Colonials will face another tough test
Robert Morris coach Joe Walton knew the opening stretch of the season was going to be rough, but he said if the Colonials could survive it they would be on their way to a nice season.
“It is two tough games right at the start of the season, but at least we will know where we stand,” Walton said. “I think if you play tough games right off the bat it gets the attention of your team quickly, and then, if you have some success in them, it really gives you confidence for the rest of the season.”
The Colonials failed their first test last Saturday as they traveled to Fargo to take on the defending Division I-AA national champion North Dakota State and lost, 52-0.
But that was a non-conference game in which the Colonials stepped up in class. Walton would have liked a closer game, but the outcome was no surprise.
Today, the Colonials (0-1) face another daunting task at noon in their conference opener as they play host to defending NEC champion Albany (1-0), which grabbed a 40-23 win last week against Colgate. Last season, Albany jumped to a 21-0 lead and beat the Colonials, 28-17.
The key for the Colonials will be to stop the Great Danes rushing attack led by tailback Drew Smith, the NEC offensive player of the week after rushing 24 times for a career-high 174 yards and two touchdowns. It was Smith’s 19th career 100yard game.
Albany leads the series with Robert Morris, 7-6, but the Colonials have won two of the past three meetings.
Other games
California at Kutztown, 6:05 p.m., University Field — The PSAC opener for both teams could be a preview of the championship game because both teams are nationally ranked and favored to win their division. California (1-0) and Kutztown (1-0) are tied for 11th in the PSAC Division II top 25 rankings, and the D2football.com poll put California 10th and Kutztown 15th. Visiting California likely is better prepared for this game because it faced a ranked team last week. The Vulcans beat then-No. 17 Hillsdale (Mich.), 30-22; Kutztown, the defending PSAC champion, put up more than 700 yards and feasted on St. Anselm, 58-6. Kutztown leads the series, 7-0-1, but the teams have not played since 1997.
Slippery Rock at Shippensburg, 1 p.m., Seth Grove Stadium — Both are 1-0, and this will be a classic matchup between one of the PSAC’s best defenses and one of the league’s best offenses. Slippery Rock allowed only three opponents last season to gain more than 300 total yards against them; Shippensburg rolled up 400 or more yards in all but three games. Slippery Rock, which allowed only 16 rushing yards and six points last week in a 52-6 win against Seton Hill, also can play some offense, and quarterback Jared Buck threw for three touchdowns last week.
Edinboro at Bloomsburg, 1 p.m. Danny Hale Field — This is a huge game for Edinboro, idle last Saturday, even though it is a crossover game within the PSAC. A win against the 19th-ranked team would send a message to the rest of the PSAC West that the Fighting Scots are a title contender. But winning will not be easy. Bloomsburg flexed its muscles on the ground in its 44-28 win last week against Stonehill and had not one, but two players — Franklyn Quiteh (218 yards) and Eddie Mateo (114) — gain more than 100 yards. Edinboro leads the series, 6-2, is strong in the secondary and should be able to move the ball with the passing game led by experienced quarterback Cody Harris.
Geneva at Hobart, noon, Boswell Field — The Golden Tornadoes (0-1) played one of the most exciting games last weekend but dropped a 56-53 heartbreaker against Frostburg State. Now they must travel to New York to face Hobart (1-0), ranked No. 18 in the D3football.com poll and coming off a 31-0 win against Dickinson. Geneva got a record-setting day from quarterback Zack Hayward against Frostburg, but he could find things more difficult against Hobart. The Statesmen allowed only 54 yards (11 passing) against Dickinson and forced 11 punts.