BUAFL Predictions: TVC

Another day, another load of predictions. Later today we have a match report from the Steelbowl and the MAC, Northern and Borders predictions!

Solent Redhawks @ Imperial Immortals

After the Stags, Solent is the in form team in the TVC and are currently on a four game winning streak after starting 0-3. Their victory over BNU at the weekend kept alive the Redhawks playoff hopes and a victory over Imperial, as well as a few results going their way, could see Solent in a top four spot come the end of Sunday.

The Immortals got back to winning ways at the weekend with a hard fought two point victory over the Brunel Burners. Despite beating the Reading Knights earlier in the season, somehow, Imperial are in the number five spot in the TVC rankings…A victory over the Solent will move the Immortals back into the playoff standings with one game to play.

For the winner, a trip to the post season looks on the cards whilst the loser will have to wait until next year.

The Redhawks keep the winning streak alive with a one score victory.  

BNU Buccaneers @ Surrey Stingers

Despite having one of the highest scoring offences in the country, BNU have only managed two victories compared to their four losses. With their latest loss coming at the hands of Solent Redhawks at the weekend. This weekend though, BNU get a chance to take out their frustrations against a team who couldn’t even finish their last game. No doubt the BNU offence will be hoping for a better performance than last year when they only put up 34 points on the Surrey defence.

Surrey haven’t had the best of seasons this year and unfortunately, had to cancel their latest game against the Southampton Stags. IF and that’s a big if, the Stingers are hoping to pull off the upset victory, they’ll need to take advantage of the Bucs injury problems which, as reported in their recent game report, has resulted in BNU struggling with numbers of late.

Despite their injury problems, BNU still run out to a 50+ point victory.

OBU Panthers @ Reading Knights

In a game that features two teams who have gone from sub .500 seasons to championship playoff contenders (insert two tier debate here), this game could very well, decide the number two seed from the TVC.

The Panthers and their number one ranked D in the conference easily handled the lowly Gloucester Gladiators in their last game for their third shutout performance of the season, but the focus will be on the offence this year as they only mustered six points in this fixture last year. A win for the Panthers would all but lock up a playoff spot, but a trip to the post season would be guaranteed with a win and other results going their way.

The somewhat overlooked Reading Knights have quietly snuck up on the top four spots and with a eight point victory over the reigning champs, the Knights are showing that they’re finding form at the right time of the season to spring the upset on any team in BUAFL. With early season losses to the Stags and Immortals, Reading will need to win this game to have any hope of their season continuing into the playoffs.

OBU by two scores.

Southampton Stags @ Portsmouth Destroyers

The big one in the TVC as we see rival Universities Southampton make the short trip to Portsmouth to square off against the reeling Destroyers. In the past six days we’ve seen some classic rival derbies such as Brum-Lugbug and Hallam-Sabres, will this match be able to live up to its billing?

The high flying Stags are 7-0, ranked 4^th in our power rankings are looking at completing an unbeaten regular season to re-claim the TVC crown with a victory at the home of their bitter rivals. Not only is the conference title on the line for Southampton, but after last year’s humiliating 36-7 at their home ground, there’s no doubt that the players remaining from that defeat will be hoping to gain their own sort of revenge.

Times have been tough on the Destroyers of late as they have suffered two upset losses and can now possibly miss out on both playoffs a year after claiming their first national championship. Whilst Portsmouth have lost both games, their defence can’t get any abuse considering they lost 13-6 to Solent and 12-4 to Reading. If the Destroyers want to save their season, the offence will need to come out full of confidence and execute on each play.

This is going to be a well fought, hard hitting battle with both Head Coaches getting their respective teams ready for this game. With both teams being ranked highly at one point in our power rankings, it’s a close one to call, but I need to make a choice!

60% of me (and logic) says a Stags victory, but 40% of me sees the Destroyers restoring their pride and pulling off the upset…Southampton to win by 6.

Brunel Burners @ Essex Blades

In their first game after Christmas, the Burners gave a good account of themselves, only losing when a two point attempt came up a yard short. As pointed out previously, we believe Brunel seem like the team down south with a poor record who can possibly ruin teams’ playoff hopes in the upcoming weeks and will no doubt be hoping to give the Blades their second loss of the season.

Essex got a huge hand from the Cambridge at the weekend, as the Pythons upset the Kent Falcons to give the Blades the inside lane for the number two spot in the SEC. People shouldn't write the Blades off though as they have shown that this season that they are more than capable of winning close games (one point victory over Greenwich and three point win over UEA). If Essex are hoping to play with the big boys in the post season, they’ll need to dispatch teams like Brunel with relative ease.

2012 – Year Of The Upset – Burners bring the heat to win by a score!