MILLERSVILLE, PA – Bring your galoshes and your rain gear. The weatherman says Saturday's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division opener between West Chester University and Millersville University at Chryst Field at Biemesderfer Stadium is going to be a wet one.
West Chester and Millersville each enter the contest at 2-1 on the season. The Golden Rams are coming off a 38-31 win over Gannon at home last Saturday while the Marauders dropped its first contest of the new year, 42-21, at Slippery Rock. Both teams beat Gannon, and both teams lost to Slippery Rock in each of the past two weeks. Both teams also beat a Northeast-10 opponent in Week 1.
FLOCK TALK
Head coach Bill Zwaan has never lost to Millersville as West Chester brings a 19-game winning streak against the Marauders into Biemesderfer Stadium. Millersville has not beaten West Chester since 2002. It is also the oldest rivalry on the books at West Chester with its first encounter with Millersville coming back in 1921. The Golden Rams hold a 71-17 advantage in the series history. Their 71 wins are the most against any opponent in program history.
However, recently, the games between these two have gotten more and more interesting. Millersville jumped out to a lead after 15 minutes of play a year ago at Farrell Stadium. West Chester mounted a comeback in the second quarter and took advantage of some turnovers to eventually pull out a win. In 2017, West Chester had to score 10 points in the fourth quarter to mount a comeback and eek out a 27-24 victory.
West Chester's offense slipped from No. 1 to No. 4 in the PSAC after last week's win. However, the Golden Rams still average about 440 yards of offense per game. Sophomore QB
Cooper Jordan (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) is a large reason for that success. He leads the team in passing and in rushing through three games. Running the ball may be the deciding factor in this afternoon's game, if the weather forecast is correct.
Defensively, the struggles have continued, and West Chester will start some younger players in the secondary due to injuries. However, stopping the run will be paramount on Saturday, and the boys up front, coupled with the linebackers in the middle, will have to answer the call. Millersville's defense is in the middle of the pack in the PSAC while West Chester stands at 14th out of 16. Millersville's rushing defense is third in the league while West Chester's is 15th.
ON THE HORIZON
West Chester returns home next Saturday for its Homecoming/Family Weekend contest. The Golden Rams welcome Bloomsburg to town for a 2 p.m. clash that should bring a packed house. Fans are encouraged to arrive early and carpool if possible.
