WEST CHESTER, PA - The #21 West Chester University Golden Rams host the #12 Red Raiders of Shippensburg University on Saturday, November 6, in a showdown between the top two teams in the NCAA Division II Northeast Region.
Kickoff at John A. Farrell Stadium in West Chester, PA, is slated for 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
With the many story lines and subplots surrounding Saturdays game, WCU vs. Shippensburg may be the most compelling contest the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference has to offer this week.
The Golden Rams (8-2/8-0 Northeast Region/6-0 PSAC East Champions) are looking to grab the top seed in the NCAA Division II Northeast Region for the upcoming National Playoffs. Shippensburg (9-1/9-1/5-1 PSAC West) currently holds the top seed in the region and also is hoping for an outright PSAC West title (if IUP and Edinbor lose this week).
The game will mark the 25th meeting between the two clubs with the Golden Rams holding a 16-7-1 all-time record vs. the Red Raiders.
Saturday is Senior Day for the Golden Rams. WCU will honor 21 of its seniors who will participate in their final regular-season game at Farrell Stadium. However, WCU is expecting a berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs when the official announcement is made on Sunday, November 7, at 1 p.m.
Saturday is also the Annual Fall Walk of Champions at West Chester University, celebrating the national, regional and conference awards earned by Golden Ram student-athletes from the Winter 2003-04 and Spring 2004 seasons. These outstanding student-athletes will be recognized during halftime of the game with the event culminating in the announcement of the 2003-04 West Chester University Athletes and Scholar Athletes of the Year.
This Saturday is also Organ Donor Awareness Day. For the past several years the PSAC Office has coordinated the event during one football game on each campus as a way to promote the registration of organ donors in Pennsylvania.
Finally, the Golden Rams and Red Raiders are teaming up to compete in an "Unofficial PSAC State Championship Game."
The Unofficial "State Game"
In a strange coincidence, the team that has already clinched a share of the PSAC Western Division will meet up this Saturday with the team that has clinched the PSAC East title.
For longtime followers of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, the WCU-Shippensburg matchup will bring back memories of the "State Game," an end-of-the-year contest played from 1960-87 pitting the top team from each division.
League administrators decided to eliminate the State Game beginning in 1988 because of the implications it was having on the NCAA Division II Playoff selections - the loser of the extra-game would tend to be eliminated from consideration. In addition, the NCAA Playoff field jumped from eight to 16 teams adding another week to the season.
If league doctrine was followed to determine State Game representatives this year, Shippensburg and West Chester would be squaring off for Keystone Supremacy.
West Chester was the outright winner in the East, while the Red Raiders would represent the West despite a possible three-way tie with Edinboro and IUP for the divisional crown.
The last time Shippensburg won a PSAC East title was in 1988, while Edinboro and IUP shared the crown just last year.
The irony of the "State Game" is that the current West Chester mayor Dick Yoder was instrumental in keeping the format alive. While the PSAC no longer plays the game, Division I conferences like the SEC and the Big 12 adopted the format using the "PSAC State Game" rule.
At a time in the late 1980s when football seasons were being capped at 11 games, Yoder convinced his friends at the larger conferences to vote for an exemption for the PSAC to play a 12th game. Yoder - the longtime athletic director, professor and assistant football coach at WCU - collected enough votes and the rule was in place. It was quickly scuttled by the PSAC but dusted off by the big-time programs in the early 1990s.
The National Polls
The Golden Rams climbed up the Top 25 ladder in both polls this week...WCU moved from 24th in the D2Football.com poll to #19, while the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) bumped WCU from 25th to 21st...the AFCA Poll is voted upon by Division II head coaches, while the D2Football.com ranking is coordinated by the website dedicated to promoting NCAA Division II Football...the national polls have no impact on the regional polls used for NCAA post-season selection.
