Week Six has four Pioneer Football League contests slated, but both of the league’s 2-0 squads – Drake (non-conference game) and Butler (off week) – will take a breather from PFL action. The league’s other two unbeaten squads – Dayton and Jacksonville – will hit the road seeking to maintain that status. The league’s remaining two contests pit teams that each lost in Week 5 and will seek redemption this week.

Week 6 Previews

Morehead State at Davidson
Location: Davidson, N.C.
Series: MOR leads, 5-2
[Morehead State Game Notes | Davidson Game Notes]
Former PFL South Division members will square off when Morehead State travels across the Appalachian Mountains to meet Davidson. Both teams dropped contests last week, Davidson losing at Jacksonville while Morehead State fell at home to Dayton. The Eagles are still seeking their season’s first PFL victory while the Wildcats will attempt to end MSU’s two-game win streak in the series.
Who to Watch: Morehead State's rushing game has been largely silent through the season's first five games, averaging just 116.4 yards per game (sixth among league members). Senior halfback Jerrod Pendleton leads the team with 152 yards rushing but also ranks second on the team with 112 receiving yards. Davidson junior wide receiver Mark Hanabury caught nine passes for 146 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville last week after recording five catches for 25 yards in his previous three games. It is the only 100-yard receving performance by a Wildcats player this season.

Jacksonville at Marist
Location: Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Series: First Meeting
[Jacksonville Game Notes | Marist Game Notes]
Jacksonville takes its seven-game PFL win streak into New York for its first-ever meeting with Marist. The Dolphins, who downed Davidson at home last week, return to New York where it met Albany in the 2008 Gridiron Classic. The Red Foxes earned their first PFL victory against Campbell, snapping a three-game overall losing streak.
Who to Watch: Jacksonville is ranked third among PFL teams offensively, averaging 343.0 yards per game. The Dolphins boast a two-headed monster: junior running back Rudell Small and sophomore quarterback Josh McGregor. Small is ranked second among the leagues rushers (88.0 ypg) while McGregor is ranked second among the league's passers (234.5 ypg). Marist boasts one the PFL's top defenses, limiting opponents to 246.0 yards per game. That performance can be traced back to the performance of senior linebackers Kevin Foley (9.0 tackles per game) and Nick Andre (8.6 pg) who are ranked third and sixth among the PFL's tacklers, respectively.

Dayton at Campbell
Location: Buies Creek, N.C.
Series: DAY leads, 1-0
[Dayton Game Notes | Campbell Game Notes]
Dayton also heads across the Appalachians when it meets Campbell in its first visit to Barker-Lane Stadium. Dayton was the lone road team to win last week, earning a victory at Morehead State. Campbell fell on the road but returns home for the first time since a season-opening home victory against Methodist.
Who to Watch: Dayton boasts the league's top defense overall (229.8 ypg) and third-best rushing defense (81.5 ypg). Senior linebacker James Vercammen leads the Flyers defense with a league-best 12.5 tackles per game, including a league leading 2.0 tackles for loss per game. Campbell has the top rushing attack in the league, averaging 214.0 yards a game. Three Camels are in the league’s top ten rushers: sophomore running back CJ Oates (4th, 70.8 ypg), junior quarterback Daniel Polk (6th, 48.0 ypg) and sophomore running back Rashaun Brown (7th, 46.8 ypg).

Missouri S&T at Drake
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Series: DRA leads, 3-0
[Drake Game Notes]
Drake steps out of conference action this week when it hosts Missouri S&T at Drake Stadium. The Bulldogs are unbeaten at home this season, including a victory against Valparaiso in PFL action last week.
Who to Watch: Saturday's forecast calls for a 40 percent chance of snow and highs in the upper 30s in Des Moines. Will the weather ground Drake's passing game, which is ranked fourth in the PFL? Sophomore quarterback Mike Piatkowski is ranked third among the league's passing corps with 198.2 yards per game and is no stranger to the colder northern climes, originating from Wheaton, Ill. - a Chicago suburb.

San Diego at Valparaiso
Location: Valparaiso, Ind.
Series: SAN leads, 11-5
[San Diego Game Notes | Valparaiso Game Notes]
San Diego makes a second consecutive trip to Indiana when it meets Valparaiso. The Toreros did not fare well in their last visit to the Hoosier State, dropping a 25-24 decision at Butler courtesy a last-second field goal. Valparaiso will play its second home game this season and is still seeking its first home victory.
Who to Watch: San Diego finds itself in unfamiliar territory after the season's first five weeks… ranking eighth among the league's offense with just 285.5 yards per game. Senior running back JT Rogan leads the ground attack (42.0 ypg) while sophomore quarterback Sam Scudellari is averaging just 94.3 yards per game with the passing attack. Valparaiso's defense is no stranger in its opponent's backfield, averaging 8.75 tackles for loss per game including 3.0 sacks per outing, ranking third and 16th nationally, respectively. Sophomore defensively lineman Nikko Carson, the reigning PFL Defensive Player of the Week, tied a PFL record with four sacks against Drake last week.