October 21st, 2022 2:00am
Week Eight of PSAC Football is here! #6 Shepherd (7-0) remains the highest ranked PSAC Team in the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll this week. #13 IUP (6-0) moved up four spots from last week and #15 Slippery Rock (6-1) also moved up four spots. The PSAC Game of the Week features two teams who are both 3-1 in the PSAC West. #15 Slippery Rock will be paying a visit to California (PA) for this PSAC Game of the Week match-up. I was six of eight on my predictions last week and I am 47 out of 63 on the season (74.6%). Keep reading to see who I predict to win in this week’s PSAC Divisional Games.
Week 8 – Saturday 10/22/22
PSAC East Games:
#6 Shepherd (7-0, 4-0 PSAC East) at West Chester (4-3, 2-2 PSAC East) - 12 Noon
#6 Shepherd: Last week, the Rams beat Millersville 55-14. Freshman Donte Harrison was named the PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week. The defensive back had two touchdowns in the win for the Rams. Harrison had a 60 yard fumble recovery for a touchdown and a 29 yard pick-six. He also had three solo tackles. In addition to the weekly PSAC honor, Harrison was also named to the DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll. On offense, running back Ronnie Brown rushed for 133 yards on 18 carries. Brown is second in the PSAC with a rushing average of 119.1 yards per game. Quarterback Tyson Bagent threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another. Bagent leads the PSAC with an average 323.9 yards per game. Marlon Cook had five receptions for 50 yards on the day. Cook is third in the PSAC averaging 107.9 receiving yards per game. There was also a noteworthy achievement on special teams. Long snapper Zach Frye met a career milestone with his 400th long snap. He has been the starting long snapper in all his 39 games played. As a team, Shepherd is number one in scoring offense, 44.9 points a game, and number two on defense, 15.6 points given up per game, in the entire PSAC. After this week, the Rams have Bloomsburg and East Stroudsburg left before November 12th which should mark their appearance in this year’s PSAC Championship Game.
West Chester: Last week, the Golden Rams beat East Stroudsburg 24-21. True freshman quarterback Jordan Cooper was named the PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week. Cooper led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter including throwing the game winning touchdown pass with 16 seconds left in the game. He also had 133 yards rushing in the game. Receiver Mari Wright had seven catches for 63 yards. Defensive back Zach DeMarchis led the Golden Rams defense with 12 tackles. Defensive end Zach Liggitt is fourth in the PSAC with six sacks.
My Prediction: #6 Shepherd – The Rams are working on making their claim to be at the top of the Super Region 1 bracket for the playoffs.
Shippensburg (3-4, 2-2 PSAC East) at Millersville (2-5, 2-2 PSAC East) - 2:00 PM
Shippensburg: Last week, the Raiders lost 29-10 to Kutztown. The Raiders defense is ranked tenth in the PSAC. Linebacker Matt Feeney is fourth in the PSAC in tackles with 70 for an average of 10 per game. Feeney also leads the PSAC with tackles for loss with 15.5.
Millersville: Last week, the Marauders lost 55-14 to Shepherd. Millersville is ranked 13 of 16 on both offense and defense in the PSAC.
My Prediction: Shippensburg – The Raiders win a tight one.
East Stroudsburg (2-5, 1-3 PSAC East) at Bloomsburg (3-4. 2-2 PSAC East) - 2:00 PM
East Stroudsburg: Last week, the Warriors lost 24-21 to West Chester. Sergei Felizor had an outstanding afternoon for the Warriors. His named was regularly called by the P.A. announcer during the ESU Homecoming game. Felizor had 15 tackles, a sack, and broke up a pass. Jake Cirillo was back at quarterback after missing the previous three games due to injury. He showed no hesitation getting back into action as he rushed for 41 yards on 10 carries. He also had a rushing touchdown. On the season, the Warriors have five losses. Four of those losses have been by six points or less. They lost to IUP by three, Kutztown by four, Millersville by six, and West Chester by three.
Bloomsburg: Last Week, the Huskies beat Lock Haven 17-9. The Huskies have the tenth ranked offense in the PSAC and the sixth ranked defense. Quentin Gaskill leads the PSAC in passes defended with 13.
My Prediction: East Stroudsburg – The Warriors get back in the win column.
Lock Haven (1-6, 0-4 PSAC East) at Kutztown (5-2, 3-1 PSAC East) - 3:00 PM
Lock Haven: Last week, the Bald Eagles lost 17-9 to Bloomsburg. Lock Haven has the last ranked defense in the PSAC. They average giving up 43.7 points per game.
Kutztown: Last week, the Golden Bears beat Shippensburg 29-10. Kicker Dawson Evitts was named the PSAC East Special Team Athlete of the Week. He made five field goals, going a perfect five for five, including a career long of 41. Evitts has been perfect on point after attempts this season as well. Running back Darryl Davis-McNeil is third in the PSAC in rushing with a 103.6 average per game. Receiver Jerome Kapp is sixth in the PSAC with an average of 75.7 receiving yards per game. Donny Blaine is the seventh ranked quarterback in the PSAC, second in the PSAC East, with an average of 172.7 passing yards per game.
