Monday, September 3, 2012

AHEAD IN WEEK 2
Saturday, Sept. 8
Dayton [RV/–] at Duquesne [RV/–], Noon
    Location: Philadelphia, Pa. (Rooney Field)
    Series: DUQ leads, 5-4    Streak: DUQ, three wins

Jacksonville at Charleston Southern, 1:30 p.m.
    Location: Charleston, S.C. (Buccaneer Field)
    Series: CSU leads, 5-2    Streak: JAC, one win

Valparaiso at Youngstown State [6/10], 4 p.m.
    Location: Youngstown, Ohio (Stambaugh Stadium)
    Series: YSU leads, 1-0    Streak: YSU, one win

Franklin at Butler, 6 p.m.
    Location: Indianapolis, Ind. (Butler Bowl)
    Series: BUT leads 36-16-2    Streak: FRA, one win

Morehead State at Eastern Kentucky [21/25], 6 p.m.
    Location: Richmond, Ky. (Kidd Stadium)
    Series: EKU leads, 49-16-4    Streak:

Virginia-Wise at Campbell, 6 p.m.
    Location: Wise, Va. (Barker-Lane Stadium)
    Series: CAM leads, 1-0    Streak: CAM, one win

Bucknell at Marist, 6 p.m.
    Location: Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (Tenney Stadium)
    Series: BUCK leads, 6-1    Streak: BUCK, one win

Davidson at Lenoir-Rhyne, 7 p.m.
    Location: Hickory, N.C. (Moretz Stadium)
    Series: LRC leads, 9-8    Streak: DAV, one win

Montana State [4/4] at Drake [RV/–], 8 p.m.
    Location: Des Moines, Iowa (Drake Stadium)
    Series: MSU leads, 1-0    Streak: MSU, one win

Western New Mexico at San Diego [RV/–], 9 p.m.
    Location: San Diego, Calif. (Torero Stadium)
    Series: WNMU, 1-0    Streak: WNMU, one win

All times Eastern.
FCS rankings in brackets prior to school’s name:
[Sports Network Fathead.com Poll/FCS Coaches Poll]

WEEK 2 PREVIEW
Six contests against FCS opposition highlight Week 2 action across the PFL. Among those six outings are three games against teams currently ranked nationally: Drake hosts [4/4] Montana State, Morehead State travels to [21/25] Eastern Kentucky and Valparaiso travels to [6/10] Youngstown State • DAYTON travels to Duquesne to resume a rivalry that has seen the result decided by a touchdown or less in each of the last five meetings. Both teams will enter this week’s meeting seeking their first 2012 victory, the Flyers fell at No. 19 Illinois State while the Dukes fell at No. 5 Old Dominion • JACKSONVILLE also stays on the road with a trip to Charleston Southern slated for Week 2. It also will be a matchup of 0-1 teams, the Dolphins losing at No. 3 Georgia Southern and the Buccaneers falling at The Citadel. Jacksonville won the previous meeting in the series, jumping out to an early lead and holding on for the 37-30 victory • VALPARAISO faces the a tough test in Week 2, traveling to meet a Youngstown State team that knocked off FBS opponent Pittsburgh in Week 1. The Crusaders narrowly missed a season-opening win last week, surrendering a touchdown with less than two minutes remaining. The Penguins won the only previous meeting in the series 77-13 last season • BUTLER and Franklin meet for the 55th time in a series that dates back to 1887. The Bulldogs return home after seeing a potential game-tying drive halted as time was ruled to have expired with the team at the four-yard line against Western Illinois. Quarterback Matt Lancaster threw for 209 yards in his first game after transferring from Illinois State •  MOREHEAD STATE will make a short 69-mile trip to meet Ohio Valley conference foe Eastern Kentucky for the first time since 2008. The Eagles put a scare into the Colonels in that last meeting, falling by a 16-8 margin. The game will pit PFL Offensive Player of the Week Zach Lewis (16-of-22, four TD passes) against OVC Defensive Player of the Week Brooklyn Fox (2 INT, fumble recovered at Purdue) • After playing its first game under the lights in Week 1, CAMPBELL will stay under the lights when it hosts Virgnia-Wise in Week 2. The new lights shone brightly on Fighting Camels quarterback Braden Smith who posted school records for completions (29) and passing yards (336) in a loss to Shorter • MARIST and Bucknell will meet for the eighth consecutive season in what has become the Red Foxes longest continuous series. The Red Foxes won the last meeting in Poughkeepsie between the two teams. Marist quarterback Chuckie Looney passed for 178 yards and nearly reached the century mark in rushing yards (92 yards) against Bryant • DAVIDSON travels 52 miles to meet in-state rival Lenoir-Rhyne. It will be a matchup of the Wildcats “Air Raid” offense against the Bears “Triple-Option” attack. Davidson’s offense was held in check against Georgetown, recording just 208 offensive yards • DRAKE continues a season-opening homestand when it hosts Montana State. The Bulldogs posted 425 yards against Grand View in its season opener and running back Gary Scott posted the league’s first 100-yard rushing performance (107 yards on 17 carries). The Grizzlies travel to Des Moines after defeating Chadron State in its season opener • SAN DIEGO hosts Western New Mexico in its home opener at Torero Stadium. The Toreros saw two freshmen step up to post its only touchdowns, running back Darrion Hancock with a touchdown run and offensive lineman Toby Gramyk landing on a San Diego fumble in the end zone.

