GOTW big game preview

Honestly, I know it was only week 1 of 2011/12, but this sounds like this matchup last year could well have been the game of the season! 

Generally when you get a Uni Ball game with 100 points scored It’s ‘cos one of the big guns just lit up a conference whipping boy 100 to zip or similar. So a match up THIS high scoring, and decided on a knife edge? 

That’s some awesome football. 

In some ways, I’m actually a little disappointed that this wasn’t a week one match up again this year, as having seen these two squads perform thus far this season it’s difficult to conscientiously predict this games going to be as nail-bitingly exciting as it was 13 months ago. 

The Stags seem to have finally begun to return to championship contending form. They performed admirably in the postseason last year, pushing the Lions hard in the first half of their match up, and so far this season they’ve racked up impressive numbers on offence, while picking up their first shutout of the season for their defence last week. It took the Stags until week 9 before they were able to get their first shutout last season, so it bodes well for them that their D is beginning to click so soon. 


Meanwhile, BNU got off to a slow start to 2012 with a loss to the (admittedly rather impressive) rookie Kinston Cougars. However, they’re gaining momentum and beginning to look a bit more like the offensive powerhouse they were at points last season: finishing just shy of a 50-burger against the RHUL Bears, and then putting three scores past a Panthers team that only conceded four scores in the entirety of 2011/12! 

As such, I’m not denying this game has the potential to be a shootout, but I just get the impression the Stags have found their form quickly this year, even if they’re only two not-particularly-challenging matchups into their season so far. Win here, and the Stags will show they’ve in all likelihood matured beyond competition from within their conference, and should be looking towards maintaining their conference crown with another perfect season. Lose? And the TVC could get MESSY. 


Stags 38 – 28 BNU Buccaneers


Willy Tee Predicts

A repeat of one of the highest scoring, non-blow out games from last year, with a 52-48 scoreline last time around, this promises to be an interesting encounter.

Stags have started off methodically seeing off the upcoming Burners in their first game, and then sweeping aside the Reading Knights. BNU have had a tougher start, losing to new boys Kingston, then a win over the unimpressive Bears, and this week a thriller which saw a failed 2pt attempt by OBU lead the Bucs to victory.

The Stags are on course for the conference championship again this year with Solent and perhaps Portsmouth looking like the other teams in the division, and Kingston and Brunel the underdogs with something to prove.
Stags 40 – 6 BNU