District College Football Preview for Saturday, November 15th

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, November 13, 2014 | 4:47 PM

The PSAC State Title Game comes to Slippery Rock, Rivarly Week takes place in the PAC and the NEC continues finish up conference play. Here are previews of ALL the games, incluidng two that can be heard in on the Network. 

Westminster(3-6) at Geneva(3-6)   1pm on WBVP 1230-AM/WMBA 1460-AM and the MSA Sports Network
It’s the rivalry known simply as “The Game” and has been played 117 times. The Titans lead the series 64-44-8.

The Titans are 3-4 in the PAC, coming off a 41-7 victory over Grove City.

QB Paul Columbo accounted for five touchdowns in the victory. The freshman threw for a career high 340 yards and four scores, he also ran for a 96 yard touchdown. Columbo is fourth in the PAC in passing at 215 yards per game.

Safety Jared Heck is tied for second in the PAC with five interceptions.

The GT’s are 2-5 in the PAC. Geneva came back to defeat Saint Vincent 43-40 last week.

WR Josh Guiser returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to become the all-time leading kick returner in Geneva history. Guiser leads the PAC in kickoff returns and was named PAC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Freshman QB Aaron Channing struggled last week, going 7 of 19 for just 100 yards. Channing has thrown for 1,651 yards this season with 13 touchdowns.

Dylan Jones of Laurel leads the GT’s in rushing with 470 yards.

Senior Brady Beech picked off three passes in the win, he was named PAC Defensive Player of the Week.

W & J(9-0) at Waynesburg(7-2)   1:30 on WJPA 1450-AM and the MSA Sports Network
The PAC Backyard Brawl takes place this year with not much on the line. W & J clinched it’s 24th PAC championship and a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs with a win over Thiel last week. However, Waynesburg with a win, could get a berth to an ECAC bowl game next week for a fourth straight year. W & J leads the series 38-3, the Presidents have won 10 straight games. 

The Presidents are 7-0 in the PAC. W & J racked up 701 yards of offense in the win over Thiel last week. If the Presidents win, it would be the 10th time that W & J finishes the regular season undefeated.

WR Jesse Zubik has caught eight passes the last two games, five have gone for touchdowns. The freshman from Avonworth was named PAC Offensive Player of the Week.

QB Pete Coughlin threw for 334 yards last week, the fifth time that he has gone over 300 yards this year. Coughlin leads the PAC in passing at 298 yards per game.

RB Ryan Ruffing ran for 198 yards, he has moved into fifth place in D-III in yards rushed. Ruffing has 26 touchdowns on the season. Ruffing is averaging 150 yards per contest.

Daniel Lis leads the Presidents with 56 catches, Max Creighen has 50, Zubik is up to 44 catches.

The Yellow Jackets are 5-2 in the PAC and come off a bye week.

QB Carter Hill needs 241 yards passing to move into second place all-time at Waynesburg. Hill also needs to throw two touchdown passes to take over the career mark in that category.

RB Jake Forsythe is third in the PAC in rushing at 120 yards per game, he has 10 touchdowns.

Bernie Thompson is second in the PAC with 58 catches.

PSAC STATE TITLE GAME
Bloomsburg(10-0) at Slippery Rock(8-2)   12:30pm
In a rematch of last year’s title game, the Huskies are looking for back to back titles, winning 42-38 last year. Bloomsburg is ranked #1 in the NCAA Super Region One rankings, and #5 in the AFCA Top 25. The Huskies likely have wrapped up a bid to the D-II playoffs. Bloomsburg leads the series 11-3 and has won the last 10 meetings.

Bloomsburg comes off a 40-3 victory over Lock Haven. Joe Parsnik ran for a career high 104 yards in the win.

The Huskies are led by Eddie Mateo, who is third in D-II with 23 touchdowns. Mateo averages 113 yards per game. WR DJ McFadden has 24 catches, four for touchdowns. Bloomsburg is second in the PSAC in rushing in total rushing.

The defense is led by Justin Shirk with 83 tackles. Bloomsburg leads the PSAC in scoring and total defense at 12 points per game.

The Rock has not won the conference since 1974, but has been to the title game three of the last four years.

RB Shamar Greene from West Mifflin leads the offense, he is second in the PSAC and seventh in D-II at 134 yards per game. Greene has scored 10 touchdowns this season. QB Jared Buck took over the offense at mid season, he threw for a career high 343 yards in last week’s win over Clarion. WR Jaimire Dutrieuille leads the Rock with 42 catches, Melvin German has turned into a big play threat for the Rock.

DE Marcus Martin was named the PSAC Western Division co-Defensive Athlete of the Week, he had 3.5 sacks last week. Martin leads the PSAC with 16 sacks. LB Austin Miele of Mars has 74 tackles on the season.

Saint Francis(4-5) at Robert Morris(1-8)    Noon
The Red Flash are 2-2 in the NEC and come off a bye week. Saint Francis leads the NEC in scoring offense at 33 points per game. Khairi Dickson is the leading rusher in the NEC at 162 yards per game, he has 1,461 yards rushing on the season.

The Colonials are 1-3 in the conference and were blanked by Wagner 20-0. LB Gerald Ferguson was named NEC Rookie of the Week, he made 10 stops in last week’s loss. RMU had to use four quarterbacks in last week’s loss. RB Rameses Owens is fifth in the conference in rushing at 80 yards per game. Duane Mitchell is fourth in the NEC with 46 catches, four for touchdowns.

