Monday, October 1, 2012

AHEAD IN WEEK 6
Saturday, Oct. 6
Dayton at Davidson, 1 p.m.
    Location: Davidson, N.C. (Richardson Stadium)
    Series: DAY leads, 9-1    Streak: DAY, five wins
    Last Season: Dayton def. Davidson, 28-0

Jacksonville [RV/–] at Morehead State, 1 p.m.
    Location: Morehead, Ky. (Jayne Stadium)
    Series: JAC leads, 7-4    Streak: JAC, six wins
    Last Season: Jacksonville def. Morehead St., 50-14

San Diego at Drake, 1:30 p.m.
    Location: Des Moines, Iowa (Drake Stadium)
    Series: DRA lkeads, 10-9    Streak: SAN, one win
    Last Season: San Diego def. Drake, 31-24

Butler at Valparaiso, 2 p.m.
    Location: Valparaiso, Ind. (Brown Stadium)
    Series: BUT leads, 46-24    Streak: BUT, four wins
    Last Season: Butler def. Valparaiso, 42-14

Off Week: Campbell, Marist
 
All times Eastern.
FCS rankings in brackets prior to school’s name:
[Sports Network Poll/FCS Coaches Poll]

WEEK 6 PREVIEW
WEEK 6 HIGHLIGHTS: All four teams unbeaten in PFL play will be in action during Week 6, including a key San Diego-Drake contest that is a matchup of the league’s 2011 co-champions. Butler and Jacksonville, the league’s other unbeaten squads, both begin two-game road trips in Week 6. Elsewhere, Dayton travels to Davidson where both teams seek their first PFL win • DAYTON plays a its fourth road game in the season’s first six weeks when it visits DAVIDSON with both teams looking to end losing streaks. The Flyers have not won on the road this season while the Wildcats have not won at Richardson Stadium in two tries. The Flyers will look to end a trend that has seen its offense post diminishing returns in its last three outings, sliding to 11 points at Butler in Week 5. Meanwhile, the Wildcats offense has increased its yardage output each week this season, but has not scored more than 21 points in a game this season • JACKSONVILLE begins a two-week road trip with a visit to MOREHEAD STATE which returns to action after a Week 5 off week. For the second consecutive week, Dolphins return specialist Colby Walden returned a kickoff for a touchdown – the sixth touchdown by the defensive and special teams units this season. The Eagles have had a week to sit on a narrow loss to co-leader Drake in Week 4 and return to Jayne Stadium where they have their only victory this season • The Week 5 game to watch pits the 2011 defending PFL co-champions against one another when SAN DIEGO visits DRAKE. The Bulldogs have won six straight PFL outings since losing to San Diego last season. The Toreros have won four straight since a loss at Campbell derailed their solo title hopes last season.  Drake enters the game with the edge on both sides of the ball – a slight 410.2-371.8 yard per game edge on offense but a larger 342.2-423.0 yard per game margin on defense • BUTLER will be the last of the 2-0 teams to kickoff in Week 6 when it travels to VALPARAISO. The Bulldogs offense leads the league with 420.8 yards per game, behind a two-pronged rushing attack. Running back Trae Heeter leads the league with 111.8 rushing yards per game while quarterback Matt Lancaster leads all PFL quarterbacks with 48.2 yards per game. Valparaiso wide receiver/return specialist Andrew Cassara ranks third among PFL runners with 129.2 all-purpose yards and is one of seven Crusaders with a touchdown in 2012.

NEWS & NOTES

FOUR PFL STUDENT-ATHLETES AMONG CAMPBELL TROPHY HONOREES | Butler senior linebacker Jordan Ridley, Campbell senior kicker Sam Eberwein, Dayton senior offensive lineman Bill Petraiuolo and Drake senior linebacker Tyler Moorehead were among 147 semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation. The award, presented by The Nationall Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame will be presented at the 2012 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments.
WEEK 5 NATIONAL HONORS | For the second consecutive week, Jacksonville’s Colby Walden picked up a  national honor following his game-winning 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Marist, Sept. 29. He was tabbed the College Football Performance Awards National Kick Returner of the Week. In addition, three PFL players received honorable mention recognition from the CFPA.
DOLPHINS DO IT ON DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS | Walden’s kickoff return for a touchdown against Marist, Sept. 29, was his second in as many weeks. He leads a Dolphins D/ST corps that has accounted for six of the team’s 14 touchdowns this season courtesy three kickoff returns, two interception returns and a punt return. The Dolphins six D/ST touchdowns lead the FCS followed by Central Arkansas (five) and Delaware and North Carolina Central (four each). Only three other PFL teams have a D/ST score this season: Drake (two), Dayton (one) and Valparaiso (one).
WEEK 4 NATIONAL HONORS | Jacksonville’s Colby Walden picked up a pair of national honors following his game-winning 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Dayton, Sept. 22. He was named one of The Sports Network’s FCS National Players of the Week and was tabbed the College Football Performance Awards National Kick Returner of the Week. In addition, eight PFL players received honorable mention recognition from the CFPA.
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 enters Week 5 with an impressive 16 sacks in its first five games and a 3.20 sacks per game average that ranks ninth nationally. 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.
PFL = PASSING FOOTBALL LEAGUE? | The PFL’s passers have enjoyed near record-breaking seasons through four weeks. The league’s teams are averaging an FCS best 240.7 yards per game, just below last season’s record 250.9 yards per game. Drake’s Mike Piatkowski (287.40 ypg) is ranked eighth among the FCS’ quarterbacks in passing yards per game. He is one of five PFL signal callers ranked among the top 25 nationally.
WEEK 2 NATIONAL HONORS | San Diego’s Ernie Collins, Drake’s Kevin Marshall 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. Marshall earned National Tight End Performer of the Week after making 11 catches for 100 yards against nationally-ranked Montana State. 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.