PSAC Week Nine Preview

October 30th, 2024 8:00pm

PSAC Week Nine Preview

Week Nine is coming up and we now know one of the teams who will be playing in the PSAC Championship Game on Saturday November 16, 2024. #22 California (PA) (7-1, 5-0 PSAC West), who moved up two spots in this week’s D2 Top 25 Poll released on Monday, beat IUP in Overtime, 16-13, last Saturday. With that win, the Vulcans secured their spot in the Title Game representing the PSAC West. After Week Eight, one PSAC team remains undefeated with a perfect overall record of 8-0. #4 Kutztown (8-0, 5-0 PSAC East) beat Shepherd last week 24-0. With the win, the Golden bears moved up one spot in this week’s D2 Top 25 Poll. Kutztown is still in the driver’s seat in the PSAC East and could win their Division Title and be the East’s representative in the PSAC Championship Game with a win this Saturday at Millersville. #15 Slippery Rock (6-1, 3-1 PSAC West) was idle last week but managed to move up one spot in this week’s D2 Top 25 Poll. East Stroudsburg (7-1, 4-1 PSAC East) also needs mentioning in this opening section. The Warriors round out the field of the four PSAC Teams who made the first NCAA Super Region One Rankings for 2024 which were released on Monday. This week’s NCAA Super Region Rankings include ten teams for each of the four Super Regions. This week, the ten teams are listed alphabetically and not ranked by number. Those teams are all in the mix for the seven bracket spots at the end of the regular season in each Super Region. The 1-10 rankings begin next week when the NCAA Super Regions Rankings are released on Monday November 4, 2024. Keep reading below for this week’s Super Region One Rankings, my updated PSAC Power Ranking, more about the top four teams in the PSAC, this week’s matchups, and my prediction of who will win each game in Week Nine.

NCAA Super Region One Rankings (Monday October 28, 2024):

Ashland (GMAC) 6-2

Assumption (NE10) 5-2

California (PA) (PSAC West) 7-1

Charleston (WV) (MEC) 8-0

East Stroudsburg (PSAC East) 7-1

Findlay (GMAC) 7-1

Kutztown (PSAC East) 8-0

New Haven (NE10) 5-2

Slippery Rock (PSAC West) 6-1

Tiffin (GMAC) 6-2

PSAC Power Ranking (PPR) heading into Week Nine:

  1. #4 Kutztown (8-0, 5-0 PSAC East)
  2. #22 California (PA) (7-1, 5-0 PSAC West)
  3. East Stroudsburg (7-1, 4-1 PSAC East)
  4. #15 Slippery Rock (6-1, 3-1 PSAC West)
  5. IUP (5-3, 2-3 PSAC West)
  6. Shepherd (5-3, 3-2 PSAC East)
  7. West Chester (3-5, 3-2 PSAC East)
  8. Lock Haven (3-5, 1-4 PSAC East)
  9. Bloomsburg (4-4, 2-3 PSAC East)
  10. Seton Hill (3-5, 1-3 PSAC West)
  11. Gannon (2-5, 2-2 PSAC West)
  12. Clarion (3-5, 1-3 PSAC West)
  13. Edinboro (2-6, 1-3 PSAC West)
  14. Shippensburg (2-6, 1-4 PSAC East)
  15. Millersville (0-8, 0-5 PSAC East)

The top four teams in the PSAC, those in this week’s NCAA Super Region One Ranking, have a combined record of 28-3 (.903 winning percentage). The three losses of those top four teams are all to D2 Top 25 teams with current rankings of #4, #12, and #22 in this week’s D2 Top 25 Poll and all those teams are on this week’s NCAA Super Region One Rankings list.

#4 Kutztown – The Golden Bears Defense has not given up any points in their last three games. They have outscored their opponents 79-2 during that three-game span. The most points any team has scored against Kutztown is 21 and that was by the number one ranked offense in the PSAC, 7-1 East Stroudsburg, who averages scoring 35.1 points per game. They are the only team to score more than 20 points on Kutztown all season. Only three teams have made it to double digits against the Golden Bears (14, 21, and 10). Kutztown has only given up 53 points all season through eight games. The Golden Bears are the only team left in the PSAC who have allowed less than 100 points for the season. Again, Kutztown has only given up 53 points and the next closest is by the second ranked defense, IUP, who has allowed 130 points with a 16.3 average per game. Kutztown’s defense is number one in yards allowed averaging only giving up 205.4 total per game. They are the only team is the PSAC to still only have given up single digits in touchdowns through eight games with seven. On offense, Kutztown averages 333.5 yards per game with 29 total touchdowns.

Offensive Rank in the PSAC: 3 (29.4 PPG)

Defensive Rank in the PSAC: 1 (6.6 PPG)

Scoring Differential Rank in the PSAC: 1 (Plus 22.8 PPG)

 

#15 Slippery Rock – The Rock’s only loss, 28-7, was to now #22 California (PA), the PSAC West Champion. The Rock averages 363.6 yards of total offense per game with 23 total touchdowns on the season. Quarterback Brayden Long is fourth is the PSAC in passing averaging 224.6 yards per game with 13 passing touchdowns on the season.