The Northeast Region Poll (Nov. 1, 2004)
West Chester has moved to its highest regional ranking of the season at #2...the Top 6 teams in the Northeast Region may be selected for the NCAA Division II Playoffs...the Top 2 teams receive byes...the first round of the NCAA II Playoffs would be on November 13 with the third seed hosting the sixth seed and the fourth seed hosting the fifth seed...there is a provision for earned access...if a league has a team in the Top 10 in the final poll, that league will be represented in the post-season...if the poll ended today, the WVIAC would not have a team represented in the playoffs because no squad in that league is in the Top 10...Shepherd is ranked 12th and could possibly earn a berth if it could climb to 10th this coming week...for that to possibly happen, teams like IUP, Bloomsburg, Merrimack and Southern Connecticut would have to lose...the following rankings include the teams overall/in-region record: 1. Shippensburg (9-1/9-1); 2. West Chester (8-2/8-0); 3. East Stroudsburg (8-1/8-1); 4. Bentley (8-1/8-1); 5. LIU-C.W. Post (7-2/7-2); 6. Edinboro (7-2/7-2); 7. Bloomsburg (6-3/6-3); 8. IUP (6-3/5-3); 9. Southern Connecticut (7-2/6-2); 10. Merrimack (7-2/6-2); 11. California (PA) (6-3/6-3); 12. Shepherd (6-3/6-3)...the Northeast Region is comprised of the PSAC, the Northeast 10 and the WVIAC...the last time the Golden Rams competed in the NCAA Division II Playoffs was in 1994.
WCU vs. Shippensburg - The History
WCU leads the series 16-7-1...the last meeting took place on September 27, 2003, inside Shippensburgs Seth Grove Stadium...the Golden Rams won 33-20 after building a 24-0 lead...senior DE Graham Eggleston (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg) recorded a defensive two-point conversion in that contest...the last time Shippensburg played in John A. Farrell Stadium on WCUs campus was on September 28, 2002...Shippensburg won the contest 41-27...the win by Shippensburg was its first at WCU since 1924 and stifled an eight-game losing streak by the Red Raiders in Chester County...the Red Raiders also beat West Chester in Seth Grove Stadium on September 25, 1999, by the score of 48-30...the Golden Rams surrendered 40+ points to the Red Raiders in two consecutive meetings, marking the only time in WCU history that a Division II team has turned this trick...in the history of West Chester University football, only one other team had ever posted 40+ points in consecutive games vs. the Golden Rams...aside from Shippensburg, Division I-AA Delaware did it from 1993-95 (56-41 in 1993; 58-55 in 1994; 42-21 in 1995)...the Golden Rams first met Shippensburg in 1921 - a 63-7 Red Raider triumph.
This Weeks Opponent: Shippensburg
(Courtesy Shippensburg Sports Information)
SHIPPENSBURG, PA - Senior fullback John Kuhn (York/Dover) and sophomore halfback Walter Crump (Sharon Hill/Academy Park) both rushed for over 100 yards as the Shippensburg University football team held on to win its fourth-straight game last Saturday afternoon over Slippery Rock University 35-17.
Shippensburg totaled 314 yards rushing led by Kuhns 156 on 30 carries and one touchdown and Crumps 134 yards on eight attempts and two touchdowns. The last time the Red Raiders had two players rush for over 100 yards in the same game was on November 8, 2003, at East Stroudsburg University - a span of 19 games. In that game, Kuhn, senior halfback Andre McLaurin (Warminster/William Tennant) and Crump all surpassed 100 yards.
The loss marked the fifth-straight for The Rock (3-7, 1-4 PSAC West) after it started the season 3-2.
After Ship took a 28-0 lead into halftime, Slippery Rock totaled the first 17 points of the second half, scoring on three of its first four possessions. The Rocks first score came following a great defensive play by Willie Murel.
On first-and-10 from the Slippery Rock 36-yard line, Shippensburg sophomore quarterback Tony Gomez (Pottsville/Pottsville) completed a 34-yard pass to junior Patrick Ferguson (Mt. Airy/Urbana). As he was heading for the end zone, Murel stripped Ferguson of the football and recovered it at the two-yard line.
