The Waynesburg University football team has now started 0-3 for back-to-back seasons for the first time in over a decade following a 30-20 loss at John F. Wiley Stadium Saturday, Sept. 16, against Carnegie Mellon University.

Games will not get any easier, as this upcoming Saturday, Sept. 23, the Yellow Jackets will travel to Cleveland, Ohio, to meet the Case Western Reserve University Spartans. Last season, the Yellow Jackets started off 0-4 after dropping a 35-7 loss at home against Case Western at the end of September.

Waynesburg had its best offensive game of 2017 and also had a lead into the third quarter until Carnegie Mellon began a vicious run in the final stages last weekend against the Jackets. The defense held CMU senior running back Sam Benger to a lackluster performance, but the Yellow Jackets were burned in other areas on Saturday leaving Waynesburg 0-1 in Presidents’ Athletic Conference play.

Carnegie Mellon got on the board first after a Waynesburg turnover set up the Tartans with good field position, but missed the ensuing extra point to go up 6-0. The Yellow Jackets added a field goal shortly after to cut the deficit to three.

Waynesburg took its first lead of the 2017 season when quarterback Tyler Perone scampered into the end zone from two yards away. The Jackets would add another field goal to go up 13-6 before the Tartans began their streak of 24-unanswered points with two seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Perone hooked up with Jake Dougherty from 20 yards away for the final touchdown of the game, leaving the score at a 30-20 final.

On the flip side, nationally ranked Case Western cruised to a 42-10 victory over winless Grove City Saturday, Sept. 16. Grove City kept it close early into the second quarter when it scored on a 25-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-7 in favor of Case Western, but the Spartans outscored the Wolverines 28-3 the rest of the way.

Senior running back Jacob Burke achieved the Spartans’ school-record with four touchdowns while rushing for 104 yards on 24 carries, and senior quarterback Rob Cuda totaled 267 passing yards and 118 rushing yards in the win. Giuseppe Orsini caught both of Cuda’s touchdown passes in the win.

Last season, Burke and Cuda were in control as the Spartans dismantled Waynesburg at John F. Wiley Stadium 35-7. Burke gained 166 yards on 20 carries with four touchdowns in the contest, while Cuda threw for 124 yards and ran for 89 yards and a score on the ground.

Waynesburg will have a few keys to win that, and if all are executed, the Yellow Jackets have an opportunity to upset Case Western.

Keep Progressing on Offense

Waynesburg’s offense has shown signs of improvement over the course of the early season, as point totals have gone up in each game. After putting 20 points up on Carnegie Mellon, the Yellow Jackets look to build on that heading into Week Four.

Interim head coach Chris Smithley is happy with the direction the team is heading as it approaches the matchup.

“Zero points to seven points to 20 points – we’re on the right track,” Smithley said. “Offensively, if we can continue to progress the way we are, I don’t think there’s any issues.”

The Yellow Jackets have seen improvement from Perone each week as well, following his 203 yard performance with a passing and rushing score against Carnegie Mellon. The rushing attack has had its struggles so far this season, but the Yellow Jackets will see junior running back Austin Wilson return to the backfield in almost full health to join junior running back Ben Ciero and sophomore running back Jarves Crews against Case Western.

Contain Rob Cuda

One of the biggest tests for the Jackets heading into the game is stopping the versatile Cuda. The senior goes into Week Four as the PAC’s third best passer and 10th best runner, in terms of yards per game. Cuda is also second in the conference in total offense, as he accumulates 317.5 yards per game – making him a very tough player to stop, according to Smithley.

The Case Western offensive attack is balanced, and Smithley said it starts with the quarterback.

“Their quarterback is great. He might be the best quarterback in the conference,” Smithley said. “He can run it, he can throw it, so it has to be a balanced game plan defensively.”

Play Four Quarters

After allowing 24 unanswered points against Carnegie Mellon, with 17 coming in the fourth quarter, the Yellow Jackets want to make sure they play a full game.

Going into battle against a nationally-ranked opponent, that is a point of focus for Smithley.

“I thought we’ve played some really good football the last two weeks and have matched up well with our opponents,” Smithley said. “Those were two postseason teams we just played and we had them on the ropes.”