The last time the Waynesburg University football team finished a season without a win, John F. Kennedy was two months away from inauguration. 

If the Yellow Jackets, who currently sit at 0-4, don’t beat Thiel this Saturday on Homecoming at John F. Wiley Stadium, that’s the path they could be headed down. 

Waynesburg’s season hasn’t gone according to plan thus far. The Yellow Jackets came in to 2019 with their eyes set on a winning season and a postseason appearance, two things Waynesburg hasn’t accomplished since 2014. The Jackets will need to go 5-1 the rest of the way to qualify for the postseason, and 4-2 just to match their pedestrian 4-6 mark from a year ago. 

The good news for Waynesburg is that there’s absolutely no reason why they couldn’t, and shouldn’t, get their first win Saturday. The Tomcats have lost 21 games in a row, and their four losses this year are by an average of 41 points. The most points Thiel has scored in 2019? 10. The fewest they’ve allowed? 37. A beatable opponent, combined with the occasion of Homecoming, should be a perfect setup for a win.

Which is why it would be such a disappointment, and such a concern, if the Jackets can’t deliver. 

Waynesburg’s conference schedule only gets harder in the second half of the season. Of the Jackets’ three Presidents’ Athletic Conference opponents thus far, Westminster, Bethany and Geneva, only Westminster is a threat to win the conference championship. After Thiel is when the Yellow Jackets’ conference schedule starts to get interesting. Here’s an idea of what Waynesburg’s last five games look like.

 

Week Six @ Carnegie Mellon: The Tartans are currently 4-0, highlighted by an upset of nationally ranked and conference favorite Washington & Jefferson in week three.

Week Seven vs. Grove City: Three years ago, Grove City was the laughing stock of the PAC. Not anymore. The Wolverines turned a corner in 2018, going 8-3, with one of those wins being a 28-3 triumph over Waynesburg Oct. 13. This year has been lukewarm for head coach Andrew Didonato. Grove City is currently 2-2. Both of those loses, however, have come against elite opponents in Case Western Reserve and mighty W&J. The Wolverines caught fire in the second half of last season, winning their last seven games. We’ll see where they are at when they come to Greene County Oct. 5

Week Eight vs. St. Vincent: Don’t let the 0-3 record fool you. This is an improved football team led by a promising freshman quarterback in Brady Walker. The Bearcats hung with Carnegie Mellon for a half last week, and will only grow as the season goes on. 

Week Ten vs. Case Western: One of the PAC’s best, year in and year out. 

Week Eleven @ W&J: See above.

 

The Presidents’ Athletic Conference is about more than just W&J and Case Western being excellent while the rest are solid at best, which has been the case in recent years. This is a well rounded conference. If Waynesburg beats Thiel Saturday and looks good doing it, that could boost its confidence and lead to some wins. If it doesn’t, however, we could be in for a long second half to the season.