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It's a jumbled race to the finish for the Great West Conference football title
 
It's a jumbled race to the finish for the Great West Conference football title
  
 
Great West Conference Football - Week 10

It's a Jumbled Mess as Teams Fight for Great West Football Championship

Nov. 4, 2009

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - With three weeks remaining in regular season for four of the five teams - North Dakota plays on Nov. 28 - every teams has a chance for at least a tie for the 2009 Great West title. There is still a mathematical possibility that even 0-2 South Dakota could win its final two conference games and tie for the crown.

Four of the five teams hold destiny in their hands - North Dakota and Southern Utah have a leg up with two wins and just one loss with one game remaining, while UC Davis and Cal Poly have just one loss along with a single win with two games left. Southern Utah can share at the very minimum a share of the Great West title with a win Saturday over South Dakota. The Thunderbirds take a modest two-game winning streak into the game, and though South Dakota enters the contest after three consecutive hard-luck losses, the game should be tight. The Coyotes went into Cedar City last year and blasted the Thunderbirds 42-20, and this year's game is in the DakotaDome.

"The DakotaDome is a difficult place to play in," said North Dakota coach Chris Mussman, who has faced both teams this season. "It should be a very competitive game. Southern Utah is playing very well, but the Coyotes play so well in that building. I can't pick a winner."

Picked to finish fourth in the pre-season Great West poll, Southern Utah has come a long way, winning just two Great West games in the previous four seasons. The T-Birds will try to avenge last year's lopsided loss to the Coyotes while also trying to finish the season with a better than .500 record for the first time since the 6-5 2004 season.

"I think we are all aware of what is at stake this week," said SUU head coach Ed Lamb. "I am happy for the players who have worked so hard to get to this point of possibly winning a Great West championship. South Dakota beat us up pretty good last year and I think we all remember that."

South Dakota will also be playing its final home game and will say farewell to 19 seniors, many of which have weathered the transition from Division II to the FCS level.

"Our seniors have been tremendous through this entire process," said USD coach Ed Meierkort. "They were very successful at the Division II level and they made great strides as individuals and as a team in our first years at the FCS level. They have all been great for our program."

UC Davis and Cal Poly renew their rivalry on Saturday in Davis, Calif., with the winning team still in the running for the league title. Not only that, but the winner will go one game up in the head-to-head series lead, which stands at 16-16-2 overall.

"This is always a big game for us," said UC Davis coach Bob Biggs. "They are an in-state school and we recruit many of the players they recruit."

Depending on who beats who this week, the chase for the 2009 Great West title will be determined next week, as North Dakota travels to UC Davis and Cal Poly plays host to South Dakota.

In a wild scenario, all five Great West teams could end up with a 2-2 record if the following takes place:

Nov. 7 Games If Cal Poly defeats UC Davis If S. Dakota defeats Southern Utah Nov. 14 Games If UC Davis defeats N Dakota If S. Dakota defeats Cal Poly

There will be some serious champion plaques ordered if that happens.

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