Top two teams battle for first-place in league standings

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (Oct. 19, 2018) – A battle of the top two teams in the Southern Conference will battle when league-leading ETSU travels to Wofford on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. inside Gibbs Stadium.  

BUCCANEER NOTES

STREAKING

ETSU (6-1, 4-0 in SoCon) has won five straight games, marking the first time they have accomplished this feat since winning seven straight games during the 1996 campaign … During this five-game win streak, the Bucs won four of their five games by a combined 11 points, while then defeating Gardner-Webb 45-0 back on Oct. 6 in Greene Stadium … During this run, ETSU is outscoring the opposition 34-13 in the first quarter and 47-28 in the fourth quarter ... ETSU’s defense has held opponents to 299.6 yards per game over the last five games, while also totaling 363 tackles, 48 tackles for loss, 21 sacks, nine interceptions, seven forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and one safety … Linebackers Dylan Weigel (43) and Jared Folks (37) have accounted for 80 tackles and 15 tackles for loss, while Nasir Player (3.5) and Folks (5.5) have both accounted for  9.0 sacks over the last five games … Offensively, Quay Holmes has rushed for 343 yards (68.6 per game) and seven touchdowns, while adding 17 receptions for 145 yards and one touchdown during this run …. Keith Coffee has totaled 16 receptions in the last five games, while Kobe Kelley has 13 receptions for 242 yards (18.6 yards per catch) and one touchdown … During this win streak, ETSU has overcome two halftime and two third-quarter deficits – The Bucs trailed 17-13 at the half and 24-20 at the end of the third quarter at VMI, and were down 13-6 at half and 27-13 at the end of the third quarter vs. Furman.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

ETSU has won its first four conference games by a combined 11 points – three at VMI (27-24), two vs. Furman (29-27), three vs. Chattanooga (17-14) and three at The Citadel (26-23) … In addition, ETSU has never won four games by three points or less in the 84-year history of the program … The Bucs have posted comebacks in three of the four games, including rallying from 21 down in the third quarter to defeat Furman … Overall, the Blue and Gold have scored 99 points (24.8 per game) and given up 88 points (22.0) in their first four SoCon games … ETSU is being outgained 319.2 to 297.5 during this stretch, but the Buccaneer defense has totaled 11 turnovers, which have been converted into 24 points … Overall,  ETSU has scored 10 touchdowns during this span – one being the Quan Harrison punt return at VMI and Tyree Robinson’s 42-yard interception return at The Citadel – while Quay Holmes has accounted for five scores (four rushing/one receiving) … Logan Marchi had a 12-yard run at VMI, while Austin Herink has thrown touchdown passes to Kobe Kelley (The Citadel), Matt Thompson (Furman) and Holmes (Chattanooga) … The Bucs’ defense has generated 37 tackles for loss (-160 yards) and 16 sacks (-117 yards), while limiting the opposition to 90.8 rushing yards and 13 first-quarter points … As a team, ETSU is 15-of-16 in red zone scoring; however, the Bucs have only scored seven touchdowns in those trips, while opponents are 14-of-15 with 10 touchdowns coming in the red zone.

A WIN WOULD…

A Buccaneer win would mark ETSU’s 351st victory in program history, while it would mark the Bucs’ best seven-game start to a season since starting 8-1 in 1996 (ETSU’s best start in program history was in 1969 when the Bucs won their first six games en route to going 10-0-1 and defeating Terry Bradshaw’s Louisiana Tech squad 34-14 in the Grantland Rice Bowl) … A win would also be the Bucs’ six straight victory, which would be the team’s longest streak since rattling off seven straight games from Sept. 14-Nov. 2, 1996 … A Buccaneer win would also be their fifth straight SoCon victory, marking their longest conference win streak since the 1996 squad won six straight games.

PLAYER NAMED TO BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD WATCH LIST

ETSU redshirt junior defensive lineman Nasir Player was named to the STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award watch list, which was announced by the selection committee on Thursday.

Player generates a lot of attention on the opposing team’s scouting report each week as he has totaled 28 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five sacks, 10 quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles in the first seven games for the Blue and Gold.

The Buccaneer defensive lineman has registered at least one tackle for loss in five of the first seven games, while posting seven tackles each in wins over Furman and The Citadel. Player was named Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week after finishing with six tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles in the 17-14 win over No. 20 Chattanooga. The Columbia, S.C. native has recorded three games with three quarterback hurries in each of those contests, while his nine tackles for loss have combined for negative-48 yards and his five sacks have resulted in a loss of 39 yards.

MORE WEEKLY HONORS CONTINUE TO PILE UP FOR THE BUCS

The Bucs had more SoCon and FCS National Player of the Week honors pile up this week as Tyree Robinson was named STATS FCS National Defensive Player of the Week and SoCon Defensive Player of the Week, and JJ Jerman brought home SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week honors … Robinson tied a career high with eight tackles (one TFL) and added two interceptions (one for a 42-yard touchdown return), while Jerman tied the ETSU single-game record with four field goals and was also 2-for-2 in PATs en route to finishing with 14 points for the game … Robinson in the third Buccaneer defensive player to pick up the SoCon weekly honor – joining linebacker Jared Folks (vs. VMI) and Nasir Player (vs. Chattanooga) … Robinson is also the second ETSU player to earn national recognition this season as running back Quay Holmes was named STATS FCS National Freshman of the Week after his performance in the win over Furman on Sept. 22.

