Bucs set to face second top-five ranked team this month

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Oct. 28, 2016) – For the second time this month, the ETSU football team will face a team ranked in the top-five of the FCS Top-25 Poll, as the Buccaneers travel to Charleston to take on No. 5 The Citadel on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Johnson Hagood Stadium. 

BUC HITS

ETSU (3-4, 1-4 SoCon) snapped its four-game losing skid with a 38-7 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan last Thursday night at Kermit Tipton Stadium. 

As a team, ETSU totaled 421 total yards on offense (323 rushing/98 passing) in the 31-point win over the Bobcats … The Bucs set season highs in rushing yards and average yards per play (5.8) … The 323 rushing yards marked the most by an ETSU team since totaling 343 yards on the ground in a 38-3 win over VMI on Sept. 16, 2000. 

The Bucs were 6-of-6 in red zone scoring opportunities, and ETSU is now 18-of-18 inside the red zone this season (14 TDs/4FGs). 

Defensively, the Blue and Gold recorded three sacks and held the Bobcats to 3-of-11 on third down chances … The Buccaneer defense also held WVWC to less than 200 yards on offense (199) … The Bobcats entered the night averaging 365.4 yards on offense and 164.6 rushing yards per game … The Blue and Gold held the Bobcats to 30 rushing yards, while senior running back Michael Anderson – the program’s all-time leading rusher – was held to 53 rushing yards on 12 carries and zero touchdowns … Anderson came into the game averaging 153.3 rushing yards per game and had eight rushing touchdowns … ETSU also finished with a season-high in sacks and recorded eight tackles for loss. 

The Buccaneer defense held West Virginia Wesleyan scoreless in the second half, along with only 67 yards of total offense (60 passing/seven rushing) in the final 30 minutes … ETSU’s defense held the Bobcats to negative-19 yards in the fourth quarter (zero passing/-19 rushing). 

The Buccaneers forced two turnovers (one on defense and one on special teams) and converted those miscues into 14 points … ETSU has now forced at least two turnovers in three games this season, while forcing at least one in five of its seven contests. 

Sophomore running back Jajuan Stinson (Knoxville, Tenn.) posted his fourth career 100-yard rushing game last Thursday as the Knoxville native totaled a career-high 127 rushing yards on 11 carries … Stinson – who finished with 151 all-purpose yards – is averaging over 100 yards rushing in ETSU’s three wins this season. 

Sophomore quarterback Austin Herink (Cleveland, Tenn.) tied a career high with two rushing touchdowns last week … In total, four Buccaneers accounted for their five rushing touchdowns … Junior Falon Lee (Mcclenny, Fla.) recorded his first rushing score of the season and Dontavius Monroe (Delray Beach, Fla.) rushed for his first collegiate touchdown. 

In ETSU’s three wins, the Bucs are averaging 30.7 points per game (92 total) and 405 yards per contest (211.3 rushing/193.7 passing) ... The Blue and Gold are converting on 52 percent (24/46) of their third down chances and are 15-of-15 in red zone scoring ... ETSU’s defense is limiting the opposition to 18.3 points per game (55 total points) in the three wins, while holding them to 326.7 yards on offense (98.7 rushing/228.0 passing) ... The opponents are also converting on only 34 percent (13/38) on their third down chances in ETSU’s wins ... The Bucs have also forced seven fumbles (recovered five) and have turned those turnovers into 24 points ... ETSU’s defense has also totaled nine sacks (-67 yards) and has held two of its three opponents to 100 yards rushing or less in the three wins. 

Of the 11 total opponents on ETSU’s schedule, three are ranked in the top-25 – Citadel 5th, Chattanooga 8th and Samford 19th, while four teams are currently ranked in the top-25 of the FCS in winning percentage – The Citadel 1st (1.000), Chattanooga 3rd (.875), Samford 5th (.857), and Kennesaw State is 21st (.714) … The Bucs have faced the top two FCS defenses – UTC (1st, 245.5 yards per game) and Wofford (2nd, 252.4 yards per game) … ETSU has also faced two offenses ranked in the top-20 – Kennesaw (8th, 483.1 yards per game) and UTC (20th, 435.6 yards per game) … In addition, the Blue and Gold have faced three rushing offenses ranked in the top-20 – Wofford (4th, 310.1 rushing yards per game), Kennesaw State (5th, 295.3 rushing yards per game) and Chattanooga (19th, 217 rushing yards per game). 