Duquesne(5-5) at Wagner(5-4)   Noon
The Dukes are 1-3 in the NEC, coming off a loss to #23 Bryant 20-17 last week. QB Ryan Egolf has filled in for Dillon Buechel, who has missed the last three games. Chris King leads the NEC with 66 catches, Devin Rahming has 64. King leads the NEC with 14 touchdown catches.

The Seahawks are 3-1 in the NEC, one half game back of Sacred Heart at 4-1 and a full game back of Bryant at 4-0. DB Jarrett Dieudonne returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown in the win over RMU, he was named NEC Defensive Player of the Week. Wagner QB Chris Andrews has only thrown 2 touchdown pasess, he’s been picked off three times.

East Stroudsburg(6-4) at Gannon(8-2)   Noon
Sophomore QB Bruce Campbell made his second start in place of Matt Soltes and threw for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns in a loss to West Chester. Campbell also tossed three picks. WR Jon Schnaars made his PSAC leading 13th touchdown catch of the season.

LB Luke Rankie led the Gannon defense in a 31-21 win over IUP last week. The senior made 11 tackles and had two sacks, he was named PSAC Western Division co-Defensive Athlete of the Week. Senior WR Justin Caliste has 67 catches this season, setting the Golden Knights single season record.

Millersville(1-9) at Edinboro(2-8)   Noon
CB Joey Pham set a team record and was one away from the NCAA record with eight pass breakups last week in a 34-12 win over Cheyney. The junior was named PSAC Eastern Division Defensive Athlete of the Week.

QB Cody Harris returned to the lineup and threw for 310 yards and 2 touchdowns, he also ran for a score in a victory over Seton Hill. WR Darren Massey leads Edinboro with 76 catches, that is a single season school record.

Shippensburg(6-4) at Mercyhurst(6-4)   Noon
The Red Raiders trailed 19-3 at the half to Kutztown last week. QB Chris Lawshe led them back, throwing for 251 yards and three scores and running for 102 yards and a score in the win. The junior was named PSAC Eastern Division co-Offensive Athlete of the Week.

The Lakers have won 6 straight games. QB Brendon Boylan threw for 544 yards and 6 touchdowns last week in a 59-49 victory over Cal. The junior posted several career highs and was named PSAC Western Division Offensive Athlete of the Week.

Kutztown(5-5) at Clarion(2-8)   Noon
Kutztown will try and finish over 500 after falling to Shippensburg 37-32 last week.

All-American DE Julian Howsare continues to shine as he looks for back to back PSAC West Division Defensive Player of the Year honors. Howsare had made 79 tackles, 9 sacks, two blocked kicks, a pair of fumble recoveries and an interception on the season.

Cheyney(0-10) at Seton Hill(2-8)   1pm
The Wolves have lost 31 straight games.

Seton Hill fell to Edinboro 31-27 last week. QB Christian Strong threw for 445 yards and 3 scores. Jarvis McClam and Eric Brown each had 13 catches.

West Chester(9-1) at IUP(6-4)   1pm
The Golden Rams only loss on the season is to Bloomsburg. West Chester defeated East Stroudsburg last week 35-24. RB Brandon Monk ran for 257 yards on 36 carries and a pair of touchdowns, he was named PSAC Eastern Division co-Offensive Athlete of the Week.

The Crimson Hawks try and wrap up a disappointing year, they fell to Gannon 31-21 last week.

Lock Haven(2-8) at California(7-3)   1pm
QB Caleb Walton needs 103 yards to go over the 2,000 yard passing mark for the year, that hasn’t been done by a Lock Haven qb since 1995.

WR Gary Brown set a school record with 282 yards on 5 catches with 3 touchdowns in last week’s loss at Mercyhurst. QB James Harris also set a record with 473 passing yards and four touchdowns.

Washington(4-5) at Carnegie Mellon(3-6)   Noon
The Tartans fell to Chicago 28-7 last week. Freshman Drew Fitzmorris made a career high 16 tackles and picked off his first pass in the loss. Junior Max Reinersten had four catches for 90 yards last week. Senior Tim Swanson had six catches last week, he needs five more yards to move into fourth place on the CMU all-time list.

Washington leads the series 16-15.

Saint Vincent(3-6) at Bethany(6-3)   1pm
The PAC Green Game takes place in West Virginia this year. Bethany leads the series 6-1.

Saint Vincent is 3-4 in the PAC. The Bearcats are 0-5 on the road this season. Darius Brown returned a punt for a touchdown to give Saint Vincent the lead. The Bearcats defense forced four turnovers last week.  

Bethany is 5-2 in the PAC, Western Beaver’s Eric Blinn leads the NEC in both catches and receiving yardage.

Thiel(3-6) at Grove City(0-9)   1:30
The 31st Battle for the Mercer County Cup has been a one-sided one for the last seven years with Grove City taking all of the meetings. Grove City leads the series 62-33-5. In the Cup series, the Wolverines lead 21-9.  

The Tomcats are 2-5 in the PAC. QB Ryan Radke threw for 250 yards and 3 touchdowns last week in a loss to W & J, he also ran for 88 yards. Radke is fourth in the PAC in rushing and fifth in passing this season.

The Wolverines are 0-7 in the PAC. Grove City used three quarterbacks in the loss to Westminster last week, the Wolverines have had five different QB’s this season.