Seton Hill to take on Gannon in PSAC showdown

By: Paul Schofield
Friday, October 15, 2021 | 5:34 PM

NCAA Division II

Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference

Gannon (2-4, 1-2 PSAC West) vs. Seton Hill (3-3, 1-2 PSAC West)

4 p.m. Saturday at Offutt Field, Greensburg

Series: Gannon leads 6-1

Last meeting: Seton Hill 25, Gannon 21 (2019)

About Gannon: The Golden Knights have put together some decent offensive numbers this season, ranking seventh in the PSAC in scoring with 29.5 points per game. They struggle defensively, allowing 32.5 points per game (14th in the league).

The PSAC has a bevy of great quarterbacks, and Kory Curtis is on that list. Curtis is fifth in the league in total yards (1,433) and fourth in the league in touchdowns.

Gannon fell to Cal, 38-17. The Cal defense proved to be too much for the Golden Knights last week, getting held to 296 yards of offense in the loss. Former PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Week Keith Thompson had 10 tackles (6 solo) and 1.5 for loss.

Coach: Erik Raeburn (146-69, 21st season)

About Seton Hill: The Griffins won at Mercyhurst, 19-17, last week. Logan Wiland rushed for 178 yards and a trio of touchdowns.

Seton Hill is 15th in the league in points this season but is still 3-3. All three of Griffins wins have been nail-biters. They also defeated Wheeling, 16-14, and Bloomsburg, 13-7.

The Griffins showcase a stingy defense that ranks among the PSAC leaders in numerous categories. SHU ranks fifth in scoring defense (18.3 ppg), third in total defense (258.5 ypg), second in rushing defense (78.8 ypg) and fifth in passing defense (179.7 ypg). The defense has registered 21 sacks.

Seton Hill has held five of its six opponents to 17 points or less. Jaylen McGuffie, a senior linebacker, paces the unit with 58 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Nelson Gedeon, a redshirt senior defensive lineman, leads the team with 3.5 sacks, and junior defensive back Damonte Pratt has three interceptions and four pass breakups.

Offensively, the Griffins rely heavily on Wiland. The 6-foot, 205-pound graduate student has had three 100-yard efforts, including career highs of 178 yards on 38 carries last week. He ran for 122 yards on 24 carries the week before vs. Edinboro and had 113 yards vs. Bloomsburg. Wiland is second in the PSAC in rushing at 103.0 ypg. His season totals are 618 yards on 126 carries with five TDs.

Coach: Daniel Day (14-23, fifth season)

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.