SCOUTING COLLEGE FOOTBALL Saturday's game

MOUNT UNION (11-0)vs. WHEATON (12-0)
What: NCAA Division III quarterfinal playoff game.
When: Noon Saturday.
Where: Mount Union Stadium in Alliance.
Scouting report: Mount Union and Wheaton will be meeting for the second time, with the Purple Raiders holding a 2-0 advantage in the series. The teams met last year in the second round of the playoffs, with MUC posting a 42-21 victory and going on to win the national crown. The Purple Raiders, three-time defending national champions coached by Larry Kehres (203-17-3, 18th season), are coming off a 39-14 win over Wisconsin-La Crosse last Saturday in a second-round playoff game, after having a first-round bye the week before. Wheaton, coached by Mike Swider (61-19, eighth season), advanced with wins over Baldwin-Wallace last week, 16-12, and Hope (Mich.) the week before, 55-45. The MUC-Wheaton winner will advance to a semifinal game Dec. 13 against the winner of Saturday's Lycoming-Bridgewater quarterfinal. Mount Union is in the playoffs for the 12th straight year, and is riding the nation's longest winning streak at 53 games. MUC has won 107 of its last 108 games. The Purple Raiders are led by junior QB Zac Bruney, who has completed 125-of-196 passes for 2,171 yards and 22 touchdowns with five interceptions, and senior QB Jesse Burghardt with 58-for-85 for 1,085 yards and 12 TDs with four interceptions. The leading receivers are seniors Randell Knapp and Nick Sirianni. Knapp has 57 catches for a 21.9-yard average and 11 TDs, while Sirianni has 35 receptions for a 20.9-yard average and 10 TDs. The top rushers are junior RB Rick Ciccone with 727 yards in 157 carries and 10 TDs, and RB Jeff Strauch with 334 yards in 65 attempts and five TDs. Key defensive players are MLB Shaun Spisak with 98 tackles, T Antoine Dillard with 66 tackles, including 11 for losses and four sacks; S Matt Caponi (50 tackles and five interceptions), CB Mike Miller (45 tackles) and OLB Andrew Frate (45 tackles with 13 tackles for losses, three sacks and two interceptions). Wheaton is led by QB Chad Bradley, who has completed 194-of-318 passes for 2,875 yards and 20 TDs with eight interceptions. The Thunder's ground attack is paced by RB Garrett Granberg with 741 yards rushing in 165 attempts and 10 TDs. Top pass catchers are WRs Andrew King (72 catches, 11.9-yard average, four TDs), Brad Musso (65 receptions, 1,256 yards, 19.3 yard average, 10 TDs) and Colin Sinclair (45 receptions, 15-yard average, five TDs). The defense is spearheaded by LB Tom McAndrews (88 tackles, 11 for losses), DB Ty Gose (77 tackles, three interceptions, eight pass breakups), LB Jeff Mumm (68 tackles, 10 for losses, two interceptions), DB Shawn Wildt (65 tackles, four interceptions), DL Ben Reedy (50 tackles, 12 for losses, six sacks) and DL Tim Cryer (43 tackles, 11 for losses, eight sacks).
Scouting report: Mount Union and Wheaton will be meeting for the second time, with the Purple Raiders holding a 2-0 advantage in the series. The teams met last year in the second round of the playoffs, with MUC posting a 42-21 victory and going on to win the national crown. The Purple Raiders, three-time defending national champions coached by Larry Kehres (203-17-3, 18th season), are coming off a 39-14 win over Wisconsin-La Crosse last Saturday in a second-round playoff game, after having a first-round bye the week before. Wheaton, coached by Mike Swider (61-19, eighth season), advanced with wins over Baldwin-Wallace last week, 16-12, and Hope (Mich.) the week before, 55-45. The MUC-Wheaton winner will advance to a semifinal game Dec. 13 against the winner of Saturday's Lycoming-Bridgewater quarterfinal. Mount Union is in the playoffs for the 12th straight year, and is riding the nation's longest winning streak at 53 games. MUC has won 107 of its last 108 games. The Purple Raiders are led by junior QB Zac Bruney, who has completed 125-of-196 passes for 2,171 yards and 22 touchdowns with five interceptions, and senior QB Jesse Burghardt with 58-for-85 for 1,085 yards and 12 TDs with four interceptions. The leading receivers are seniors Randell Knapp and Nick Sirianni. Knapp has 57 catches for a 21.9-yard average and 11 TDs, while Sirianni has 35 receptions for a 20.9-yard average and 10 TDs. The top rushers are junior RB Rick Ciccone with 727 yards in 157 carries and 10 TDs, and RB Jeff Strauch with 334 yards in 65 attempts and five TDs. Key defensive players are MLB Shaun Spisak with 98 tackles, T Antoine Dillard with 66 tackles, including 11 for losses and four sacks; S Matt Caponi (50 tackles and five interceptions), CB Mike Miller (45 tackles) and OLB Andrew Frate (45 tackles with 13 tackles for losses, three sacks and two interceptions). Wheaton is led by QB Chad Bradley, who has completed 194-of-318 passes for 2,875 yards and 20 TDs with eight interceptions. The Thunder's ground attack is paced by RB Garrett Granberg with 741 yards rushing in 165 attempts and 10 TDs. Top pass catchers are WRs Andrew King (72 catches, 11.9-yard average, four TDs), Brad Musso (65 receptions, 1,256 yards, 19.3 yard average, 10 TDs) and Colin Sinclair (45 receptions, 15-yard average, five TDs). The defense is spearheaded by LB Tom McAndrews (88 tackles, 11 for losses), DB Ty Gose (77 tackles, three interceptions, eight pass breakups), LB Jeff Mumm (68 tackles, 10 for losses, two interceptions), DB Shawn Wildt (65 tackles, four interceptions), DL Ben Reedy (50 tackles, 12 for losses, six sacks) and DL Tim Cryer (43 tackles, 11 for losses, eight sacks).
Radio-TV: WRMU-FM 91.1, WDPN-AM 1310, CSTV (College Sports Television, an independent cable network on DirectTV's Sports Pack on channel 610). The game will be shown live on Time-Warner in Youngstown on Channel 16. For more information on how to access CSTV, visit the network's website at www.cstv.com.