A share of the Colonial Athletic Association championship is on the line Saturday when Richmond hosts William & Mary for the 119th installment of their rivalry -- and first installment of the Capital Cup.

This year's duel marks the first wherein the winner will receive the new trophy, a replacement of the former I-64 Trophy.

"A lot's riding on this," said Richmond cornerback Eric McBride. "This is a good way to measure our team. We're playing this like it's our first playoff game."

The winner claims not just a share of the CAA crown, but makes a statement to the selection committee on the eve of the playoff bracket release.

Sunday, the NCAA announces the field of 16 teams that will vie for an appearance in Chattanooga, Tenn. and the national championship game.

Villanova already has an inside track from the CAA. The Wildcats control their own destiny, boasting wins over both Richmond and W & M. If it defeats 25th ranked Delaware, Villanova will share the conference championship with the Capital Cup winner.

So with a select few at-large berths to be had, and three CAA teams in the top 10, does the loser of the Capital Cup get that call Sunday with two conference mates already potentially locked in?

"I would think so," said William & Mary quarterback RJ Archer. "Coming out of the CAA with a 9-2 record would be enough to get you into the playoffs.

"I think the CAA is the toughest [Championship Subdivision] conference. I feel like any of the 12 schools can beat each other on a given day," he said.

That is a benefit, said Archer.

"It's fun. You want to play the best teams in the country when you can."

There's no hyperbole when calling the cream of the CAA crop "best in the country." Richmond is the defending national champion and spent the season's first 10 weeks ranked No. 1. Three of the conference's squads -- UR, Villanova, and W & M -- have hovered in or around the top 5 throughout the campaign.

"This is a quality opponent that could very well end up deep in the playoffs," said UR quarterback Eric Ward. "[William & Mary] will get us prepared for what we're going to face the next few weeks."

The Tribe are indeed a team that stack up favorably with the likely playoff field. W & M boasts a defense that ranks fourth nationally in yards allowed, and an offense that averages 28 points per game.

McBride had high praise for the Tribe offense, particularly its multifaceted ground attack.

"They've got two great runners: a power guy and a speed guy [Terrence Riggins and Jonathan Grimes]. The quarterback likes to boot out. He's real athletic," McBride said.

Archer's 20 rushing yards per game make him the fourth player to average at least that figure on the ground. Grimes leads the squad at 92.2, Riggins averages 24.6, and Courtland Marriner is posting 40.9.

Conversely, the Spider defense is yielding just 70.7 rushing yards per game. Mustering yards and scoring opportunities against UR is a challenge, said Archer.

"Everybody does their jobs. There's really not any missed assignments, so it's going to be our job to exploit little things," he said.

Ward had a similar assessment of the Tribe's defense.

"They'll bring a lot of looks at you. Up front, all four of those guys [are experienced], and they have one of the best defensive ends with Adrian Tracy," he said.

Tracy has found his way into opposing backfields for 10 sacks on the campaign. He is one of 14 seniors looking to reach two milestones this week that no W & M team has since 2004. The first, reach the playoffs.

The second?

"We haven't beat Richmond since [the senior class has] been here. One of our goals was to beat [James Madison], and we did that. Richmond was the team we've never beat, so in that way it's a big game for us," Archer said. "There's added excitement: big rivalry game, two teams that are 9-1 You could say there's a little more incentive."

Watch the Spiders and Tribe tangle on Richmond All-Access or follow via Gametracker.

AROUND THE NATION

Central Connecticut State rallied for 20 fourth quarter points last week to top Monmouth and put itself in position to win the Northeast Conference. The Blue Devils can seal the championship and an automatic playoff bid went it travels to St. Francis.

Wagner can still stake a claim to the NEC title. It hosts Albany in a matchup of two of the top three NEC squads.

Northern Iowa dropped back-to-back close calls to South Dakota State and Southern Illinois, two of the nation's top 10 teams. The Panthers have themselves been near the top of the rankings all season though, and could snag an at-large bid. A win Saturday over Illinois State would be a step in that direction.

Eastern Illinois' loss last night to Tennessee State opens the door for Eastern Kentucky to slip into playoff contention -- or for Jacksonville State to claim the Ohio Valley championship.

JSU is not eligible for postseason play, but at 5-1 would have the league's best record should it defeat the visiting Colonels.

Montana locked up its 13th Big Sky championship in the last 16 seasons, and the only thing standing between it and a perfect regular season is rival Montana State. The two tussle in Missoula Saturday.

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.