Looking back: Although the PSAC produced four teams that won 10 games a piece--which translates into 40 wins between them, the conference failed a place a team in the national semifinals for the first time since 2003. Off the field, though, the PSAC accomplished a rare feat in that a former player from a current league member was represented in the Super Bowl for the third straight season. Former Shippensburg standout John Kuhn played for the Green Bay Packers as they won Super Bowl XLV last February.
Looking ahead: Don't be surprised to see tight in both the East and West Divisions of the PSAC this season.
Website: http://www.psacsports.org/
Predicted order of finish (2010 overall record in parentheses)
Eastern Division
1. Bloomsburg (10-3): The Huskies will begin the 2011 season ranked 10th in the nation by the Sporting News. But living up to that ranking will be another matter.
2. Kutztown (10-2): Fresh off an NCAA playoff appearance in 2010, the Golden Bears hope to take the next step, and make a much deeper postseason run. At least they'll get Bloomsburg at home on November 5.
3. C.W. Post (7-4): The Pioneers will play six games at home this fall. But they must play Bloomsburg and Kutztown in consecutive weeks to end October.
4. Shippensburg (5-6): The Raiders struggled mightily in close games last season, losing four contests by nine points or less. Still, Ship fans hope that a season-ending four-game winning streak will carry over into 2011.
5. West Chester (4-7): The Golden Rams had a not so golden 2010 season, losing four of their first five games, and three of their last four. That included a pair of bitter overtime losses along the way.
6. East Stroudsburg (3-8): The Warriors hope to bounce back with 33 letterwinners, including 14 starters, coming back.
7. Cheyney (1-10): They may have lost eight straight games to close out last season, but the Wolves did manage to notch a win, in PSAC play, against Millersville.
8. Millersville (2-9): Speaking of the Marauders, they face an uphill battle in 2011, after going winless in PSAC East play in 2010.
Western Division
1. California (Pa.)--(10-2): The Vulcans look to get back on track after being booted out of the NCAA Division II playoffs by Bloomsburg in the first round. But Head Coach John Luckhardt must replace 11 starters lost due to graduation, including six on offense.
2. Mercyhurst (10-3): The Lakers notched their best season in program history, reaching the quarterfinals of the NCAA playoffs before losing to Shepherd. With the tough competition in the PSAC, though, getting back to postseason play could be easier said than done.
3. Gannon (6-5): The Golden Knights will enjoy a stretch of playing four straight games in their hometown of Erie, Pa. But that last game will be played across town against Mercyhurst, on October 1.
4. Slippery Rock (6-5): The "Rock" slipped into a four-way tie for fourth place in the PSAC West at 3-4 in conference play after starting last season at 6-2 overall.
5. Edinboro (7-4): It was a "Jekyll and Hyde" season for the Fighting Scots in 2010, as they started it at 4-0, then lost three games, only to fight back by winning three of their final four games.
6. Clarion (4-7): A season that started with high expectations instead turned into a nightmare for the Golden Eagles, as it ended with a five-game tailspin.
7. Indiana (Pa.)--(6-5): The Crimson Hawks were yet another team that found itself in that four-way logjam for fourth place in the PSAC West to end the 2010 season.
8. Lock Haven (0-11): The Bald Eagles hope to snap a 32-game losing streak that dates back to the start of the 2008 season. Their last win came at the end of the 2007 campaign. Believe it or not, there was even talk about dropping the football program during the offseason, only to get a reprieve from the adminstration.
4 years ago
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