District College Football Preview for Saturday, September 6th

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, September 4, 2014 | 2:14 PM

The 2014 local college football season kicks off with several games this weekend, three of which can be heard on the Network. Can Slippery Rock head back to the NCAA playoffs. can W & J win another PAC crown and can Geneva get back on the winning track. 

Here are previews of all of Saturday’s action: 

Kutztown at Slippery Rock   6pm
Kutztown was picked in the middle of the pack in the PSAC East.

The Golden Bears will have a new coach in 2014 as Jim Clements takes over. Kutztown has won three straight games.

QB Josh Luckenbaugh returns, he threw for 1,120 yards and twelve touchdowns last season but was intercepted nine times.

WR Kodi Reed will be the main target, making 60 catches last season with 9 scores.

The defensive line is led by Zach Greenwald with 68 tackles, including 20 for loss.

The Rock is picked to finish third by the conference coached in the PSAC West, coming off a berth in the Division II playoffs. SRU finished 9-3 overall.

The Slippery Rock offense was explosive last season, finishing fourth in D-II at 536 yards per game.

Don’t be surprised if the Rock doesn’t go back to the running game this season. Both Shamar Green and Teddy Blakeman return.

WR Jaimire Dutrieuille also returns off a 42 catch season and five touchdowns.

Tackle Cory Tucker is a preseason All-American selection.

The defense is led by LB Austin Miele, the former Mars standout made 90 stops in 2013. CB Devin Ghafoor transferred from Edinboro to the Rock, he was first team all PSAC West last season for the Fighting Scots, picking off four passes.

The Rock is 9-2 against the Golden Bears, but Kutztown has won the last two meetings, including the 2011 PSAC State Championship Game.

Geneva at Frostburg State   7pm on WBVP 1230-AM/WMBA 1460-AM and the MSA Sports Network.
Head coach Geno DeMarco starts his 22nd season at Geneva against a familiar foe. It’s the sixth straight year that the Golden Tornadoes and Bobcats will meet to kick off a campaign.

The Golden Tornadoes must replace two huge losses with QB Zach Hayward and slash Rocco Colavecchio both graduating. Aaron Channing and Jeff Clegg are both in the running to be the starter, both should see playing time in the opener.

Senior RB Dylan Jones will lead the GT rushing game, the all time leading rusher in Laurel history, ran for almost 500 yards and four scores last season.

Recievers Lemuel Fuller and Josh Guiser both return, both made over sixty catches last year.

Sophomore Tim Martin leads the defense, he picked off six passes last season. Ed Schuster, Matt Leach and Thomas Benyo also return in the secondary.

Wooster at W &J   7pm on WJPA 1450-AM and the MSA Sports Network

W & J needs just three wins to become the third D-III program to reach the 700 victory mark.

The numbers that W&J has posted are amazing. 30 straight winning seasons, two straight PAC titles and 23 overall. The Presidents have also made 23 trips to the D-III playoffs.

W & J was picked second in this year’s pre-season PAC poll, just behind last year’s co-champ Thomas More.

The Presidents return two all PAC first team selections this year, lineman Zach Crossey and linebacker Jared Pratt.

W & J will have two QB’s competing to start the season. Pete Coughlin has the inside track to start, after getting the call in the D-III playoff game at Mount Union and throwing for three touchdowns. Kevin Mechas may also see some time behind center.

Junior Ryan Ruffing ran for five scores last year as a backup and is poised to take over at tailback. Several wide receivers will be looking for opportunities to come their way.

Duquesne at Youngstown State   4pm
The Dukes come off a 38-28 loss to Buffalo of the MAC last week and it doesn’t get any easier this week, heading into the Ice Castle to meet the Penguins. After trailing 21-0, Duquesne led 28-24 in the fourth quarter but could not hold on for the win. Chris King led the way for the Dukes with 8 catches for 199 yards and two scores, including a 88 yard toss from Dillon Buechel.

The Penguins threw a scare into Big Ten member Illinois last week, but fell to the Ilini 28-17. Brian Ruiz ran 32 times for 116 yards including a 2 yard touchdown that gave YSU a 17-14 lead with 10:57 remaining. QB Donte Nania threw for 177 yards and ran for 46 more.

Robert Morris at North Dakota   7pm
Under new head coach John Banaszak, the Colonials fell to Eastern Kentucky 29-10 last Thursday. Luke Brumbaugh made his first start for RMU and threw for 222 yards on 28 of 51. David Taylor made 10 tackles and picked off two passes for RMU.

North Dakota fell to San Jose State 42-10 last week. Jer Garman scored the only touchdown for North Dakota in the game’s final minute.

Clarion at Saint Francis   1pm
The Golden Eagles are in a tough spot, going up against the Red Flash of the FCS Northeast Conference. They are the only PSAC school to meet a D-1 program this season. Former Perry star Darrelle Carson returns at quarterback, after taking over for Ben Fiscus last season. Carson threw for 1,170 yards and five touchdowns. RB Bobby Thomas also returns. After being switched from defense to offense last season, Thomas ran for 759 yards and seven touchdowns. PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year Julian Howsare also returns with 83 stops, including 18 for loss and four blocked kicks last season.

