FB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[The Third Division]

Rowan was close to crapping the bed hosting Kean. Won 17-13, but was behind most of the game. I might be dumb, but I'm not stupid.  I went to Glassboro State (now Rowan)... Since 1988, I can't tell you how many times Rowan smoked tough/ranked opponent, and then dump the next game to a lesser team. Doesn't matter the coach, the year etc. I really think it's a DNA thing.

One of my Dad's client's was the NY Jets... they played at the old NY Mets Shea Stadium. My Dad asked if he could get season tickets, the ticket manager said, sure how many do you want.... this was 1980. So I saw the sack exchange live, but I also saw AJ Duhe a DE, intercept 3 Richard Todd passes in the AFC championship.

This is Rowan... the only time I saw them smoke every team was 2001... and they were smoking scholarship teams. Everytime, they beat a really good team... Rowan will dump the next game to an under .500 team. Its why they've never hosted a national semi-final game.

I'm glad they barely slid past Kean, but I'm getting older and tired. Crush the teams that you should crush... every team plays Rowan hard. My alma mater is the NY Jets, until proven otherwise. Still love my team, but I always expect to be disappointed. TCNJ is the next trap game.

as rowan's former starting kicker once sais "everyone in the njac is each other's rival"

[JT2]

Rowan was close to crapping the bed hosting Kean. Won 17-13, but was behind most of the game. I might be dumb, but I'm not stupid.  I went to Glassboro State (now Rowan)... Since 1988, I can't tell you how many times Rowan smoked tough/ranked opponent, and then dump the next game to a lesser team. Doesn't matter the coach, the year etc. I really think it's a DNA thing.

One of my Dad's client's was the NY Jets... they played at the old NY Mets Shea Stadium. My Dad asked if he could get season tickets, the ticket manager said, sure how many do you want.... this was 1980. So I saw the sack exchange live, but I also saw AJ Duhe a DE, intercept 3 Richard Todd passes in the AFC championship.

This is Rowan... the only time I saw them smoke every team was 2001... and they were smoking scholarship teams. Everytime, they beat a really good team... Rowan will dump the next game to an under .500 team. Its why they've never hosted a national semi-final game.

I'm glad they barely slid past Kean, but I'm getting older and tired. Crush the teams that you should crush... every team plays Rowan hard. My alma mater is the NY Jets, until proven otherwise. Still love my team, but I always expect to be disappointed. TCNJ is the next trap game.

as rowan's former starting kicker once sais "everyone in the njac is each other's rival"

I was a serviceable HS OL/DE... I always hated prepping for a weak team, because the coach road us harder. Then he'd add during the walk through. If this game is close, or we lose... you'll run gassers on Monday until you puke.

[JT2]

I think TCNJ will be another dog fight for Rowan, generally it always is. I haven't been to a TCNJ game in 15 years or so. They are not far apart in distance, and they really don't like each other.

I was once asked when I was still active in D3 sports coverage, who are the worst fans you've encountered, it's a TCNJ road football game (specifically a night game, because the TCNJ student body was already 100 proof two hours before the game) , it's not even close. Not violent... but just nasty... which made leaving TCNJ with win so enjoyable.

TCNJ thinks of itself as an Ivy League quality state school, and its students think Rowan students are [edited/pc].

I was tailgating at TCNJ, early 2000's... My headshot is on the D3football.com website, it also mentioned that I ran rowanfootball.com.

About 4 TCNJ guys roll by my tailgating spot at TCNJ at night, "hey Wilson (my lastname)... Rowan is the college for the inbred." I respected the putdown. It wasn't Rowan sucks, it was kinda clever. I've tailgated with so many opponents/fans home/away. TCNJ remains the only opponent/fan base, I've never broken bread with in the parking lot, and it wasn't for lack of trying.

TCNJ/Rowan is as Ohio State/Michigan as you can get at the D3 level in NJ. It used to be Trenton State...  but as they were going more upscale, they changed the name to The College of New Jersey... why... because Trenton State sounded like a prison. I'm not kidding.

[Patrick Coleman]

Hey, JT, let's not use that pejorative term anymore, thanks.

[JT2]

Hey, JT, let's not use that pejorative term anymore, thanks.

Do you mean the r word? Ok, I'm down.

I'm kinda old school... did you ever see the George Carlin bit about war stress... in WWI it was called shell shock, in WWII it became battle fatigue, by Vietnam it was called PTSD... more syllables each time... and he ended the bit by saying, I'll bet soldiers would be getting the care they need if it was still called shell shock. I don't use big words, when the simple ones make the point or finish the joke.

Carlin was a master at word play... if you don't like something just tell me, I'm just being me. I'm here to tell stories and enjoy football.

[Patrick Coleman]

George Carlin was amazing and I definitely remember that bit.

[JT2]

George Carlin was amazing and I definitely remember that bit.

I lost my Dad in 2022 to Agent Orange related illnesses. I'm glad you let me back on here 2021 ish... then I didn't really post a lot... I was kinda in a fog. I started umpiring, reffing with my Dad when I was still playing at 14. I worked in his business for a few years. We went to football games, baseball games... we swapped stories. When my Dad got sick... I just didn't have the zest for life for a while.

I think it's hard to lose a Father, it's worse to lose a friend... as adults we became really good friends.

He was in the VA home in NJ... they talk about this rally before dying. We were watching a playoff NFL game in January... a friend of our's was working his last game as a NFL ref. My Dad was very lucid and engaged... he was suffering from Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinsons. I truly believe God did that. His symptoms were practically non existant. He died in his sleep 4 days later.

I'm working on my mancave... I have my Dad's medals and awards from Vietnam framed... it was supposed to go in the mancave... my son asked me if I could hang Papa Jack's medals in his bedroom. I hung it today, and I've been an absolute mess all day. I don't know why I deserve the son I have, but I am very grateful.

I'm here at D3football.com for the joy. The fog has lifted. My Dad told stories on repeat so many times, I can roll into the Pennsylvania Military College (now Widener) Facebook page and drop stories from long before my parents were married.

Tell stories to your kids, grandkids, and friends that still tolerate you. My Dad is still alive because he told me all the stories countless times. I once asked my Dad why do you root so hard for Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, and Joe Fields. My Dad had a Joe Fields Jets jersey. Both were Widener players. He said the ghosts of PMC will always run this place, and one day I'll be one of those ghosts.

He told me all the funny Vietnam stories, but eventually he told me (and only me) the awful stuff. My Mom doesn't know... my Dad's parents didn't know,  but I think it was important to him that he thought someone should know,

[RowanPhan]

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