District College Football Preview For September 12th

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, September 9, 2015 | 11:19 PM

Week two of the local college football  slate brings cooler weather and conference play in the PAC. The PSAC features the first week of East/West crossover action and the NEC features non conference play as Robert Morris makes a short trip from Moon Township to face a nationally ranked foe.

Here are previews of all the games, recaps will be posted on Sunday.

Duquesne(1-0) at Bucknell(1-0)   6pm
The Dukes posted 571 yards of offense in a 47-7 win over Kentucky Christian last week. 373 of those yards were on the ground, let by former Cardinal Wurhl North Catholic star PJ Fulmore. The freshman ran for 128 yards in the win. Trenton Coles(Clairton) made his impact since transferring from Pitt by forcing a fumble. QB Dillion Buechel(Montour) returned and was 12 of 16, throwing for a score.

The Bison defeated Marist 17-0. QB RJ Nitti ran for two scores in the win.

Saint Francis(1-0) at Towson(0-1)   6pm
The Red Flash come off a 48-20 home win over Georgetown. RB Khairi Dickson and K Lance Geesey were named NEC Players of the Week. Dickson started off repeating 2014 by running for 129 yards and three scores. The senior was the leading rusher in the FCS as a junior. Geesey hit field goals of 24 and 44 yards to claim his honor.

Towson lost 28-20 to Division I East Carolina. The Tigers had a chance to tie the game but turned the ball over on downs late in the fourth. QB Connor Frazier threw for one score and ran for another. Darius Victor ran 28 times for 137 yards.   

Robert Morris(0-1) at Youngstown State(0-1)   7pm
The Colonials travel to the Ice Castle to meet the #17 Penguins. QB Matthew Barr struggled, going just 14 for 34, he was sacked five times in a 27-24 home loss to Dayton. RMU also committed eleven penalties.

The Penguins scored 24 second half points, but fell at Heinz Field to Pitt 45-37. YSU returns all eleven players on offense that started at least one game last year.

YSU has won 19 straight home openers.

West Chester(0-1) at Mercyhurst(1-0)   Noon
The Golden Rams started the season in the top 25 but a 41-28 loss to Lenior-Rhyne last week knocked West Chester out. Junior WR AJ DePietro caught the first two touchdowns of his career in the loss. RB Brandon Monk also ran for a score.

QB Brendan Boylan threw for 305 yards and three scores in last week’s 35-20 victory over Bentley. RB Brandon Brown-Dukes averaged almost eight yards on his eleven carries in the win as the senior continues to climb up the Lakers record book. CB Tevin Stewart picked off two passes including a Pick 6.

Shippensburg(1-0) at Edinboro(0-1)   Noon
The Red Raiders were the only East Division team to pick up a win last week, defeating Seton Hill 64-14.

Edinboro fell 30-10 to St. Joseph(Indiana) last Thursday. WR Darren Massey tied a single game school record with 13 catches last week.

Cheyney(0-1) at Gannon!1-0)   Noon
The Wolves lost 29-22 to Lincoln last week. QB Domenic Trautz threw for two touchdowns in the loss.

Gannon defeated Southern Connecticut State 26-22. QB Liam Nadler threw for two touchdowns for the Golden Knights. The secondary was busy, Mike Phillips made 17 stops, Mike Zanders added 16 as Gannon won their fourth straight season opener.

Bloomsburg(0-1) at California(1-0)   1pm
The 11th ranked Huskies fell out of the top 25 with a 27-10 home loss to Stonehill on Saturday. QB Tim Kelly was held to 176 yards passing.

QB James Harris threw for four touchdowns last week, he was named PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Week. WR’s Garry Brown and Kowan Scott combined for three touchdowns and over 300 yards receiving.

Lock Haven(0-1) at Seton Hill(0-1)   3pm
QB Caleb Walton threw for two touchdowns last week in a 40-13 loss to Clarion, he has 26 for his career.

The Griffins look for a win at home after a 50 point loss to Shippensburg last week.

Kutztown(0-1) at IUP(0-0)   4pm
QB Chad Barton was 36-52 in last week’s loss to Assumption. His main targets were Craig Reynolds and Kodi Reed, both has 100=plus yards receiving in the loss.

A youth movement at IUP as 63 of the 87 players are either freshman or sophomores. RB Luigi Lista-Brinza of Pittsburgh Central Catholic ran for ten touchdowns as a freshman.

East Stroudsburg(0-1) at Slippery Rock(1-0)   7pm
The Warriors are led by QB Matt Soltes and RB Robert Healy.

The #20 Rock defeated New Haven 39-13. RB Shamar Greene(West Mifflin) ran for 116 yards and a score, he is a Harlon Hill Trophy candidate. QB Dante Nania(Hempfield) threw for three touchdowns in his first start at the Rock.

Waynesburg(1-0) at Saint Vincent(0-1)   1pm
Senior RB Jerry Lawman ran for a career high 113 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-10 win last week over Muskingum. Freshman QB Jake Daugherty threw for two touchdowns in his first start.

Saint Vincent lost to 8th ranked John Carroll 26-3 last week. Senior DB Devin Anderson led both teams with ten tackles.

Waynesburg leads the series 18-11-4, the Yellow Jackets has won three straight and eight of the last nine.

Thiel(1-0) at Bethany(0-1)   7pm
For the first time since 2012, the Tomcats had two 100 yard rushers in last week’s 37-21 win over Allegheny. Freshman RB Ryan Daly led the way with 115 yards, junior QB Ryan Radke added 104. 

The Bison fell 47-0 at #2 Mount Union one week ago. Senior WR Eric Blinn(Western Beaver) needs 14 catches and 61 receiving yards to set PAC all-time marks.

Thiel leads the series 37-32-1, Bethany has won four of the last five games.

Geneva(0-1) at Grove City(0-1)   7pm
Last week was not a good start for the GT’s as they trailed 18-0 after the opening quarter on the way to a 52-21 loss to Frostburg State. Geneva has lost eleven straight road games, the last win was October 13, 2012 at Saint Vincent.

Grove City lost 26-13 to Juniata in the opener, WR Josh Peach had nine catches for 100 yards. Brandon Berringer made eleven tackles for the Wolverine defense.

Geneva leads the all-time series 45-36-7 and has won the last two meetings. QB Aaron Channing threw for three touchdowns in last year’s 42-0 win.

Westminster(1-0) at W & J(1-0)   7pm
Westminster won 17-9 at Hiram. Sophomore QB Paul Columbo tossed a touchdown pass, his back up Kimu Kim ran for a score.

W & J defeated Wooster 56-10 last week. The Presidents move up one spot to #14 in this week’s D-III Football.com poll. Thomas More is also ranked out of the PAC at #16.

In returning a punt 93 yards for a score, Daniel Lis broke a 26 year record for the longest in the program’s history. That return got the senior PAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Junior LB Ryan Torrance was named PAC Defensive Player of the Week, making eleven solo tackles.

RB Ryan Ruffing(Thomas Jefferson) ran for over 100 yards for the eleventh time in thirteen games, going for 106 yards on 14 carries, plus two scores.

W & J leads the series 34-2 and has won 14 straight.