
The game’s most remarkable performance came from Blue Ridge defensive back Dom Wayne. Wayne recorded six tackles, one tackle for loss and three interceptions, earning Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors despite the loss.
Stephen Macklin led the Lake Charles defense with 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and an interception. Levi Stewart added two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Lake Charles State improved to 6–5 and became bowl eligible. Blue Ridge fell to 5–5 and must find one more win.
Carolina State overcame three turnovers and a halftime deficit to defeat Daytona Beach Tech 30–27 in double overtime.
The Shiners led 3–0 after the opening quarter before Daytona Beach took a 10–3 advantage into halftime. The teams traded scores after the break, and the Daredevils struck late to force overtime.
Carolina State ultimately survived behind two overtime field goals, including the kick that ended the game in the second extra period.
The Shiners outgained Daytona Beach 511–365 but committed all three turnovers in the game.
Brian Best completed 32 of 48 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns, though he also threw three interceptions. Colin Farwell provided balance with 104 rushing yards on 23 carries.
Matt Holiday caught 14 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Sam Mixon added 10 receptions for 107 yards and another score.
Joey Kessman led the Carolina defense with 10 tackles and one tackle for loss. Joey Gooden recorded two tackles for loss and a sack.
Justice Nesbitt threw for 201 yards and one touchdown for Daytona Beach, completing 16 of 34 attempts. Seth Littlejohn rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns.
David Thompson did everything he could to keep the Daredevils alive, finishing with 14 tackles and an interception. Joel Spears added 12 tackles.
Carolina State is now 5–5 and needs one more victory to become bowl eligible. Daytona Beach fell to 4–7, leaving no margin for error.
No. 21 Keweenaw Tech scored 21 unanswered points before halftime and never allowed Coastal Carolina back into the game, cruising to a 45–7 victory.
The Owls amassed 509 yards while holding Coastal Carolina to 261.
Vince Parker completed 26 of 43 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns. He threw two interceptions, but the mistakes did little to slow an offense that controlled the game throughout.
Emmett LeCount rushed 12 times for 105 yards. Eric Abraham added 100 yards and a touchdown on only five carries, highlighted by a 50-yard scoring run.
J.T. Silvestro caught two touchdown passes before suffering an injury during the game. His status moving forward is not yet known.
Mike Reese led the Owls defensively with eight tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Anthony Pryor recorded four tackles and an interception.
Keweenaw has moved into the national rankings and continues building one of the CAC’s strongest postseason résumés.
High Plains remained perfect in conference play with a decisive 45–20 victory over Acadia State.
The Storm led 17–7 at halftime before scoring 14 points in both the third and fourth quarters. High Plains finished with 546 yards, compared with 390 for Acadia.
Howie Mundy threw for 351 yards and three touchdowns on 25-of-38 passing. He was intercepted once but also contributed 32 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Brendan Durant caught nine passes for 112 yards and all three of Mundy’s touchdown passes. Barry Bauer matched Durant’s reception and yardage totals, finishing with nine catches for 112 yards.
Defensive tackle Sam Moffatt controlled the interior for High Plains, recording three tackles for loss and two sacks.
John McCourt passed for 349 yards and one touchdown for Acadia, completing 24 of 41 attempts. Gage Leehan caught six passes for 105 yards and the Mainiacs’ lone passing touchdown.
Austin Childress led Acadia with nine tackles. James Dillinger contributed five tackles and an interception, while Braden Hepburn recorded two sacks.
High Plains remains the team everyone else is chasing in the conference race.
No. 19 York Tech survived one of the wildest games of the CAC season, holding off Lake Superior State 55–50.
The Oystermen led 21–14 after the first quarter and 35–27 at halftime. Lake Superior scored 23 points in the fourth quarter and mounted a furious comeback, but the Berserkers could not erase the entire deficit.
Lake Superior gained 622 yards to York’s 479, but two interceptions disrupted an otherwise extraordinary offensive performance.
Peyton Silvestro completed 35 of 53 passes for 474 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for 39 yards and another score, accounting for six touchdowns in the loss.
Gabe Huey delivered one of the best receiving performances of the CAC season with eight catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Ethan Van Ginkle caught eight passes for 89 yards and three touchdowns.
Nick Ricci accumulated 17 tackles for the Lake Superior defense.
York quarterback Spencer Clemente completed 25 of 32 attempts for 263 yards and two touchdowns. He added 54 rushing yards and another score.
Devin Hicks carried 26 times for 65 yards and two touchdowns. Alex Overhauser supplied an explosive change of pace, gaining 86 yards and scoring once on seven carries.
Charlie Cherry caught eight passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
Tommy Sampson made the defining defensive contributions for York. The SAM linebacker finished with nine tackles, one tackle for loss, an interception and two pass breakups.
