Monday, September 16, 2013
by Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations

PFL WEEK 4 HIGHLIGHTS

A LAST CHANCE TEST BEFORE PFL PLAY | Eight PFL teams will take an opportunity at a last chance for a test prior to the full-fledged opening of PFL play next weekend. Butler and San Diego will help Ivy League members Dartmouth and Harvard, respectively, get their seasons underway. In addition, Morehead State will host Eastern Kentucky in a battle of FCS squads. Elsewhere, four more teams – Drake, Jacksonville, Mercer and Stetson – each play a home contest. Davidson is the lone PFL team with a road game in Week 4, but their road trip will take them just 27 miles down I-77 to face Johnson C. Smith in Charlotte, N.C. Four teams – Campbell, Dayton, Marist and Valpraiso – will take a breather before opening PFL play next weekend.

AHEAD IN WEEK 4

Saturday, Sept. 14
Warner at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
Location: Jacksonville, Fla. (Milne Field)
Series: First Meeting
Notably: The Dolphins continue a three-game homestand when they host a Royals squad taht is 0-2 against PFL squads and has been outscored, 94-3 in losses to Mercer and Stetson.

Davidson at Johnson C. Smith, 2 p.m.
Location: Charlotte, N.C. (Belk Complex)
Series: DAV leads, 2-1    Streak: DAV, two wins
Notably: Two Mecklenburg County programs will battle as the Wildcats trek the 27 miles down I-77 to face the Division II Golden Bulls.

Indianapolis at Drake, 2 p.m.
Location: Des Moines, Iowa (Drake Stadium)
Series: First Meeting
Notably: After an off week, the Bulldogs return home to face the Greyhounds, which reached the 2nd round of the Division II national tournament last season.

Harvard at San Diego, 3 p.m.
Location: San Diego, Calif. (Torero Stadium)
Series: HAR leads, 1-0    Streak: HAR, one win
Notably: The Toreros, who own a 13-game home win streak that is the second longest in the FCS, return to action when they host the Crimson.

Dartmouth at Butler, 6 p.m.
Location: Indianapolis, Ind. (Butler Bowl)
Series: DART leads, 1-0    Streak: DART, one win
Notably: The Bulldogs will host the Big Green in the first visit by an Ivy League member to the Butler Bowl. Butler will put its seven-game home win streak on the line.

Berry at Mercer, 6 p.m.
Location: Macon, Ga. (University Stadium)
Series: First Meeting
Notably: In a meeting of new programs, the revived Bears season-opening four-game home stand continues with a visit from in-state foe Berry.

Birmingham-Southern at Stetson, 7 p.m.
Location: DeLand, Fla. (Spec Martin Stadium)
Series: First Meeting
Notably: Following an off week, the Hatters begin a two-game homestand when they host the Division III Panthers.

Eastern Kentucky at Morehead State, 7 p.m.
Location: Morehead, Ky. (Jayne Stadium)
Series: EKU leads, 60-16-4    Streak: EKU, seven wins
Notably: The Eagles nearly pulled off an upset of the Colonels last season, falling 24-17 at Kidd Stadium last season.
Off Week: Campbell, Dayton, Marist, Valparaiso

All times Eastern.
FCS rankings in brackets following school’s name: [Sports Network Poll/FCS Coaches Poll]

NEWS AND NOTES FROM AROUND THE PFL

BEHOLD THE OFFENSE’S OUTBURST IN WEEK 3 | While Jacksonville’s 719-yard outburst – the FCS’ third highest single-game output in 2013 – stood out, it was a very offense-minded week around the PFL in Week 3. The nine PFL teams in action combined for 4,005 yards of offense, or an average of 445 yards per team, including four teams that posted at least 500 offensive yards. That after the league averaged just 332.5 yards per game in the season’s first two weeks.

PFL POSTS WINNING WEEK 3 | After a league-wide slow start in Weeks 1 & 2, the PFL rebounded with a 4-3 mark in Week 3 non-conference action. The league saw Dayton pick up a road win against Northeast Conference member Robert Morris while Marist won its first road game against a Patriot League member when it defeated Georgetown.

JACKSONVILLE’S RILEY FIELDS NATIONAL HONOR | Jacksonville wide receiver Adrian Riley was named the National Punt Returner of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards, Sept. 16, after posting an 75-yard punt return for a touchdown in Jacksonville’s victory against Morehead State. Riley also had a 15-yard return in the fourth quarter and averaged 23.8 yards on four returns.

VALPARAISO’S HOFFMAN GETS PASS HAPPY | Valparaiso quarterback Eric Hoffman truly went pass happy as he attempted to help the Crusaders overcome an early deficit to William Jewell in Week 3. He finished the game with 495 passing yards – a single-game FCS high in 2013 and just 17 yards shy of the PFL record set last season by San Diego’s Mason Mills (511 yards vs. Dayton). His 36 completions were the second most in the FCS this season.

DAYTON’S WILL LANDS WEEKLY ALL-STAR AWARD | Dayton freshman kicker William Will picked up College Sports News National All-Star honors, Sept. 9, after his provided all nine of Dayton’s second-half points in a 23-20 come-from-behind win against Duquesne, Sept. 7. His three field goals were the only points scored by either team in the second half and erased a 20-14 halftime deficit.

STETSON’S PAYNE LANDS NATIONAL HONOR | Stetson freshman linebacker Donald Payne was named The Sports Network FCS National Freshman of the Week, Sept. 2. He recovered a fumble for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage after Saturday’s game was resumed in the second quarter on Sunday. Payne, the nephew of former 15-year NFL defensive end Ezra Johnson, finished the game with eight tackles, including five solos, and three tackles for loss, including a sack.

MERCER, STETSON RETURN WITH WINS | Both Mercer and Stetson marked their return to football with victories during the opening weekend of the 2013 season. Mercer, playing on the gridiron for the first time since 1941, won a back-and-forth affair against  Reinhardt, 40-37, thanks to John Shutter’s game-winning field goal with three seconds left. Stetson saw its first football game since 1956 span two days thanks to rain and lightning suspending play Saturday. The Hatters scored 21 unanswered points during Sunday’s resumption to post a 31-3 victory against Warner.

NO SHUTTING OUT DAYTON | Dayton continues one of the more remarkable streaks in college football, entering Week 3 action with a NCAA record streak of 411 games without suffering a shutout. The last team to blank Dayton was Marshall by a 9-0 score on Oct. 16, 1976. San Diego owns the PFL’s second longest such streak at 146 games.

PFL’s 21ST CAMPAIGN | The upcoming 2013 season marks the 21st year for the Pioneer Football League – the nation’s only non-scholarship, football-only NCAA Football Championship Subdivision conference. The league expands to 12 members for the upcoming campaign, Mercer and Stetson restarting their football programs and joining the league.