My Prediction: Kutztown – It should be a big week for the KU offense.
PSAC West Games:
Edinboro (3-4, 1-3 PSAC West) at Clarion (3-4, 2-2 PSAC West) - 12 Noon
Edinboro: Last week, the Scots lost 41-0 to IUP. Linebacker Clay Cunningham leads the PSAC with 86 tackles with an average of 12.3 tackles per game. Edinboro’s defense is ranked 14 of 16 in the PSAC.
Clarion: Last week, the Golden Eagles beat Mercyhurst 23 – 21. Kicker Jarrett Esposito was named the PSAC West Special Teams Athlete of the Week. He had four field goals in the game including a walk off 30 yarder as time expired. Robert Lachmann is fifth is the PSAC with 5.5 sacks. Clarions defense overall is ranked second last in the PSAC.
My Prediction: Clarion – The Golden Eagles are making strides.
Mercyhurst (2-5, 0-4 PSAC West) at Gannon (5-2, 3-1 PSAC West) - 12 Noon
Mercyhurst: Last Week, the Lakers lost 23-21 to Clarion. Jacob Holl is tied for second in the PSAC with 77 tackles on the season and Thomas Zacharyasz is fifth in the PSAC with 66. Marquis Mauney is tied for first in the PSAC with three interceptions.
Gannon: Last week, the Golden Knights lost 40-14 to Slippery Rock. Quarterback Kory Curtis threw for over 300 yards and had two touchdown passes in the loss but the usually dominant rushing attacking, which has had over 200 yards rushing in four of the six games prior, was held to -9 yards, which did include five sacks, in the game. Gannon is fifth in the PSAC on offense and is seventh on defense.
My Prediction: Gannon – Bounce back week for the Golden Knights after the loss to the Rock last weekend.
Seton Hill (0-7, 0-4 PSAC West) at #13 IUP (6-0, 4-0 PSAC West) – 2:00 PM
Seton Hill: Last week, the Griffins lost 21-14 to California (PA). Seton Hill has the last ranked offense in the PSAC only scoring 10.6 points per game and is 12 of 16 on defense. Jaylen Mcduffie is tied for second in the PSAC with 77 tackles on the season and Narrio Walks is ninth with 61.
#13 IUP: Last week, the Crimson Hawks beat Edinboro 41-0. Quarterback Mak Sexton was named PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Week for his performance in the win. He went 16 of 18 for 338 yards and threw for three touchdowns. Sexton is second in the PSAC with an average of 278. 3 yards passing per game. Running back Dayjur Stewart leads the PSAC with a rushing average per game of 124.0. Receiver Duane Brown leads the PSAC in receiving yards with an average of 117.8 yards per game. Teammate Hilton Ridley is fifth with an 80.5 yards receiving average per game.
My Prediction: #13 IUP – The Crimson Hawks are in the driver’s seat in the PSAC West.
#15 Slippery Rock (6-1, 3-1 PSAC West) at California (PA) (4-3, 3-1 PSAC West) - 3:30 PM
#15 Slippery Rock: Last week, the Rock beat Gannon 40-14. D.J. Adediwura was named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the week. The defensive end had three solo sacks, one for a safety, four tackles for loss, and a quarterback hurry. Quarterback Noah Grover is third in the PSAC with an average of 250.1 yards passing per game. The Slippery Rock defense held Gannon, who came into the game averaging 181 yards rushing per game, to -9 yards running the ball. On the season, Slippery Rock has the number two offense, 33.6 points per game, and have the number one defense, giving up only 13.0 points per game, in the entire PSAC. Quarterback Noah Grover is third in the PSAC with an average of 250.1 yards passing per game. D.J. Adediwura leads the PSAC with 8.5 sacks. Jeff Marks is tied for second in the PSAC with 6.5 sacks.
California (PA): Last week, the Vulcans beat Seton Hill 21-14. Quarterback Noah Mitchell had 239 yards and two touchdowns for Cal. Mitchell is fifth in the PSAC with an average of 231.6 yards per game. Jaque Jackson had five receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown. He is second in all the PSAC with an average of 112.6 yards receiving per game. Going into this week, the Vulcans have the number four offense in the PSAC averaging 32.4 points per game. Against Seton Hill, Noah Dillow had 14 tackles and one tackle for loss. John Hutchinson had 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack. Dom Solomon had six tackles, one tackle for loss, and two pass break ups. The Vulcan defense is currently third in all of the PSAC only giving up an average of 17.4 points per game.
My Prediction: #15 Slippery Rock – The Rock’s only loss overall and Cal’s only loss in the PSAC West were both at the hands of IUP. This game has major Super Region 1 Playoff implications for Slippery Rock and is a must win.