Search Observer-Reporter

Search Archive

10/28/2008 3:33 AM

Email this article • Print this article  

This article has been read 1473 times.

When the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference decided to revive its championship football game this season, it was hoped that it would create more interest and add intrigue to earning a playoff spot in NCAA Division II.

And it has.

The format, which pits the top team from the West Division against its counterpart in the East in the final game of the regular season, is similar to those used by the major conferences in Division I.

While the PSAC version might not be the cash cow that, say, a Big 12 title game between Texas and Nebraska would be, this format still puts a lot of pressure on teams to finish strong. A stumble could put playoff chances in jeopardy.

Rate This Story:
1 the lowest - 5 the highest

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Current rating:

In the East, Bloomsburg and West Chester are each 6-0 in the conference and play Saturday to decide the division winner. That's a pretty simple situation to sort out.

The West Division is a little more tricky.

California's football team has an 8-1 record, including 6-0 in the West. The Vulcans have to win one more game, Saturday at Mercyhurst, to reach the PSAC championship game. The Lakers have a 6-3 overall record, 5-1 in the conference, and would be tied for first place in the West if they beat Cal. If that happens, Mercyhurst would advance to the PSAC title game because of the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Mercyhurst lost to Wayne State in a nonconference game in the season opener, to Bloomsburg in a crossover game in Week 3, and to Indiana in a West Division game in Week 8. California's only loss came at Bloomsburg in Week 2.

If the Vulcans hope to duplicate their playoff run from last season, they have to beat Mercyhurst. It's a must-win game because the chances of the Vulcans gaining a berth in the Division II playoffs without winning the division would be remote.

The NCAA selection committee also would be hard-pressed to include Mercyhurst because of its three losses.

Cal head coach John Luckhardt, fresh from a 31-10 victory over Slippery Rock Saturday, might have echoed what a lot of coaches were thinking when the PSAC decided to bring the title game back.

"No one really knows what it means (to the NCAA selection committee)," Luckhardt said. "You don't know how many teams from our league are going to get in."

The simple solution for the Vulcans is to win out. California can assure itself an NCAA playoff spot if it beats Mercyhurst and wins the PSAC championship.

But strange things can happen in football games and a loss to Mercyhurst would be devastating to Cal.

Interestingly, that scenario would mean the best team in the division might have only the third-best overall record.

This might not be what the PSAC expected when it unveiled the championship format, but it definitely has made this part of the season a lot more interesting for some of the teams.

Assistant sports editor Joe Tuscano can be reached at jtuscano@observer-reporter.com

Home

0 comments

All comments will be reviewed by administrators and posted to their respective articles within 24 hours. Comments deemed inappropriate will not be posted.

Subject:
Body:
Poster:

Enter text seen above: