Monday, September 17, 2012

AHEAD IN WEEK 4
Saturday, Sept. 22
Davidson at Marist, Noon
    Location: Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (Tenney Stadium)
    Series: MAR leads, 3-1    Streak: MAR, one win
    Last Season: Marist def. Davidson, 13-9

Campbell at Butler, 1 p.m.
    Location: Indianapolis, Ind. (Butler Bowl)
    Series: Series tied, 2-2    Streak: CAM, two wins
    Last Season: Campbell def. Butler, 38-23

Jacksonville [RV/–] at Dayton, 1 p.m.
    Location: Dayton, Ohio (Welcome Stadium)
    Series: Series tied, 3-3    Streak: JAC, two wins
    Last Season: Jacksonville def. Dayton, 34-26

Morehead State at Drake, 2 p.m.
    Location: Des Moines, Iowa (Drake Stadium)
    Series: DRA leads, 5-2    Streak: DRA, two wins
    Last Season: Drake def. Morehead State, 41-26

Valparaiso at San Diego, 4 p.m.
    Location: San Diego, Calif. (Torero Stadium)
    Series: SAN leads, 14-5    Streak: SAN, eight wins
    Last Season: San Diego def. Valparaiso, 55-14
 
All times Eastern.
FCS rankings in brackets prior to school’s name: [Sports Network Poll/FCS Coaches Poll]

WEEK 4 PREVIEW
WEEK 4 HIGHLIGHTS: Defending 2011 PFL co-champions Drake and San Diego both open their title defense at home in Week 4 of the 2012 campaign. Jacksonville, the lone PFL team to end the pre-conference slate with a winning mark travels to Dayton • DAVIDSON will travel to MARIST for the 2012 PFL race kickoff at high noon in Poughkeepsie. The road team has won all four meetings in the series, with the two teams separated by  six points all-time. The Wildcats return to action following their off week and will bring its passing-centric offense (491 yards passing vs. 17 yards rushing) to the Red Foxes lair. Marist boasts the PFL’s top defense after three weeks, holding opponents to 294 yards per game but have allowed 178 passing yards per outing (6th in the PFL) • In its four seasons, CAMPBELL has not won its PFL opener and opens the 2012 PFL season at  BUTLER. The Fighting Camels have won the last two meetings in the series, including a 27-10 decision in  their last trip to Indianapolis. Butler returns home where it owns its only win this season with its offense on a roll. The Bulldogs have racked up 400 yards offense in consecutive games and lead the league with 438.3 yards per game • Both DAYTON and JACKSONVILLE have not lost a PFL opener since 2007, but one of those streaks will come to an end at Welcome Stadium, Saturday. The Flyers extended their NCAA record scoring streak to 400 games with a season-best 20-point performance in a win against Robert Morris last week. After being shutout in its season opener, the Dolphins have scored 30 points in back-to-back games  and are now ranked second among the league’s teams with 21.3 points per game • MOREHEAD STATE, the league’s top scoring offense (31.7 ppg), will travel to DRAKE which boasts the league’s No. 2 scoring defense (23.0 ppg). The Bulldogs defense has faced ranked FCS opponents each of the last two weeks but remains ranked 47th nationally in scoring defense. Senior quarterback Zach Lewis tied the Eagles career touchdown mark with his 55th touchdown toss against St. Francis last weekend •  VALPARAISO will seek its first road win since 2009 when it meets SAN DIEGO which owns the FCS’ fifth-longest home win streak. The Crusaders last road win came in Week 2 of the 2009 campaign and their road losing streak has reached 17 games. Valparaiso scored 17 points in the first quarter against Duquesne last weekend, its largest opening quarter output since 2007. The Toreros have won eight straight at Torero Stadium with their last loss coming at the hands of Dayton in the sixth week of the 2010 season. San Diego quarterback Mason Mills set PFL records for pass completions (38) and attempts (63) last weekend at Harvard.

