The rivalry energy is officially back in Glassboro. Coming off a 17-14 fourth-quarter comeback over Kean—capped by a clutch 34-yard boot from freshman specialist Zack Burlingame—Rowan (5-1, 3-0 NJAC) enters Week 8 on a hot streak. But this week isn't just another game on the schedule; it's rival TCNJ rolling into town. Rowan has owned the bragging rights lately, sweeping the last three meetings (including a 44-30 shootout in 2025 and a gritty 9-7 grindfest in 2023), but anyone in the NJAC knows rivalry week is always an absolute trap.

If the Profs want to keep their conference title dreams intact, they can't afford a letdown against TCNJ's physical ground game and veteran offensive line. Luckily, Rowan's playmakers are firing on all cylinders. Nunes Bukula IV continues to be a multi-TD nightmare for defensive coordinators, while transfer DB Kam Brown and sophomore LB Amir Reason-Dallas have turned the front seven into a brick wall. With Burlingame quietly solving Rowan's special teams woes, the pieces are firmly in place.

The formula for Saturday is simple: lock down the line of scrimmage, feed Bukula early, and avoid swinging from a emotional high after Kean straight into a sleepwalk. TCNJ would love nothing more than to play spoiler in Glassboro, but if Rowan stays disciplined, the Profs should pull away in the second half. What's your take

Quote from: JT2 on October 13, 2026, 10:12:34 PM

Quote from: RowanPhan on October 13, 2026, 06:00:46 PMGreat to see goroprofs and JT2, fellow Prof fans, active on these boards.

Kudos to MrMikeSmith for a great recap (from the Salisbury perspective), he's a legend on these boards

From a Rowan perspective, what a game! I've been following Rowan closely for about 10 years now, so to see Rowan finally ranked in the top 25 has been a ride.

First of all, Rowan beat a very tough Salisbury team. Solid QB, Solid Defense, and Rowan beat them away on Homecoming. No discounting this win at all.

The Profs overcame first half butter fingers. Now we have a dangerous 1-2 punch at QB. I was not a fan of the late hits from the Gulls, I believe only 2 drew flags on late hits on the QB. The Gulls also knocked-out our WR2 on a very late side line hit (I'm not sure if that drew a flag or not). It seems like the Salisbury coaches weren't too happy at the end of the game, but if you look at the last play in victory formation, the Gulls DL got heated for no season.

I'll be rooting for Salisbury against CNU.

Onto Kean

It's just nice to see Rowan in the conversation. I remember when a trip to the Stagg Bowl was expected. I have never been to another venue for the title game other than Salem, VA. The hospitality was off the charts, every single time. Host families... wearing team gear, free booze flowing, BBQ. I brought my seafood gumbo a few times. I brought Sabrett hotdogs, these dogs had a casing with snap. Sabrett was just an NYC metro hotdog. It apparently didn't supply past Rutgers at the time. People requested I bring them. Get those dogs with the snap, is what many people said. I bought them in bulk along with Sabrett's onion sauce.

I know I'm getting old, but nothing beats the 1998, 1999 Rowan football parents. They made Rowan a big time tailgate event. Everyone cooked or brought a spread. I came with my gumbo and hotdogs. Italian food, Polish food, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Jamaican... etc. If at the end of the game you left hungry, then you didn't make an effort to fill up. We would refuel at halftime, and light the fires again after the game to eat before we went home. It felt so big time. Just lifelong stuck in memory bank.

I don't know if the place still exists, but there was a joint that has THE best biscuits and gravy. Ate breakfast there everytime I was in Salem.

JT2 check your inbox

Great to see goroprofs and JT2, fellow Prof fans, active on these boards.

Kudos to MrMikeSmith for a great recap (from the Salisbury perspective), he's a legend on these boards

From a Rowan perspective, what a game! I've been following Rowan closely for about 10 years now, so to see Rowan finally ranked in the top 25 has been a ride.

