Monday, October 8, 2012

AHEAD IN WEEK 7
Saturday, Oct. 13
 Butler at Marist, Noon
    Location: Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (Tenney Stadium)
    Series: MAR leads, 1-0    Streak: MAR, one win
    Last Season: Marist def. Butler, 28-10

Jacksonville at Davidson, 1 p.m.
    Location: Davidson, N.C. (Richardson Stadium)
    Series: JAC leads, 8-6    Streak: JAC, three wins
    Last Season: Jacksonville def. Davidson, 56-13

Morehead State at Dayton, 1 p.m.
    Location: Dayton, Ohio (Welcome Stadium)
    Series: DAY leads, 12-5    Streak: DAY, three wins
    Last Season: Dayton def. Morehead State, 30-28

Drake at Valparaiso, 2 p.m.
    Location: Valparaiso, Ind. (Brown Stadium)
    Series: DRA leads, 16-3    Streak: DRA, eight wins
    Last Season: Drake def. Valparaiso, 50-0

Campbell at San Diego, 5 p.m.
    Location: San Diego, Calif. (Torero Stadium)
    Series: Series tied, 1-1    Streak: CAM, one win
    Last Season: Campbell def. San Diego, 48-24
 
All times Eastern.
FCS rankings in brackets prior to school’s name:
[Sports Network Poll/FCS Coaches Poll]

WEEK 7 PREVIEW
HIGHLIGHTS: It is the second of five “full slate” weekends in the PFL with all 10 teams playing a conference contest. The league’s three unbeaten teams are each on the road in Week 7: Butler at Marist, Drake at Valparaiso and Jacksonville at Davidson • BUTLER will make its first visit to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to meet MARIST which returns to action following an off week. While the Red Foxes took the break, the Bulldogs posted a season-best 598 offensive yards in a victory at Valparaiso last week. The contest will feature a Butler team that is the league’s top-rated offense (29.3 ppg and 450.3 ypg) against a Marist squad that boasts the league’s top-rated scoring defense (17.2 ppg). It will be Butler’s third trip to New York State, including a 1929 contest against New York University at Yankee Stadium • JACKSONVILLE stays on the road for a second consecutive week with a visit to DAVIDSON. The Dolphins defense is holding opponents to a PFL best 310.3 yards per game, with its performance against the pass particularly impressive as opponents have thrown only two touchdowns against six interceptions and have been held to a 72.6 pass efficiency rating. The Wildcats enter the week averaging just 302.6 yards per game with junior quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff posting 240.8 total offensive yards per game, or nearly 80 percent of the team’s offense • MOREHEAD STATE will take its high-flying offense to face a DAYTON squad that has flexed its ground attack in recent games. However, the Eagles will seek to get its passing game back on track after passing for less than 200 yards in its last two games after 16 consecutive games surpassing that mark. The Flyers posted a PFL best 289 rushing yards at Davidson in Week 6, its second 200-yard rushing performance this season, and enters the Week 7 matchup ranked second in rushing yardage (159.3 ypg) • DRAKE takes its seven-game PFL win streak on the road when it visits VALPARAISO. The Bulldogs are one of two teams (Butler the other) with both its offensive (2nd, 404.8 ypg) and defensive (4th, 346.2 ypg) units ranked in the top four in yardage. Valparaiso posted a season-best 375 yards in its Week 6 loss to Butler, the fourth consecutive week they have improved their yardage total • CAMPBELL returns to action with a cross-country trip to visit SAN DIEGO. The Fighting Camels handed the Toreros their only PFL loss in 2011, leading to a shared title with Drake. Campbell, the league’s top rushing team in 2011, is returning to its roots this season, thanks largely to junior quarterback Dakota Wolf who has rushed for 84.3 yards per game in his three outings, which would rank second among PFL rushers. San Diego returns home after committing six turnovers at Drake after entering the game with only six turnovers in its four previous games. Still, the Toreros posted 366 offensive yards – its second best offensive yardage performance in 2012 – against Drake’s top-rated defense.

NEWS & NOTES

SPOILER ALERT | The casual observer seeking a quick resolution to the PFL’s three-way tie atop the league standings will be strongly disappointed. Butler, Drake and Jacksonville will have to avoid the upset bug for the next three weeks before they will have a chance to settle the debate on the field. Butler opens what would amount to a round-robin tournament when it meets Jacksonville, Nov. 3 (Week 10). Butler then meets Drake the following week before Jacksonville and Drake face off in the final regular-season week.
LEWIS KNOCKS OFF PFL CAREER MARK | Morehead State’s Zach Lewis completed 21 passes against Jacksonville, Oct. 6, and became the PFL’s career passing completions record holder. The mark stood for less than one year after Jacksonville’s Josh McGregor finished his career with 784 pass completions – eclipsing the mark set by Davidson’s Ryan Alexander in 2008 (775 completions). Lewis (1,310 career pass attempts) also is nearing the PFL pass attempts record, which is still held by Alexander (1,354).
PFL = PASSING FOOTBALL LEAGUE? | The PFL’s passers have enjoyed near record-breaking seasons through four weeks. The league’s teams are averaging an 239.9 yards per team game, now behind the Ohio Valley Conference which is averaging 246.2 yards per team game. Drake’s Mike Piatkowski (281.17 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.
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 19 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 and North Carolina Central (five each). Four other PFL teams have a D/ST score this season: Drake (two), Dayton (two), Morehead State (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.
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.