As the Rowan football team prepares for its home opener, it looks ahead to a potential 2-0 start. The Profs head into a bye week before taking on New Jersey Athletic Conference rival William Paterson University on Sept. 16.

After an impressive win against Widener University to open the season last Saturday, Rowan is looking to continue their success on the football field and prove that they are the ones to be watched in the NJAC.

The Profs found themselves in a tough spot when trailing 11 points in the second half, but were able to rally back and take a 16-14 lead early in the fourth quarter. An interception late in the game helped put Rowan over the top and allowed the team to secure a 19-14 victory.

With this win on their resume, the team will be heading into their bye week with some momentum.

“It gives us a chance to rest some guys, even though it’s early in the year,” head coach Jay Accorsi said. “We have the chance to continue to develop those players that didn’t get a lot of reps in the game, but we know they’re going to play a lot for us this year.”

After completing the 2015 season with a 6-4 overall record and 5-4 in the conference, Rowan finished in a tie for fourth. The Profs are predicted to finish fourth again this season.

Despite a low ranking, the team is not going to let that determine how the season will play out.

“Honestly it hurts because that’s the lowest I’ve been ranked and we’ve been ranked since I’ve been here,” quarterback Dante Pinckney said. “It’s just another reason for us to work hard and prove everyone wrong.”

The off-season and training camp proved to be very eventful for the Profs.

Over the summer, former Rowan defensive lineman Josh Popper was invited to take part in a rookie training camp with the Arizona Cardinals at their facility. Withler Marcelin, the Profs’ all-time leader in rushing touchdowns and rushing yards has graduated. Replacing Popper and Marcelin will be a challenging task, especially with new freshmen joining the team.

Only time will tell what this team is made of. With preparation and support from everyone on the team, Rowan has the potential to strip that underdog title off itself and return to another winning playoff season.

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