California
- Last week: defeated Kutztown, 48-45.
- This week: at Edinboro, 6 p.m.
After picking up a win over defending PSAC champion Kutztown, the Vulcans moved up to No. 6 in the Division II coaches poll. California will look to keep the early success going when they travel to Edinboro Saturday.
The Fighting Scots (0-1) fell to the 19th-ranked Bloomsburg, 30-14, last week in their season opener.
Junior quarterback Cody Harris threw for 209 yards and a touchdown in week one. His top targets were junior Marcus Johnson – 48 yards – and sophomore Devin Ghafoor – 42 yards and a touchdown.
D’Andrea Vaughn led the team in rushing with 48 yards.
The high-powered Vulcans offense – which has averaged 337 yards per game through the air this season – will be in for a battle. The Fighting Scots had the best secondary in the PSAC last season and held the Huskies to less than 100 yards in the air. But Bloomsburg did run for more than 300 yards in the 16-point win.
Senior safety Kenny Pettis leads the defense with 19 tackles.
California leads the all-time series 41-35-2. The Vulcans have won the last seven meetings in the series.
Prediction: California 48, Edinboro 21
Indiana
- Last week: defeated Cheyney, 56-0.
- This week: vs. Lock Haven, 4 p.m.
The Crimson Hawks – ranked 17th in the Division II coaches poll – will look to keep the strong start with a PSAC showdown against Lock Haven.
The Bald Eagles (0-2) are coming off a 31-0 loss to East Stroudsburg. It was the second-straight game Lock Haven did not score a point and have been outscored 86-0 in 2012.
Senior quarterback Jarrett Kratzer has recorded 222 passing yards this season and two interceptions. His top targets have been junior Jesse Hoover and junior Eddie Celkos, who have both recorded 53 yards.
Sophomore linebacker Matt Kirchner leads the team in tackles with seven.
While Indiana has converted 53 percent of its first down, the Bald Eagles have struggled and only converted 22 percent. The Lock Haven defense has given up 16-of-29 opponents’ chances.
Indiana leads the all-time series 55-15-3. The Crimson Hawks have won 30-consecutive games against the Bald Eagles, including a 56-5 win in 2011.
Prediction: Indiana 55, Lock Haven 6
Seton Hill
- Last week: fell to Urbana, 34-31.
- This week: vs. Shepherd, 12 p.m.
Seton Hill (0-2) will look for its first win as it welcomes Shepherd to Greensburg on Saturday.
Shepherd (1-1) are coming off a 34-7 win over American International.
The Shepherd offense is led by senior quarterback quarterback Bobby Cooper . He has thrown for 388 yards and three touchdowns. His top target has been sophomore William McKenzie (102 yards and one touchdown).
The running game is led by junior Kenny Williams, who has recorded 128 yards on the ground on four touchdowns. He has also recorded 32 receiving yards.
Senior linebacker A.J. Parrish leads the team in tackles with 20 tackles with one sack. Junior linebacker Dominique Dixon has added 15 tackles and one sack. Shepherd defeated Seton Hill, 64-7, last season.
Prediction: Shepherd 45, Seton Hill 14
Slippery Rock
- Last week: fell to Shippensburg, 55-35.
- This week: vs. Gannon, 6 p.m.
After a 20-point loss to open the PSAC portion of the schedule, the Rock welcomes Gannon to Milhalik-Thompson Stadium.
Gannon (1-1) enters the came looking to rebound after falling to PSAC east foe West Chester, 21-17.
Gannon’s offense is led by redshirt freshman quarterback Liam Nadler, who has passed for 687 yards and six touchdowns.Nadler’s top target has been sophomore receiver Abraham Ocasio, who has 15 receptions for 282 yards and three touchdowns.
The Golden Knights offensive line may be a concern for the as they have surrendered 11 sacks this season.
The Golden Knights have struggled to find production on the ground, recording only 32.5 rushing yards per game in 2012.
The defense is led by senior linebacker Will Giles who has recorded 15 tackles – including 2.5 tackles for a loss and one QB sack – and has one interception. Senior lineman Ian Jeffers and senior defensive back Khayree Conners-McChristian have added 14 tackles each.
Gannon leads the all-time series 5-2. The Golden Knights have won the last three meetings, including a 33-27 victory in 2011.
Prediction: Gannon 28, Slippery Rock 24
Photo Credits: Pittsburgh Sports Report
