Appalachian State won the first of its unprecedented three consecutive national championships in 2005 -- which was the same season Elon finished 0-7, last place in the Southern Conference.

Four years later ASU is battling for another SoCon title. Some things don't change.

In the Mountaineers' way? The Elon Phoenix. Some things do change.

"We came from the bottom. [Head] coach [Pete] Lembo came and now we're near the top," said sophomore linebacker Joshua Jones. "Now we just need to get over the hump and win this game."

Jones is the leading tackler of a defense yielding a Championship Subdivision best 12 points per game.

Wide receiver Terrell Hudgins was a freshman the season after Elon's last placed finish, and in helping the Phoenix become a SoCon contender has shattered countless individual records.

According to him though, no accomplishment could stack up to a conference title.

"The records and those things are great, but it's more about winning. Getting the conference championship...that would be a great way to close the book," he said, adding: "It would be the biggest win in the history of Elon."

Given how these programs reached this point, Hudgins' assessment doesn't seem at all hyperbolic.

ASU has won at least a share of each of the last four SoCon titles, building a dynasty while Elon just built.

A catalyst for some of that recent Appalachian State will be on the field Saturday, and is someone Jones called "one of the best players in all of college football."

That player is do-everything quarterback Armanti Edwards, winner of the 2008 Walter Payton Award.

"It's always a challenge facing a dual threat quarterback, especially one as high caliber as he is," Jones said. "Sometimes you've just got to pick your poison."

Edwards' ability to effectively pass and rush the ball has helped ASU in scoring five-plus touchdowns in each of its last five games. Conversely, the Mountaineer defense has contained conference opponents, allowing more than 21 points just three times.

"They're one of the best teams we'll play all season, but we're not scared," Hudgins said. "We have guys in our locker room just as good as some of their guys.

"We're not going to back down," he said.

Another conference championship is on the line Saturday when Lafayette faces Holy Cross for the Patriot League crown. The two squads salvaged perfect marks last week to set up the showdown.

In its win, UL posted 56 points -- 42 of which quarterback Rob Curley accounted for with seven touchdown passes.

"Winning the conference championship is one of the goals, year in and year out," Curley said.

Curley and HC quarterback Dominic Randolph have been the Patriot League's most prolific passers. Curley acknowledged Randolph's standout play for the 8-1 Crusaders.

"You go into every game trying to outduel the other team, but especially against Randolph we know we're going to have to bring everything we've got," he said.

And according to Curley, UL is looking prepared to bring just that.

"This week's practice has been the most intense in the entire time I've been [at Lafayette]," Curley said.

The Leopards and Crusaders' championship showdown is broadcast live online via Lafayette All-Access.

Other big match-ups in the season's penultimate weekend include:

• McNeese State at Texas State

• Northern Arizona at Weber State

• Tennessee Tech at Jacksonville State

• New Hampshire at William & Mary

"The middle of the field was open. I saw that, so I had to get off the first defender who was covering me and get to the middle."

This is Villanova wide receiver Brandyn Harvey describing the game winning play for his Wildcats Saturday against top ranked Richmond.

"I had a post route. I had to make a move at the line because one of the [defensive backs] was pressing me," he said. "I went up to catch the ball, but there was another safety going for the interception.

"But he didn't - so everything worked out."

And how.

The Wildcats' 21-20 victory ended a 393-day, 17-game unbeaten streak for Richmond and forced a tie atop the Colonial Athletic Association South Division. Villanova, Richmond and William & Mary all have one loss with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

 The Spiders and Wildcats were locked in a back-and-forth struggle wherein host UR led 20-14. Richmond had failed to convert the point-after on its previous touchdown, and a kickoff gaffe gave visiting Villanova the ball at its own 41-yard line.

"We were confident we were going to score," Harvey said. "It was two minutes left, but we only had to go 60 yards."

That game-winning grab couldn't have come without proper delivery, which is what quarterback Chris Whitney provided.

"I saw that they were bringing everybody and basically playing Cover-0 behind [the line]. They were blitzing everybody like they had the past three downs, and they were having success with that."

The Wildcats moved into Spider territory, but Richmond's defense buckled down to force a must-convert fourth down.

With the Spiders bringing the house, Whitney saw a cutting Harvey in the end zone and struck.

