District College Football Preview for Saturday, October 6th

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, October 4, 2012 | 8:57 PM

We start this edition of College Preview with heavy hearts with word of the death of W & J running back Tim McNerney early Thursday morning. All of us at the MSA Sports Network send our thoughts and prayers to the McNerney family and the W & J community in their time of loss.

Here are previews of all the games:

Slippery Rock(2-3) at IUP(4-1)  2pm on WISR 680-AM and the MSA Sports Network
The Rock is 1-1 in divisional play, the Crimson Hawks are also 1-1.

IUP is ranked #22 in the AFCA D-II poll. The Crimson Hawks defeated Millersburg 41-7 last week. IUP posted 552 yards of offense, including 346 yards on the ground. QB Mike Box was 15-24 for 278 yards and a td, Pat Brewer made 7 catches for 117 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 92 yard kickoff return to open the second half.

RB Harvie Tuck scored 2 more touchdowns, he has 9 for the season, tying his career high. Tuck averages 152 yards rushing per game, 2nd in the PSAC. The 9 scores leads the conference.

QB Mike Smith has thrown for 375 yards and 4 td's, Box made his first start of the season last week, he has 475 yards passing and 2 td's.

The IUP defense is one the nations best, ranking near the top of Division II in several categories including scoring defense (1st – 7.80 ppg); rushing defense (2nd – 37.75 ypg); and total defense (3rd – 211.60 ypg).

LB Carl Fleming leads the Crimson Hawks with 27 tackles.

Slippery Rock trailed 42-21 last week to Kutztown in a rematch of the PSAC Championship Game, the Rock rallied to take a 49-42 lead before falling 56-49 at home.

QB Nigel Barksdale made his first start and threw for 261 yards and 3 scores, he ran for 169 yards and 2 more touchdowns. QB Jared Buck transferred from IUP and started the first four games, Buck missed last week's game and is questionable for this week, he has 556 yards passing and 6 touchdowns.

RB Akeem Satterfield ran for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns, Satterfield moved into 8th place on the all-time Rock rushing list. The senior has ran for 460 yards, he is 7th in the conference.

WR LaQuinn Stephens-Howling caught 6 passes for 121 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The Rock fumbled 5 times, leading to 28 Kutztown points.

LB Gary Allen leads the Rock with 43 tackles. DB Isaiah Coleman is tied for the lead in interceptions with 3.

W & J(4-1) at Thomas More(1-3)  1:30pm on WJPA 1450-AM and the MSA Sports Network.
The Presidents are 3-0 in the PAC and tied for the top spot with Waynesburg, but enter Saturday with heavy hearts after the passing of their top running back. Teammates of McNerney said they will play for his honor and memory on Saturday.

DE James Lowery was named PAC Defensive Player of the Week. The sophomore from North Allegheny made 8 tackles, including 4 sacks to key a 28-26 win over Bethany.

Thomas More has lost as many conference games this season as they have in the last two seasons combined. The Saints are 1-2 in the PAC and will need to win out and get major help if they are to win a fifth consecutive title. The Saints fell to Geneva last week 50-48 in 4 overtimes.
The Saints football family has promised to honor the memory of McNerney prior to the game on Saturday.

Geneva(1-3) at Bethany(0-4)  2pm on WBVP 1230-AM and the MSA Sports Network.
Geneva handed 4-time PAC champion Thomas More their 2nd straight loss 50-48 in 4 overtimes. QB/WR/RB Rocco Colavecchia was named PAC Offensive Player of the Week. The junior from Shenango ran for 2 touchdowns in the final 2:30 to send the game to overtime, he scored in the second and fourth ot's to keep the offense going. Colavecchia ran for 61 yards, had 30 receiving yards and 14 passing yards in the win.

QB Zack Hayward threw for 298 yards on 32-49 including 4 touchdowns, he also ran for the game-winning 2 pointer. Corey O'Patchen caught 9 passes for 109 yards.

Dillon Goddell made 11 tackles, Brett Hutira made 10 for the Golden Tornadoes in the win.

Bethany fell 28-26 to W & J last week. Matt Grimard threw for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns, scoring with 51 seconds to play in regulation, but the Bison could not get the 2-pointer for the tie. Phil Acre ran for a career high 94 yards and a td.

Jonathan Foster needs 7 catches to reach 100 for his career, teammate Ed Holmes already passed 100 career catches, he has 116 for his time as a Bison.

LB Kyle Arrington made 12 tackles last week.

