First-year Clarion University football coach Chris Weibel, who is an East Brady native, let the rest of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division know they weren’t going to have the Golden Eagles to kick around anymore last Saturday.

With Clarion’s 47-31 upset win over preseason favorite Gannon and Seton Hill’s surprising 41-38 win over No. 15 nationally-ranked Slippery Rock University, the Golden Eagles stand as the only undefeated team in the division.

That kind of parity could be a sign come time for the NCAA Division II playoffs.

While the NCAA expanded the number of playoff slots from six to eight this season, teams that lose more than two games are reaches to grab a bid.

Five teams — Clarion, California (3-1), Gannon (3-1), The Rock (3-1) and Mercyhurst (3-1), IUP (2-1) — are in position to make a playoff run.

Running the table in a conference where all the teams are fairly evenly matched seems unlikely.

Don’t be surprised if the West gets one — or fewer —spots in the playoffs.

Here’s some other things to look for this weekend:

Freeport has chance to make statement — Despite being undefeated and sitting at 4-0, the Yellowjackets aren’t ranked among the top five teams in the WPIAL in Class AA.

Freeport has a chance to pick up a noteworthy victory in its lone non-conference game.

The Yellowjackets host Steel Valley this Friday, which is undefeated and beat Seton-La Salle 27-21 last week. Freeport is 2-4 all-time against the Ironmen and the schools haven’t met since 1995.

Steel Valley beat Freeport 20-14 in the 1989 WPIAL championship game at Three Rivers Stadium.

Rivalry Friday — Expect the winning streaks in the Karns City-Moniteau and Butler-Seneca Valley games to be extended.

The Raiders, who have won eight straight against Butler to even the all-time series at 15 wins apiece, scored a big Northern Eight Conference win over North Hills last week to move to 2-2.

The Golden Tornado fell to 0-4 and saw Shaler snap its 34-game losing streak. The Gremlins decimated Clarion 46-8, while the Warriors picked up their first win, 24-8, over A-C Valley.

Karns City has won its last three meetings against Moniteau.

Union moves back into playoff race — The Golden Knights scored a surprising 20-14 win over Class AAA foe Punxsutawney last Friday.

That was much needed for Union (2-2). Its schedule the next three weeks is brutal.

The Golden Knights will start this week with Redbank Valley (3-1), then follow that up with games against Karns City (4-0) and Clarion (3-1).

It’s not a must-win for the Golden Knights, but a loss puts Union’s chances of extending its four-year playoff streak in jeopardy.

Josh Rizzo is a sports writer for the Butler Eagle.