NEWS & NOTES

WEEK 1 NATIONAL HONORS | Dayton’s Gary Hunter and Morehead State’s Rainer Duzan were recognized by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) for their Week 1 performances. Hunter was named the National Punt Returner of the Week after his FCS best 77-yard punt return for a touchdown against nationally-ranked Illinois State. Duzan was picked the National Placekicker of the Week after recording 13 points in the Eagles win against Southern Virginia. In addition, eight PFL student-athletes received honorable mention recognition from the CFPA.
PFL’s 20th CAMPAIGN | The Pioneer Football League is amidst its 20th season of play during the 2012 campaign. Founded prior to the 1993 season, the league has grown from the five members who played that inaugural season: Butler, Dayton, Drake, Valparaiso and San Diego. This season the PFL has 10 members spanning the nation from the Atlantic to Pacific Oceans. The league will continue to grow in 2013 with the addition of Mercer and Stetson and also will enjoy the promise of an automatic qualification spot into the 2013 FCS National Championship.
CURRENTLY STREAKING | Drake (5 games) and Morehead State (2 games) carry winning streaks into Week 2 action but both will face nationally-ranked opponents this week in their effort to extend those streaks. Drake hosts No. 4 Montana State while Morehead State travels to No. 21 Eastern Kentucky.
HOME SWEET HOME | The FCS’ top two home winning streaks reside at the fields of PFL members entering Week 2. Jacksonville owns the nation’s longest home win streak with a 14-game stretch that dates back to the 2009 season when they defeated Davidson, October 3, to begin the streak. Drake will put its 11-game win streak (2nd best in the FCS) at Drake Stadium on the line this week when it hosts nationally-ranked Montana State. San Diego also will put its seven-game win streak at Torero Stadium at risk when it hosts Western New Mexico this weekend.
TWO PFL ATHLETES NOMINATED FOR 2011 ALLSTATE AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM | Campbell’s Braden Smith and Drake’s Zach Bosch were among 117 nominees for the 2012 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, which recognizes the selfless contributions to volunteerism and community service made by college football student-athletes across the nation. Of the two 11-member teams, one includes players competing in the NCAA® Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) and the other is a combined team representing the NCAA® Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA), Divisions II, III, and the NAIA.
BUCHANAN WATCH LIST INCLUDES SAN DIEGO’S OLIARO | San Diego junior defensive end Blake Oliaro, the returning PFL Defensive Player of the Year, has been named to the 2012 Buck Buchanan Award Watch list, presented by The Sports Network. Oliaro finished the season ranked fourth among FCS athletes with 1.36 sacks per game (15 sacks in 11 games) and was ranked 10th nationally with 1.77 tackles for loss per game (19.5 total).  The Buchanan Award annual recognized the FCS “Defensive Player of the Year” and is presented the night prior to the Division I Football Championship.
2011 PFL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR RETURN | All four PFL Players of the Year return for the 2012 campaign. Drake quarterback Mike Piatkowski returns after earning PFL Offensive Player of the Year honors and leading the league in pass efficiency (151.4). San Diego defensive lineman Blake Oliaro, the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, led the league in sacks (15.0) last season as a sophomore. San Diego wide receiver Brandon White was the PFL’s Freshman Offensive Player of the Year after posting 561 receiving yards last season. Drake linebacker Travis Merritt also returns after earning PFL Freshman Defensive Player of the Year honors following a 66-tackle campaign last season.
PRESEASON ALL-PFL TEAM | The Pioneer Football League’s coaches preseason All-PFL team selected 29 student-athletes for 30 positions. San Diego had six selections, including junior Kenny James who earned the nod at both running back and return specialist. Drake saw five players receive preseason recognition.
ALL-PFL HONOREES RETURN | Nineteen members of the 2011 All-PFL squads return to their teams in 2012, including 12 first-team selections and seven second-team honorees. San Diego and Drake, the 2011 PFL co-champions, each return four All-PFL selections from last season.  All 10 PFL teams had at least one player selected to the preseason squad.
SAN DIEGO PICKED TO WIN PFL | San Diego and Drake, the defending Pioneer Football League co-champions, were picked to finish first and second, respectively, in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll. San Diego (79 points) received eight of a possible nine first-place votes. Drake received 71 points and one first-place vote.  Jacksonville was picked to finish third with 65 points. Dayton picked up the remaining first-place vote and 56 total points to finish fourth in the preseason poll. Campbell rounded out the poll’s top half with 45 points for fifth place. Marist (6th, 42 points), Butler (7th, 34), Morehead State (8th, 27), Davidson (9th, 20) and Valparaiso (10th, 11) rounded out the PFL Preseason Poll.