RFC Small College Preview: Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)

Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)

2015 Football Standings - Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference

Looking back: There were tight races in both the East and West Divisions of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in 2015, as every team lost at least one league game last season.  In the end, however, only two teams from the PSAC advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs, with both Indiana (Pa.) and Slippery Rock losing to eventual national runner-up Shepherd. The Crimson Hawks lost a second round heartbreaker to the Rams, 17-13, while the "Rock" advanced to the quarterfinals before falling, 28-16.

Even with just two teams advancing to the postseason play last fall, the PSAC proved once again why it's one of the toughest conferences in all of D-II, with 10 of its 16 teams finishing the 2015 campaign with a winning record. Still, of the six teams that finished last season with a losing record, two of them; Cheyney and Edinboro, both finished winless at 0-11.

Looking ahead: Expect the PSAC to be one of the most competitive conferences in all of NCAA Division II once again in 2016. In fact, don't be surprised if some of the "sleeper" teams pull off a few upsets on the "favorites" this fall.

Predicted order of finish (2015 overall record in parentheses):

East Division:

1. Shippensburg (8-3): As the lone division team to win at least eight games overall last fall, don't sleep on the Red Raiders as the potential "Beasts of the East" this fall.

2. West Chester (7-4): But it's the Golden Rams that will be the team to beat in the East, as they enter the 2016 season as the defending division champions. However, they must replace several seniors from the 2015 season, three of whom earned all-PSAC honors.

3. Bloomsburg (7-4): The Huskies had a down season by their own standards, finishing in a three-way tie for second place in the PSAC East at 5-2 last year. Still, with a player like Lawrence Elliott, Jr. being named to the NFL Draft Watch List, don't be surprised if "Bloom" blasts its way back into the title discussion this year. 

4. Kutztown (7-4): Thanks to a four-game winning streak to end the 2015 season, don't count out the Golden Bears as a contender for the 2016 season, either. If the final score of the spring game earlier this year is any indication, expect KU to score a lot of points this fall.

5. East Stroudsburg (6-5): If the Warriors are to have their fourth straight winning season in 2016, they must go through a schedule that has them playing against six teams that finished with a winning record in 2015.

6. Millersville (2-9): Despite a two-game winning streak to end the 2015 season after starting 0-9, the Marauders still face an uphill battle to move up in the PSAC standings as the 2016 season approaches.

7. Lock Haven (2-9): The Eagles also struggled in 2015, finishing 2-5 in PSAC East play.

8. Cheyney (0-11): With the exception of their season-opening 29-22 loss to Lincoln (Pa.), the Wolves were blown out in all of their contests last year, being held to seven points or less all but three games.

West Division

1. Slippery Rock (12-2): The "Rock" will enter the 2016 campaign looking to win their fourth straight West Division title, as well as advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the fourth straight year, not to mention their third straight overall PSAC championship.

2. Indiana (Pa.)--(9-3): The Crimson Hawks hope to replace 10 seniors with a recruiting class of seven players this season. Oh, and IUP begins 2016 ranked No. 4 in D-II by The Sporting News, thanks to 21 starters returning from the squad that reached the playoffs in 2015. Talk about high hopes and expectations...eh?

3. California (Pa.)--(8-3): The Vulcans named Gary Dunn as their new head coach on January 29, 2016. He replaces Mike Kellar, who stepped down to take the head coaching job at Lenoir-Rhyne. Dunn's top priority will be to maintain the winning tradition that began under Kellar.

4. Clarion (7-4): The Golden Eagles started 7-0 before stumbling in their last four contests of 2015. Head Coach Chris Weibel hopes that a recruiting class of at least 28 players will help his team stay competitive during the critical stretch run of 2016.

5. Gannon (6-5): With just a mere handful of seniors-redshirts included-on their roster, the Golden Knights hope to hold their own this fall-and then some.

6. Mercyhurst (5-6): The Lakers face a long, uphill battle back towards the upper portion of the PSAC standings after a disappointing 2015 season that saw them finish 2-5 in West Division play. It won't get any easier for them in the 2016 season either, as they'll face eight teams that finished last fall with a winning record. That includes at least six teams that won at least seven games last year. 

7. Seton Hill (3-8): The Griffins face a tough road themselves, also taking on eight teams that finished with winning records last fall.

8. Edinboro (0-11): The Fighting Scots look to bounce back from a winless season under new head coach Justin Lustig.

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