District College Football Preview for Saturday, September 20th

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, September 18, 2014 | 2:02 PM

Week 3 of the district college football slate starts conference play in the Presidents Athletic Conference. Crossover play continues in the PSAC while the NEC takes another week of non-conference action. 

Here are previews of ALL the games, including two heard here on the Network. 

Carnegie Mellon (0-1) at W & J (2-0)   1:30pm on WJPA 1450-AM and the MSA Sports Network
The Tartans were blanked 30-0 by Case Western Reserve in Cleveland on opening night and the PAC opener. The CMU defense allowed 498 yards while the offense only managed 188 yards.

The Presidents come off a 56-21 win over Westminster last week. Former Thomas Jefferson running back Ryan Ruffing was named PAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second straight week. Ruffing ran for 172 yards and four scores, he also caught a td pass. The junior has 10 touchdowns this season to lead the PAC, the next highest has 3.

The 2-0 start is the first time that the Presidents have scored 50 or more points in two straight games to start the season since 2000.

QB Pete Coughlin had another good game, the USC grad threw for 281 yards and a touchdown on 24 of 35. Coughlin is fourth in the PAC in passing at 230 yards per game.

WR Max Creighan caught 7 passes for 104 yards. He is tied for second with 13 catches in the PAC.

Last week’s win gives W & J 699 wins in the program history.

It’s the first meeting between the teams since 1989. CMU leads the series 32-26-5.

Geneva (1-1) at Waynesburg (2-0)   1:30pm on WBVP 1230-AM/WMBA 1460-AM and the MSA Sports Network
The GT’s shut out Grove City 42-0 last week. It’s the first shutout for Geneva since 2005.

QB Aaron Channing threw for 3 scores in the win. Channing is fifth in the PAC in passing at 224 yards per game, with 4 touchdowns and no interceptions.

WR Josh Guiser had two td catches last week. Guiser has 11 catches this season. Lemuel Fuller leads Geneva with 12 catches, Zach Taylor also has 11 catches.

Geneva has dropped it’s last 6 road games.

Waynesburg knocked off Saint Vincent 35-24 last week.

WR Bernie Thompson has had back to back 100 yard games. Thompson had 9 catches for 111 yards and a score last week. Thompson is tied for second in the conference with 13 catches.

RB Jake Forsythe ran for a career high 134 yards on 33 carries, the senior scored twice. Forsythe is third in the conference in rushing with 182 yards.

QB Carter Hill is third in the conference at 236 yards passing per game. Hill has 3 touchdown passes.
Junior S Mike Lopuchocsky had two inceptions last week in the win.

Waynesburg leads the all time series 43-30-4.

Monmouth (2-0) at Duquesne (1-2)   Noon
The Hawks defeated Wagner 21-16 last week. QB Brandon Hill threw for two scores, one to RB Kwabena Asante, who also ran for a score. Monmouth leads the series 5-3 between the Hawks and the Dukes.

The Dukes come off a 33-13 win over Dayton last week. Senior Devin Rahming was named NEC Special Teams Player of the Week with a 84 yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter of the win.

Freshman Malik Shegog of Aliquippa was also named NEC Rookie of the Week with a 75 yard Pick 6 for Duquesne in the second quarter. Sophomore quarterback Dillon Buechel leads the NEC with 887 yards, the Montour grad has thrown 6 touchdown passes with just 2 interceptions. Buechel has two targets among the top 10 in catches in the conference, Chris King with 20 and Rahming with 14.

Duquesne has won 7 straight home games. DB Trenton Coles from Clairton is scheduled to start this week, the sophomore transferred from Pitt.

Robert Morris (0-3) at Dayton (1-1)  1pm
The Colonials come off a 50-3 loss to Lafayette last week. RMU has only scored 26 points in the three losses. Freshman running back Rameses Owens has been the one bright spot of the Colonials offense, he is third in the NEC with 254 rushing yards, he has scored two of the three touchdowns. Duane Mitchell has 16 catches, he is fourth in the conference. Also at the top of the board are David Taylor and Antwan Eddie, both with 2 interceptions.

Dayton fell to Duquesne 33-13. The Flyers lead the series with RMU 14-2. QB Will Bardo has thrown for 268 yards and a td this season but he has been picked off 3 times. RB Connor Kacsor has rushed for 385 yards and 2 touchdowns. Gabe Macis leads the Flyers with 11 catches.

