Nov 10, 2017 4 min read

At the beginning of the season, this matchup didn’t appear that it would generate much interest.

Waynesburg University’s football team was groping around in the dark, desperately trying to find a path to the light.

Washington & Jefferson was knocking off ranked teams and compiling an undefeated record.

Over the past few weeks, the Yellow Jackets have found their way, winning their first two games under interim head coach Chris Smithley and looking like a more powerful force now.

The two teams meet Saturday at Cameron Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff in this important Presidents’ Athletic Conference game.

The Presidents, ranked as high as No. 10, need one more win to cap a 10-0 season – 8-0 in the conference – and earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

W&J wins the tiebreaker if Case Western Reserve also finishes 10-0. The Spartans could receive an at-large bid when the NCAA announces the pairings Sunday afternoon.

Waynesburg lost the first seven games of the season, then dominated Thiel and Saint Vincent as the running game finally clicked. The Yellow Jackets enter the game at 2-7, 2-5 in the PAC.

“They are a much-improved football team. The bye week did them wonders,” said W&J head coach Mike Sirianni. “We know we’re going to get their A-game. They did a great job the last two weeks. They are playing so much better.”

If W&J wins, Sirianni will become the winningest head football coach at the school with 138. That’s one more than John Luckhardt, who compiled a 137-37-2 record in 17 seasons and took the Presidents to two Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowls, the NCAA Division III championship game.

“It just means I’ve been here a long time,” joked Sirianni, who preferred not to talk about the record until it occurs.

Sophomore Jacob Adams will start at quarterback but senior Alex Rowse could see some playing time as he recovers from a shoulder injury.

Adams is 2-0 as a starter, completing a combined 36 of 51 passes for 386 yards with an interception and touchdown in wins over Saint Vincent and Geneva.

“They have similar styles with similar deliveries,” said wide receiver Jesse Zubik, who has 52 receptions, 12 of which have gone for touchdowns. “It’s been a smooth transition.”

Zubik is second in the NCAA, all divisions, in career receiving yards (4,308) and receiving touchdowns (49), both behind Jake Wieneke of South Dakota State. His touchdown total is a PAC record and tied for 12th in Division III history.

Waynesburg’s late run has been sparked by a running game that has churned up a combined 454 yards and seven touchdowns. One key change was moving Jake Dougherty back to quarterback from wide receiver and using his running ability. Senior Austin Wilson had 170 total yards in the win over Saint Vincent.

“Getting their quarterback involved in the running game has been key,” said Sirianni. “Their offensive line is big and strong and Wilson has been running well.”

Waynesburg’s running attack has pushed the game average to 118, up by 21 since midseason.

“We have to keep W&J’s offense off the field and we can do that by running the football,” said Waynesburg interim head coach Chris Smithley. “I don’t think it’s any mystery. That’s what we have to do to win this football game.”

Smithley said the experienced gained from Week 1 has helped break the winless streak.

“The experience level is 10 times better than for the Muskingum game (in Week 1),” he said. “On offense, we had four guys who had played some football going into Muskingum. Defensively, we had six guys who saw college snaps. We’ve played a lot of different guys.”