The Red Flash started last week with a 52-23 loss at #11 Fordham. QB Max Ward struggled, going just 3-11 for 15 yards. RB Khairi Dickson did not, running for 244 yards and both SFU scores. DB Lorenzo Jerome also returns, he was the NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013. The Red Flash has not had a winning season since 1992, finishing 8-2-1.

Mercyhurst at Bentley  Noon
Bentley claimed a 17-16 win in Erie last season, Saturday’s game is the second meeting between the teams.

The Lakers are led by RB Brandon Brown-Dukes, who became the first Mercyhurst rusher to record back to back one thousand yard seasons. Brown-Dukes ran for 1,008 yards and eight scores last season. The defense is led by DB Colin Kimball, who picked off six passes and LB Pat Behm with 71 tackles. The Lakers are coming off back to back winning seasons, going 9-2 in 2012 and 7-4 last season.

The Falcons have a new coach in Bill Kavanaugh and return QB Danny Guadagnoli and WR Jeff Hill. Guadagnoli threw for 33 hundred yards and 22 touchdowns last season. 

St. Augustine’s at IUP   Noon
The Crimson Hawks are picked to win the PSAC West by the conference coaches. IUP is ranked 20th in the preseason AFCA poll and 23rd in the D2football.com poll. IUP returns six starters off a defense that finished fifth in D-II last season at 15.4 points per game. Lineman Shane Meisner anchors the defense, he has 13 career sacks and LB Alex Berdahl also returns after missing 2013. He made 103 tackles in 2012. IUP finished 9-2 last season and missed out on the D-II Playoffs.

Expect the IUP defense to go after Falcons QB A.J. Gilford, he threw for 1,319 yards last season but was intercepted twelve times.

Southern Connecticut State at Gannon   Noon
RB John Moscatel leads the Owls offense with 1,070 yards from 2013 and 10 touchdowns. SCSU won the only meeting between the teams in 1999.

Gannon comes off their first winning season at 6-5 since 2010. QB Liam Nadler returns, throwing for 2,859 yards and 16 touchdowns. WR/KR Justin Caliste also returns with 57 catches from last season.

Virginia State at California   1pm
It’s the first time these teams will meet on the field.
Virginia State was picked first in the CIAA Northern Division. The Trojans return eight starters on defense that was ranked second in the conference. Lineman Ronald Lewis is a force up front.

California is picked to finish second in the PSAC West in the preseason poll. QB James Harris leads the offense after throwing for 1,294 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Lineman Jack Abercrombie was named all-PSAC West first team last season and is a pre-season All American by D-2football.com.

Mount Union at Bethany   1:30pm
The 11 time NCAA D-III champion Purple Raiders come to Bethany to open the 2014 campaign. Mount Union is ranked #3 in the preseason poll and is always a favorite to advance to the Stagg Bowl in December.

The Bison turn to sophomore QB Brian Vales to lead the team. He’ll have a great target to throw to in former Western Beaver star Eric Blinn. Blinn grabbed 95 passes for 1,300 yards last year and needs 33 catches to become the Bison all time leader.

Juniata at Grove City   1:30pm
Juniata finished 7-4 last season and played in the ECAC Southwest Bowl. Prior to last season, the Eagles won 7 games between 2007 and 2012.

Grove City returns 13 starters from last year’s team. Chris Smith starts his 31st season at head coach.

Muskingum at Waynesburg   1:30pm

The Yellow Jackets are again led by QB Carter Hill, who set single season records for passing yards, completions and attempts last season. Hill threw for 3,102 yards and 28 touchdowns with just six interceptions.

Saint Vincent at John Carroll   2pm
Ron Dolciato takes over as the head coach of the Bearcats. Dolciato is a graduate of John Carroll and served on the staff there until taking the job in Latrobe. Saint Vincent has lost 21 straight games.

John Carroll is ranked in the top 25 to start the season, coming off a berth in the NCAA D-III playoffs. QB Mark Myers threw for 3,288 yards and 28 touchdowns last season.

Carnegie Mellon at Case Western Reserve   7pm
It’s the 29th annual Academic Bowl and the PAC opener for both teams. Both Case Western and CMU joined the PAC for this season.  The Tartans lead the series 26-17 but have not won in Cleveland since 2006 and have dropped seven straight overall.

Head coach Rich Lackner starts his 29th season at CMU, he is fifth on the active D-III coaches list with 184 career wins. WR Tim Swanson will be the focus of the offense, he will likely move into the CMU top 10 in receiving yards this week.

Case Western has 11 returning starters and has won twelve consecutive home openers.

Thiel at Allegheny   7pm
The teams have not played since 1997, the Gators lead the series 41-31-6.

Thiel is led by center Jason Crystol, a two time all PAC pick.

Allegheny looks to rebound from an 0-10 campaign.

Hiram at Westminster   7pm
Scott Benzel takes over at Westminster as head coach. The Titans will be strong up front with Nick Fiorrentino, Dylan Hogue and Vinny Nerti all returning. The defense returns six starters, including lineman Rich Ellebie. Westminster has not fared well under the lights, going 8-8 in the last 16 with four straight losses.