Saint Francis (1-2) at Youngstown State (2-1)   7pm
The Red Flash fell to James Madison 38-22 last week. Junior Khairi Dickson continues to stay atop the NEC and D-1 FCS leaderboard with 608 yards rushing. Saint Francis led 15-7 in the second and trailed 24-22 in the third before falling. Dickson racked up 39 carries and 216 yards in the loss.

The 15th ranked Penguins defeated Butler 44-13 at the Ice Castle last week. Freshman QB Hunter Wells threw for 4 touchdown passes in the win, 3 to Jelani Berrasa. RB Martin Ruiz ran for 108 yards and a score, he has one touchdown in each of YSU’s games this season.

IUP (1-1) at Lock Haven (0-2)   Noon
The Crimson Hawks fell to Kutztown 44-7 to fall out of the Top 25. The 44 points were the most points allowed by IUP since 2010. RB Luigi Lista-Brinza of Pittsburgh Central Catholic leads the Crimson Hawks with 139 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. IUP committed 11 penalties last week.

Lock Haven lost to Seton Hill 27-16. The Bald Eagles are led by QB Caleb Walton, who is fifth in the PSAC with 247 yards passing per game. WR David Cook caught 8 passes last week for 123 yards and a score.

IUP leads the series 55-13-3, Lock Haven has not defeated IUP since 1981.

California (1-1) at Shippensburg (2-0)   Noon
K Cody Nuzzo forced overtime with a 50 yard field goal on the final play of regulation but it was not enough as Cal fell to Bloomsburg 24-21 in overtime last week. The kick by Nuzzo broke the school record for the longest field goal in Cal history. QB James Harris is sixth in the PSAC in passing, Harris is 38 of 61 on the year.

Shippensburg defeated Edinboro 47-21 last week. WR Trevor Harman set Red Raider school records for career receiving yards and points scored. RB Blair Brooks has ran for 303 yards, he is second in the PSAC. WR Sheldon Mayer had 9 catches for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns last week.

Shippensburg leads the series 42-30-1, the teams have not met since 2009 when the Red Raiders claimed the PSAC State Title with a 42-35 win, Cal got revenge with a 26-21 victory in the second round of the NCAA D-II playoffs.

East Stroudsburg (1-1) at Edinboro (0-2)   Noon
The Warriors fell 56-24 to Slippery Rock last week. QB Matt Soltes leads the conference with 340 yards passing per game. East Stroudsburg leads the PSAC and is 14th in the nation in passing offense but is last in the conference in team defense. ESU has allowed 91 points in the first two games this season.

Edinboro lost 47-21 to Shippensburg. QB Cody Harris leads the PSAC in passing efficiency, he is 52-68 this season and averages 238 yards per game. WR Darren Massey has 19 catches this season for 230 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Fighting Scots need to find a running game, they have ran for just 117 yards in two games.

ESU leads the series 11-6.

Kutztown (1-1) at Gannon (2-0)    Noon
The Golden Bears knocked off #20 IUP last week 44-7. WR Anthony Kelly was named PSAC East Division Offensive Athlete of the Week, he tied a school record with four touchdown catches. Kelly grabbed 6 passes in all for 152 yards. QB Chad Barton has thrown for 674 yards and 8 touchdowns with just one interception. Head Coach Jim Clements picked up his first win last week.

The Golden Knights won 48-0 over Cheyney to go to 2-0 for the first time since 2010. The Gannon defense leads the conference after just two games, allowing just 7 points this season. QB Liam Nadler has thrown for 240 yards and ran for 120, he has 3 td passes. RB Brock Jones has 261 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns.

Kutztown defeated Gannon 27-24 in the only meeting in 2010.

Bloomsburg (2-0) at Mercyhurst (0-2)   Noon
The Huskies moved up to #18 this week in the AFCA D-II Top 25. Bloomsburg has won 7 straight road games and 9 straight over PSAC West opponents. RB Eddie Mateo has ran for 211 yards this season and 4 scores.

DT Shawn Mitchell was named PSAC East Division Defensive Athlete of the Week. Mitchell recovered a fumble in the second quarter that led to a Huskies score and recorded his first career interception in overtime to set up the game winning field goal for a 24-21 victory over Cal.

