2025 Non-Conference Games

[iupgroundhog]

A friend of mine coaches at St Vincent and that is what I was told. I will say it does take two to tango. Not sure if anyone else applied or reached out. I did hear Lincoln back over the xmas time, but I guess that died down.

My gut reaction as a long-time IUP fan is that I don't want St. Vincent in the conference. There is the issue that conference schools in any conference should have a similar mission. To have both Seton Hill and St. Vincent in the West would be extremely disappointing to me as an IUP fan and a follower of the PSAC West. I realize shorter travel saves money but my opinion is that the geographic concentration by adding St. Vincent would be a bad thing and I think competitively and for fans it would make the conference much less interesting.

[EastStroud13]

It is good for the PSAC to be a conference that programs want to join. Hopefully the conference is wise enough to say no to programs that have no business being in the PSAC.

[IUPNation]

It is good for the PSAC to be a conference that programs want to join. Hopefully the conference is wise enough to say no to programs that have no business being in the PSAC.

...and in spite of what comes out of The Home Office in Lock Haven.

[ClarionNoob]

Some schools still don’t have schedules out ? Dang… this blows my mind.

[Redwing]

Some schools still don’t have schedules out ? Dang… this blows my mind.

Some schools are still trying to fill open dates... also blows my mind that teams won't play even when they are getting dollars for the match-up.

[Inkblot]

Gannon will visit Saginaw Valley State on September 6. https://svsucardinals.com/sports/fball/2025-26/schedule

[IUP24]

A friend of mine coaches at St Vincent and that is what I was told. I will say it does take two to tango. Not sure if anyone else applied or reached out. I did hear Lincoln back over the xmas time, but I guess that died down.

I have a great friend of mine from high school that is pretty high up within the administration/admissions world there. He's pretty heavily involved with athletics as well. He told me back in November that SVC's new athletic director was making it his mission to join the PSAC. Whether they join or not remains to be seen, but if you talk to anyone at SVC (like we both have), there is legitimate smoke to the rumor.

[IUP24]

My gut reaction as a long-time IUP fan is that I don't want St. Vincent in the conference. There is the issue that conference schools in any conference should have a similar mission. To have both Seton Hill and St. Vincent in the West would be extremely disappointing to me as an IUP fan and a follower of the PSAC West. I realize shorter travel saves money but my opinion is that the geographic concentration by adding St. Vincent would be a bad thing and I think competitively and for fans it would make the conference much less interesting.

You say this as though IUP would remain in the PSAC West. At some point, they would probably need to re-evaluate how the league is structured. I believe IUP is the easternmost team in the PSAC West. Just some food for thought.

I have it on good accord that SVC desperately wants to join. I'm not in favor of that move if it happens, but it is what it is.

[ESU Warrior]

Some schools are still trying to fill open dates... also blows my mind that teams won't play even when they are getting dollars for the match-up.

Who is doing this?

[Fightingscot82]

Some schools still don’t have schedules out ? Dang… this blows my mind.

Its pretty hard to get non-conference games in D2. There are only so many schools and a lot will cost you upwards of $15,000 for an overnight game. Budgets are VERY tight in D2. To make matters worse, in the PSAC you only have one non-conference game and its always Week 1 - many conferences stagger their bye weeks and for a long time there were one or two conferences that played a full 11 game conference schedule. This year Week 1 falls on Labor Day weekend. Some teams have a second week to fill from Mercyhurst's abrupt exit. The Week 0 rule allows for some flexibility but not much because that's commonly move-in weekend for students. The very few schools with lots of football revenue (i.e. Grand Valley State) will pay you to come, but a lot of coaches also don't want to start the season off by getting their asses kicked.

In my opinion, play a local D3. But I'm not a coach.

[RockPride]

I have a great friend of mine from high school that is pretty high up within the administration/admissions world there. He's pretty heavily involved with athletics as well. He told me back in November that SVC's new athletic director was making it his mission to join the PSAC. Whether they join or not remains to be seen, but if you talk to anyone at SVC (like we both have), there is legitimate smoke to the rumor.

SVC can't compete in the PAC, they will get annihilated in the PSAC.

[Redwing]

Who is doing this?

I'll just have to say to trust me as I don't feel that it will help future opponents to divulge their names. And for the most part, I don't think that recently it's not the PSAC, but other conference members. I understand why some competitive programs may not want to schedule a tougher opponent as it may result in a PO berth. Although I think many of us can show how scheduling a competitive opponent hasn't hurt a program. But there are institutions that understand their minimal PO chances and they still won't schedule.

[Redwing]

Its pretty hard to get non-conference games in D2. There are only so many schools and a lot will cost you upwards of $15,000 for an overnight game. Budgets are VERY tight in D2. To make matters worse, in the PSAC you only have one non-conference game and its always Week 1 - many conferences stagger their bye weeks and for a long time there were one or two conferences that played a full 11 game conference schedule. This year Week 1 falls on Labor Day weekend. Some teams have a second week to fill from Mercyhurst's abrupt exit. The Week 0 rule allows for some flexibility but not much because that's commonly move-in weekend for students. The very few schools with lots of football revenue (i.e. Grand Valley State) will pay you to come, but a lot of coaches also don't want to start the season off by getting their asses kicked.

In my opinion, play a local D3. But I'm not a coach.

Well, the GLIAC has OOC chances in 5 weeks.... hardly starting the season. I don't think it's as much about when the game is played, but rather who the game is against. Even then, why not fill a date against a quality program? Especially if it's one that has a good game day atmosphere?

[RockPride]

Just saw that St. Francis is dropping from D1 to D3 to the Presidents' Athletic Conference.

[Fightingscot82]

SVC can't compete in the PAC, they will get annihilated in the PSAC.

I agree 100%. I'm not saying their friends are lying, but I doubt its any more than an internal wish. St Vincent has some financial challenges - I truly don't believe they have the capacity to start budgeting in scholarship athletics.