Western Pa. college football
IUP, W&J begin postseason play The postseason begins this weekend for two western Pennsylvania teams very familiar with playoff football: Indiana and Washington & Jefferson.
Indiana, Pa. (10-1) makes its 13th playoff appearance in 16 years when it plays Saginaw Valley State (9-2) Saturday in the 16-team NCAA Division II playoffs.
Washington & Jefferson (8-2) makes its 15th playoff appearance in 19 years in the Division III playoffs when the Presidents play host to Christopher Newport (6-4).
Both games start at noon.
Duquesne (11-0) also plays a postseason game Saturday, traveling to Albany (7-4) for the ECAC Classic. The Dukes qualified by winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, while Albany won the Northeast Conference title.
Indiana has a chance to avenge last year’s first-round loss to Saginaw Valley State. The Indians watched a 32-7 halftime lead turn into a 33-32 defeat.
IUP, ranked sixth in the Division II coaches poll, has won 10 straight games since a 37-34 loss at Findlay.
“That loss at Findlay was a tough one. It told us there was no room for error the rest of the way,” IUP coach Frank Cignetti said. “You always go into the season with one traditional goal, to make the playoffs. It doesn’t really matter how good your season goes, if you don’t make the playoffs, it leaves a real void.”
Saginaw Valley State, ranked No. 14, averages 41.5 points per game and has scored 47 or more points in six games, including a 69-7 victory over Findlay.
Washington & Jefferson lost to Allegheny and Hanover, teams from the Division III North Region, but was chosen on the strength of a 6-0 record against the South Region.
“I’m not surprised we got in,” Presidents coach John Banaszak said. “This is the fourth year in a row for this group to make the playoffs. To be playing at home is a tribute to that.”
Christopher Newport only began fielding a football team last year, but has made the playoffs in its first two years of competition. The Captains lost four of their first five games, but rallied to win the next five, including a 35-7 win over Ferrum, to tie for the Dixie Conference title.
“It was nail-biting time for us since the fifth game of the season,” Christopher Newport coach Matt Kelchner said. “We knew we couldn’t lose again.”
Duquesne goes into its game against Albany hoping to become the first non-scholarship school picked for the 16-team NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
“It revolves around how we do in the bowl game,” Duquesne coach Greg Gattuso said. “Our kids get a chance to play in a playoff game, regardless of whether we qualify for the Division I-AA playoffs.”