It may seem hard to believe, but the 2023 college football season is speeding along. 

Wilkes University and Susquehanna University only have three regular-season games left on their schedules, and while all of those games will be conference matchups, this week’s showdown at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field at Doug Arthur Stadium might be the most important one. 

The Colonels and River Hawks both are 3-0 in Landmark Conference action, and they share the top spot in the conference standings. By Saturday evening, one team will be the clear front-runner, with the inaugural season of Landmark football winding down. 

Though the Landmark Conference was formed in 2005 and began competition in the fall of 2007, it wasn’t until 2022 that football was voted in as a conference-sponsored sport and scheduled to get down to business this year.

The other teams in the conference are Moravian University (2-0), Lycoming College (1-1), Catholic University (0-3), Juniata College (0-2) and Keystone College (0-3). Moravian is scheduled to play Juniata on Saturday afternoon. 

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Wilkes (3-4, 3-0) may not yet be getting any attention in the polls, but the Colonels are charging at the right time, and it will be hard not to notice, especially if they find success this week on the road at Susquehanna.

After starting the year with four consecutive losses, Wilkes has been dominant since the start of conference play, topping Juniata (63-14), Lycoming (48-35) and Keystone (42-7).

Susquehanna (7-0, 3-0) enters the week at No. 12 in the D3football.com Top 25 and No. 13 in the American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches Poll. 

The River Hawks were No. 22 in the D3football.com Preseason Poll and No. 1 in their new conference’s preseason rankings, and they have been impressive to start 2023, including seven consecutive wins and 50 or more points four times.

In its last three games, Susquehanna outscored its opponents 175-21, and the River Hawks are coming off a 56-0 rout of rival Juniata in their annual battle for the Goal Post Trophy. 

In Susquehanna’s all-time series with Wilkes, which started in 1956, Susquehanna holds a 23-15 advantage. Only two of those games have taken place since 2010, with Susquehanna winning both – 2011 (33-30) and 2019 (88-24).

This season in their new conference, Susquehanna and Wilkes are first and second, respectively, in scoring, total yards per game, rushing, offensive efficiency, kickoff returns, scoring defense, yards allowed per game and rushing defense, among others.

Their 2023 meeting also will be Susquehanna’s homecoming game. 

When Is Wilkes University Vs. Susquehanna University?

Wilkes University will take on Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. ET. They will play at Susquehanna’s Amos Alonzo Stagg Field at Doug Arthur Stadium.

How To Watch The Wilkes University Vs. Susquehanna University Football Game

Football action is streaming live on FloFootball and the FloSports app, including the Wilkes University and Susquehanna University football game during Week 8.

Replays and postgame highlights also will be available on both platforms. 

What To Know About Wilkes University Football

In its final season in the Middle Atlantic Conference, Wilkes was 7-3 overall and 5-3 in conference play, finishing in the middle of the pack and missing out on any postseason action. 

Life in the Landmark Conference has been perfect for the Colonels, who are riding a three-game winning streaking—all conference victories—into this week’s meeting with Susquehanna. One of the teams will leave the game 4-0 in Landmark play and alone at the top of the standings. 

In last week’s 42-7 win over Keystone College, Wilkes posted a program-record 503 rushing yards, in rainy conditions. The previous mark of 473 yards was set in 1967. 

A bonus for this week–a 60 percent chance of rain during the day in Pennsylvania. 

First-year running back JayJay Jordan led the charge against Keystone, running for 140 yards and two touchdowns, and that only added to his growing legacy. He already has surpassed the school record for most kick return yards in a season, and he has plenty of time to add to the 545 yards he has racked up.

In the short-term, the performance in Week 7 earned him Landmark Conference Offensive Athlete of the Week honors, the first offensive recognition for the Colonels, who received the defensive nod the two previous weeks.

For the season, Jordan is second on the Wilkes roster with 325 rushing yards (with six touchdowns), behind junior Elijah Jules, who has run for 592 yards and one score. 

The award-winning defense is anchored by sophomore linebacker Tallen Murray, who has 57 total tackles and two interceptions in 2023. His efforts earned him the Landmark Defensive Athlete of the Week award on Oct. 2 and Oct. 9. 

In Wilkes’ 63-14 win against Juniata on Sept. 30, Murray had a career-high 14 tackles. The following week, in a 48-35 win over Lycoming College, he had three tackles and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. 

Murray’s 57 tackles rank second in the conference this year behind Catholic’s Michael Hopkins. 

What To Know About Susquehanna University Football

In recent weeks, the Susquehanna offense has been overpowering, and the defense has been stifling. 

In their last two wins, the River Hawks have outscored their opponents 125-0. 

Their 69-0 shutout of Keystone on Oct. 7 was their first shutout of 2023 and their record-breaking 17th consecutive regular-season victory. They extended the mark with a 56-0 performance against Juniata last week.

The River Hawks are coming off a memorable 2022 campaign that ended abruptly. They finished the regular season with a 10-0 record—their first undefeated regular season since 1986—and claimed the Centennial Conference title with a 9-0 effort. Unfortunately, their season came to an end with a 17-10 loss to Utica University in the opening round of the Division III Playoffs.

While going 7-0 to start this season, Susquehanna is outscoring its opponents 42.29-14, while outgaining the opposition, 429.1-218.4 yards per game.

Sophomore quarterback Josh Ehrlich has handled most of the snaps, completing 105-of-150 attempts for 1,148 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also has thrown three interceptions. 

Ehrlich is a dual-threat for the River Hawks and is second on the team in rushing with 565 yards and five touchdowns on 102 attempts. Sophomore running back Tommy Grabowski tops the list with 642 yards and eight scores on 117 rushes. Grabowski leads the Landmark Conference, too. 

Junior wide receiver Kyle Howes has the most receiving yards by a wide margin. He has averaged more than 84 yards per game on the way to a 589-yard total for the year, plus six of the team’s 11 receiving touchdowns. 

Defensively, junior linebacker Garrett Carter leads the team with 43 tackles, including four sacks. 

What’s The Weather Forecast?

There’s a pretty good chance Wilkes and Susquehanna will be playing in the rain at some point Saturday, as the chance of showers during the day is 60 percent. 

Otherwise, temperatures will be in the low 60s, and there will be light winds (5-10 mph).

The game likely will be over by the time the sun sets just after 6 p.m. ET. The chance of rain will go down as the day goes on, but the temperatures will drop, too. It’ll be in the 40s on Saturday night.

Archived Footage On FloFootball

Video footage from the event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloFootball subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscription.

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