All 10 of the Pioneer Football League's 10 members will get their 2010 campaign underway this week. Valparaiso will take the honor of officially getting the season underway, Thursday, at Western Illinois. Marist will follow with its Friday outing against Sacred Heart. The rest of the league's members will play the traditional Saturday date, the highlight being Morehead State's visit to nationally-ranked James Madison.
Week 1 Previews
Thursday, Sept. 2
Valparaiso at Western Illinois, 7 p.m.
Location: Macomb, Ill. (Hanson Field)
First meeting in series
Valparaiso, under new head coach Dale Carlson, will get the PFL’s 2010 season underway with a Thursday contest at Western Illinois. The Crusaders will feature a revamped offense this season with a trios of redshirt juniors returning to battle for the start at quarterback.
Friday, Sept. 3
Sacred Hearth at Marist, 7 p.m.
Location: Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (Tenney Stadium)
Series tied, 4-4 | Streak: MAR, one win
Marist will host Sacred Heart in a rare Friday contest that will kickoff Labor Day weekend. The Red Foxes return 18 starters, but will have to find replacements for running back O’Neill Anderson and quarterback Chris Debowski who departed due to graduation. That duo combined for 2,806 offensive yards and 14 touchdowns in 2009.
Saturday, Sept. 4
Butler at Albion, 1 p.m.
Location: Albion, Mich. (Sprankle-Sprandel Stadium)
Series tied, 5-5 | Streak: BUT, three wins
Butler opens its 2010 campaign with a familiar opponent as it meets Albion in its season opener for the seventh consecutive season. The 2009 PFL co-champions return 17 starters from last season’s team, including wideout Zach Watkins, running back Scott Gray and offensive lineman Donnie Gilmore, who were each first-team All-PFL selections.
[RV/—] Robert Morris at Dayton, 1 p.m.
Location: Dayton, Ohio (Welcome Stadium)
DAY leads series, 9-2 | Streak: DAY, six wins
Dayton hosts Northeast Conference foe Robert Morris in its home opener at Welcome Stadium. The Flyers return 10 offensive starters from last season’s team that won a share of its 10th PFL Championship. Key among the returnees are 2010 PFL Offensive Player of the Year Steve Valentino and FCS Second-Team All-American James Vercammen.
Campbell at Virginia-Wise, 6 p.m.
Location: Wise, Va. (Carl Smith Stadium)
First meeting in series
Campbell begins its third season with a trip to Virginia-Wise for the first meeting between the two programs. The Camels return 21 starters from a squad that improved to eighth place in the PFL in its second season of football. Campbell led the PFL in rushing with 2,087 yards and little should change this season as the team’s top three rushers all return.
Georgetown at Davidson, 6 p.m.
Location: Davidson, N.C. (Richardson Stadium)
GU leads series, 4-3 | Streak: DAV, one win
Davidson will look to get 2010 off on a different foot than it did in 2009. Last season, the Wildcats did not score until the season's third game. This season, the Wildcats return 15 starters from that team, including linebacker Daniel Astrop and running back Kenny Mantuo. Astrop was 12th among PFL tacklers with 68, including five tackles for loss. Mantuo, a second-team All-PFL honoree last season, rushed for 626 yards and five touchdowns. He enters this season ranked 14th on Davidson's all-time rushing yardage list.
Jacksonville at Old Dominion, 6 p.m.
Location: Norfolk, Va. (S.B. Ballard Stadium)
First meeting in series
Jacksonville meets second-year program Old Dominion in a 600-plus mile season-opening road trip. The Dolphins return 15 starters from last season’s team that finished third behind the two league co-champions. Running back Rudell Small – a two-time unanimous first-team All-PFL selection – returns after posting consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns, including 1,074 yards last season.
Morehead State at [15/15] James Madison, 6 p.m.
Location: Harrisonburg, Va. (Bridgeforth Stadium)
JMU leads series, 4-2 | Streak: JMU, one win
Morehead State revives an old series when it meets nationally-ranked James Madison for the first time since 1987. The Eagles return the bulk of what was a young offensive squad in 2009. However, MSU will have to replace two key losses on defense – 2009 PFL Defensive Player of the Year Wes McDermott and Andrew Doan, the team’s sack leader – as they seek to rebound from a one-win PFL campaign.
[RV/RV] Lehigh at Drake, 7 p.m.
Location: Des Moines, Iowa (Drake Stadium)
LU leads series, 1-0 | Streak: LU, one win
Drake opens its season with its only non-conference home contest when it hosts Lehigh. The Bulldogs were in the hunt for a share of the 2009 PFL title before finishing tied for third with Jacksonville. Drake returns 14 starters from that team, including eight from a defense that led the PFL by limiting opponents to 81.5 rushing yards per game.
Azusa Pacific at San Diego, 9 p.m.
Location: San Diego, Calif. (Torero Stadium)
Series tied, 21-21 | Streak: SAN, five wins
San Diego has opened its season with a contest against Azusa Pacific in 12 of the last 13 seasons. The Toreros return just 12 starters from last season’s team that finished sixth in the PFL race. Quarterbacks Sam Scudellari and Bo Stompro enter the season competing for that spot after each posted successful efforts in their respective half’s of the 2009 campaign.
