ETSU gears up for third consecutive home battle

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Sept. 20, 2019) – The ETSU Buccaneers will host their third consecutive home contest, this time against Austin Peay on Saturday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. at William B. Greene, Jr. Stadium.

SATURDAY SHOWDOWN
Date: Saturday, Sept. 21
Location: Johnson City, Tenn. | Greene Stadium
Teams: Austin Peay (2-1) at ETSU (1-2)
Weather: High: 84 Low: 58; Mostly sunny
Game Notes: ETSU | Austin Peay
Live Stats: etsubucs.com/livestats
Live Video: ESPN+ - David Jackson (PxP), Mark Hutsell (Color), Kasey Marler (Sideline)
Live Audio: WXSM Radio
Radio Personnel: Jay “Voice of the Bucs” Sandos, Matt Wilhjelm (color analyst), Robert Harper (sideline)
Twitter: @ETSUFootball
Game Sponsor: Ford

Welcome to the Hall of Fame
ETSU will recognize its five new members of the East Tennessee State University Athletics Hall of Fame. The five inductees feature a pair of football players in David Holtsclaw (1962-65) and Brandon Walker (1996-99). Joining the football duo will be track & field’s Michelle Gregg (1995- 98), baseball’s Caleb Moore (2002-05) and men’s basketball’s Calvin Talford (1988-92).

All Gold Everything
Saturday’s showdown against Austin Peay will be the annual Gold Out held at William B. Greene, Jr. Stadium. The Bucs will be wearing the gold tops with gold bottoms and a navy blue helmet. Fans are strongly encouraged to participate in the Gold Out on Saturday by wearing Gold and light up Greene Stadium.

What do you say, Saylors?
After a tough start to the season where Jacob Saylors rushed three times for zero yards against Appalachian State, the sophomore back has found his groove again and has led the Bucs in rushing yards the last two games. Saylors posted 90 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns against Shorter. Following that performance, Saylors carried the ball nine times for 112 yards and one score against VMI on Saturday. Saylors’ 112 yard-rushing game is just the third of his career and the second rusher in the SoCon to carry for over 100 yards in a game this season. Saylors recorded his second consecutive game of a career-high 61-yard dash.

A Sweet Combo
Saturday marked the fifth time since the return of football that two Buccaneers combined for 200 yards rushing and just the fourth time that it was a running back combo. Former quarterback Austin Herink and running back Jajuan Stinson accomplished the feat against Kentucky Wesleyan in the first season back in action, combining for 236 yards on the ground. The accomplishment was not duplicated until last season when Quay Holmes and Jacob Saylors achieved the feat three times, first against Gardner-Webb, combining for 206 yards as each back recorded over 100 of their own. The duo also completed the task against Western Carolina (202) and Mercer (203). Saturday’s overtime loss to VMI marked the fourth time that this particular duo eclipsed 200 combined rushing yards, finishing with exactly 200 yards on the ground. Saylors ended the game with 112 yards, while Holmes chipped in for 88.

Share the Load
The Bucs have scored 10 touchdowns as a team through the first three contests. Jacob Saylors leads the team with three total touchdowns, all on the ground, as he recorded two scores against Shorter in the home opener on Sept. 7. There have been seven different players cross the pylons, accounting for the 10 total touchdowns. Saylors leads the way with three, while Nate Adkins leads in receiving touchdowns with two. In Saturday’s overtime loss to VMI, Keith Coffee and Anthony Spagnoletti added their names to the pot, both pulling down receiving touchdowns to add to the mix. The final three touchdowns came in the home-opening win over Shorter as Jawan Martin and Jordan Anderson both brought in one touchdown apiece and redshirt-freshman quarterback Cameron Lewis scrambled for a touchdown of his own. Of the six passing touchdowns, Trey Mitchell is responsible for throwing five, while Lewis has hurled one touchdown in the air.

Series History
ETSU is 14-12-2 all-time when playing Austin Peay, outscoring the Governors 17.6 - 15.0 in the head-to-head matchup. The Bucs are 8-4-1 in the series when playing in Johnson City, holding Austin Peay to just 12.6 points per game in such contests. When the Bucs win, they have averaged 22.4 points per game, while holding the Governors to 8.9. ETSU is winless in its last six meetings with Austin Peay, holding a record of 0-5-1 with a 13-13 tie in 1974. The Governors have won four consecutive games against the Bucs, the longest streak for Austin Peay in the series. ETSU’s longest winning streak in the series is a five-game stand from 1959-1963.

Regulating the Governors
Austin Peay enters the weekend with a 2-1 overall record, having most recently defeated Southern Conference foe, Mercer. The Governors upended the Bears 48-34 in Macon, Ga. Austin Peay is also the first Ohio Valley Conference school to visit Johnson City since bringing football back to the Tri-Cities area in 2015.

The Govs have displayed a stout offensive line, as the unit is one of only four FCS programs to have yet to yield a sack through the first three weeks of play. The offensive line has protected for a dual-threat quarterback in JaVaughn Craig who leads the team in passing yards (437) and ranks second in rushing yards with 106. Kente Williams is the premiere back with 259 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. Craig’s top two targets have proven to be Keenan Barnes and DeAngelo Wilson as the duo became the first pair of Govs’ receivers to record 100 yards each in a game since 2006.

The defense has been a big boost this season for Austin Peay, holding opponents to just 42.7 yards per game on the ground. The Govs have held their last four opponents to fewer than 100 yards on the ground, surrendering a season-low of 32 to Central Arkansas on Sept. 7. Kordell Jackson had twin pick-sixes against Mercer on Sept. 14, returning the second interception to the house for 69 yards, the fourth-longest interception return in Govs’ history.

Coverage
Saturday’s game will also be broadcast on ESPN+ with the team of David Jackson (play-by-play), Mark Hutsell (color commentary) and Kasey Marler (sideline) providing the call.

The Buccaneer Sports Network (BSN) will provide ETSU fans with complete pregame, in-game and postgame coverage 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 Tennessee Lottery 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 Harper, and studio hosts Mike Gallagher and Don Helman 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.     

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!

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