GAME PREVIEW: Saint Francis at Central Connecticut State
The title defense for the Blue Devils begins right here.
Central Connecticut welcomes in Saint Francis to Hard Hittin’ New Britain in a rematch of what was also the season opener for the NEC in 2024. (While New Haven at Mercyhurst is considered an NEC matchup, New Haven is not playing a full league schedule and so the game does not count in conference standings). Last year, it was one of the best games of the season: a game that could have gone either way with a fumble return setting the tone for CCSU’s opportunistic defense all season long, and winning them the close game in Loretto. It was a microcosm of Central Connecticut all season long, in one game.
This is Saint Francis’s last ever opener in the NEC with a move to Division III looming. They’ve yet to reach 7 points in a game with their first two contests coming against FBS opponents in Louisiana-Monroe and Buffalo. Meanwhile, Central Connecticut struggled against FBS and in-state rival UConn before dominating another long-time opponent in nearby Massachusetts, beating AIC 34-7. With one FBS opponent and one D2 opponent, it’s difficult to know what to expect out of the Blue Devils. The same could be said for the Red Flash, who have been punching up so far this season.
Looking at keys to the game, we expected a lot out of Saint Francis’s offensive line this season. It’s easily the most talented unit on their roster (Geno Calgaro does not count as a “unit” when we evaluate the linebackers) and an experienced group. The Blue Devils have had to rebuild and reload on the defensive front. It’ll be interesting to see if Saint Francis’s offensive line is able to push the Blue Devils back and get running room for their backs- and time for Nick Whitfield, Jr., to throw. Against FBS competition, it’s hard to evaluate who the Red Flash could be offensively. Against the top tier competition they’ve faced so far, they’ve looked like 2024 all over again.
If the Blue Devils defensive line isn’t up to the task against the Red Flash, they’ll have to rely on their ability to score. Elijah Howard was reportedly on crutches at the end of the UConn game, and he did not participate on Saturday against AIC. He’s the go-to for Central Connecticut, and his absence would be a major blow if he continues to miss time. We don’t speculate on injuries- hopefully he’s feeling well soon if he’s not well already.
The other interesting thing for the Blue Devils is that Donovan Wadley hasn’t really gotten going for them yet offensively. This would be a perfect time for a breakout game from the NEC 2023 Offensive Player of the Year, and the connection between veteran QB Brady Olson and Wadley is definitely one to watch, especially if Wadley has to become the primary weapon for the Blue Devils.
Defensively, we’ve already mentioned Geno Calgaro, and it’s likely that he’ll be a limiting force in the run game regardless of who lines up at tailback for Hard Hittin’. Calgaro has met the expectations placed on him this season by our outlet and others. While it’s been a tough two weeks for the Red Flash, they took a close game into the 4th quarter in Monroe although that success proved difficult to replicate in Buffalo. They’re still on the road when they travel to Connecticut, but the difference in depth an NEC team will see against any FBS team will not be present this Saturday. It seems likely that the Red Flash will be able to keep CCSU from being too explosive offensively.
This one is coming down to if Saint Francis can score. We think the defense will be able to keep it tight, but if they still can’t put points on the board, Central will be able to win in a close game.