As a team, ETSU ranks among the national FCS leaders in several categories … The Bucs are tied for first in red zone offense (1.000) and turnovers lost (4) … ETSU ranks fourth in fewest passes intercepted (2), fifth in fewest fumbles lost (2), eighth in fourth down conversion percentage (75.0), 26th in blocked kicks (2) and 26th in third down conversion percentage (42.9) … Sophomore linebacker Austin Gatewood (Ooltewah, Tenn.) ranks 30th in forced fumbles (0.29) … Sophomore kicker JJ Jerman (Seymour, Tenn.) is 32nd in field goal percentage (71.4) … Sophomore linebacker Dylan Weigel (Pickerington, Ohio) ranks 38th in total tackles (9.1) and redshirt freshman Jason Maduafokwa (Seymour, Tenn.) ranks 44th in sacks per game (0.67). 

Dylan Weigel enters this weekend’s game needing nine tackles to record No. 200 for his career, while Jajuan Stinson is 47 rushing yards shy of 1,000 for his career … River Boruff (Sparta, Tenn.) – who registered his first collegiate forced fumble and fumble recovery in last weekend’s win – posted his 100^th career tackle against West Virginia Wesleyan. 

ABOUT THE CITADEL

The Citadel is ranked No. 5 in the STATS FCS Poll and No. 7 in the FCS Coaches’ Poll … The Bulldogs are 7-0 (5-0 in SoCon) … The Citadel is 7-0 for the first time in program history … The Citadel is 5-0 in the Southern Conference for the second time in program history and for the second year in a row. 

The Citadel is only one of two FCS teams who are undefeated on the season (Sam Houston State).

The Citadel has tied the program record for most Southern Conference wins in a two-year stretch, matching the 11 wins earned in 1991-92.

With the win at Wofford on Saturday, the Bulldogs have 16 victories since the start of the 2015 season, which is tied for the second-highest two-year win total in program history … The 24-21 overtime win at Wofford marked The Citadel’s first win in Spartanburg since 1998.

The Bulldogs lead the FCS in rushing offense (353.7), tackles for loss allowed (3.00) and sacks allowed (0), while ranking second in passing yards per completion (17.45), third in time of possession (34:31) and turnovers lost (6), eighth in first downs defense (103), ninth in third down conversion percentage (48.7) and turnover margin (1.14), 12^th in passing yards allowed (171.3), 17^th in fewest penalties (36), 22^nd in third down conversion percentage defense (33.3) and 25^th in kickoff returns (22.27) and team sacks (2.57). 

The Citadel has rushed for 2,476 total yards this season and recorded 2,860 yards of total offense … Overall, 87 percent of the Bulldogs’ offense has come via the run … The Citadel is converting on 49 percent (57/117) of its third down chances … 20 of the Bulldogs’ 23 offensive touchdowns have come via the run … Six different players have scored a rushing touchdown this season, while six different players have at least one run for over 35 yards. 

Defensively, the Bulldogs are limiting their opponents to 306.9 yards per game (171.3 passing/135.6 rushing) … The Citadel is limiting its foes to 33 percent on third down (27/81). 

Senior linebacker Tevin Floyd ranks 8^th all-time on Citadel’s career tackles list with 248. 

Junior quarterback Dominique Allen has scored a rushing touchdown in three straight games … Allen leads the Bulldogs with six rushing touchdowns this season. 

Senior B-back Tyler Renew leads the team with 80.6 rushing yards per game, and he has yet to be tackled behind the line of scrimmage on 134 rushing attempts 

The Bulldogs’ leading receiver is senior Rudder Brown – who has six receptions for 75 yards and one touchdown … Tyler Renew has three catches for 111 yards and one touchdown … Five different Bulldogs have catches of 25 yards or more this season. 

The Citadel hasn’t lost a home conference game since Nov. 15, 2014. 

This season, five of the Bulldogs’ seven wins have been by eight points or less ... Citadel is outscoring its opposition, 27.9-17.7 … The Citadel is outscoring its opponents 82-49 in the second half this season. 

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday marks the 25th all-time meeting between ETSU and The Citadel with the Bucs holding a 15-9 lead in the series. 

The series is tied at 6-6 in games played in Charleston, while ETSU holds a 9-3 advantage in games played in Johnson City. 

The Bucs’ longest win streak in the series is a four-game stretch, which was done from 1981-84 and 1993-96, while the Bulldogs won three consecutive games from 1990-92. 

The Blue and Gold have won seven of the last 10 meetings, including a 56-34 win in 1994. 

ETSU’s largest win in the series came in 1983 when the Bucs shutout The Citadel, 45-0, while the Bulldogs’ largest win was a 48-21 victory in 1988. 

