Oct 15, 2015 4 min read

California University’s football team stumbled last week in a PSAC West Division loss to Slippery Rock.

Washington & Jefferson’s bump in the road came two weeks ago in Crestview Hills, Ky., against Thomas More in a PAC matchup of unbeatens.

Waynesburg’s missteps have been sprinkled throughout conference play, turning this into a rebuilding year.

As Cal and W&J prepare for the remainder of the schedule with the knowledge one more loss could destroy any playoff hopes, it’s a good time to determine whether the second half of the season will provide better times.

Record: 2-1 in PAC, 4-1 overall

Upcoming key games: At home against Bethany (1-3, 2-4) Saturday; At Case Western Reserve (4-0, 4-1) Oct. 24; At home against Waynesburg (1-3, 2-4) Nov. 14.

Where they’ve been: The Presidents turned the ball over four times in a 38-20 loss to Thomas More in Game 4. It was their first loss in three games against the Saints and it put Thomas More in charge of the conference for now.

The Presidents had a close call against Westminster in Game 3 but seemed to right themselves in a 55-7 rout of winless Grove City.

Where they are going: Head coach Mike Sirianni said the Presidents are in playoff mode for each game after the Thomas More loss. That’s because W&J’s strength of schedule might not be good enough to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Where they will end up: This a storied program and playing well under pressure is nothing new. Case Western Reserve is undefeated in PAC play right now, but the biggest game might be the regular-season finale against Waynesburg. That’s how big a rivalry it is. The Presidents will win out and receive the at-large bid, then be fed to Mount Union in the first round.

Record: 1-3 in PAC, 2-4 overall

Upcoming key games: At home against Westminster (3-1, 4-2) Saturday; At Washington & Jefferson (2-1, 4-1) Nov. 14.

Where they’ve been: The Yellow Jackets knew this would be a season of adjustment with most of the top skill position players, including quarterback Carter Hill, lost to graduation.

Most thought Jake Dougherty, a freshman starter, would be a weak link. But he is having a resepctable season, completing 59 percent of his passes for 1,084 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s only thrown six interceptions in 194 attempts.

The defense, meanwhile, has been a problem, sitting in the bottom half of most categories in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference and allowing 30 points per game. Waynesburg is 10th in the 11-team league in pass defense.

Where they are going: Head coach Rick Shepas teams usually improve as the season goes along. And it’s a safe bet the Yellow Jackets have their game against arch-rival W&J circled on the calendar. The Yellow Jackets upset W&J 31-28 in overtime last year, and would love to do it again this season.

Where they will end up: The Yellow Jackets will keep it close but lose to W&J, and will not play in a postseason game for the first time in five seasons.

Record: 2-1 in PSAC, 4-2 overall

Upcoming Key Games: At IUP (3-0, 4-1) Saturday; Home to Clarion (3-0, 6-0) Oct. 24

Where they’ve been: The Vulcans escaped some embarrassing losses before being pasted by Slippery Rock, 56-21, last week. Before that, Cal won three games by a combined 19 points.

Where they are going: While the loss to Slippery Rock hurt, it wasn’t devastating. Cal can climb back into the conference race with wins over IUP and Clarion, the surprise team of the West Division.

Where they will end up: With so many talented athletes at the skill positions, the Vulcans are an enticing team to watch. They also are extremely frustrating to watch. Cal could have beaten Slippery Rock if not for five ventures into the red zone that produced zero points. It’s hard seeing the Vulcans turning around in a week what has been a season-long problem. No conference title, no appearance in the State Game, no playoff appearance.

Assistant sports editor Joe Tuscano can be reached jtuscano@observer-reporter.com