On the resulting drive, The Rock drove 98 yards in only four plays, capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass from Nate Crookshank to Luke Wetzel. The big play that setup the score came on second-and-eight from the Slippery Rock four-yard line when Josh Kniess broke free for 80 yards down to the Shippensburg 16.
After The Rock defense forced a turnover on downs on the ensuing Shippensburg possession, Slippery Rock drove 76 yards in nine plays for its second score when A.J. Ruperto found Corey Manfull wide open in the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown pass. Slippery Rock was held to 104 yards of total offense in the first half but surpassed that mark with 145 yards on just 13 plays to start the second.
Slippery Rocks Ryan Daniel would add a 33-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to cut the Red Raider lead to 11 points with 12:03 remaining in the game.
However, Shippensburg would end the hopes of a comeback upset when Kuhn scored on a one-yard run on the following possession to put the Red Raiders in front 35-17.
For Kuhn, it was his 52nd career touchdown but his first in four meetings against Slippery Rock. He has now scored at least one rushing touchdown against each Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division team for a total of 32 in his career.
The Last Meeting: Sept. 27, 2003 - WCU 33-20
SHIPPENSBURG, PA - In a game that had major NCAA Division II Northeast Region implications, West Chester piled up 526 yards of total offense - including 269 rushing yards on the number one defense against the run in Division II - in a convincing 33-20 PSAC West Crossover victory at #14 Shippensburg University.
The victory occurred inside Seth Grove Stadium on the campus of Shippensburg University on September 27, 2003.
West Chester built a 24-0 lead and never looked back. The Golden Rams jumped out to a 3-1 start in 2003 - their best beginning since 1996 when they began the year 4-1.
The game belonged to the Golden Rams from the outset when West Chester chewed up almost 11 minutes of first-quarter time, disrupting any rhythm the Ship offense was attempting to beat.
Instead, West Chester took a 7-0 lead with :47 left in the opening quarter when Osagie Osunde (Bloomsburg/Central Columbia) blasted his way on a 32-yard touchdown run. Osunde finished the game with six rushing attempts for 55 yards and two scores. He gave WCU a 31-14 lead with 2:08 left in the fourth quarter on an eight-yard burst.
The big offensive producers for WCU were TB Mike Eckmeyer and wide out Cory DeForrest (Wycombe/Council Rock). Eckmeyer rushed for over 100 yards against the Shippensburg defense for the second straight year, this time piling up 103 yards on 24 carries. He also caught a screen pass that he turned into a 46-yard gain.
DeForrest, meanwhile, had a career day. He snared six Bob Findora (Downingtown/Coatesville) passes for a career-best 162 yards and a brilliant 67-yard touchdown.
On third and 18, Findora rifled a bullet toward the sideline that only the 6-foot-4 DeForrest could reach. When the Shippensburg defensive back went for the break up, the lanky DeForrest reached up high in the air, grabbed the ball at the pinnacle of his leap, then in one motion turned toward a wide-open end zone.
DeForrests touchdown grab gave the Golden Rams a 24-0 lead with 6:00 to go in the third quarter. It followed Dan Wilbournes (Doylestown/Central Bucks West) first field goal of the season at 10:15 of the third quarter from 17 yards out. That field goal capped an 11-play, 55-yard drive to start the second half and pushed WCU up 17-0.
In between the field goal and Osundes first score, the Golden Rams used a little razzle-dazzle at 7:06 of the second quarter to jump ahead 14-0.
Osunde took a handoff along the offensive line, then flipped the ball to wide receiver (and former quarterback) George Caroulis on a reverse-type play. Caroulis then hit Findora who had lazily wandered into the end with a five-yard lob for a touchdown.
Findora finished the day 12 of 22 for 252 passing yards and one score. He also caught the five-yard touchdown throw from Caroulis and accounted for 75 rushing yards and 327 yards of total offense.
