RALEIGH, N.C. – The CIAA football opener on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012, between Saint Augustine's University and Bowie State University will be a matchup between two of the league's best defensive teams.
 
The Falcons lead the CIAA in scoring defense (16.0 ppg) and rushing defense (77.33 ypg). They are third in total defense (304.3 ypg). The Bulldogs are second in the conference in total defense (252.0 ypg), and third in scoring defense (17.0 ppg) and pass defense (140.33 ypg)
 
Both teams will once again rely on their defense when they battle at Durham County Stadium in Durham, N.C. The 7 p.m. contest is pitted as the CIAA game of the week.
 
St. Aug enters the contest at 2-1 overall while Bowie State is unbeaten at 3-0. St. Aug defeated two recent Division II playoff teams in Wingate and Southern Connecticut State with its only loss (three point margin) coming at the hands of New Haven, currently ranked eighth nationally in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll. Bowie State mounted a furiously rally in its last contest to overcome a 17-point deficit in the final 11:46 to defeat Fairmont State 24-17 in overtime.
 
“St. Aug has a really good football team,” Bowie State Head Coach Damon Wilson said. “We are coming off a big win so I expect a really good football game.”
 
Both teams are living up to their preseason predictions. The Falcons were picked to finish second in the CIAA Southern Division while the Bulldogs are predicted to place second in the Northern Division. They are both listed in the receiving votes category of the AFCA Coaches Poll. The winner may vault into the top 25 poll next week.
 
More importantly, a victory would be a good start to the conference season. Both St. Aug and Bowie State are expected to contend for a division title and CIAA crown. Falcon safety Derrick Manning (Sr./Waldorf, Md.), the CIAA defensive back of the week, says the key to stopping Bowie State is stopping its skill players.
 
“The receivers are athletic,” Manning said. “They have good running backs. We have to be able to contain them.”
 
The Falcons have done a masterful job slowing down offenses under Head Coach Michael Costa over the years. From 2005 to 2008, the defense was ranked among the top 20 in Division II including three consecutive years in the top 10. This year's defense is starting to make its own mark as well. The Falcons are ranked 20^th in the nation in scoring defense. It's top player, linebacker Chaz Robinson (Jr./Hampton, Va.), is tied for second in the nation and leads the CIAA in tackles per game (13.3).
 
The Bulldogs have also developed a reputation for shutting down opponents, and this year's unit is no exception. They are 13^th nationally in total defense and 15^th in pass defense. The Bulldogs are led by a host of tacklers including linebackers Antoine Young and Bekwele Amadi, and cornerback Curtis Pumphrey. They each average 6.67 tackles per contest.
 
The way both defenses are playing, the contest could be a hard-hitting, low-scoring affair with a play or two determining the winner. It has the potential to live up to its billing as the CIAA's top game of the week.