District College Football Preview for Saturday, November 23

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, November 21, 2013 | 4:41 PM

The regular season is over for the D-II and D-III teams with SRU and W & J qualifying for post-season play. Waynesburg was also honored by the ECAC with a trip to the Northeast Bowl.

The NEC finishes up the regular season with two games, including a battle of local teams in Loretto.

Here are previews of ALL the games, including two that will be heard right here on the Network:

NCAA DIVISION II PLAYOFFS/SUPER REGION ONE
Slippery Rock (9-2) at Winston Salem State (9-1)   1pm on WLER 97.7-FM and msasports.net
The winner plays number one seed Shepherd (10-0), who receives a bye. Bloomsburg received the number two seed and the other bye. West Chester also qualified, they host American International.

It is the first time the Rock and Rams will meet on the gridiron.

Slippery Rock has won six PSAC West titles and has made four trips to the NCAA D-II playoffs, the last was in 1999. The Rock is ranked #20 in polls this week.

The Rock fell 42-38 in the PSAC State Title Game last week at Bloomsburg. Nigel Barksdale threw for 343 yards and ran for 78 in the loss. WR John Schademan had 10 catches for 165 yards to set the single season receiving yards record.

SRU placed 10 players on the all PSAC West first team. Barksdale, OT Cory Tucker and Schademan on the offensive side, with Barksdale named Offensive Athlete of the Year. Lineman Derrick Walker and Tony Papley, linebackers Quindell Dean and Gary Allen, defensive backs Austin Miele and Anthony Saunders, along with punter James McCombie.

Dr. George Mihalik was named PSAC West Coach of the Year for the fifth time.

Barksdale set the single season records for passing yards and touchdown passes with 30 this season. The Rock offense led the PSAC and is second in D-II with 566 yards per game.

Winston Salem State is ranked # 9 entering this week. The Rams are the two time Super Region One champions and national runner up from last year, falling to Valdosta State in the NCAA D-II title game.

The Rams are coached by Connell Maynor, in his fifth season. Maynor has a record of 44-5 in his tenure.

Winston Salem State is third in D-II in rushing defense and sixth in passing defense.

Rudy Johnson leads the Rams offense with 2,076 yards and 22 passing touchdowns, he has also ran for six scores. Chase Powell is the top target with 54 catches and 671 yards with seven touchdowns. Tehvyn Brantley has just 21 catches, but nine for scores.

Maurice Lewis has ran for 791 yards and 11 touchdowns.

NCAA DIVISION III PLAYOFFS (FIRST ROUND)
W & J (8-2) at Mount Union (10-0)   Noon on WJPA 1450-AM and msasports.net
This game is a rematch of the 2009 first round, a 55-0 victory by the Purple Raiders.

It’s the second straight playoff trip for the Presidents, falling at Johns Hopkins 42-10 last year.

W & J defeated Waynesburg 38-13 last week to win the PAC title for the 23rd time and also the same number of trips to the NCAA playoffs.

RB Dion Wiegand leads the Presidents with 1,265 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns.

WR Alex Baroffio is the all time leader at W & J with 257 catches, including a 33 game reception streak.

Freshman Pete Coughlin is expected to get the start, the former USC star will start in place of senior Matt Bliss, who was injured for the second time this season in the Waynesburg victory.

S B J Monacelli intercepted his 5th pass of the season against Waynesburg, he has led the Presidents in each of the last three seasons in picks.

CB Sam Comly was named PAC Defensive Player of the Week, the senior made nine tackles, broke up four passes and had two interceptions in the fourth quarter.

Head coach Mike Sirianni is a Mount Union graduate.

Mount Union is the #1 ranked team and defending national champion. The Purple Raiders have won 11 D-III championships and have made 16 trips to the Stagg Bowl.

QB Kevin Burke averages 254 yards passing per game, he has thrown for 31 touchdowns. Burke has also ran for 726 yards and 8 scores.

Freshman RB Bradley Mitchell averages 7.3 yards per carry.

DT Tom Lally leads the team with 53 tackles and 7 sacks.

ECAC NORTHEAST BOWL
Waynesburg (7-3) at Brockport (7-3)  Noon
The Yellow Jackets fell to W & J 38-13 last week to fall out of the PAC title race. Waynesburg will take place in an ECAC bowl game for the third straight year and fourth under coach Rick Shepas.

Junior QB Carter Hill was 36-64 for 277 yards in the loss, Hill broke the Waynesburg single season record with 2,883 yards passing.

S Bryan Gary made 13 tackles last week, he leads the team with 82 stops.

K Alex Henry made two field goals against W & J, his 11 field goals are the most for a Yellow Jacket kicker since 2008.

Brockport finished 6-1 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference and tied for the top spot. The Golden Eagles have won 6 straight games.

Freshman RB Dan Andrews leads Brockport with 1,048 yards and 10 touchdowns. Another freshman, DE Courtland Haines has 12.5 tackles for loss and 8 sacks.

REGULAR SEASON:
Duquesne (6-4) at Monmouth (6-5)   Noon
The Dukes claimed a share of the NEC title with a 24-21 win over Central Connecticut State last week. WR Gianni Carter was named NEC Offensive Player of the Week, with five catches for 111 yards. The senior caught a 66 yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that gave the Dukes the lead for good. It was Carter’s fourth 100 yard performance of the season. Carter leads the Dukes with 50 catches and 721 yards.

Dillon Buechel leads the NEC in passing at 2,346 yards. The redshirt freshman has thrown 11 touchdowns but has been picked off 14 times. Dave Thomas has 43 catches, Devin Rahming 28.

The share of the NEC title is the second for Duquesne since joining the league in 2008. The Dukes tied for the title in 2011.

The Hawks have won 2 straight games, defeating Bryant 21-18 last week.

Julian Hayes leads the offense with 1,068 rushing yards, he has scored 7 times. K B Asante needs 49 yards to also go over 1 thousand for the year. Brandon Hill has thrown for 2,078 yards with 16 touchdowns and 11 picks. Nigel Sterling leads with 50 catches for 563 yards, 5 for touchdowns.

Robert Morris (5-5) at Saint Francis (4-6)   Noon
The Colonials are 3-2 in the NEC and can also earn a share of the league title with a win. Sacred Heart and Duquesne have finished at 4-2, the Pioneers hold the tiebreaker over both teams and will represent the NEC in the FCS playoffs.

Should Robert Morris tie for the NEC title, it would be the seventh in school history and send head coach Joe Walton out on a high note as the long-time mentor of the Colonials will retire after this season.

Paul Jones is fourth in the NEC with 1,570 yards. Jones has thrown 15 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions. Duane Mitchell is second in the conference with 46 catches and 768 yards. Mitchell has 7 touchdown catches. Antwan Eddie has 3 interceptions to lead the team, Eric Lowery has two.

Saint Francis is 2-3 in the NEC. Kyle Harbridge continues to lead the NEC in rushing with 1,509 yards, he is second with 16 touchdowns. Lorenzo Jerome and DaQuan Minter are tied for second with 5 interceptions each. Brandon Small has also picked off two passes. Lance Geesey is 8 for 12 on field goals this year