Andy Talley and his Wildcats have a must-win game against Stony Brook

BY ROCK HOFFMAN

At least two weeks after the rest of the college football world kicked off, the Ivy League joins the fray. That means the Penn Quakers lead off the Delaware Valley College Football Preview. Penn is the favorite to win the Ancient Eight once again and if they do it would be their 17 league title. If head coach Al Bagnoli’s team wins the title outright there would be a host of reasons to toast the Quakers, they would be the first school to win four outright championships in five years and it would mark the fourth time in school history that they’ve won three outright titles in four years – the other seven teams in the league have combined to do that twice. Additionally, the Quakers have three fifth-year seniors (quarterback Billy Ragone, defensive back Sam Chwarzynski and running back Brandon Colavita) who have a chance to be a part of four outright championship teams in five seasons, which also would be a first.

Before Penn gets into league play, they start a difficult non-league slate with Lafayette. The Quakers have lost three-straight non-conference games which is the longest losing streak outside the league in Bagnoli’s tenure. The Leopards (0-2) come in Franklin Field having won five of the last six games in a series that dates back to 1882. The lone Penn win in the string came in 2010 when the Quakers came from behind to score an emotional 19-14 win; it was the first game after a difficult off season that saw the passing of team captain Owen Thomas. Five of the six have also come down to the final drive to be decided with Lafayette’s 37-12 win in 2011 they only one that didn’t.

“We’re anxious,” Bagnoli said, “we’ve probably been ready for the last week to week and a half to play somebody else.”

Fresh off a bye, the Villanova Wildcats (0-2, 0-0 CAA) look to get their season going – in their home opener – against the team that ended their 2012 campaign, Stony Brook which is now a member of the CAA. The Seawolves (1-1, 1-0 CAA) scored a 20-10 win over Villanova in a 2012 NCAA FCS Playoff game in the only previous meeting between the schools. Both teams come in ranked in the FCS Coaches Poll Stony Brook is 12th while Villanova is 22nd.

At 0-2 and with many CAA battles ahead Villanova head coach Andy Talley calls this game a must win.

“If we want to be anything in our league this is a must game for us,” he said at the weekly college coaches’ luncheon. “You can run but you can’t hide in this league. I’d, at least, like to see us know we’re a really competitive football team and doing things well. If somebody beats us, I want to make sure it’s them that beat us and not us that beat us. Right now, we’ve beaten us twice.”

Taking care of the ball might help the Wildcats get better results. So far this season, they are minus six in the turnover ratio having lost six fumbles and thrown three interceptions. The six lost fumbles equals the number they lost all of last year.

Delaware (2-1, 0-0 CAA) looks to get back on the winning track when they host Wagner (1-2, 0-0 NEC). Last week, both teams suffered big losses to FBS teams. The Blue Hens fell at Navy 51-7 while the Seahawks were trounced by Syracuse 54-0.

Delaware State (0-2) which has lost to in-state rival Delaware and highly ranked Towson has the unenviable task of going to Fargo, ND to take on North Dakota State. The Bison (2-0) are two-time defending FCS champions and were a unanimous selection for the top spot in FCS Coaches Poll this week. If that was not enough going against the Hornets, ESPN will broadcast College Gameday, their popular pregame show, from Fargo on Saturday which figures to put more of a buzz into the home team.

On Saturday night, West Chester (2-0) opens the PSAC schedule with a visit to Millersville (0-2). The Golden Rams, behind the play of running back Rondell White (615 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns) and quarterback Sean McCartney (595 yards passing and eight touchdowns), have an offense that is firing on all cylinders. West Chester, rank 20th in the NCAA Division II Poll, has scored 101 points in two games while the Marauders have just 23 points for and 96 against.

It’s the second long road trip in as many weeks for Cheyney (0-2) as the visit Lock Haven (1-1) in the PSAC opener for both schools. In last year’s season finale, Lock Haven topped the Wolves 15-7 to end a 52-game losing streak. Cheyney is looking for revenge against the Bald Eagles,

Ursinus (2-0, 1-0 Centennial) opened the Centennial Conference season with a 41-23 win over Gettysburg as the controlled the ball for almost 40 minutes; they improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2010.. This week, the Bears host Franklin and Marshall (1-1, 1-0 Centennial) as quarterback Chris Curren continues to chase school records for career yards and touchdowns. He needs 276 yards and two touchdowns to pass Frank Vecchio in both categories.

The Lincoln University Lions (1-1) visit St. Francis (PA) (0-2). The game features a pair of teams trying to get their seasons on track; the Lions lost 45-3 at Sacred Heart while the Red Flash lost both of their games to FCS teams.

Widener (1-1, 1-0 MAC) bounced back from a week one loss to beat Lebanon Valley 35-28 in the first MAC game of the season for both teams. It was a school record 15th straight win at Leslie C. Quick Jr. Stadium for the Pride. This week, the Pride, ranked 24th in the D3football.com Poll, travels to face Wilkes (1-1, 0-1 MAC). Very much in the Colonels minds is the 90-0 loss they suffered to Widener last season.

“You look at what they’re writing about – revenge,” said first-year Widener head coach Bobby Acosta, “I told our guys, we’ve got to worry about ourselves. You take care of your business and you come home with that win.”

Delaware Valley (2-0, 1-0 MAC) hits the road this weekend with a trip to Reading for a matchup with Albright (1-1, 0-1 MAC). It’s the 63rd Rajah Shriners’ Pretzel Bowl. This annual event is an Albright tradition that serves as a fundraiser for Shriners’ Hospitals for Children. The Aggies, ranked 21st in Division III, won the game two years ago and will look to keep their high-powered offense going; they’ve averaged 38.5 points and almost 450 yards per game in their two wins. Of concern is that Misericordia rushed for 370 yards against Del Val last week.

In a battle of top five Division III teams No. 5 Wesley (2-0) plays at No. 4 Mary Hardin-Baylor (2-0). This is just the second regular season meeting between these perennial powers (Mary Hardin-Baylor won last year 32-25) but they’ve played in the playoffs every year since 2005 except 2009 so obviously in those games the winner ended to loser’s season. The stakes aren’t as high in this game but expect a good one.
Temple (0-3), Rowan (1-1) and The College of New Jersey (0-2) are idle this week.

E-mail Rock Hoffman at Rock@footballstories.com