JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 11, 2016) – Coming off a pair of road games, the ETSU football team returns to Kermit Tipton Stadium Saturday afternoon as the Bucs host Cumberland University on Homecoming. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. 

THINGS TO KNOW FOR SATURDAY’S GAME

No. 1 – Game time is set for 1 pm. on Saturday, with the traditional Buc Walk set for 11:15 a.m. During the year, the Buc Walk will take place one hour and 45 minutes prior to game time. In addition, the Food City Zone – a family tailgating area with kids’ activities – will open at 9:30 a.m.  

No. 2 – Parking areas around Kermit Tipton will open at 8 a.m. for tailgating, and gates to the stadium will open at approximately 11 a.m. During the year, gates to the stadium will open two hours prior to kick. Please make sure to have your designated parking pass visibly displayed to access lots. Paid parking is also available in Lots C and I, as well as in the Terrace lots in front of Science Hill High School.  

No. 3 – Saturday’s game is Homecoming … To purchase tickets, call (423) 439-3878 or click here to purchase them online … Students can get their FREE ticket by visiting the second floor of the Culp Center, by reserving their ticket online here or showing up at the south gate entrance at Kermit Tipton Stadium.  

No. 4 – A FREE student shuttle will be available on Saturday … Click here to access the schedule. 

BUC HITS

ETSU (3-6) is coming off a heartbreaking 21-13 loss to Mercer last weekend in Macon, Ga. … The Bucs took a 13-7 lead into the fourth quarter, but Mercer posted 14 unanswered points in the final 15 minutes to rally for a 21-13 win in front of 10,913 fans last Saturday at Five Star Stadium. 

Sophomore wide receiver Drake Powell (Clinton, Tenn.) has had a pair of break-out games the last two weeks … Over the two-week stretch, Powell has recorded 11 receptions for 213 yards and one touchdown … His touchdown reception came in last week’s game at Mercer, which was a 69-yard play … The 69 yards marked the longest play by the Bucs since restarting their program a year ago … Powell finished with career highs in receptions (8) and receiving yards (143) last week at Mercer, becoming just the second player to go over 100 receiving yards in a game since last season …The week prior, Powell had three receptions for 70 yards at The Citadel. 

Following his 48-yard rushing game last Saturday at Mercer, sophomore running back Jajuan Stinson (Knoxville, Tenn.) eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for his career … Stinson has carried the ball 220 times in his career and has 1,035 total rushing yards (4.7 yards per carry) … Sophomore linebacker Dylan Weigel (Pickerington, Ohio) has totaled 213 career tackles in 20 games played … Weigel ranks second among active FCS players in (career) total tackles per game (10.65) and fourth in solo tackles per game (5.7) … Sophomore kicker JJ Jerman (Seymour, Tenn.) is 38-for-38 in PATs for his career … Jerman’s 38 PATs rank eighth all-time in ETSU history and he’s two shy of passing Con Chellis (1999-01) for seventh. 

ETSU’s two common opponents from last year’s schedule to this season’s slate were Kennesaw State and Mercer … Last year, the Bucs lost by a combined score of 108-16 to the two programs (56-16 vs. KSU and 52-0 to Mercer), resulting in a 92-point differential … This season, ETSU is 1-1 against the two programs as the Bucs defeated Kennesaw State, 20-17 and fell to Mercer, 21-13, resulting in a five-point differential in the two games … In the two years, ETSU went from being negative-92 to negative-5 against the two foes, resulting in an 87-point turnaround in the two games. 

ETSU’s defense forced a pair of fumble recoveries last Saturday at Mercer … The Bucs have forced at least one turnover in seven of their nine games this season, while the Blue and Gold have forced two turnovers in three straight games … ETSU’s defense ranks 13th among FCS teams in fumbles recovered (10). 

The Blue and Gold have scored on 22 of their 24 trips (91.7 percent) inside the red zone this season. 

The Bucs announced on Wednesday ETSU will play Limestone College to open the 2017 season in its new, on-campus stadium. 

ABOUT CUMBERLAND

Cumberland has won four of its last six games and sit 5-5 on the season … The Phoenix are coming off a 31-28 loss at Faulkner this past Saturday, but the week prior, Cumberland defeated then-No. 19 Bethel, 62-55 in overtime. 

Four of Cumberland’s 10 opponents have been ranked - #3 Reinhardt, #12 Lindsey Wilson, #18 Georgetown College and #19 Bethel. 

Cumberland is averaging 444.4 yards per game (244 rushing/200.4 passing), while scoring 29.1 points per game … The Phoenix are converting on 39 percent of their third down opportunities (48/124) … Defensively, the Phoenix are allowing 370.4 yards per game (239.8 passing/130.6 rushing) and giving up 28.8 points per game … Opponents are converting on 41 percent (60/145) on third down. 

The Phoenix defense have generated 11 turnovers (five INTs/six fumble recoveries) and have scored 41 points off those miscues this season … On the flip side, Cumberland’s offense has also turned the ball over 11 times (four INTs/seven fumbles). 

Cumberland’s defense has totaled 27 sacks for a loss of negative-169 yards, while the Phoenix offensive line have allowed 13 sacks. 

The Phoenix have committed 78 penalties for 642 yards this season. 

Red-shirt senior quarterback Justin Snyder – who played at Science Hill – is 81-for-140 with 1149 yards passing and seven touchdowns (two INTs). 

Defensively, red-shirt senior linebacker Nathan Jernigan is the reigning Conference Player of the Year selection … Jernigan leads the team with 105 tackles (11.5 tackles for loss) … Red-shirt senior Justas Dauscha has 11 of Cumberland’s 27 sacks. 

Cumberland plays in the Mid-South Conference (NAIA) and is located in Lebanon, Tenn. 

Cumberland is coached by Donnie Suber, whose son Bryce is a red-shirt freshman defensive back on ETSU’s roster … Suber is in his fourth year at the helm at Cumberland. 

SERIES HISTORY

ETSU leads the all-time series, 6-1 … Saturday marks the first meeting between the two programs since a 25-0 Buccaneer win back in 1947 … The Bucs are 5-1 against the Phoenix in games played in Johnson City, while Cumberland’s only win in the series was a 26-0 victory in 1935. 

THIS DATE IN ETSU HISTORY

ETSU is 4-1 all-time in games played on Nov. 12 … The last time the Bucs played on this date was in 1994 when ETSU defeated Chattanooga, 30-13 … The Bucs’ other wins were a 45-0 victory over The Citadel in 1983, while ETSU defeated MTSU 38-17 in 1977 and 12-0 in 1966 … The lone blemish for the Bucs on this date was a 31-14 setback to Furman in 1988 … In the 1994 win over the Mocs, ETSU outscored UTC, 24-7, in the second half … Brian Edwards rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns and Greg Ryan was 14-for-22 with 143 yards passing … Jeff Johnson had nine catches for 74 yards, while James Russell had a 73-yard fumble return for a touchdown to cap off the scoring with 58 seconds remaining. 

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 be streamed live on SoCon Digital Network … The broadcast will begin 15 minutes prior to kickoff … Click here to access the video stream. 

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 StatBroadcast. Fans can access live stats on their computers or mobile devices via ETSUBucs.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

ETSU wraps up its 2016 season next Saturday as the Bucs host #21 Samford … Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Kermit Tipton Stadium. 

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