No game in the PSAC West this week was any closer than two scores by game's end. For each game but one, the contest likely could have been called at halftime. Taking a look at the standings, we have a new leader in the PSAC West as Slippery Rock moves into the top spot at 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the conference. Following is IUP (6-2, 5-1), Clarion (7-2, 4-2), Cal (6-3, 4-2), Gannon (6-3, 3-3), Mercyhurst (5-4, 2-4), Seton Hill (2-7, 1-5) and Edinboro (0-8, 0-6). IUP 28, Clarion 14 IUP's ... Read More
Penn State shuts out Illinois 39-0, Hackenberg with three TDs
The Penn State Nittany Lions (7-2, 4-1) capitalized on a weak Illinois (4-4, 1-3) offense in a 39-0 win on Saturday afternoon at Beaver Stadium. Big Plays: The Penn State defense reigned supreme in the shutout. Geno Lewis scored his receiving first touchdown at Beaver Stadium in his career. Lewis previously tallied receiving touchdowns at an NFL stadium, Yankee Stadium and Ireland before notching a TD in Happy Valley. Quarterback Christian Hackenberg was responsible for three touchdowns (two ... Read More
Penn State returns home, takes on Illinois
The Penn State Nittany Lions (6-2, 3-1) will battle the Illinois Fighting Illini (4-3, 1-2) on Saturday at 12 p.m. at Beaver Stadium. The Lions are returning home after a two-game road series, and will be welcomed by a throng of students from across the Commonwealth, as this game is the annual “All-U Day.” "We love every opportunity to play in Beaver Stadium," said head coach James Franklin. "We've had a lot of success in Beaver Stadium this season, and the fans have been a big part of that. ... Read More
Slow start dooms Pitt in loss to North Carolina
The 23rd ranked Pitt Panthers football team entered Thursday night’s primetime showdown against North Carolina looking to show the nation that they have arrived. Those plans are on hold for just a little bit longer. While the Panthers have been able to pull out some fourth-quarter heroics so far this season, it wasn’t meant to be as Pitt didn’t have enough magic in their hat, falling 26-19. Pitt (6-2, 4-1 ACC), who struggled on both sides of the ball in the first half and trailed for ... Read More
North Carolina vs. Pitt: Preview, Analysis, Prediction and more
No. 23 Pitt and North Carolina head into a Thursday night battle at Heinz Field with identical 6-1 records. First place in the ACC Coastal Division will be on the line as each team has something to prove. For the Panthers they need to validate their hot start to the season and make themselves legitimate threats for the Coastal Division title. While Pitt hasn't beaten great teams, the North Carolina schedule has been especially soft. The Heels have beaten a pair of FCS schools and their ... Read More
ACC Power Rankings:Week 9
Another week of ACC football is in the books and we have one team in Clemson looking like a playoff contender, while their biggest competition saw their lengthy conference winning streak come to an end on a blocked field goal. The biggest thing to keep an eye on is the Coastal Division race as Duke, North Carolina and Pitt will battle it out for the crown. How do those teams stack up? Let’s take a look. 1. Clemson (7-0, 4-0 ACC, defeated Miami 58-0, Last Week-1) The Tigers ... Read More
AM Joe: Pens head to DC for first Metro matchup
Good morning, Pittsburgh. Here's your day in sports for Wednesday, October 28, 2015. What's on tap for today: The Penguins (4-4-0) will visit the Washington Capitals (6-1) tonight for their first game of the season against a Metro Division opponent. The Pens mediocre start has them in sixth place in the eight-team Metro. The Caps sit in third. Face-off is at 8:30 p.m. NBCSN Pittsburgh headlines: The Pens hired former defenseman Sergei Gonchar to be the team's defenseman ... Read More
PAC Notebook: W&J’s playoff hopes take huge hit
The W&J Presidents entered last Saturday’s game against case Western Reserve knowing that if they won out they would more than likely be heading back to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Those playoff hopes took a huge hit as the Presidents dropped their second game of the season in a 35-28 loss. Case Western (5-1, 6-0 PAC) quarterback Rob Cuda threw for a career-high five touchdowns in the upset of 15th-ranked W&J. Bryan Erb caught nine passes for a career-high 147 yards, including ... Read More
Clarion Golden Eagles fall for first time; SRU holds on to highlight PSAC play
Some big games highlighted this week's PSAC West action, and the outcomes came out even bigger. Clarion fell for the first time this season at the hands of the Cal Vulcans, who picked off one of the nation's most efficient quarterbacks six times. Then, on Saturday night, Slippery Rock held off a potent rushing attack from IUP and won by a single point. Despite the loss, Clarion remains atop the PSAC West, but it fell out of the AFCA Top 25. SRU moved up from 15th to 13th in the AFCA poll. ... Read More
AM Joe: Steelers begin preparations for Bengals
Good morning, Pittsburgh. Here's your day in sports for Tuesday, October 27, 2015. What's on tap for today: Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and Penn State head coach James Franklin each have their weekly press conferences this afternoon. Tomlin's 4-3 Steelers have a tall test as the unbeaten Cincinnati Bengals come to town next week. The 6-2 Nittany Lions, meanwhile, will host 4-3 Illinois as they return from a narrow victory over Maryland. Pittsburgh headlines: The fallout ... Read More