Three games into their Southern Conference schedule, the Elon University football team is 0-3 in conference. The only games the Phoenix has won this season are non-conference games against North Carolina Central and West Virginia State.
However, the Phoenix has not played a typical early season schedule. Week one, it was a matchup with the Atlantic Coast Conference’s North Carolina Tar Heels while weeks two and thee were the two wins.
Then as conference play hit, the Phoenix took on what has been termed “murders row” of the Southern Conference in the triple option offenses of Georgia Southern and Wofford, and a the spread offense Appalachian State runs.
“We just played against, historically, the three best teams in the conference,” sophomore linebacker Jonathan Spain.
Seemingly enough, all three seem to be the class of the conference again this season. All three teams are in the top 20 of the Football Championship Subdivision and Georgia Southern and Appalachian State seemingly have put their early season debacles against The Citadel behind them.
As the midway point of the season has arrived, the Phoenix will get a break with the bye week approaching. Different from a season ago when the Phoenix played nine straight games into November before getting a bye, this one comes at the perfect time for the Phoenix to prepare for the important stretch run.
“We have to win out in conference,” Spain said. “We have, what? Five more games? 7-4, don’t count it out. We need to get in the film room and get prepared mentally.”
Spain said it best. If the Phoenix wants to make the playoffs six weeks from now, they’re almost certainly going to have to win out. When asked if he thought the Phoenix had to run the table to get to the postseason, Spain’s answer was simple.
“Yes,” Spain said. “No question. And we have to start with Western (Carolina). We’ve got to do it.”
With the bye week, the Phoenix will use the time to prepare for the first step towards running the table: Western Carolina.
“Mentally, I want to know Western’s offense in and out,” Spain said. “I want to know everything they do.”
As for Phoenix head coach Jason Swepson, it’s about getting his team healthy.
“We’ve got to get healthy,” head coach Jason Swepson said. “That’s the most important thing is getting this team healthy, but we still have to practice and get better.”
Though the task seems tough, Swepson still believes his team has the ability to move forward and run the table down the stretch.
“Even though we’re 0-3 in conference, 2-4 overall, we’re still a good football team,” Swepson said. “I think we’re giving great effort.”
Even Appalachian State head coach Jerry Moore thinks Elon is a talented football team with capabilities through the rest of the season.
“Elon is a good football team,” he said. “They are one of the best teams we have played this year. They are very talented throwing the ball and it is about as good as you can get. I have great respect for what they have done there at Elon.”
So with five games to go and having already taken on the class of the conference, the Phoenix starts a stretch of five must wins in a row. As daunting a task as it might seem, Swepson is optimistic.
“We’re going to take it one at a time,” Swepson said. “If we can run the table and send these seniors our on a great note, a lot of good things will happen to us. Our goal is to have a winning season and there’s still a shot of us getting to the playoffs and running the table. But thank god we’re not playing this week.”