Monday, November 12, 2018
WEEK 12 QUICK SNAPS
The 2018 PFL title may be wrapped up but each of the league’s top four teams have plenty to play for in the regular season’s final week… San Diego will look to wrap up its third-straight unbeaten PFL season and run its PFL win streak to 29 games when it travels cross country to face Marist… However, Marist is seeking to cap a fine campaign with a win that would give it a 6-2 record and its best win total since winning share of the 2013 title with a 7-1 record… Drake will travel to Morehead State seeking a win for its third-straight 6-2 mark in PFL play which would also place it second in the league for a second-straight year… Morehead State is one of four teams tied at 2-5 entering the week but have won their last four PFL finales… Stetson, which already has its best finish since joining the PFL locked up, will look to complete its move from 10th place last season to second this season with a win when it hosts Valparaiso… That Valparaiso squad has won three of its last four PFL closers and is coming off its best offensive performance of the year in a win against Jacksonville… A pair of 2-5 teams will square off with Davidson hosting Butler… Davidson has two wins in a PFL campaign for the first time since 2012 and a third win would be the Wildcats best total since 2009… Meanwhile, Butler got a much-needed win against Stetson last week and will look to build on that momentum with its first PFL road win this season… Dayton looks to also finish above .500 in PFL play this season, needing a win at Jacksonville to assure it of that feat… Jacksonville has posted 400-plus rushing yards in each of their last four PFL contests but have only one win in that stretch.
WEEK 12 SCHEDULE
All times Eastern.
[21/22] San Diego at Marist, Noon
Location: Poughkeepsie, New York
Stadium: Tenney Stadium
Series: SAN leads, 13-0
Last Meeting: San Diego def. Marist, 35-7 (2017)
Video: GoRedFoxes.com
Butler at Davidson, 1 p.m.
Location: Davidson, North Carolina
Stadium: Richardson Stadium
Series: BUT leads, 6-5 Streak: BUT, six wins
Last Meeting: Butler def. Davidson, 20-17 (2016)
Video: DavidsonWildcats.com
Dayton at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Stadium: B.B. Milne Field
Series: Tied, 4-4 Streak: DAY, two wins
Last Meeting: Dayton def. Jacksonville, 36-16
Video: WatchESPN
Drake at Morehead State, 1 p.m.
Location: Morehead, Kentucky
Stadium: Jayne Stadium
Series: DRA leads, 8-3 Streak: DRA, one win
Last Meeting: Drake def. Morehead State, 30-28 (2016)
Video: ESPN+
Valparaiso at Stetson, 1 p.m.
Location: DeLand, Florida
Stadium: Spec Martin Stadium
Series: VAL leads, 2-1 Streak: VAL, two wins
Last Meeting: Valparaiso def. Stetson, 27-24 (2017)
Video: ESPN+
LATEST PFL NEWS AND NOTES
Complete news and notes available in PDF version
PFL IN NFL UPDATE | Six PFL alumni have seen action in the NFL this season… Jason Myers (New York [AFC] via Marist) hit seven field goals in the Jets Week 6 victory against Indianapolis, and has made 21-of-23 field goals and 19-of-20 PATs this season… Eric Saubert (Atlanta via Drake) has played in all eight games for the Falcons in 2018 and made his first professional reception in a Week 5 loss at Pittsburgh… Jamal Agnew (Detroit via San Diego) is among all NFL kick returner leaders, averaging 27.8 yards per kickoff return this season and recovered a fumble on kickoff coverage against Green Bay in Week 5, a game in which he suffered an injury… Donald Payne (Jacksonville via Stetson) has seen action in seven games for the Jaguars this season, but was placed on the Jaguars reserved/injured list Oct. 25… Ross Dwelley (San Francisco via San Diego) made his first professional reception in Week 9 against Oakland, his fourth game in action for the 49ers… Andy Jones (Detroit via Jacksonville) saw his first action of 2018 in Week 9 at Minnesota on special teams.
TOREROS CLAIM 10TH PFL TITLE, LEAGUE’S AQ SPOT | San Diego clinched its 10th PFL title all-time in Week 11. The Toreros also have won five straight league crowns and all their titles have come since winning the 2005 championship.
TOREROS LEAP INTO NATIONAL RANKINGS | Days after clinching their 10th PFL title, San Diego catapulted from receiving votes into the Top 25 in each of the FCS polls. The AFCA Coaches Poll moved San Diego to No. 22 on its list. Meanwhile, the FCS STATS media poll pushed the Toreros to No. 21. It is the first time USD has been ranked since the end of the 2017 season.
PFL BOASTS TRIO OF 1,000-YARD RUNNERS | Entering the regular season’s final week, the PFL features three of the subdivision’s 18 1,000-yard runners. Jacksonville’s Calvin Turner Jr. leads the group with 1,429 yards – third among FCS runners. Davidson’s Wesley Dugger (1,138) and Dayton’s Tucker Yinger (1,137) are ranked No. 8 and No. 9, respectively. Meanwhile, Davidson’s Wesley Wicks (898 yards) and Butler’s Brad Sznajder (850) stand within 150 yards of joining the 1,000-yard club this season.
TRIO OF RECEIVERS ALSO HAVE 1,000-YARD SEASONS | Highlighting the offensive nature of the PFL in 2018, three PFL receivers have compiled 1,000-yard seasons. San Diego’s Michael Bandy, who set the PFL record with a 356-yard receiving day against Davidson in Week 10, leads the subdivision with 1,427 receiving yards. Marist’s Juston Christian (1,085 yards) and Stetson’s Donald Parham (1,062) yards are No. 5 and No. 6 on the FCS list which features just 10 1,000-yard receivers to date. Here again, two PFL receivers are within 100 yards of reaching the milestone: Butler’s Pace Temple (928 yards) and Valparaiso’s Griffin Norberg (902).
DAVIDSON SMASHES FCS RUSHING RECORD | Davidson nearly pulled off the upset of the year before falling to San Diego in Week 11, all thanks to its FCS record 789 rushing yards. The Wildcats broke the record of 681 yards set by Missouri State in 1988. Four Davidson runners had 100-plus yardage days, including Wesley Dugger’s 231-yard outing. Davidson leads all FCS programs in rushing average (435.0) and total rushing yards (4,350).
USD’s LAWRENCE SETS SINGLE-GAME, CAREER MARKS | San Diego’s Anthony Lawrence tossed a PFL single-game record 556 yards in a Week 11 win against Davidson and also became the first PFL thrower to surpass 12,000 career passing yards, ending the week with 12,017 yards passing. He became only the 13th FCS quarterback to throw for more than 12,000 yards during their career.
RED FOXES’ CHRISTIAN ONE YARD SHY OF 4,000 | Entering Week 11 needing 114 yards to reach 4,000, Marist wideout Juston Christian finished the day at Drake with 113 yards and ended the week with has 3,999 career receiving yards. Christian is seeking to join the elite 4,000-yard club, which counts only 17 FCS receivers all-time. He is only the sixth receiver in league history to amass 3,000 career receiving yards.