FOOTBALLSTORIES LOCAL COLLEGE PREVIEW

Temple's tight end Peter Clarke hopes to build on his season of 30 catches for 483 yards and six touchdowns. Photo by Jesse Garber. 

Temple (5-7 in 2025) in K.C. Keeler’s first season, the Owls were one win from bowl eligibility. They managed to keep most of their key players and could be in for a breakout season. Tight end Peter Clarke hopes to build on his season of 30 catches for 483 yards and six touchdowns.

Villanova (12-3) went to the national semifinals in the FCS Playoffs; it hurts that quarterback Pat McQuaid has graduated. It helps that running back Ja’Briel Mace, who was fifth in the country with 1,882 all-purpose yards, is back for the Wildcats. He was named to the preseason All-American team by Stats Perform. This season, the ‘Cats are moving to the Patriot League.

Delaware (7-6), the Fightin’ Blue Hens, were in their transition season to FBS last season but got to a bowl game because there were not enough otherwise eligible teams. Five starters (four on offense) were named to the first team of the preseason All-Conference USA squad.

Delaware State (8-4), after going 2-21 in the previous two seasons, authored one of the biggest stories of the year in FCS football with their turnaround under DeSean Jackson, who was named HBCU Coach of the Year. The Hornets must replace a lot on offense, including five first-team All-MEAC performers, but Jackson signed 27 players on the two national signing days.

Penn (6-4), Ray Priore stepped down as head coach after 11 years. The Quakers’ new man is Rick Santos. It won’t be easy to replace Priore, who won a pair of Ivy League titles, but Santos was a great quarterback at New Hampshire, then took the Wildcats to the FCS Playoffs in three of his five seasons as head coach.

Widener (4-6) is looking to improve after back-to-back sub-500 seasons. To do so, the Pride will have to improve on offense, where they ranked last in yards per game and next to last in scoring in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC). Defensively, they proved to be good at taking away the ball; they topped the MAC in forced fumbles and fumble recoveries and were second in interceptions.

Eastern University is looking for a big year out of MAC Defensive Player of the Year, Jason Bateman (No. 8) who hails from Upper Darby, PA. Photo courtesy of Eastern Athletics. 

Eastern (10-2, MAC Champion in 2025), in just the third season of the program, made it to the third round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs. While the Eagles must replace quarterback Brett Nabb, the MAC Offensive Player of the Year, they have the Defensive Player of the Year, Jason Bateman, back to lead a defense that ranked 11th in the nation in total defense.

Delaware Valley (8-3): The Aggies have a new head coach, Billy Zwaan Jr., he inherits a team that had a good season, but the fans in Doylestown have become spoiled – they expect playoff appearances. Zwaan expects to deliver them.

Ursinus (7-4), the Bears’ head coach, Pete Gallagher, elevated Ryan DiVergilis, a 2024 graduate of the school, to defensive coordinator, replacing Steve Devlin, who took the top job at Alvernia. They’re big shoes to fill and, of course, they still have national power Johns Hopkins to contend with in the Centennial League.

Rowan (8-2-1), as the Profs enter the third season under Pat Ruley, will look to build on playing in the postseason for the first time since 2014 (they won an ECAC Bowl game in 2025)

TCNJ (6-4) had back-to-back winning campaigns for the first time since 2004. Now, second-year head coach Tyler Moody and the Lions will look to capitalize on that momentum.

West Chester (4-7) after going 8-13 in his first two seasons as Golden Rams head coach, Duke Greco is getting the band back together. He hired Mike Isgro, the man who replaced him at Del Val, to be pass game and special teams coordinator, so that they can recreate the success they had together with the Aggies.

Lincoln (0-10): The Lions open with West Chester before playing Mississippi Valley State on September 12th at Soldier Field in the Chicago Football Classic.

“What I'm looking forward to most this season is competing in the HBCU Classic,” said rising senior linebacker Charles Thompson, “and embracing the opportunity to represent Lincoln University on a national stage."*

Email Rock Hoffman at rock@footballstories.com