What do college football coaches know, anyway?

Back in August, the coaches from the Northeast Conference made their predictions for the upcoming season. They picked Robert Morris to finish in a tie for seventh place in the eight-team league.

They were wrong.

Albany received the most first-place votes and were picked to finish in a tie for first place.

They were right on.

Albany (6-3, 4-1) will play at Robert Morris (6-3, 4-1) at 1 p.m. today in a showdown between two of the four teams tied for first place in the NEC. Monmouth and Stony Brook also are 4-1.

Robert Morris can claim at least a share of its first league title since 2000 with wins against Albany and at Sacred Heart next week.

The champion of the NEC will be the host of the champion of the Pioneer League in the inaugural Gridiron Classic Dec. 2.

"I can't pinpoint one thing that is making us better each week," Robert Morris coach Joe Walton said. "I think we're playing a lot of young kids and they're starting to understand what we've been telling them."

Albany, winner of three in a row and ranked No. 4 in The Sports Network NCAA Division I-AA Mid-Major poll, leads the NEC in scoring (29.2 ppg) and defense (12.0 ppg). The Danes have allowed 13 points in their winning streak and have blanked their past two opponents.

No. 5 Robert Morris is second in the league in defense (12.4 ppg) and fifth in the country in total defense (240.8 yards per game).

Robert Morris leads the league with 26 sacks; Albany has given up a league-low five sacks.

According to the coaches, Albany is right where it was expected to be.

Robert Morris isn't.

In other key games

Duquesne (6-3, 3-1) at LaSalle (2-6, 0-3), 6 p.m. -- The Dukes, who had their 39-game Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference win streak ended by a 17-13 loss to Iona, must win and hope for things to fall their way to capture an eighth consecutive league championship. Duquesne's previous league loss was 62-50 against Iona in 1999. ... Duquesne is 7-0 and averages 45.1 points per game against the Explorers. ... Duquesne's Bruce Hocker has 15 touchdown catches, one shy of Reggie Harris' school record set in 2000. ... Scott Knapp leads NCAA I-AA with 2,630 yards passing and 24 touchdowns. Knapp's .599 completion percentage is on pace to surpass Niel Loebig's school-record .590 in 2003.

Bethany (4-4) at Carnegie Mellon (8-0), 1 p.m. -- CMU must remain undefeated to keep alive its hopes of reaching the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time since 1990. ... This is a non-league game for the Tartans, who already clinched the University Athletic Association championship. ... CMU averages 262.6 yards rushing, led by Travis Sivek (861 yards, 7 TDs) and Robert Gimson (753 yards, 9 TDs). ... QB Doug Facemeyer will start his third consecutive game for injured Kevin Mulkern. ... CMU averages 28.6 points, allows 8.6. ... Bethany features QB Brent Owens (1,315 yards passing, 13 TDs) and receivers T.J. Parker (56 catches, 590 yards, 5 TDs) and Matt Cruse (26 catches, 395 yards, 7 TDs). ... CMU has won the past four meetings to lead the series, 31-6.

California (7-2, 4-0) at Clarion (1-8, 0-4), 1 p.m. -- California can't afford to look past the Golden Eagles to next week's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West showdown against IUP. California is fifth in the Northeast Region, with the top six teams qualifying for the NCAA Division II playoffs. ... California averages 31.4 points, led by Joe Ruggiero (1,722 yards passing, 14 TDs, 66.8 percent completion), Marc Huddleston (46 catches, 509 yards, 6 TDs), Nate Forse (41 catches, 621 yards, 2 TDs) and Brandon Lombardy (1,236 yards rushing, 13 TDs). ... California ranks fifth nationally in rushing defense (61.7 yards per game) and 17th in scoring defense (13.9 ppg).

Southern Illinois (6-3, 3-2) at Youngstown State (7-2, 4-1), 1 p.m. -- In a Gateway Football Conference game between nationally ranked I-AA teams, No. 7 Youngstown State features Marcus Mason (1,247 yards rushing, 17 TDs) and No. 12 Southern Illinois boasts the top defense in the conference against the run (115.5 yards per game. Mason, who carried 34 times for 176 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-13 victory against then No. 3 Illinois State, is the Gateway Conference Offensive player of the week. QB Tom Zetts (1,246 yards passing, 9 TDs) complements Mason's running. ... Southern Illinois also has a premier back in Arkee Whitlock (973 yards rushing, 11 TDs).

Shippensburg (4-5, 2-2) vs. Edinboro (4-5, 1-3), 1 p.m., Allegheny College -- Because of unplayable field conditions at Sox Harrison Stadium in Edinboro, this PSAC West Division game has been moved to Frank B. Fuhrer Field on the campus of Allegheny College, Meadville. There will be no charge for admission.