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PR Jordan Lynch is gone for the back-to-back NCFA runnersup. But even without their star quarterback, the Sea Lions have to still be considered among the favorites in an ever-strong Ocean West Conference. Senior Shane Carden will have his opportunity to lead California-Long Beach to a third-straight championship game berth and maybe, just maybe, they can get over the hump and win the damn thing. To Carden’s benefit, much of the roster returns going into 2014, but when it’s all said and done, results in a tight conference are going to be all that matters. Will him and UCLB be able to get them or will it be a disappointing season in Southern California? THE FLOWER GIRLS If UCLB is the bridesmaid of the NCFA, its fellow OWC contenders have to be considered the flower girls. Once-powerful Hawai’i Tech, California A&M, Coastal California, and Redmond all enter the season as legitimate threats to take home a national championship and it’s for this very reason that most agree that top-to-bottom, the Ocean West is the strongest conference in the land. Marcus Mariota has the
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potential to be the top pick in the draft if he declares at the end of the season and Hawai’i Tech will be looking to get everything they can out of him. California A&M and Redmond both return considerable amounts of their squad from 2014 and as a result, both teams will be expected to contend again in 2014. The real question mark here is Coastal California, whose stockpiling of running backs was derailed by the new roster caps. The Tridents have to release some talented backs from scholarship before the season gets underway while they’ll have to make a big push for wide receivers with just one on scholarship heading into the recruiting period. It’s a risky pick to take the Tridents but if you do, it’s one that could pay off greatly. But if the OWC is a wedding, well, it must be the second marriage type—you know, the one with the hot 18 year-old daughters throwing the flowers down the aisle.
11, well, he’s wrong on just about everything. Unfortunately for one of the NCFA’s oldest programs, they fit the bill of drunk uncle for the OWC wedding—and that’s Central Arizona. Coming off of a horrific 1-10 season that saw the Owls score fewer than 80 points per game, just about anything will be considered an improvement. In Taylor Kelly, they’ve got a player of leading them to a couple more wins in the new campaign. But come on drunk uncle, sober up and win a few games, will ya? THE WEDDING CRASHERS Any great wedding has them and, well, the OWC has its two new members looking to crash the party this year. Rocky Mountain State recorded eight wins last campaign and will look to build on a solid team ethic going into what will certainly be a challenging year for them in uncharted territory. The Gold are the type of 2013 Final Standings
wedding crasher that legitimately tries to be a part of proceedings— they take pictures with the bride and groom, give a toast to the new couple, and even show off their moves on the dance floor. They’re here to stay and make some new friends along the way. On the flip side, well, if 2013 is any indication, Eastern Montana’s the wedding crasher looking to join Central Arizona at the open bar. Eastern won three games last year and while they weren’t the worst in the league, there’s not much in way of expectations for them heading into the talented OWC. They’re a different breed of wedding crasher though—the one that clings to that slim hope that they’ll be the star of the show. -Alex Carson
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Redmond
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We all have one. He’s the guy who comes to every family event, gets hammered, and then rants on about politics, sports, religion, and anything else that could start an argument. And 10 times out of
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UC Long Beach
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California A&M
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Coastal California
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Hawai'i Tech
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Central Arizona
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