BUCS SET WINNING SEASON WITH WIN IN CHARLESTON

Following last weekend’s win at The Citadel, the Bucs registered their sixth win of the season, which gives ETSU a winning season for the first time since the program returned in 2015 and first since going 6-5 in 2001 … The Bucs are only one of four FCS teams to have clinched a winning season ast this point of the season – No. 1 North Dakota State, No. 2 Kennesaw State and No. 13 Colgate.

PARTY LIKE IT’S 1999

ETSU football has been ranked in both major Top 25 polls in back-to-back weeks as the Bucs climbed to No. 21 in the latest AFCA FCS Top 25 Coaches Poll and STATS FCS Top 25 Poll … The Bucs entered both polls for the first time since the program returned in 2015 as ETSU was No. 24 in the Coaches Poll and No. 23 in the media poll, marking the first time ETSU was last ranked since Oct. 30, 1999, when the Bucs were No. 18.

MORE ON THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

Tonight marks the first time a ranked ETSU team is playing a ranked opponent since Oct. 30, 1999 when the 18th-ranked Buccaneers faced No. 3 Georgia Southern inside Memorial Center.

DEFENSE LEADING THE FCS

ETSU’s defense has made it a nightmare for opponents in the backfield as the Bucs lead all FCS teams in tackles for loss per game (9.4), while being tied for second in total sacks (26) and ranking ninth in rush defense (89.4) and sixth in sacks per game (3.71) … The Bucs’ eight sacks vs. VMI are the third-most in a single game among FCS teams this season.

SACK STREAK CONTINUES

Thanks to Jason Maduafokwa’s fourth-quarter sack on The Citadel’s Jordan Black, ETSU kept its streak of recording at least one sack in 10 straight games intact ... ETSU has totaled at least one sack in all seven games this year and the last three games in 2017 ... Overall, the Bucs have totaled 26 sacks this season, which are tied for the second most among FCS teams.

ETSU LOCKS UP BACK-TO-BACK SOCON ROAD WINS

ETSU locked up back-to-back SoCon road wins after knocking off The Citadel 26-23 last Saturday in Charleston, marking the first time the Bucs have won consecutive conference road games since November 1997 when the Blue and Gold defeated Wofford (Nov. 8) and VMI (Nov. 22) … With its 27-24 win at VMI on Sept. 14, the Bucs snapped a 15-game losing streak in SoCon road games as it marked ETSU’s first road win since defeating Western Carolina 27-7 back on Sept. 28, 2002.

ABOUT WOFFORD  

No. 12 Wofford dropped to 4-2 overall, 3-1 in SoCon play following its 34-14 loss at Furman on Saturday afternoon

On the season, Wofford is averaging 473 yards per game (365.2 rushing/107.8 passing), while outscoring opponents, 30-18

Wofford’s defense is only allowing 272.5 yards per game (179 passing/93.5 rushing), while forcing just five turnovers in six games … Whereas, the Terriers’ offense has turned the ball over 10 times (five fumbles/five interceptions)

Terriers are converting on 45% of their third down chances (31-of-69), while going 3-of-7 on fourth down (43%) … Opponents are just 29.6 percent on third down (24-for-81) but 9-of-13 on fourth down (69%)

Wofford has won 12 of its last 14 home games since 2016 with the two losses coming on Homecoming … This Saturday’s game is Wofford’s Homecoming game … Overall, since 2016, Wofford is 24-9 and 16-4 in SoCon play … The Terriers are the reigning SoCon champion, while they have appeared in the FCS Playoffs in each of the last two seasons, including falling to national runner-up Youngstown State in the 2016 FCS Quarterfinal game

Sixty-four percent of Wofford’s points scored this season have come in the first half as the Terriers have scored 115 of their 181 in the opening 30 minutes … Wofford is plus-32 in the first quarter (56-24) and plus-21 in the second (59-38)

Nineteen of Wofford’s 24 offensive touchdowns have come via the run with nine different Terrier players recording at least one rushing touchdown … Andre Stoddard leads the team with 548 rushing yards and five touchdowns, while Lennox McAfee has 430 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns … Quarterback Joe Newman has totaled 341 rushing yards and three scores, while throwing for 503 yards and five touchdowns … Newman also have all five of Wofford’s interceptions this season

Newman’s five passing touchdowns have gone to five different players … Blake Morgan leads the team with 17 receptions for 178 yards and one touchdown.