The Lakers fell 38-14 to #10 West Chester last week. Mercyhurst is 0-2 for the first time since 2006. RB Brandon Brown-Dukes has struggled this season with just 97 yards rushing.

The series is tied at 2, Mercyhurst has won the last two meetings, both in 2010 to win the PSAC State Title and then two weeks later in a second round NCAA playoff game.

Clarion (1-1) at Cheyney (0-2)   1pm
The Golden Eagles defeated Millersville 55-16 last week. All-American DE Julian Howsare picked up another PSAC Western Division Defensive Athlete of the Week award. Howsare made 10 tackles, recorded a sack and a fumble recovery in the victory.
On the offense, Delrece Williams and Bobby Thomas will carry the load, Williams leads the Golden Eagles with 133 yards and 3 touchdowns. WR Eric Frye has 9 catches this season for 129 yards and a score.

Cheyney lost 48-0 at home to Gannon last week for their 23rd consecutive loss. The Wolves managed just 48 yards of offense.

Clarion leads the series 8-1.

Slippery Rock (2-0) at Millersville (0-2)   4pm
The Rock hit both the Division II polls for the first time this season. SRU came in at #25 in the AFCA poll and #18 in the D2football.com poll.

RB Shamar Greene of West Mifflin picked up his second straight PSAC West Division Offensive Athlete of the Week award. Greene ran for 186 yards on 18 carries and a score as the Rock racked up 456 yards rushing in a 56-21 victory over East Stroudsburg. Greene has 381 yards to lead the PSAC and has ran for 3 scores. LB Austin Miele is having a good season, the Mars grad has 20 tackles and one interception.

Millersville is led by QB Matt Misley, who has thrown for 400 yards and 6 touchdowns, with just 1 interception. WR Malont’a Patterson is the main target with 10 catches, 3 for scores.

The Rock is 15-4-1 in the series and has won the last five games.

West Chester (2-0) at Seton Hill (1-1)   6pm
The Golden Rams are ranked #10 in both polls this week after a 38-14 over Mercyhurst. QB Sean McCartney leads the West Chester offense at 568 yards passing with 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

Seton Hill won 27-16 at Lock Haven for the first win in the PSAC for the Griffins. QB Drew Jackson has thrown 5 touchdown passes this year with just one pick, Jackson has 440 yards passing. WR Erik Kerns has 7 catches for 123 yards and a score. For the second straight week, the Griffins will play an opponent for the first time.

Bethany (1-1) at Westminster (0-2)   1pm
The Bison defeated Thiel 45-24 last week, scoring 35 unanswered second half points. The defense shut down the Thiel offense, allowing just 215 total yards. QB Brian Vales threw for 2 scores and ran for 2 more. WR Eric Blinn needs 20 more catches to become the all time leader for the Bisons.

Westminster was blown out by W & J 56-21 at home. The Titans got two touchdowns from freshman Jametrius Bentley with a 74 yard td reception and a 88 yard punt return. Seniors Jared Heck and Rich Ellebie each had 13 tackles in the loss.

Westminster leads the series 37-11-2.

Case Western Reserve (1-0) at Saint Vincent (0-2)   1pm
The Spartans defeated CMU 30-0 in week 1 and in the PAC opener for both teams. Case Western posted it’s first shutout since 2012. QB Billy Beecher threw for 301 yards with 2 touchdown passes, he also ran for a score. The Spartans won the only meeting between the teams in 2007.

The Bearcats have lost 23 straight games, including a 35-24 loss to Waynesburg last week. Darius Brown was named PAC Special Teams Player of the Week. The senior from Jeannette returned a second quarter kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, the second of his career. Saint Vincent is using a 2 QB system with Andy Borgen and Matt Deakins both taking snaps.

Thomas More (1-1) at Thiel (1-1)   1pm
The Saints defeated Hanover 45-16 last week. DB Kyle Fuller was named PAC Defensive Player of the Week. Fuller made 5 tackles, picked off 3 passes, forced a fumble and recorded a sack in the win. The Saints added 623 yards of offense in the win. QB Jensen Gebhardt threw for 327 yards and two scores, while RB Domonique Williams ran for 166 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Thiel fell to Bethany 45-24 last week. QB Ryan Radke threw 3 touchdown passes. Thomas More leads the series 8-3, the Saints have won the last 7 meetings.