First of all, Rowan beat a very tough Salisbury team. Solid QB, Solid Defense, and Rowan beat them away on Homecoming. No discounting this win at all.

The Profs overcame first half butter fingers. Now we have a dangerous 1-2 punch at QB. I was not a fan of the late hits from the Gulls, I believe only 2 drew flags on late hits on the QB. The Gulls also knocked-out our WR2 on a very late side line hit (I'm not sure if that drew a flag or not). It seems like the Salisbury coaches weren't too happy at the end of the game, but if you look at the last play in victory formation, the Gulls DL got heated for no season.

I'll be rooting for Salisbury against CNU.

Onto Kean

Let's not beat around the bush—if Rowan wants to shake up the NJAC hierarchy and get over the hump, this is the week to do it. The Profs haven't knocked off Salisbury since 2016, finishing just behind the Sea Gulls and CNU in the standings for the past few years.

After pushing Salisbury to the limit in tight, high-scoring battles recently (including last year's 31-28 loss and 2024's 42-35 thriller), this matchup is the ultimate litmus test for Head Coach Pat Ruley in Year 2. A win here puts Rowan squarely in control of their conference title destiny.

The Profs enter conference play clicking on all cylinders, backed by a defense that's playing lights-out.   

• Stingy Defense: Coming off back-to-back shutout performances—including a gritty 9-0 defensive masterpiece over Lycoming—the Rowan defense is proving to be as dangerous as advertised.
• Balanced Offense: Behind Nate Maiers taking shots downfield to playmakers like Michael Zarfati and the backfield punch of Nunes Bukula IV and Tyshawn Bookman, Rowan's offense has shown it can move the ball both through the air and on the ground.

Can Rowan's defense lock down Salisbury's offense and crash the Homecoming festivities, or do the Sea Gulls protect home turf again?

Quote from: ADL70 on September 23, 2026, 08:59:34 PMThis may interest you then. I couldn't find 2026 manual online. file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/Stats_Manual.pdf
"Effective with the 2004 season, all individual defensive statistics reported to
the NCAA must be compiled by the press-box statistics crew during the game."

Before then coaches would sometimes "pad" defensive stats after the game.


If two defensive players contribute equally to stopping a ball carrier, credit both players with an
assisted tackle, but give neither a solo tackle.
Note: In a situation in which there is not a solo tackle, there should
not be more than two assists credited except in rare instances. In
other words, on any given play one of the following may be credited: (1) one solo tackle, or (2) two assisted tackles. Only in the rarest of cases would more than two assisted tackles be credited.

The sat crew consisted of the recorder who input the plays. Then the caller who would announce for instance "Rush by #32 to home 35 tackle by by #4

My primary role was recording participation for one of the teams. Checking off players as they entered for the first time. I also helped ID tacklers when necessary.

Replay was used at times, but most often to identify who blocked a place kick or recovered a fumble.

I don't know if all schools have that large a stat crew.  Duplicate numbers also create issues at times.

Thank you for the insight, sounds like a fun job.

I have checked to see if the Rowan stats have been corrected, but they have not.  For example, our CB #29 was credited with a 2 yard rush in the first drive (When it was our RB #28) and I suppose that will live in the stats for ever now.

I remember a Rowan game from a few years ago at Stevenson where Rowan was awarded 0 assisted tackles for the entire game, I thought that was odd, yet the Stevenson team had dozens of assisted tackles.

I would gladly volunteer to help clean things up.

Quote from: ADL70 on September 22, 2026, 05:05:39 PMI've posted on here for almost 25 years. After I retired, I volunteered with the CWRU Sports Information department. I proofread articles and worked football game day stats.

Football stat tracking is something that is an interest of mine. What I have noticed lately is that there can be discrepancies with stats - due to the human element. For example, in the last Rowan game, I noticed errors in the recorded stats since Rowan was on the road and the opponents sports department were tracking the stats. The stat that appears to be the most difficult to track is the Tackle.

