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Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - If Richmond is this good in November, imagine what the Spiders could accomplish in December. Such prospect would mean Richmond is playing in the postseason, and Saturdays one-point win over then-No. 4 Villanova strengthened the Spiders bid for their first FCS playoff appearance since 2009. On Monday, the Spiders moved up five spots to No. 8 in The Sports Network FCS Top 25 - their highest ranking in over three years. With New Hampshire remaining at No. 2 and Villanova at No. 7, CAA Football has three of the top eight teams in the poll. Richmond (7-2, 4-1) would love to go into the playoffs with the CAAs automatic bid, but the Spiders need some help over the final three Saturdays of the regular season. They are one game behind first-place New Hampshire in the standings and lost the head-to-head meeting on Sept. 20. But they hold the head-to-head advantage over Villanova. As the Spiders try to play their way into the 24-team playoffs - the CAA figures to receive multiple at-large bids in addition to the automatic qualifier - they will need continued success this month. They are 8-0 in November games under third-year coach Danny Rocco, who also had plenty of success in the month when he coached Liberty for six seasons prior to arriving at Richmond. Opponents have been caught in the Spiders web recently as they have allowed only 19 points combined in their last three games. In the 10-9 win over Villanova, linebacker Omar Howard, the Co-CAA Defensive Player of the Week, had 18 tackles and one sack of Wildcats quarterback John Robertson, a five-time CAA offensive player of the week who had his worst game of the season. I thought it was a signature win for our season, Rocco said Monday. Obviously, we have to continue to find ways to win and be successful. This is a more veteran team than weve had since Ive been here. And I think they recognize the significance of the moment. Guys have really stepped into new roles and have played at a really high level for us. Richmond hasnt dwelled on injuries to key some players, including quarterback Michael Strauss and wide receiver Stephen Barnette. Rocco has turned to his nephew Michael at quarterback, and the redshirt senior is 3-0 as the starter, which isnt surprising considering he made 21 career starts at Virginia before he transferred to Richmond in spring 2013. On Saturday, the Spiders hope to continue to make it a November to remember when they travel to Maine, the 2013 CAA champion. North Dakota State (9-0), the three-time reigning FCS national champion, remained the unanimous No. 1 in the rankings (all 164 first-place votes) after posting a 37-17 victory over South Dakota State on Saturday. First-year coach Chris Kliemans Bison have won an FCS-record 33 straight games since 2012 and are one of three unbeaten teams remaining this season (Coastal Carolina and Harvard are the other two). After NDSU, the rest of the Top 10 was No. 2 New Hampshire (7-1), No. 3 Coastal Carolina (9-0), No. 4 Jacksonville State (7-1), No. 5 Eastern Washington (8-2), No. 6 McNeese State (6-2), No. 7 Villanova (7-2), Richmond, No. 9 Fordham (8-1) and No. 10 Youngstown State (7-2). Montana moved up to No. 11 in advance of its huge game in the Big Sky Conference Saturday on the road against Eastern Washington. Then it was No. 12 Illinois State (7-1), No. 13 Chattanooga (6-3), No. 14 Southeastern Louisiana (6-3), No. 15 Montana State (6-3), No. 16 Eastern Kentucky (8-1), No. 17 Indiana State (6-3), No. 18 Harvard (7-0), No. 19 Northern Iowa (5-4) and No. 20 Bethune-Cookman (7-2). Rounding out the Top 25 were No. 21 Cal Poly (6-3), which entered the rankings for the first time this season following its recent back-to-back sweep of Montana and Montana State; No. 22 South Dakota State (5-4); No. 23 Bryant (7-1); No. 24 William & Mary (5-4); and No. 25 Northern Arizona (6-3), which re-entered after a six-week absence. Albany and Stephen F. Austin fell out of the Top 25 after suffering losses on Saturday. Led by North Dakota State, the Missouri Valley Football Conference had the most teams in the Top 25 with six, followed by the Big Sky with five and the CAA with four. Eleven of the 13 FCS conferences had at least one team in the rankings. A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select the Top 25. In the voting, a first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote. During the regular season, the Top 25 will be released every Monday afternoon, except for the final weekend of the regular season, when it will be released Sunday morning, Nov. 23, prior to the selection of the 24-team FCS playoff field. The Sports Network will release a final Top 25 following the FCS championship game, which will be held Jan. 10 in Frisco, Texas. Jake Marisnick Jersey . A judge had summoned Clemens and Brian McNamee to federal court in Brooklyn for settlement talks aimed at heading off a trial in the defamation case. McNamees lawyer emerged saying an agreement wasnt likely. "I think this is a case where the lines are deeply drawn in the sand," said attorney Richard Emery. Brad Peacock Jersey .500. The Jets have now won nine of their last 11, and five of their last six road games. With the win they moved to within two points of Vancouver in the west, the Canucks holding down the eighth spot. Vancouver lost in Boston, while the other big game saw Dallas win in Phoenix. http://www.astrosteamproshop.com/Astros-...rs-Kids-Jersey/. So much so that even a simple foul pop up to the first baseman turned into a run. Houstons four-run rally in the ninth inning to beat the Seattle Mariners 6-4 on Monday night was capped by a bizarre play that started as Crowe fouled out to first baseman Justin Smoak with runners on second and third. Josh Reddick Jersey . Garcia had eight birdies overall to go with a lone bogey on the fourth to move to an 18-under total of 198 at the Asian Tour event. "I was able to hit some really nice shots and then was able to roll two or three really good putts in and it was nice to be able to finish birdie, birdie on this difficult finishing stretch," Garcia said. Ken Giles Jersey . - Joao Plata scored twice in the final 24 minutes, including the winner in stoppage time, to help Real Salt Lake remain unbeaten with a 3-2 victory over the winless Chicago Fire on Saturday night.PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Add Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby to the growing list of NHL players dealing with the mumps. The Penguins announced the diagnosis Sunday after holding the two-time MVP out of games over the weekend as a precaution when swelling developed on the right side of Crosbys face — swelling the team believed was related to a salivary gland injury Crosby sustained in a game against Carolina on Nov. 29. Crosby was able to skate with the team on Friday morning but was pulled from the lineup for Friday nights game against Calgary after his condition worsened. He underwent further tests that revealed the presence of the disease. He is currently in isolation but should be through the infectious stage by Monday, though the team has already ruled him out on Monday night when Pittsburgh hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning. Crosby received a booster shot against the virus before travelling to Russia for the Winter Olympics in February and initial tests done a couple of weeks ago indicated Crosby was not in any danger. It came as a bit of a surprise, team doctor Dharmesh Vyas said. Every indication was that he was well protected against the disease. The NHL is dealing wwith a widespread outbreak of the virus, with players from Anaheim, Minnesota, the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils among those affected.dddddddddddd The Penguins have aggressively tried to prevent the disease from spreading, having players and staff undergo testing earlier in the month. Vyas said Crosby had no major symptoms, pointing out the swelling that usually accompanies mumps is present on both sides of the face. Crosby only had swelling on one side. He did not have a classic presentation of mumps, Vyas said. The setback for the teams second-leading scorer is the latest unusual medical development for the Metropolitan Division-leading Penguins. Forward Pascal Dupuis is out for the regular season due to blood clots. Defenceman Olli Maatta missed two weeks in November after a cancerous tumour was removed from his thyroid. Maatta is currently dealing with an unspecified injury the team said is not related to the thyroid surgery or the mumps. In our case were going through a period here thats pretty rough, general manager Jim Rutherford said. Its a period that builds character and if you can get through it its going to help you in the long run. ' ' '