Geneva leads the series 28-10-1.

Robert Morris(1-3) at Saint Francis(2-3)  Noon
RMU is 0-1 in NEC play but on a high note after beating previously unbeaten Lafayette 31-28 last week.

Freshman CB Marcelis Branch  was named NEC Defensive Player of the Week. Branch made 15 tackles, forced a fumble and picked off a pass in the win.  

Veteran QB Jeff Sinclair returned to the lineup and made a huge difference for the Colonials. Making only his second start of the season, and first at home, the former all-NEC passer totaled 285 yards of offense (201 pass, 84 rush) and was responsible for all three of RMU’s offensive scores. First,he found Duane Washington for a 26-yard scoring strike before tossing a three-yard TD pass to Paul Evans. Sinclair’s eight-yard TD rush put the Colonials up by 21 points midway through the second quarter. Donte Jeter led RMU’s receiving corps by snagging seven balls for 131 yards.

Saint Francis is 1-1 in the NEC, the Red Flash fell in the fourth quarter to Duquesne 24-21.

RB Keion Wade ran for 3 touchdowns in the loss on the Bluff last week. Wade is 3rd in the NEC with 465 yards and 7 touchdowns. QB John Kelly is 6th with 368 yards rushing, he has thrown for 397 yards and 5 touchdowns. RB Khahari Dickson has ran for 301 yards. As expected the Red Flash leads the NEC in rushing offense.  

Lock Haven(0-5) at Mercyhurst(4-1)  Noon
The Bald Eagles hold the Division II record for futility with 47 consecutive losses. Lock Haven has not won since the final game of the 2007 season. The Bald Eagles also hold the longest current losing streak on any level of NCAA football.

Mercyhurst is 2-0 in the PSAC West, tied with Cal for the top spot. The Lakers have won 4 straight games. Brandon Brown-Dukes ran for 99 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 36-10 win over Cheyney last week. Brown-Dukes has run for  677 yards and 9 scores. Allen Jones II has ran for 84 yards per game and 4 touchdowns.

QB Anthony Vendemia has thrown for 814 yards and 10 touchdowns. Devyn Woods has caught 5 of those touchdowns.

LB T.J. Latimer made 5 tackles and blocked a punt for a safety in the third quarter. Mercyhurst leads the PSAC in passing defense.

Gannon(1-4) at Edinboro(2-2)  2pm
The Golden Knights are 0-2 in divisional play, the Fighting Scots are 1-1. 

Gannon lost last week 43-24 to Bloomsburg, the fourth consecutive loss of the season for the Golden Knights. Mike Phillips made 17 stops in the loss, Khayree Connors-McChristian made 15 and Will Giles also made 15 stops. WR Justin Caliste made 10 catches last week.

QB Liam Nadler has thrown for 1,380 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Edinboro defeated LIU Post 31-24 in overtime last week. QB Cody Harris was named co-PSAC Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the win. Harris connected with Marcus Johnson for the tying touchdown with 2 seconds to play to send the game to an extra session. The junior was 27-34 for 381 yards and four touchdown passes. This comes one week after Harris notched 5 touchdown in a win over Lock Haven.

WR/DB Devin Ghafoor figured in on both sides of the ball, he made 4 catches for 123 yards, including setting up the game winning score. Ghafoor also made 6 tackles. S Kenny Pettis made 14 tackles, he has made 10 or more tackles for the fourth consecutive week.

California(4-1) at Clarion(3-2)  2pm
The Vulcans are 2-0 in the PSAC West, while the Golden Eagles are 1-1.

Cal is now 16th in the AFCA D-II poll, falling from #6 after a 37-34 home loss to West Chester. QB Peter Lalich threw for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns, it is the 4th straight week Lalich has thrown for more than 300 yards. WR Trey Johnson caught 11 passes, a single game high.

Lalich has thrown for 1.775 yards and 14 td's, he is 2nd in the PSAC and 5th in all of D-II.

DB Rontez Miles made 12 tackles and picked off two passes, DB C.J. Townes made a career high 13 tackles despite not starting the game. 

Clarion rallied to defeat East Stroudsburg 31-27 last week. QB Ben Fiscus posted 412 yards of total offense and led the Golden Eagles to two fourth quarter touchdowns. Fiscus finished 19-30 for 245 yards and the game winning touchdown with 27 seconds left to play, the QB ran 22 times for 167 yards. For the comeback win, Fiscus was named co-PSAC West Offensive Player of the Week.

