GVSU's quarterback Bart Williams looks to stay hot against Michigan Tech on Saturday.
Last week, the Division II football showcase featured four teams that found themselves in the the the AFCA rankings. Bowie State, who has earned votes in all three polls this season, upset then-No. 19 Winston-Salem State, while No. 16 Albany State (GA) continued its ascent up the rankings by defeating then-No. 22 Tuskegee.
RELATED: AFCA Poll | 5 takeaways from the Week 2 DII football poll
This week's slate only features one ranked team, as Grand Valley State tries to find its way back into the Top 10. Both games are conference battles, which always translate into hard-fought contests.
GVSU (1-1) at Michigan Tech (1-1), 1 p.m. ET
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GVSU lost on opening night for the first time since 2014. The Lakers were handed a stunning upset by Indianapolis that not many saw coming. UIndy has continued its climb in the AFCA Poll, while GVSU looks for its second consecutive win, attemtping to return to the Top 10.
MORE: Al McKeller rushes for 206 yards in upset of GVSU
The Lakers were back to business last week, handing Davenport a 48-0 loss. The offense -- led by Bart Williams and Marty Carter -- and defense were a fine-tuned machine, gaining 423 yards and allowing just 121. Standing in the Lakers way of their second-straight victory is the Michigan Tech Huskies. It's a new era of football on the Houghton, Michigan campus as former defensive coordinator Steve Olson takes over as head coach. He had the Huskies looking at a 2-0 start, until a 21-point fourth-quarter comeback by Hillsdale saw Michigan Tech fall 31-27 last Saturday.
No one is ever safe in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matchup. Olsen and his new-look Huskies will have to play whistle to whistle if they want to hang with the high-powered GVSU offense in their first big test of the season.
2017 outlook:
| Grand Valley State | Michigan Tech |
|---|---|
| 2016 record: 12-1 | 2016 record: 4-6 |
| Head coach: Matt Mitchell (7th season) | Head coach: Steve Olson (1st season) |
| Preseason ranking: 2 | Current ranking: 12 | Preseason ranking: NR | Current ranking: NR |
|
Key players (Week 1 stats): Bart Williams QB: 490 passing, 5 TDs Marty Carter, RB: 163 rushing, 1 TD Brandon Bean, Nick Keizer, WR/TE: 277 yards, 4 TDS |
Key players: John Williams, RB: 265 rushing, 5 TDs Jake Brown, QB: 325 yards passing, 1 TD Marvin Wright, LB: 22 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 TFL |
2017 by the numbers:
| Grand Valley State | Michigan Tech |
|---|---|
| OFFENSE | OFFENSE |
| Points: 68 | Points: 65 |
| Pass yards: 518 | Pass yards: 325 |
| Rush yards: 308 | Rush yards: 362 |
| Total offense: 826 yards | Total offense: 687 |
| DEFENSE | DEFENSE |
| Points allowed: 24 | Points allowed: 41 |
| Total defense: 503 yards allowed | Total defense: 529 yards allowed |
Tusculum (1-1) at Limestone (1-1), 7 p.m. ET
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Saturday night marks Limestone's first South Atlantic Conference home opener as an associated memeber of the SAC. The Saints and Pioneers are two evenly matched teams, with young coaches looking to leave an early impression on the conference.
Both teams are coming off Week 2 wins. For Limestone, the key will be its defense. The Saints are athletic, fast and very opportunistic, leading DII football with eight defensive touchdowns in 2016. Joshua Simmons is the key to the secondary, leading DII with three interceptions returned for touchdowns last year. PJ Brown joins him in the secondary making a frustrating duo for opposing offenses. Head coach Mike Furrey had a strong debut, leading the Saints to five wins last year after recording just four in the previous two seasons combined.
Maxwell Joseph had a breakout Week 2 for Tusculum, rushing for 123 yards and three touchdowns in the Pioneers first win of the season. If he can keep it going, and Alex Ogle continues to guide the offense behind center, Tusculum has a chance to take one on the road. Keep an eye on Jay Boyd, who can change the game in the secondary or as a return man.
2017 outlook:
| Tusculum | Limestone |
|---|---|
| 2016 record: 4-7 | 2016 record: 5-6 |
| Head coach: Jerry Odom (2nd season) | Head coach: Mike Furrey (2nd season) |
| Preseason ranking: NR | Current ranking: NR | Preseason ranking: NR | Current ranking: NR |
|
Key players: Maxwell Joseph, RB: 171 yards rushing, 4 TDs Alex Ogle, QB: 550 passing, 3 TD, 1 Int Ivan Hogans, LB: team-best 12 tackles
|
Key players: Ivan Corbin, Jr., QB: 262 passing, 3 TD, 1 rushing TD Joshua Simmons, DB: 3 breakups, 3 passes defended Vyncint Smith, WR: 157 receiving yards |
2017 by the numbers:
| Tusculum | Limestone |
|---|---|
| OFFENSE | OFFENSE |
| Points: 72 | Points: 30 |
| Pass yards: 589 | Pass yards: 262 |
| Rush yards: 253 | Rush yards: 289 |
| Total offense: 842 yards | Total offense: 551 yards |
| DEFENSE | DEFENSE |
| Points allowed: 45 | Points allowed: 48 |
| Total defense: 644 yards allowed | Total defense: 576 yards allowed |
The Battle of the Mascot: Week 3
Two weeks are in the books, and that means that two mascots are currently reigning supreme in the Battle of the Mascots. This past week, it was all Hardrockers.
WEEK 1: Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys 28, Southern Arkansas Muleriders 21
WEEK 2: South Dakota School of Mines Hardrockers 35, Dixie State Trailblazers 14
It was a close one. In a game right out of Game of Thrones, Minnesota State-Moorehead travels to Winona State for a battle of Dragons and Warriors. But the Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference is this week's winner. The No. 5-ranked California (Pa) Vulcans take on the Millersville Marauders in a PSAC East vs. West Division showdown.