I believe in the NCAA there are rules for the tackle and assisted tackle, but how is it done in the booth? Is it best effort basis or does the crew use replay to accurately capture the stats?

Quote from: RowanPhan on September 04, 2026, 10:30:14 AM

Quote from: MRMIKESMITH on September 04, 2026, 08:09:10 AMMMA ran the option very well yesterday. I thought Montclair would have faired better after playing both MMA and us over the year's.

Rough game for MSU

Rough game for Rowan too

Quote from: MRMIKESMITH on September 04, 2026, 08:09:10 AMMMA ran the option very well yesterday. I thought Montclair would have faired better after playing both MMA and us over the year's.

Rough game for MSU

Quote from: CNU85 on August 17, 2026, 09:46:03 AM

Quote from: RowanPhan on August 15, 2026, 02:06:01 PM

Quote from: CNU85 on August 14, 2026, 01:41:11 PM

Quote from: Ron Boerger on August 14, 2026, 08:24:05 AMNice story in today's pennlive.com on former CNU QB Connor Barry, who transferred to Penn State for his final season of eligibility:  https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2026/08/why-penn-state-football-took-a-chance-on-a-division-iii-qb-it-doesnt-matter-the-level.html

If you encounter a paywall, try an incognito browser which was how I was able to read it. 

I wish only the best for him. A really good guy. Works hard. My only wish would be that he played one more year at CNU!! Next man up!

CNU85 - what's your CNU preview? Are the captains able to replace Barry?

Good question. Pena looked great at times, but he didn't have enough time in games to show what he can really do on a consistent pace. I think he will be really good. But Connor Barry was special. We have a freshman coming in that looks promising as well.

O-line and D-line look good. Looking at the 2 deep from the last game of last year, we only lost 1 guy on each side on the line. And we substitute quite a bit. So, I expect line play will be solid.

The only area that I'm interested in seeing is how Barry and Hart are replaced by a new QB and WR. That combo was deadly. Everything else should be the same or better.

It's going to be fun to watch.

Thank you CNU85!

MRMIKESMITH - What's the latest in Salisbury?

Do we have any Kean, MSU, WPU, or Castleton fans in the chat with season previews?

Quote from: CNU85 on August 14, 2026, 01:41:11 PM

Quote from: Ron Boerger on August 14, 2026, 08:24:05 AMNice story in today's pennlive.com on former CNU QB Connor Barry, who transferred to Penn State for his final season of eligibility:  https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2026/08/why-penn-state-football-took-a-chance-on-a-division-iii-qb-it-doesnt-matter-the-level.html

If you encounter a paywall, try an incognito browser which was how I was able to read it. 

I wish only the best for him. A really good guy. Works hard. My only wish would be that he played one more year at CNU!! Next man up!

CNU85 - what's your CNU preview? Are the captains able to replace Barry?

Source: https://www.d3football.com/awards/all-americans/2026-preseason

Congrats to our NJAC Pre-Season All Americans!

First team offense           
G   Andrew Belford   Christopher Newport   Sr.   Chesapeake, Va.

Second team defense           
DT   Giaini Derameaux   Rowan   Sr.   Burlington, N.J.

2 weeks until Camp kickoff. I asked gemeni to pull together a preview...

Team-by-Team Breakdown
🏆 The Title Contenders
Salisbury Sea Gulls (#17): Entering the 2026 season ranked inside the top 20, Salisbury remains the standard-bearer for the NJAC. Known for their punishing rushing attack and disciplined defense, the Sea Gulls have a target on their backs. With 237 poll points, national voters expect them to make another deep run, but they will have to navigate a grueling conference slate to secure the automatic bid.

Christopher Newport Captains (#18): Sitting just one spot behind Salisbury in the national polls with 182 points, the Captains are primed to make a major push for the conference crown. The gap between CNU and Salisbury has rarely been narrower, and the eventual late-season clash between these two juggernauts is widely expected to decide the NJAC champion.

