Gannon at West Chester 12:00

Both of these teams confused me last week. Normally pass happy West Chester ran for over 200 yards against an FCS defense, and Gannon's respectable rushing attack netted negative numbers against Lake Erie. West Chester suffered the loss of starting quarterback Sean McCartney but 2010 starter Mike Mattei is ready to step in. Mattei and McCartney have always been very close in terms of size, talent and ability to run Bill Zwaan's offense so I don't expect any drop off or changes in philosophy. The Rams showed well in their final game at Delaware Stadium and should have some confidence heading into their home opener.

Gannon gritted out a hard earned victory at home against Lake Erie last week. It wasn't always pretty as the Knights gave up way too many sacks and never established a running game, but freshman quarterback Liam Nadler set a school record for single game passing yards. There is a lot to be said for finding ways to win, even if its out of your normal comfort zone, and the Knights were able to do that.

Every game is important for every team but this one is critical for West Chester. It's only week two, but the outcome of this game could determine the course of their season. The Rams have lost their way with two straight losing seasons and instability at quarterback. They've already had to make a quarterback change (it was unavoidable, but it's still a change) and a loss in this game could send them down the same road they've travelled the last two years. This is a must win for West Chester and I think they will get it done as long as they protect the ball.

West Chester 27 Gannon 21

Edinboro at #19 Bloomsburg 1:00#24 IUP at Cheyney 1:00
Both teams are 1-0 and both teams have talented running backs. Unfortunately for Cheyney, that is where the similarities end. IUP is physical at the line of scrimmage and this game will be total dominance for the Crimson Hawks. This would be a great opportunity to let quarterback Pat Smith work on the passing game, but a long road trip to Cheyney is all about taking care of business. IUP will win with the running game and stay healthy for the first round of divisional play next week. Harvie Tuck and Montay Green should both eclipse 100 rushing yards for second straight game.

IUP 41 Cheyney 9

Clarion at LIU Post 1:00

This is another matchup between a team with a game under its belt and team seeing its first action. Clarion's offense didn't do enough last week but their defense sure did. The Golden Eagles were outgained, but their defense turned away Fairmont State time after time and managed to make 7 points hold up for a shutout victory. I think they will need another big effort this week. Post is good at stopping the run and Clarion doesn't have much of a passing game so the Pioneers will have a plan to stop Ben Fiscus' running. Post should be a very good offensive unit this year with dual threat quarterback Steven Laurino and a host of other talented skill players.

LIU Post 28 Clarion 13

Mercyhurst at Millersville 1:00

The first ever meeting between Millersville and Mercyhurst is a tough one to call. Had this been the season opening game, I would have picked Mercyhurst by double digits, but after last week's performances, that prediction would seem absurd. The 'Ville surprised many followers of the PSAC and WVIAC by pulling away from West Virginia Wesleyan for a comfortable 41-17 victory. The Marauders served notice that their slumbering offense has come out of hibernation. Transfer quarterback Ted Stachitas proved to be a dual threat by leading the team in rushing and passing. He was complimented by the powerful rushing of Senior Mike Jones and benefited from the return of receiver Matt Egenrider.

Merychurst put up 42 points on the road in their season opener but they also gave up 59 points and over 500 yards to Notre Dame College. Despite an embarrassing eight turnovers, the Lakers still had a shot late in this game, but a few turnovers on downs led to more Falcon scores.

Its really tempting to take Millersville in this game. They have the momentum of a big win last week, they're playing at home, and their opponent is still smarting from an overall bad performance. All are good reasons to pick the Marauders, but I am going against the grain and picking Mercyhurst to rebound. They have a 42 point effort to build on and Marty Schaetzle and his staff will clean up the turnover issues and get the Lakers back on track.

Mercyhurst 38 Millersville 34

Slippery Rock at Shippensburg 1:00Lock Haven at East Stroudsburg 1:00

There isn't much to say about either team yet. East Stroudsburg was idle last week and Lock Haven took their annual FCS pounding, this time from Fordham. Look for Lock Haven to have some success running the ball with Brandon Brader and Matthew Gibson. Brader is a talented back and ESU isn't exactly known for rush defense. Unfortunately for the Bald Eagles, they will struggle to keep up with East Stroudsburg's spread out, pass happy offense.

I don't think being idle in week 1 is a good situation, but in this case it works to the advantage of ESU. The Warriors are itching for their first live action while Lock Haven goes back on the road still licking their wounds from last week.

East Stroudsburg 45 Lock Haven 16

PSAC Game of the Week : # 10 California at # 15 Kutztown 6:05Now I know I told you not to think too far ahead, but its hard to put the implications aside. This is not a divisional game, but both teams should have great records, which means it will help OWP for both teams and could be a trump card for the winner when regional rankings come out. We will definitely be circling back this game later in the year when teams are fighting for playoff spots.

As always, questions, comments, complaints, etc. can be submitted to me at [email protected]