The Golden Eagles swept the PSAC West awards as Julian Howsare was named Defensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week. Howsare made 8 tackles, including 4 sacks and forced a fumble in the win.

RB Bobby Thomas leads the Golden Eagles with 502 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns.

Cal leads the series 40-38-3 all time.

Seton Hill(0-4) at Charleston(1-4)  2pm
The Griffins have dropped 7 straight games dating back to last season. Seton Hill led 13-0 last week before falling to West Virginia State. QB Ryan Morris threw for 266 yards, D.J. Carter and Derrick Dyer each caught 7 passes. Tyler Zimmer made 14 tackles in the loss.

The Golden Eagles won 30-10 over Fairmont State last week. QB John Knox completed 10 passes for 172 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jordan Roberts ran for 148 yards and a score, Knox also ran for 93 yards and a touchdown. Charleston is 2-1 in conference play, a half game behind Glenville State and a full game back of Shepherd.

Charleston has won all 7 games series since the Griffins joined the WVIAC.

Thiel(1-4) at Saint Vincent(0-4)  1pm
The Tomcats are 1-2 in the PAC, the Bearcats are 0-2.

Thiel fell to Waynesburg at home 20-19 last week. Andrew Smith threw for 243 yards on 23-36 and a td. Josh Potter ran for a touchdown for the Tomcats.

LB Ethan Ludwig made 12 stops, LB Jack Sindlinger made 9 tackles and picked off the first pass of the season for the Tomcats.

Saint Vincent had the bye last week, they fell to Westminster 17-6 two weeks ago. QB Matt Deakins made his first start, he went 11-23 for 90 yards and 2 picks. WR Ricky Douglas made 3 catches, he has now caught a pass in 23 consecutive games.
Thiel leads the series 8-6, the Bearcats have won the last 2 meetings.

Grove City(3-2) at Waynesburg(5-0)  1:30pm
Something has to give in this contest, Grove City has the PAC's top rushing attack at 193 yards per game. Waynesburg is only allowing 83 rushing yards per game.

The Wolverines are 2-1 in PAC play. Shane Kaclik leads the conference with 627 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.

K Kurt Devlin was named PAC Special Teams Player of the Week. Devlin hit two extra points and kicked a 35 yard field goal in a 23-21 victory at Westminster.

Anthony Ritchie caught the game winning touchdown pass from Brian Pell with 18 seconds left. Ritchie and Pell connected twice for touchdowns.

Ritchie had 9 catches for 61 yards, Pell threw for 200 yards on 23-34.

On the defensive side, S Joe Diani made his 3rd interception of the season, DE Marc Shamley had a sack and his 4th fumble recovery of 2012.

Waynesburg is 3-0 in the PAC and tied for the conference lead with W & J. The Yellow Jackets won 20-19 at Thiel last week. Backup QB Carter Hill hit Bernie Thompson for a 15 yard touchdown and the lead. QB Tyler Fatigante threw for a touchdown and ran for another, he was lost in the fourth quarter to injury.

S Bryan Gary made 10 tackles in the win, all were solo stops.

Waynesburg leads 27-15-5 in the series, the Yellow Jackets have won 2 straight.

Denison(2-2) at Carnegie Mellon(4-1)  1pm
Denison defeated Wooster 30-22 for their 2nd straight win. RB Sam Fioroni ran for 127 yards and a score. QB Max Paulus threw for 192 yards and 3 scores in last week’s win. Braden Layer had 5 catches, 2 for scores.

CMU fell to #17 Wabash 54-22 last week.
QB Rob Kalkstein has thrown for 5 touchdown passes of more than 50 yards this season. Kalkstein is 57-79 for 1,225 yards this season, he has 11 touchdowns and just 1 interception. WR Tim Kitka has been the main target, catching 5 touchdown passes. RB Patrick Blanks has ran for 377 yards, he has 6 touchdowns.

Allegheny(3-1) at University of Chicago(2-2)  1pm
The Gators defeated Oberlin 15-3 last week. DT John Douglas forced a safety in the final two minutes. Rudy DeStefano had 14 tackles, Colin Hartford picked off a pass in the win. The Allegheny defense held the Yeoman to 0 yards in the fourth quarter.

The Allegheny offense turned the ball over 6 times and lost running backs Ben Perko and Taylor O’Brien to injury.

The Maroons are coming off a bye week and also coming off a win over Oberlin 28-9. Vincent Cortina threw for 203 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win, both to Dee Brizzolara

Tags: Geneva, Slippery Rock, Washington