The Friday Tailgate 10.20

We're in the second half of the 2006 season and the championship chase could become much clearer after this weekend's trio of games ... or it could become as muddy as 2004. Dickinson (5-1, 3-0 CC) is in the driver's seat as the only unbeaten left in Conference play. The Red Devils play host to Franklin & Marshall (2-4, 1-1) in the annual "Conestoga Wagon Trophy" game in Carlisle. Since 1963, F&M and Dickinson have played for the traditional trophy, donated by athletic directors J. Schober Barr (F&M) and Dave Eavenson Sr. (Dickinson) to symbolize the friendly gridiron rivalry between the two institutions. The trophy is a hand-carved miniature replica of the wagon that was used to transport the players between the two schools when the rivalry began in the late 1800s. It's the 98th meeting between the schools with Dickinson winning six of the last seven games to close the all-time deficit to 59-35-3 ... Ursinus (5-1, 1-1) travels to Gettysburg (3-3, 1-1) in a game that could eliminate the loser and vault the winner into a possible first-place tie for the CC lead. The Bears, looking to rebound from their first loss of the season, have won seven of the last 10 games with the Bullets. The game could be described as "irresistible force" meets "immovable object," as Gettysburg leads the CC in scoring and total offense, while Ursinus tops the CC in scoring and total defense ... you've heard of ESPN's tagline "Separation Saturday," well, it's "Elimination Saturday" as the loser of the Muhlenberg-Johns Hopkins tilt at Homewood Field is out of the championship chase. The two teams have met every season since 1968 with the Mules taking five of the last seven for a 20-17-1 series advantage ... McDaniel closes out its non-Conference schedule against Randolph-Macon at home in Westminster.

NCAA Numbers: Gettysburg RB Tom Sturges is fifth in rushing (141.0 ypg) and sixth in all-purpose yards (178.7) ... Dickinson's Chris McInerney is second in kickoff returns (34.6) ... Johns Hopkins' Ben Scott is third in field goals per game (1.5) and eighth in punting (40.8), while McDaniel's Tom Wenrich is 11th in punting (40.0) ... McDaniel's Drew Abbamonte is third in solo (7.5) and seventh in total tackles (12.5) ... Ursinus is ranked fourth in scoring defense (7.3) and ninth in total defense (194.3). Click here for complete statistics.