ETSU won the last meeting, 16-13, when Jonathan Godfrey connected on a 22-yard game-winning field goal on Nov. 22, 2003, which marked the final football game for the Bucs until they reinstated the program in 2015. 

MORE ON THE CITADEL SERIES

In the last meeting where Jonathan Godfrey’s game-winning field goal lifted ETSU to the 16-13 win to end the 2003 season, Gaven Varner rushed for a career-high 197 yards (tied for seventh all-time in ETSU single-game history) and quarterback Carl Meadows went 11-of-21 for 162 yards and one touchdown … The Buccaneer defense forced three turnovers (two interceptions/one fumble recovery), while limiting the Bulldogs to 253 yards of total offense (200 passing/53 rushing) … Montreal Harkley recorded both interceptions, while Andre Brooks had a 22-yard fumble return … ETSU started the final drive on its 12 yard line with 4:24 remaining … The Bucs went 74 yards in 10 plays to set up the Godfrey field goal with two seconds remaining … On that final drive, Varner carried the ball seven times for 31 yards on the drive, and Meadows connected with sophomore wideout Brian Matthews on a 51-yard pass that set up Godfrey’s 22-yard attempt … On the ensuing kickoff, Citadel’s Scooter Johnson fumbled and Andre Brooks recovered to seal the victory … Varner’s 37 rushing attempts in that game still holds as the ETSU single-game record. 

In 1996, Brandon Walker – ETSU’s all-time leading rusher (4,095 yards) – rushed for three touchdowns in the 41-20 win … The three rushing touchdowns are tied for second-most in single-game history … Quarterback Greg Ryan went 29-for-42 in the 21-13 win … The 29 completions are tied for second in single-game history. 

In the 56-34 win over The Citadel in 1994, wide receiver Chris Beatty caught three touchdown passes and hauled in a pass on a two-point conversion ... Quarterback Greg Ryan earned SoCon Player of the Week honors after he tied the ETSU single-game record with five touchdown passes ... Beatty finished with 110 receiving yards, and Jeff Johnson had eight catches for 101 yards – that duo combined for 34 of ETSU’s 56 points ... The Buccaneer defense forced five fumbles (recovered two). 

In 1992, Donnie Abraham recorded 20 tackles in the 20-17 win inside the Dome … The 20-tackle performance is tied for second-most in program history … Mike Cornegay (2001) and Murphy Duckett (1990) both had 19-tackle games against the Bulldogs. 

In 1983, Herman Jacobs rushed for 237 yards in the 45-0 victory in Johnson City … Jacobs’ rushing yards are the second-most by a Buccaneer in single-game history. 

Meanwhile, in 1989, George Searcy ran for 210 yards (32 attempts) in the 35-33 win in Johnson City, marking the sixth-most rushing yards by a Buccaneer. 

As a team, ETSU set single-game records for rushing attempts (68) and total yards (517) in the 45-0 win in 1983 … In the 1992 win, the Bucs held The Citadel to zero passing yards and zero passing completions. 

COVERAGE

Fans can listen to the radio call on WXSM-AM 640 The Extreme Sports Monster or on 104.9 NASH Icon as “Voice of the Bucs” Jay Sandos will carry the play-by-play and former Buccaneer quarterback Matt Wilhjelm as the color analyst.  

The Buccaneer Sports Network will launch its pregame broadcast one hour and 30 minutes prior to kickoff with the 30-minute long Eastman Credit Union Tailgate Show, followed by the Carl Torbush Pregame Show powered by Ford which will lead up to 30 minutes prior to kickoff. The First Tennessee Bank Countdown to Kickoff will then lead into the final moments before kickoff. An audio stream will be available via ETSUBucs.com or by clicking here.   

Saturday’s game will also be streamed live on ESPN3. Click here for live video.  

In addition to following the Bucs on your mobile device and/or tablet with live audio and video, fans can get up to the minute stats by following the action via Sidearm Sports. Fans can access live stats on their computers or mobile devices via CitadelSports.com or by clicking here.  

SOCIAL MEDIA

For complete information on ETSU Football, follow the program via social media on Twitter (@ETSUFootball), Instagram (@ETSUFootball), Snapchat (@ETSUFootball) and on Facebook (ETSU Buccaneer Football).   

ETSU fans wanting to receive Buccaneer news, score updates, in-game promotions and much more sent to their mobile device can do so by signing up for “Buc Updates.” Click here to sign up today! 

UP NEXT

The Bucs hit the road for the second straight week as ETSU heads to Macon, Ga. to take on Mercer on Saturday, Nov. 5 … Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at Five Star Stadium. 

For more information on Buccaneer football, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the football page.