Monday, September 19, 2016
by Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations

AHEAD IN WEEK 4
All times Eastern.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 24
Morehead State at Drake, 1 p.m.
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Stadium: Drake Stadium (14,000)
Series: DRA leads, 7-3    Streak: MOR, 1 win
Last Season: Morehead State def. Drake, 38-35 [3OT] (10/31/15)
Video: GoDrakeBulldogs.com

Davidson at Valparaiso, 2 p.m.
Location: Valparaiso, Indiana
Stadium: Brown Field (5,000)
Series: DAV leads, 7-3    Streak: VAL, 2 wins
Last Season: Valparaiso def. Davidson, 42-35 (10/3/15)
Video: ValpoAthletics.com

Butler at Campbell, 6 p.m.
Location: Buies Creek, North Carolina
Stadium: Barker-Lane Stadium (5,000)
Series: BUT leads, 5-3    Streak: BUT, 1 win
Last Season: Butler def. Campbell, 25-24 (10/11/15)
Video: GoCamels.com

Dayton at San Diego, 7 p.m.
Location: San Diego, California
Stadium: Torero Stadium (7,000)
Series: DAY leads, 16-7    Streak: DAY, 1 win
Last Season: Dayton def. San Diego, 13-12 (10/10/15)
Video: TheW.tv

Jacksonville at Stetson, 7 p.m.
Location: DeLand, Florida
Stadium: Spec Martin Stadium (6,000)
Series: JAC leads, 3-0    Streak: JAC, 3 wins
Last Season: Jacksonville def. Stetson, 41-14
Video: ESPN3

Off Week: Marist

NEWS AND NOTES

RAISE THE CURTAIN | The PFL regular-season race begins in Week 4 with five games on the schedule. Seven teams have claimed a share of the PFL crown with Dayton winning a share of 12 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: 5-5, W1
Campbell: 1-7, L1
Davidson: 4-6, L5
Dayton: 6-4, W2
Drake: 8-2, L1
Jacksonville: 8-2, W1
Marist: 2-5, L2
Morehead State: 5-5, W3
San Diego: 9-1, W1
Stetson: 0-3, L3
Valparaiso: 2-8, L2

MOREHEAD STATE’S HUTCHINSON NAMED FCS CHAIRMAN | Morehead State Director of Athletics Brian Hutchinson will serve as chair of the Division I Football Championship Committee in 2016-17. Hutchinson, who has served as Morehead State’s director of athletics since 2004, is in his fourth year on this national committee, and becomes the first Pioneer Football League athletic director to serve as chair.

THREE PFL ALUMNI BEGIN 2016 ON NFL ACTIVE ROSTERS | A trio of Pioneer Football League alumni began the 2016 NFL season on active rosters. Marist alumni Terrence Fede (Miami Dolphins) and Jason Myers (Jacksonville Jaguars) and San Diego alumnus Josh Johnson (New York Giants) each continued their professional careers. In addition, Jacksonville alumnus Andy Jones was a member of the Dallas Cowboys practice squad.

STETSON’S PAYNE NAMED TO STATS FCS DEFENSIVE AWARD WATCH LIST | Stetson senior defensive back Donald Payne was one of 22 players named to the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year Watch List. Payne, the two-time defending PFL Defensive Player of the Year, returns as the eighth leading tackler in all NCAA football with 412 career tackles. His 243 career solo tackles ranks third among all active players entering the 2016 season.

MOREHEAD STATE’S GAHAFER TAPPED FOR STATS FCS OFFENSIVE AWARD WATCH LIST | Morehead State senior quarterback Austin Gahafer has been listed on the STATS FCS National Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Watch List. The Louisville, Ky., native is coming off a prolific 2015 season when he was named Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Year. Gahafer needs only 1,738 passing yards to set the Morehead State career record and just 2,717 yards to break the PFL career mark.

DAYTON’S WILL NAMED TO FRED MITCHELL AWARD WATCH LIST | Dayton senior placekicker William Will has been named to the Watch List for the Fred Mitchell Award, which goes to the top kicking specialist at the FCS, NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA levels. It is the third straight season Will has been named to the Mitchell Watch List. A two-time First Team All-PFL pick, Will’s 84 points were the most in the PFL last season.  He also led the league in field goals per game (1.42), field goal percentage (73.9% (17 of 23) and was one of three kickers in the PFL who was perfect on PAT’s (33 of 33).

THREE NAMED TO STATS FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA SQUADS | Three Pioneer Football League student athletes were among the 100 named to the STATS FCS Preseason All-America Team. Drake senior tight end Eric Saubert, Stetson senior defensive back Donald Payne and Dayton junior return specialist Christian Searles were the Pioneer Football League student-athletes named to the STATS FCS Preseason All-America Teams.