🐎 The Dark Horse
Rowan Profs (RV): The Profs are knocking on the door of the Top 25, receiving 11 votes in the preseason media poll. Rowan has the opportunity to make an immediate national statement in Week 1. If they can build momentum early, they possess the talent and grit to disrupt the Salisbury-CNU dominance at the top of the standings.

🛡� The Battle for the Middle
Montclair State Red Hawks: Looking to establish an early rhythm, the Red Hawks will actually kick off the entire NJAC slate on Thursday, September 3, facing off against Merchant Marine at 5:00 PM.

TCNJ Lions: The Lions aim to take a step forward in 2026 and will test their mettle early, opening up at home against Lycoming on September 5.

Kean Cougars: Kean opens its 2026 campaign at home against Morrisville State, hoping to build early non-conference confidence before diving into the unforgiving NJAC gauntlet.

William Paterson Pioneers: Opening their season against Western Connecticut, the Pioneers are looking to climb out of the conference basement and pull off a few stunners against the middle of the pack this fall.

Are there any schools that would be good additions into the NJAC?

Quote from: DagarmanSpartan on May 19, 2026, 12:49:06 PMCWRU's 2026 roster is now posted.

https://athletics.case.edu/sports/football/roster

Large crop of newcomers (39 or so), one of which, as mentioned, is Beltran from Bates, who is penciled in as a "WR."  The kid from Wofford is listed as a TE/HB, and a sophomore.  I assume that if he had the talent to get a I-FCS offer, he should be able to contribute immediately.

Filips and Detillio return as QBs, and there is more than one back up listed, so plenty of depth in that room.

ADL70, any thoughts on who starts on O-line and D-line?

It's impressive that the roster gets posted so early, I won't see the Rowan roster on the website until the day before the first game

Quote from: MRMIKESMITH on May 12, 2026, 09:51:54 AM

Quote from: RowanPhan on May 02, 2026, 02:29:44 PM

Quote from: MRMIKESMITH on April 28, 2026, 11:22:08 AMSalisbury schedule is finally complete with times and places. Non-Con remains the same, not sure this prepares us for a surging Rowan program that appears to be getting better and better. We finish the season against our new Route 13 Rival in CNU. The time of the CNU game is TBA, could be de facto championship game. This year is somewhat an unknown, but as always Salisbury will compete, but will we have the changing playmakers that allows us to get to the Elite 8, only time will tell. Salisbury typically does better when they are somewhat of a dark horse. As I mentioned, I think CNU and Rowan are my preseason favorites. Although Salisbury may have the better QB returning, I think CNU and Salisbury may have to replace some key positions due to graduation and transfer portal.

I am a Rowan grad, but didn't start following the FB team closely until 2016, and I didn't think it would take this long to see the day that Rowan would be a "surging program."  I suspect Rowan will be a better team across the board next season, so it should be a fun season to watch - should be the best group of the past 10 years.

My apologies on the "surging" program. My point is that over the past 4 seasons (including minor setback in 2023), Rowan has been steadily getting back to IMHO a Top 15 team. I have Rowan along with CNU as my preseason #1 & #2 in the NJAC. However, Rowan will have to win on the field, especially the close games against top conference and regional opponents. I think Rowan having an opportunity to participate in ECACs last year against Utica and face some adversity and pull out a good win, sets them up for success. I think the NJAC should have 3 teams in the preseason Top 25, however we need TCNJ and Montclair who were both .500 and above last year to win an extra non-con game or two (both appears to play round robin non-con), I think that will raise the floor of the NJAC, which in essence raises the ceiling for conference as a whole.

No need to apologize! I agree Rowan is surging. I was actually commenting that I didn't think I would see the day that Rowan would get back to this point - Rowan has been climbing up the ladder for years, back when I started following the team that were mainly a .500 team, so seeing them surge to the top of the NJAC or even cracking into the top 25 is amazing to see. I didn't really follow the team in the golden days when Rowan was a top 25 powerhouse, but I'm hopeful that The Brown & Gold Beast of the East is back.