Senior linebacker Weston Rountree has two of Wofford’s five interceptions this season, while junior cornerback Dimitri Redwood had a 45-yard return for a score in the 59-14 win over VMI back on Sept. 8

Junior linebacker Jireh Wilson leads the team with 26 tackles, while freshman linebacker T.J. Neal has totaled four of Wofford’s 11 sacks on the season … Thad Mangum is second on the team in tackles (25) and sacks (12)

SERIES HISTORY

The all-time series is tied at 13-13, but Wofford has won the last seven meetings … This marks the 13th game played in Spartanburg and both teams have won six games each at Gibbs Stadium … ETSU’s last win over Wofford came in 1998 when the Bucs cruised to a 45-24 win in Johnson City … Wofford’s seven-game win streak over the Blue and Gold marks its longest streak in the series, while ETSU won five straight from 1962-66 for its longest in the series … The Bucs’ largest win all-time against Wofford was a 52-3 victory in 1986 – the 52 points also mark the most points by ETSU over the Terriers ... Wofford blanked the Bucs, 31-0, in the team’s last visit to Spartanburg, while the Terriers held on for a 31-24 win last year in Johnson City … In 2016, the Bucs were held to negative-7 yards rushing and five first downs ... Overall, ETSU totaled 76 yards of offense (83 yards passing), while Wofford posted 350 of its 364 total yards on the ground ... Wofford held the ball for nearly 40 minutes of the contest, while the Blue and Gold did not move the ball into Terrier territory ... Austin Herink went 14-of-22 for 80 yards and was sacked three times ... The Buccaneer defense finished with 103 tackles, one sack and seven tackles for loss, while Wofford ran 33 more plays than ETSU, 75-42 … Last season, the Bucs suffered a tough 31-24 decision to the eighth-ranked Terriers at Greene Stadium … With the game tied at 17 and less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter, Wofford scored 14 unanswered points to go ahead 31-17 … The Bucs pulled within a possession when Herink hit Drake Powell for a 6-yard touchdown pass at the 6-minute mark of the fourth quarter; however, with the Bucs facing 4th-and-1 from the Wofford 23, Jajuan Stinson couldn’t keep the drive alive as his run fell short of the sticks giving the ball back to the Terriers with 42 seconds remaining … Wofford outgained the Blue and Gold 402-277, while outrushing ETSU 302 to 15 … Both teams converted on nine third-down chances – ETSU going 9-of-18 (1-of-2 on fourth down) and Wofford finishing 9-for-16 (0-of-1 on fourth down) … The Bucs ran two more plays than the Terriers (67 to 65), but Wofford averaged 6.2 yards per play, compared to the Bucs’ 4.1 … Austin Herink fumbled twice (lost one), which gave Wofford a short field as the Terriers had the ball inside the ETSU 10 and scored two plays later to go ahead, 24-17 with 3:45 remaining in the third quarter … Nasir Player (13 tackles) and Dylan Weigel (12 tackles) combined for 25 tackles last season, while Tyree Robinson added eight hits … Herink was 23-for-34 for 262 yards and two touchdowns … JJ Jerman made a career-long 51-yard field goal and added three PATs in the contest.

MORE ON THE SERIES

ETSU and Wofford have played five common opponents this season – Citadel, Furman, Chattanooga, Gardner-Webb and VMI … The Bucs are 5-0 against those teams, with the Terriers going 4-1 (lost to Furman) … In those games, ETSU’s offense is averaging 331 yards (123 rushing/208 passing) and 28.8 points per game, while the Bucs’ defense is allowing 299 yards (84 rushing/215 passing) and 17.6 points per contest … Meanwhile, Wofford’s offense is averaging 509 yards per game (394 rushing/115 passing) and 33.4 points, while the defense is giving up 262 yards (94 rushing/168 passing) and 18.6 points per game against those same opponents.

COVERAGE

Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Jim Noble (play-by-play), Thom Henson (color) and Van Hipp (sideline) on the call.

ABOUT ESPN+

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CLICK HERE FOR ESPN+ BROADCAST

The Buccaneer Sports Network (BSN) will provide ETSU fans with complete pregame, in-game and postgame coverage on the radio. Games air live on the Bucs’ flagship station WXSM-AM 640 and affiliate station 104.9 FM NASH ICON.     

The BSN begins its pregame programing one hour and 30 minutes prior to kickoff with the 30-minute long ETSU Football Tailgate Show, followed by the Randy Sanders Pregame Show Powered by Ford which will lead up to 30 minutes prior to kickoff. The Appalachian Orthopaedic Countdown to Kickoff will then lead into the final moments before kickoff.       

The broadcast team of “Voice of the Bucs” Jay Sandos, color analyst and former ETSU quarterback Matt Wilhjelm, sideline reporter Robert Harperand studio hosts Mike Gallagher and Trey Adams will provide ETSU fans all the information they need to complement their game-day activities. 

At halftime, the crew will have the Zaxby’s Halftime Show, while fans can tune into the General Shale Post Game Show for a full wrap up, with game statistics, players and coach interviews, and other post-game information.       

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE AUDIO

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 WoffordTerriers.com.

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STATS 

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