Offensive Rank in the PSAC: 5 (25.4 PPG)

Defensive Rank in the PSAC: 4 (17.7 PPG)

Scoring Differential Rank in the PSAC: 5 (Plus 7.7 PPG)

 

#22 California (PA) – The Vulcans are the 2024 PSAC West Champions. Their only loss, 23-19, was way back in Week Zero to still undefeated and currently ranked #12 Charleston (MEC). They are second in the PSAC averaging 398.0 yards per game with 29 touchdowns. Quarterback Davis Black is second in the PSAC in passing averaging 246.6 yards per game with 15 touchdown passes. Wide receiver Eric Willis III is third in the PSAC averaging 89.9 yards receiving per game with six touchdown receptions on the season.

Offensive Rank in the PSAC: 2 (29.5 PPG)

Defensive Rank in the PSAC: 5 (18.3 PPG)

Scoring Differential Rank in the PSAC: 3 (Plus 11.2 PPG)

 

East Stroudsburg – The Warriors only loss, 27-21, was to still undefeated and currently ranked #4 Kutztown. The Warriors are number one in the PSAC averaging 418.1 yards of offense per game and have the most touchdowns with 35. East Stroudsburg also leads the PSAC averaging 221.5 yards rushing per game and they are also number one in rushing touchdowns with 19. Running back Tyriq Lewis is third in the PSAC averaging 84.8 yards per game, 678 total rushing yards with seven touchdowns, and his teammate Tahir Mills is fourth in the PSAC in rushing averaging 84.6 yards per game, 677 total yards with 6 rushing touchdowns. This duo averages 169.4 yards rushing per game, with 1,355 total yards on the season and 13 rushing touchdowns.

Offensive Rank in the PSAC: 1 (35.1 PPG)

Defensive Rank in the PSAC: 3 (16.9 PPG)

Scoring Differential Rank in the PSAC: 2 (Plus 18.2 PPG)

 

PSAC Week Nine – Divisional Games

Thursday, October 31, 2024

PSAC West

#15 Slippery Rock (6-1, 3-1 PSAC West) at Clarion (3-5, 1-3 PSAC West) – 6 PM

#15 Slippery Rock was idle last week.

Clarion lost last week 31-16 to Seton Hill.

My Prediction: #15 Slippery Rock – The Rock takes care of business after their bye week working towards trying to secure a spot on the Super Region One playoff bracket.

 

Saturday, November 2, 2024

PSAC EAST

Lock Haven (3-5, 2-3 PSAC East) at West Chester (3-5, 3-2 PSAC East) – 12 Noon

Lock Haven lost last week 38-35 to East Stroudsburg.

West Chester won last week beating Millersville 41-23.

My Prediction: West Chester – The Golden Rams win a close one at home.

 

Bloomsburg (4-4, 2-3 PSAC East) at Shepherd (5-3, 3-2 PSAC East) – 12 Noon

Bloomsburg won last week beating Shippensburg 20-10.

Shepherd lost last week 24-0 to #4 Kutztown.

My Prediction: Shepherd – The Rams get back on track and win at home.

 

*PSAC GAME OF THE WEEK*

#4 Kutztown (8-0, 5-0 PSAC East) at Millersville (0-8, 0-5 PSAC East) – 12 Noon

#4 Kutztown won last week beating Shepherd 24-0.

Millersville lost last week 41-23 to West Chester.

My Prediction: #4 Kutztown – The Golden Bears go 1-0 again this week and secure the PSAC East Title here in Week Nine.

 

East Stroudsburg (7-1, 4-1 PSAC East) at Shippensburg (2-6, 1-4 PSAC East) – 1 PM

East Stroudsburg won last week beating Lock Haven 38-35.

Shippensburg lost last week 20-10 to Bloomsburg.

My Prediction: East Stroudsburg - The Warriors win on the road and move one step closer to securing a spot on the Super Region One playoff bracket.

 

PSAC WEST

Seton Hill (3-5, 1-3 PSAC West) at Edinboro (2-6, 1-3 PSAC West) – 12 Noon

Seton Hill won last week beating Clarion 31-26.

Edinboro lost 25-21 to Gannon last week.

My Prediction: Seton Hill – The Griffins get the win on the road.

 

IUP (5-3, 2-3 PSAC West) at Gannon (2-5, 2-2 PSAC West) – 12 Noon

IUP lost 16-13 in Overtime to #22 California (PA) last week.

Gannon won last week beating Edinboro 25-21.

My Prediction: IUP – The Crimson Hawks win on the road.

 

#22 California (PA) (7-1, 5-0 PSAC West) is idle this week.

#22 California (PA) won last week beating IUP 16-13 in Overtime.

Next Up – The Vulcans host Edinboro next week in Week Ten before playing in the PSAC Championship Game in the last week of the regular season.

 

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