A University of Charleston victory this afternoon likely will throw the West Virginia Conference football standings into a state of deliciously balanced chaos.

If the Golden Eagles knock off unbeaten Seton Hill and Glenville defeats winless Concord, four WVC teams will be tied with one loss each.

Seton Hill, the Greensburg, Pa., school playing in its first season as a full WVC member, visits UC Stadium at Laidley Field for a 1 p.m. game today and is the only team unbeaten in conference play. But UC, West Virginia State, Glenville and West Liberty have each suffered just one league loss.

"If UC wins,'' said WVC associate commissioner Will Prewitt, "we'll likely have a four-way tie for first place with three weeks left to play, assuming that Glenville beats Concord, which is a pretty good possibility. You'd have Glenville, UC, Seton Hill and the winner of West Liberty and State all with one loss.''

The Yellow Jackets play host to West Liberty at 1 p.m. today in Institute, and the winner will remain in the thick of the WVC title race - and will remain in contention, along with several other WVC teams, for an invitation to reach the NCAA Division II playoffs.

In addition, it's still possible that teams with two WVC losses might still gain a share of the WVC title. (The conference does not have a tiebreaker system; teams that finish tied for the lead are declared co-champions.)

"I've run some numbers,'' Prewitt added. "It's possible without anything crazy happening to have five teams at the end of the season at 6-2 [in WVC play].''

Today's results also will affect competition for the Division II playoffs. To earn one of 24 berths in the national field, a team must finish in the top six of the Super Region I rankings, which comprise four conferences - the WVC, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, Northeast 10 and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

At the moment, Seton Hill (7-0 overall, 4-0 WVC) is No. 3 in the rankings and West Virginia State is 10th. A Golden Eagle victory over the Griffins today undoubtedly would move UC into the playoff picture, and the Yellow Jackets would be a strong candidate for postseason play by winning its remaining games. 

The chance that both UC (5-2, 4-1) and State (5-1, 3-1) will earn postseason berths is not out of the question.

"It's definitely a long shot,'' said Prewitt, "but it's a possibility if they both win [today]. If that happens, UC would have an excellent opportunity to get in the regional poll. And if we get down to the final three weeks of the season and both of them are in the regional poll, it could really happen.''

A University of Charleston victory this afternoon likely will throw the West Virginia Conference football standings into a state of deliciously balanced chaos.

If the Golden Eagles knock off unbeaten Seton Hill and Glenville defeats winless Concord, four WVC teams will be tied with one loss each.

Seton Hill, the Greensburg, Pa., school playing in its first season as a full WVC member, visits UC Stadium at Laidley Field for a 1 p.m. game today and is the only team unbeaten in conference play. But UC, West Virginia State, Glenville and West Liberty have each suffered just one league loss.

"If UC wins,'' said WVC associate commissioner Will Prewitt, "we'll likely have a four-way tie for first place with three weeks left to play, assuming that Glenville beats Concord, which is a pretty good possibility. You'd have Glenville, UC, Seton Hill and the winner of West Liberty and State all with one loss.''

The Yellow Jackets play host to West Liberty at 1 p.m. today in Institute, and the winner will remain in the thick of the WVC title race - and will remain in contention, along with several other WVC teams, for an invitation to reach the NCAA Division II playoffs.

In addition, it's still possible that teams with two WVC losses might still gain a share of the WVC title. (The conference does not have a tiebreaker system; teams that finish tied for the lead are declared co-champions.)

"I've run some numbers,'' Prewitt added. "It's possible without anything crazy happening to have five teams at the end of the season at 6-2 [in WVC play].''

Today's results also will affect competition for the Division II playoffs. To earn one of 24 berths in the national field, a team must finish in the top six of the Super Region I rankings, which comprise four conferences - the WVC, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, Northeast 10 and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

At the moment, Seton Hill (7-0 overall, 4-0 WVC) is No. 3 in the rankings and West Virginia State is 10th. A Golden Eagle victory over the Griffins today undoubtedly would move UC into the playoff picture, and the Yellow Jackets would be a strong candidate for postseason play by winning its remaining games. 

The chance that both UC (5-2, 4-1) and State (5-1, 3-1) will earn postseason berths is not out of the question.

"It's definitely a long shot,'' said Prewitt, "but it's a possibility if they both win [today]. If that happens, UC would have an excellent opportunity to get in the regional poll. And if we get down to the final three weeks of the season and both of them are in the regional poll, it could really happen.''