Nov 23, 2017 4 min read

Matt Babbit always hoped he’d have a chance to put his skills as a center against a sure-fire future NFL player.

On Saturday, he’ll have that opportunity, when Babbit and his fellow offensive linemen from Washington & Jefferson try to handle Niles Scott and the rest of the Frostburg State defense.

The two teams will clash in the second round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs at Cameron Stadium for a noon kickoff.

How well Babbit and the W&J line controls the 6-3, 310-pound tackle will go a long way in determining whether the Presidents advance to the region finals the following week against either Mount Union or Case Western Reserve.

“We see the hype around him,” said Babbit, a 5-11, 260-pound senior. “He’s definitely the best defensive tackle we’ll see all season. It’s going to be a challenge.”

And sometimes a joint effort when blocking him.

“Whenever you’re scheming for one particular guy, you are acknowledging what he can do to your offense and the problems he can give you,” said Babbit.

“In pass protection, we’ll have two (blockers) on him all day. We can run at him or away from him, try to keep them guessing.”

Scott has been scouted by 28 NFL teams and Frostburg head coach DeLane Fitzgerald said he could be a middle-round draft pick.

Frostburg (10-1), runner-up to Wesley in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, has used its opportunistic defense to save some victories.

The Bobcats have allowed only 16 fourth-quarter points and produced 34 sacks, 13 more than the Bobcats’ opponents. And their 96 tackles for loss is a concern for W&J’s effective running game.

“They run a 4-man front and try to get Scott involved in as many things as they can,” said head coach Mike Sirianni, who led W&J to a 10-0 regular-season record and the co-championship of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.

Jordan West is coming off a 123-yard, 22-carry effort in a victory over John Hopkins and is 319 yards shy of 1,000. Senior quarterback Alex Rowse will make his second straight start after missing three weeks with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. He needs 128 passing yards to reach 2,500 and has a 24-11 TD-to-interception ratio.

“W&J has a strong passing game and can run the football,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s a smart team and well-coached. What I see in them is a team that enjoys playing in the system and that likes to be with one another. For how long a playoff team is together, that’s really important.”

While Scott is giving W&J’s coaches something to think about, Presidents wide receiver Jesse Zubik is keeping Frostburg’s secondary coaches up late.

Zubik, a 5-10 senior, was named a semifinalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, an award presented to the most outstanding player in NCAA Division III.

Zubik has turned 16 of his 74 receptions into touchdowns. His season receiving total of 1,324 is third and his touchdowns are fourth in Division III football.

Notes

Washington & Jefferson has a 15-game winning streak dating back to last season and has won 30 straight at Cameron Stadium, dating back to the second home game of the 2012 season. … For the second week in a row, Frostburg will play an undefeated team on the road. The Bobcats beat Wittenburg, 35-7, in the first round. … W&J has 33 consecutive winning seasons. Heading into 2017, that was the fourth-longest active streak among all NCAA divisions. Only Linfield (61, D-III), Florida State (35, FBS) and Mount Union (39, D-III) have longer streaks.