Monday, September 10, 2012

AHEAD IN WEEK 3
Saturday, Sept. 15
Marist at Columbia, 12:30 p.m.
    Location: New York, N.Y. (Wien Stadium)
    Series: COL leads, 1-0    Streak: COL, one win

San Diego at Harvard [RV/24], 12:30 p.m.
    Location: Boston, Mass. (Harvard Stadium)
    Series: First Meeting

Robert Morris at Dayton, 1 p.m.
    Location: Dayton, Ohio (Welcome Stadium)
    Series: DAY leads, 12-2    Streak: DAY, nine wins

Webber International at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
    Location: Jacksonville, Fla. (D.B. Milne Field)
    Series: JAC leads, 5-1    Streak: JAC, three wins

St. Francis (Pa.) at Morehead State, 1 p.m.
    Location: Morehead, Ky. (Jayne Stadium)
    Series: MOR leads, 5-2    Streak: SFPA, one win

Drake [RV/–] at Indiana State [22/RV], 1:05 p.m.
    Location: Terre Haute, Ind. (Memorial Stadium)
    Series: ISU leads, 8-2    Streak: ISU, four wins

Duquesne at Valparaiso, 2 p.m.
    Location: Valparaiso, Ind. (Brown Field)
    Series: DUQ leads, 1-0    Streak: DUQ, one win

Campbell at Old Dominion [6/4], 6 p.m.
    Location: Norfolk, Va. (Foreman Field)
    Series: ODU leads, 3-0    Streak: ODU, three wins

Butler at Dartmouth, 7 p.m.
    Location: Hanover, N.H. (Memorial Field)
    Series: First Meeting

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

WEEK 3 PREVIEW
Three matchups between Division I FCS’ two non-scholarship leagues – the PFL and the Ivy League – highlight Week 3 action. In addition, three PFL teams will host Northeast Conference foes in what will be a nine-game schedule across the Pioneer Football League • For the third consecutive week MARIST will help a team open its season when it travels to Columbia for the second meeting between the two teams. Marist quarterback Chuckie Looney passed for 309 yards in a Week 2 loss to Bucknell – his first career 300-yard passing performance • After opening 2012 with consecutive road contests, DAYTON hopes Welcome Stadium is a welcome sight when it hosts Robert Morris. It is the 15th meeting between two FCS programs that are among the most successful programs in the past 15 years. However, it will be the first time the two teams have met when both are 0-2 • The other team to open the season with back-to-back road games, JACKSONVILLE puts its FCS best 14-game home win streak on the line when it hosts Webber International at D.B. Milne Field. The Dolphins enter their home opener after scoring three return touchdowns (punt, kickoff and interception) to defeat Charleston Southern in Week 2 • MOREHEAD STATE has won each of the three previous meetings in Jayne Stadium against St. Francis (Pa.). The Eagles boast the PFL’s top passing and scoring offense, averaging 342 yards per game and scoring 36 points per game, including 313 yards and 17 points against nationally-ranked Eastern Kentucky last week • SAN DIEGO make the first of four cross-country treks when it travels to Harvard in the first meeting between the two squads. Toreros safety Drew Harris nabbed two interceptions against Western New Mexico for the PFL’s first multi-INT outing in 2012 • VALPARAISO returns to Brown Stadium to host Duquesne seeking its season’s first victory. Last week, the Crusaders suffered a shutout at nationally ranked Youngstown State and face a Dukes team that held Dayton to seven points • CAMPBELL will travel to Old Dominion for the third consecutive season. The Fighting Camels posted their second shutout in program history in a Week 2 victory against Virginia-Wise. Sophomore Josh Williams amassed 115 all-purpose yards against the Cavaliers, including 23 carries for 89 yards • BUTLER will travel to New Hampshire to meet Ivy League member Dartmouth in its first ever contest against an Ivy member. Bulldogs quarterback Matt Lancaster leads the league in total offense (304.5 ypg) thanks to his league-leading 71.0 rushing yards per game, he also leads the PFL with three rushing touchdowns to his credit • DRAKE nearly upset nationally-ranked Montana State in Week 2 and will take a second shot at an upset when they travel to nationally-ranked Indiana State in Week 3. Drake quarterback Mike Piatkowski threw for 311 yards against a Montana State team that did not allow a 300-yard passer in 2011 • DAVIDSON will take Week 3 off before opening PFL play at Marist next week.

NEWS & NOTES
WEEK 2 NATIONAL HONORS | San Diego’s Ernie Collins and Jacksonville’s Jordan Dewhirst and Terrance Bryant were recognized by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) for their Week 2 performances. Collins was named the National Placekicker of the Week after converting field goals of 37 and 51 yards and was 4-of-4 on PATs against Western New Mexico. Dewhirst was the National Kickoff Returner of the Week after a 44-yard onside kick return for a touchdown against Charleston Southern. Bryant was the National Punt Returner of the Week following his 55-yard punt return touchdown against Charleston Southern. In addition, three PFL student-athletes received honorable mention recognition from the CFPA.
WHERE HAVE THE RUNNERS GONE? | The first two weeks have not been kind to the league’s runners with the league averaging 95.3 yards per game. No league runner is ranked among the FCS’ top 50 in rushing average and it is a quarterback – Butler’s Matt Lancaster at 71.0 yards per game – who leads the league and ranks 59th nationally. Butler’s Trae Heeter and Drake’s Gary Scott Jr. are the top running backs with 67.5 yards per game, 69th among FCS runners.
TURNING ON THE LIGHTS | Two Pioneer Football League teams experienced playing under the lights for the first time on their home turf in the season’s first two weeks. Butler added new lights to the Butler Bowl in 2011, but played under those lights for the first time in its Week 2 victory against Franklin. It was Butler’s first home night game since 1941. Campbell added lights to Barker-Lane Stadium during the summer and got the chance to use those lights in an opening week loss to Shorter.
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.
STREAK-LESS | After ending the 2011 campaign with three teams boasting multi-game win streaks – Drake (4), San Diego (3) and Davidson (2) – the Pioneer Football League enters Week 3 of the 2012 season with no team holding a multi-game win streak. Four teams enter the week with wins in their last outings.
HOME SWEET HOME | The FCS’ top home winning streak resides at the D.B. Milne Field, home of the Jacksonville Dolphins. After opening the season with back-to-back road games, Jacksonville puts the nation’s longest home win streak (14 games) on the line when it hosts Webber International, Sunday. The Dolphins win streak stretch dates back to the 2009 season when they defeated Davidson, October 3, to begin the streak. San Diego extended its home win streak to eight games (5th best in the FCS) with a Week 2 win against Western New Mexico.
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.