NEWS AND NOTES

RAISE THE CURTAIN | The 20th edition of the PFL regular-season race begins this weekend when Davidson and Marist meet at Tenney Stadium. Six teams have claimed a share of the PFL crown with Dayton winning a share of 11 titles, including six solo championships.
OPENER STREAKS | Here’s a quick look at each team’s current streak in PFL openers, records are since the return to single division play in 2006:
Butler: 2-4, L2    |   Campbell: 0-4, L4    |   Davidson: 4-2, L1
Dayton: 4-2, W4    |   Drake: 5-1, W3    |   Jacksonville: 5-1, W4
Marist: 0-3, L3    |   Morehead State: 2-4, L3    |   San Diego: 6-0, W7*
Valparaiso: 1-5, L5
*–San Diego’s last PFL-opening loss came in 2004 during divisional play.
400 AND COUNTING | Dayton extended its own NCAA record by scoring in its 400th consecutive game when running back Taylor Harris rushed two yards for a first-quarter touchdown in a Week 3 victory against Robert Morris. The Flyers have not been held scoreless since suffering a 9-0 loss to Marshall during the 1976 season… that’s right the 1976 season. For perspective, that year was the United States’ Bicentennial, Apple Computer Company and the band U2 were formed, the Ford Fiesta debuted and Jimmy Carter was elected President.
PAPER OR PLASTIC? | Drake leads the FCS with an impressive 13 sacks in its first three games and its 4.33 sacks per game average ranks only behind a pair of Ivy League schools that opened their season in Week 3. The Bulldogs have become regulars atop the FCS national rankings in team sacks, ranking among the top five in each of the last three seasons – 5th in 2011, 8th in 2010 and 5th in 2009 – all under the guidance of current head coach Chris Creighton.
WHERE HAVE THE RUNNERS GONE? | The first two weeks have not been kind to the league’s runners with the league averaging 93.6 yards per game. Butler running back Trae Heeter leads the PFL’s rushers with 65.3 yards per game and is ranked 83rd nationally. The PFL set its all-time rushing low last season, averaging just 120.2 yards per game.
PFL = PASSING FOOTBALL LEAGUE? | While the running game has suffered, the PFL’s passers have enjoyed near record-breaking seasons. The league’s quarterbacks are averaging an FCS best 248.2 yards per game, just below last season’s record 250.9 yards per game. Drake’s Mike Piatkowski (303.67 ypg) and Morehead State’s Zach Lewis (302.33 ypg) are ranked seventh and eighth respectively among all the league’s quarterbacks in passing yards per game. They are among six PFL signal callers ranked among the top 25 nationally.
WEEK 2 NATIONAL HONORS | San Diego’s Ernie Collins and Jacksonville’s Jordan Dewhirst and Terrance Bryant were recognized by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) for their Week 2 performances. Collins was named the National Placekicker of the Week after converting field goals of 37 and 51 yards and was 4-of-4 on PATs against Western New Mexico. Dewhirst was the National Kickoff Returner of the Week after a 44-yard onside kick return for a touchdown against Charleston Southern. Bryant was the National Punt Returner of the Week following his 55-yard punt return touchdown against Charleston Southern. In addition, three PFL student-athletes received honorable mention recognition from the CFPA.
TURNING ON THE LIGHTS | Two Pioneer Football League teams experienced playing under the lights for the first time on their home turf in the season’s first two weeks. Butler added new lights to the Butler Bowl in 2011, but played under those lights for the first time in its Week 2 victory against Franklin. It was Butler’s first home night game since 1941. Campbell added lights to Barker-Lane Stadium during the summer and got the chance to use those lights in an opening week loss to Shorter.
WEEK 1 NATIONAL HONORS | Dayton’s Gary Hunter and Morehead State’s Rainer Duzan were recognized by the College Football Performance Awards for their Week 1 performances. Hunter was named the National Punt Returner of the Week after his FCS best 77-yard punt return for a touchdown against nationally-ranked Illinois State. Duzan was picked the National Placekicker of the Week after recording 13 points in the Eagles win against Southern Virginia. In addition, eight PFL student-athletes received honorable mention recognition from the CFPA.
PFL’s 20th CAMPAIGN | The Pioneer Football League is amidst its 20th season of play during the 2012 campaign. Founded prior to the 1993 season, the league has grown from the five members who played that inaugural season: Butler, Dayton, Drake, Valparaiso and San Diego. This season the PFL has 10 members spanning the nation from the Atlantic to Pacific Oceans. The league will continue to grow in 2013 with the addition of Mercer and Stetson and also will enjoy the promise of an automatic qualification spot into the 2013 FCS National Championship.