"I knew if I put it up, [Harvey] would come down with it," Whitney said.

Harvey used his 6-foot-4 frame to come down with the ball, his sixth reception on the afternoon.

"In the second half...they were switching up what they were doing, blitzing a lot and playing some man [defense]," Whitney said. "[Harvey] was just beating the corner[back]."

Villanova now holds tiebreakers over both UR and William & Mary. The Wildcats defeated the Tribe Oct. 3, 28-17.

Appalachian State and Elon each handled their respective duties to set up a Southern Conference championship game Nov. 14.

Each extended its league mark to 6-0 this past weekend. Chattanooga has had its most successful season of recent years, but couldn't stop an ASU offense now clicking on all cylinders. The Mountaineers poured on 35 points, marking their fifth straight game with five or more touchdowns.

Meanwhile Elon's signature defense flexed its muscles against Western Carolina, and the offense added on with 42 points as the Phoenix remained perfect.

The Patriot League set the stage for a championship showdown when conference undefeateds Holy Cross and Lafayette won.

Lafayette quarterback Rob Curley had a video game sort of day: seven touchdowns off 373 yards passing.

That's no typo - the Leopard quarterback's half-dozen-plus-one scoring strikes smashed the program record.

HC marched 81 yards in the final stanza to top Lehigh in a 24-20 final. Quarterback Dominic Randolph completed the drive on a four-yard scoring strike to Freddie Santana with just over a minute remaining.

Butler kept Dayton at arm's distance in its Pioneer League win, which sets up a Bulldog showdown for the title. Butler jumped ahead 13-0 and never trailed despite a furious Flyer rally that included a Steve Valentino touchdown pass and two point conversion in the game's final minute-and-a-half.

If Drake and Butler win Saturday against Dayton and Jacksonville respectively, the two will be perfect in the Pioneer League come Nov. 21 when they square off.

Saturday's Stars

Shawn Leonard, Rhode Island
Though his Rhode Island Rams fell short against New Hampshire, Shawn Leonard had an amazing Saturday. He hauled in 275 yards' worth of receptions including four touchdowns in the 55-42 scoreboard-igniting contest.

Toddrick Pendland, McNeese State
 Cowboy tailback Toddrick Pendland made good use of his rushes in a 63-42 MSU romp of Sam Houston State - 20 percent of them were for scores.

Pendland finished with four touchdowns and 171 yards rushing on 20 carries as MSU kept pace with Texas State and Stephen F. Austin atop the Southland Conference.

Duane Brooks, Stephen F. Austin
 Duane Brooks snared the game-winning score to secure a Lumberjack come-from-behind victory over Nicholls State. The touchdown was quarterback Jeremy Moses' third of the day, and the connection with Brooks keeps SFA in contention for the Southland title.

Andrew Cialino, Holy Cross
 Linebacker Andrew Cialino had 15 tackles in the Crusaders' road defeat of Lehigh. His performance helped the Crusader defense as it held Lehigh to just a field goal in the final quarter, setting up the offense's game-winning drive.

Five conference championships could be decided in crucial tilts tomorrow, rendering this Judgment Saturday.

No. 1 Richmond puts its unblemished record and 17-game win streak on the line against No. 4 Villanova in the Colonial Athletic Association.

"Our goal is to make them a one dimensional, passing offense," said UR defensive end Martin Parker. Parker has four sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss to help anchor a Spider defense ranked 11th nationally in points yielded (15.4).

Parker and his teammates will have a full plate as they try to a stop one of the nation's premiere rushing games.

Villanova's found success with a balanced attack, showing opposing defenses shotgun spread option and Wildcat sets. Tailback Aaron Ball, wide receiver Matt Szczur, and quarterback Chris Whitney combine for over 170 of the Wildcats' 223 rushing yards a game.

And according to Parker, those Villanova rushers have plenty of opportunities thanks to the team's work in the trenches.

Villanova QB Chris Whitney

"That's a very veteran offensive line -- very big, very well coached. That's the No. 1 key to their rushing game. If our defensive line can stop their offensive line, that's going to be a big key to us stopping their rushing game."

UR has a match in the Villanova defense, which has held opponents below 17 points per game. Included on the Wildcats' defensive resume is holding Temple freshman sensation Bernard Pierce to 44 yards, his second lowest output and stifling fifth ranked William & Mary to 17 points.