York did not stop Lake Superior often, but Sampson and the Oystermen defense created just enough disruption to escape.
Coronado State raced to a 31–0 halftime lead and cruised past Sam Houston 38–14.
The Admirals were narrowly outgained 389–386, but they forced three turnovers while committing only one.
Alex McQuiston completed 16 of 24 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 54 yards and another score.
James McMichael carried 17 times for 126 yards and two touchdowns, while Scott Glennon produced another 100-yard receiving performance.
Cornerback Caleb Ksieżarczyk was the star of the Coronado defense. The No. 1 recorded nine tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble, personally accounting for all three Sam Houston turnovers.
Huey caught eight passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns in Lake Superior’s 55–50 loss to No. 19 York Tech.
Wayne intercepted three passes while adding six tackles and one tackle for loss against Lake Charles State. He also received Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Carolina State continues to lead the CAC recruiting race with 23 total commitments, including 13 three-star prospects.
Keweenaw Tech has assembled the conference’s deepest class by volume behind eight three-star recruits and 15 two-star recruits.
Lake Superior State added two more two-star commitments, while Territorial State secured two four-star prospects.
Acadia State added its second four-star commitment in quarterback Coxie, a 6-foot-1, 208-pound prospect.
Blue Ridge State owns the conference’s second-lowest-rated class after signing only five three-star recruits. Daytona Beach Tech, meanwhile, continues to build around its lone four-star commitment.
Six victories are required to receive a bowl invitation, which makes the next two weeks critical across the CAC.
| Team | Record | Bowl situation |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles State | 6–5 | Bowl eligible |
| Blue Ridge State | 5–5 | Needs one win |
| Philadelphia Tech | 5–5 | Needs one win |
| Carolina State | 5–5 | Needs one win |
| Lake Superior State | 4–6 | Must win out |
| Daytona Beach Tech | 4–7 | Must win out |
Lake Charles earned its sixth victory by beating Blue Ridge. Five more CAC programs remain on the wrong side of the eligibility line.
For Blue Ridge, Philadelphia Tech and Carolina State, one win will be enough. Lake Superior and Daytona Beach have no such cushion. Both must win their remaining games to reach six victories.
Lake Superior’s offense just generated 622 yards and 50 points against the No. 19 team in the country. Now the Berserkers must defeat an unbeaten conference opponent to keep their bowl hopes alive.
High Plains has been the CAC’s most consistent team and enters after scoring 45 points against Acadia. Howie Mundy and Peyton Silvestro give this matchup the potential to become another shootout.
Grant’s Guess: High Plains survives a serious challenge and keeps its perfect conference record intact.
Keweenaw arrives with a national ranking and a dominant defense. Daytona Beach enters knowing another loss ends its pursuit of six victories.
The status of J.T. Silvestro will be worth monitoring, but the Owls demonstrated against Coastal Carolina that their offense has multiple ways to create explosive plays.
Grant’s Guess: Keweenaw’s pass rush and offensive depth are too much for the Daredevils.
Carolina State is one victory away from bowl eligibility after surviving Daytona Beach in double overtime.
The Shiners moved the ball for 511 yards in Week 11, but Brian Best’s three interceptions nearly cost them the game. Protecting the football could be the difference between clinching a bowl opportunity and carrying the pressure into the final week.
Grant’s Guess: Carolina State secures its sixth victory at home.
The Iron Horses enter Week 12 at 5–5 and must win one of their final two games. Their first opportunity comes on the road against Marshall.
Grant’s Guess: Philadelphia Tech faces a difficult road test, but the urgency of the bowl race keeps this close into the fourth quarter.
The Trawlers have already reached the six-win threshold, but a road victory over Appalachian State would significantly strengthen their postseason profile.
Mike Walter is coming off a four-touchdown performance, although his three interceptions against Blue Ridge provide a clear warning.
Grant’s Guess: Lake Charles keeps it close, but turnovers will decide this one.
The Wayfinders came within three points of bowl eligibility in Week 11. Now they must regroup for a difficult road trip.
Terry Fowler continues to carry the offense with both his arm and his legs, while Dom Wayne’s emergence gives Blue Ridge a potentially game-changing presence in the secondary.
Grant’s Guess: Blue Ridge has a chance if it avoids the early deficit that doomed it against Lake Charles.
York’s reward for surviving a 55–50 shootout is a matchup with an opponent capable of controlling possession and shortening the game.
The Oystermen cannot count on another opponent handing them two momentum-changing turnovers. Their own ability to stay disciplined against Navy’s ground attack will determine whether they remain in the national rankings.
Grant’s Guess: York’s offensive versatility produces enough points to escape with another win.