Complete Game Notes (.pdf)
 
Grove City (1-3, 1-1) at Waynesburg (0-4, 0-2)
 
When: Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, 1:30 p.m.
 
Where: Waynesburg, Pa. (John F. Wiley Stadium)
 
Radio: WCYJ-FM - 99.5, Webcast can be heard at http://vp.telvue.com/player?id=T01595&video=23812
 
Live Video: http://myconnect.waynesburg.edu/web/wctv
 
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/waynesburg/football/
 
Series Breakdown
All-Time Series: Waynesburg leads 32-17-5
First Meeting: 1903 (Grove City won 23-6)
Last Meeting: 2016 (Waynesburg won 14-10)
 
It's Homecoming 2017 for Waynesburg University. The Yellow Jackets have won their last seven homecoming games, a stretch that includes victories over Grove City in 2015 and 2012.
 
Grove City is coming off an emotional 24-14 win over Saint Vincent this past Saturday. The Wolverine victory ended a 33-game losing streak that stretched back to the last game of the 2013 campaign. It was also the first triumph for current GCC head coach Andrew DiDonato, who holds virtually every passing record in school history.
 
The GCC roster is unlike any other in the PAC, and different than almost every other school in the country in that it includes a woman. Sophomore kicker Kelsey Tischler hasn't attempted a varsity kick this year, but in 2016, she connected on three-of-four PAT attempts.
 
Saturday's meeting features two of the most prolific tacklers in the PAC. Grove City freshman outside linebacker Carl Jaszcar ranks second in the conference with 10.5 tackles per game. Waynesburg senior inside linebacker Brent Blacharczyk is fifth in the league with an 8.5 tackler per contest average.
 
The two head coaches of Saturday's contest are the youngest and least tenured in the PAC. DiDonato is in his second year as leader of the Wolverines, while Smithley is in his first season as interim head coach for the Jackets. Both are well south of 40.
 
Both offenses are looking to find their running legs after four weeks of the 2017 campaign. The Wolverines and Jackets rank 10^th and 11^th, respectively, in the PAC.
 
Speaking of jumpstarting a part of the offense, Waynesburg's ninth-ranked passing attack (140.8 yards per game) could get a boost from facing Grove City's 11^th-ranked pass defense (311.8 ypg).
 
Not only halfway into the season and there are just two teams in the PAC that are perfect in the PAT department: Waynesburg and Grove City. The Jackets are six-for-six, while the Wolverines have made all nine of their tries.
 
Neither of Saturday's participants have enjoyed easy starts to their respective schedules. The Jackets are coming off three-straight games against opponents that have been featured in one of the two major Division III top 25 polls (AFCA and D3Football.com). Four of Grove City's first six opponents have also received national attention at one point or another in 2017.
 
Both Waynesburg and Grove City average better than 30 minutes per game in terms of time of possession. The Jackets have possessed the ball for 30:31 per contest, while the Wolverines' mark of 32:10 is third-best in the PAC.