This pairing of Top 5 foes is the culmination of Richmond's Homecoming Week.

Follow it online via Gametracker, and streaming live through Richmond All-Access .

Defenses take center stage in the Missouri Valley when Southern Illinois travels to South Dakota State. The Salukis and Jackrabbits both boast perfect MVFC records, and top 10 ranked defenses.

And for SDSU, a program that joined Division I ranks in 2004, it's a showdown that linebacker Derek Domino called "the biggest in program history.

"This could put us on the map. Hopefully we can show we're here, and we're here to stay."

Southern Illinois ILB Brandin Jordan

"Stop the run, put pressure on the quarterback, cause some turnovers, try to force them to make mistakes," SIU senior linebacker Brandin Jordan said of the Salukis' gameplan vs. SDSU.

Through eight games the Salukis have hit those goals. SIU opponents are averaging just 14.1 points per game and forced into 19 turnovers. Jordan has done his share with 47 tackles and three sacks.

But if there's any defense that has equaled SIU, it's the Jackrabbits'. In fact, SDSU is tied with Elon for the stingiest scoring defense in the Championship Subdivision.

"We always go in with the mindset, 'they can't score, they can't win,'" said Domino.

Chief among the Jackrabbits' challenges against a potent SIU squad: stopping tailback Deji Karim, the MVFC leading rusher with 139 yards per game.

"[Karim]'s a great running back. He's having an All-America type season," Domino said. "When he gets out on the edge, there's no one in the country that can catch him.

"Hopefully we can just contain him -- not let him get out on the edge, keep him in the box with limited space to move," he said.

Follow the action via SDSU Live Stats.

Dayton quarterback Steve Valentino said tomorrow's Flyer match-up with Butler is "one of the games, if not the game, that's going to decide the [Pioneer] League championship."

UD claimed the 2008 crown, and is gunning for a second. But the visiting Bulldogs are unbeaten on the campaign and tomorrow are seeking a measure of retribution.

"It's an unbelievable chance to play a championship game in November," said Butler quarterback Andrew Huck.

The Bulldogs had a similar opportunity a season ago, but dropped a late season road contest to this same Dayton bunch.

In that vein, Huck said Butler has "focused on finishing all week in practice."

"Butler's always a tough game, and last year I'm sure they think they should have won it," Valentino said.

The 2008 game featured a Butler rally from a two-touchdown deficit. That gap was bridged with less than a minute remaining in regulation, forcing an overtime wherein Dayton persevered.

This time around the teams have new starters under center, but the implications remain the same. And as for Huck and Valentino, the two have registered almost identical numbers: 256.5 yards per game of total offense and 21 touchdowns for Huck; 255.6 total yards and 16 touchdowns for Valentino.

Similarly, the Bulldogs and Flyers boast lofty point differentials of plus-15.3 and plus-12.2 respectively.

According to Huck, that total could be higher for the undefeated Bulldogs.

Dayton QB Steve Valentino

"We've been able to get down in the red zone, but we haven't been able to get the points equivalent to the yards we're making," he said.

The ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities is vital for Butler against a UD defense giving up just 12 points per game.

"Our defense has carried us all year. We have one of the best defenses in the entire league," Valentino said.

Dayton has the game covered via Gametracker and All Access

The Keystone State is home to two key match-ups in the Patriot League. A week after pulling ahead of Colgate, Holy Cross travels to Lehigh with a chance to stay atop the conference. But fellow pace setter Lafayette takes on an 8-1 Colgate squad that just suffered its first loss.

HC quarterback Dominic Randolph has been among the nation's most prolific passers, but in Lehigh faces a passing defense that has ranked fifth in FCS. The cross-state contest features a similar angle, with Colgate's offense scoring just shy of 30 points per game but Lafayette yielding only 15.9 points.

Last but certainly not least in the Judgment Saturday lineup is a Northeast Conference bout featuring Central Connecticut State and Wagner, the league's two unbeaten leaders. CCSU has made a habit of winning nailbiters. Five of the Blue Devils' seven victories are by single digits, and the two most recent were by a field goal -- combined.

Wagner has won in similar heartstopping fashion, tallying three of its five conference wins by fewer than 10 points.

The formula could make for another classic as the two pursue an NEC title.