RADNOR, Pa.— Eastern University Football is back at Radnor Street Road for a critical MAC contest against Lebanon Valley. The Dutchmen (0-2, 0-1) come into the game on the heels of a tough 18-17 home loss to Delaware Valley University in their league opener. Despite struggling to move the ball against the stout Aggie defense, LVC led 17-3 midway through the third quarter. Delaware Valley scored the final 15 points of the game to claim the win. Eastern will introduce its 2026 Hall of Honor Class at halftime. 

The Dutchmen finished the game with 110 yards of total offense and made only seven first downs. Even so, their defense put them in space to be successful. Linebacker Brandon Choi had 13 tackles a 37-yard interception return for a touchdown. J.D. McCallion also finished with double-digit tackles, three tackles for loss, and an 18-yard interception return. That game, after a lopsided loss to a very good Franklin & Marshall team, has left the Dutchmen without a lot of momentum coming into Radnor Street Road. Through two games, teams have run for over 206 yards per game and the Dutchmen have had the ball for only 18 minutes a game.

Though Owen Strouse has led the Dutchmen in both rushing and passing, LVC has rookie quarterback Osmany Guzman atop their depth chart for this week. Guzman, who had a 13-yard rush against Delaware Valley,  threw for over 1800 yards as a senior for a very good Parkland High School team last fall.

In last year's game at LVC, the Dutchmen used a pair of interceptions and late drive for a field goal to beat Eastern 24-21. The Eagles will look to avoid those turnovers and keep the LVC defense on the field.

In last week's bounce-back win over Misericordia, the Eagles found their stride in the running game. Jeremiah Avrilien ran for 48 yards on the second play of the game and seemed to never stop. The senior from Miami Gardens ran for a program-record 244 yards and three touchdowns. His 61-yard run to the end zone in the fourth quarter broke a 21-21 tie.

Brett Nabb picked up two critical fourth-down conversions late and finished with 113 rushing yards. The game marked the eighth time the duo of Nabb and Avrilien both went over 100 yards in a game. Even with a tough day at Endicott to start the year, the Eagles are currently 16th in Division III in rushing offense.

After a slow start against the Cougars, the Eastern defense stiffened and allowed only 12 yards in the third quarter. The Cougars, however, got some extra life in the fourth when three penalties on a single drive enabled them to tie the score early in the fourth. Eliminating penalties on both sides of the ball has been a point of emphasis all week.

The Eastern defense that has had to deal with injuries through the year already will get a good boost with the scheduled return of Wayne Clark to the defensive line.

Though Chris Rivera did not get off a big return against Misericordia, the senior had an impact as the Cougars kicked a pair of balls out of bounds to avoid him.

Stevenson, Eastern, Del Val, Widener, and Albright all won their league-opening games. Today, Stevenson travels to Misericordia, Albright is at Delaware Valley, Widener goes to FDU-Florham, and King's is at Alvernia.

Eastern will go to Delaware Valley next Saturday.