The Golden Ram 24-0 lead was quickly nicked following DeForrests score in the third when Brent Grimes returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for the Red Raiders first touchdown. Shippensburg would not score again until Pat Ferguson caught a sliding 10-yard pass with 3:30 left in the game.
After Osunde ran it in from eight yards away, Shippensburgs John Kuhn caught a five-yard touchdown pass with 0:05 left on the clock. On the PAT attempt, a high snap forced Shippensburg to scramble for a two-point try, but the Red Raider holder fumbled the ball at the WCU 24.
Defensive end Graham Eggleston (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg) picked up the ball and out-raced the field 76 yards for a defensive two-point conversion - the first by a WCU player since Dominic Kurtyan pulled the trick in 1988 and just the second in school history.
Jim McCullough had a terrific afternoon. The team captain posted nine tackles, one assist, three pass breakups and forced a fumble. He also caused the fumble on the Shippensburg PAT that resulted in Eggleston scoring. For his efforts, McCullough was named the PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week.
Outside linebacker Marc Statler (Downingtown/Downingtown) quietly had a superb afternoon. He totaled seven hits, including four solo tackles and three assists. Two of his tackles were for losses of one yard each, and he recovered the fumble caused by McCullough that killed a Shippensburg drive.
The Golden Rams received terrific performances out of LB Larry Cabrelli (Radnor/Conestoga), CB Isaiah Harrison (Wayne/Radnor) and LB Scott Dudley (Havertown/Haverford).
Cabrelli recorded four tackles with a one-yard TFL, while Harrison had five solo hits and one pass breakup that stopped a touchdown. Dudley contributed four tackles, an assist and a one-yard TFL.
The Last Meeting @ Farrell Stadium
WEST CHESTER, PA - Shippensburg quarterback Tyler Novak completed 13 of 22 pass attempts for 236 yards and two scores, and the Red Raiders rushed for three more touchdowns in a 41-27 PSAC crossover victory vs. West Chester on September 28, 2002, in John A. Farrell Stadium. The loss by the Golden Rams dropped their record to 1-3 overall, while Shippensburg improved to 2-2.
Cory DeForrest (Wycombe/Council Rock) gave the Golden Rams a 7-3 lead after collecting a four-yard touchdown pass from Bob Findora (Downingtown/Coatesville) with :42 left in the first quarter, but Shippensburg then scored three straight touchdowns on a 61-yard pass play from Novak to Brian Sekel, a nine-yard throw from Novak to Will Perry and a five-yard run by Jarrod Dech.
DeForrest closed out the first half with a 31-yard touchdown grab after a deflected pass off the hands of tight end Ryan Koch wound up in his gloves as he dove into the end zone. DeForrest would finish the game with six catches for 93 yards and three touchdowns, setting then-career highs for catches, yards and touchdowns in a game.
Shippensburg made it 30-13 on a seven-play, 80-yard march in the third quarter, but DeForrests 31-yard catch and run into the end zone with 6:00 left in the third cut the lead to 10 at 30-20.
Ship kicker Craig Lough hit a 23-yard field goal - his second field goal of the day - to extend the lead to 13 to start the fourth, but Mike Eckmeyer blitzed his way to a 74-yard run that brought WCU within six at 33-27.
Eckmeyer would finish the game with 129 yards on 26 carries and one touchdown, extending his WCU record for consecutive 100-yard rushing games to 10. It also marked the first time in 2002 that an individual player or a team had rushed for over 100 yards vs. the Shippensburg defense.
Findora would finish the day 17 of 28 for 229 yards and three touchdown passes - all to DeForrest. He would connect with seven different receivers, including Brian Bradley twice for 50 yards and Eckmeyer four times for 17.
MLB Brandon Neely finished the game with 11 total hits - nine tackles and two assists - while OLB Tim Garman (Leola/Conestoga Valley) posted eight tackles, an assist and a one-yard tackle for loss. Eric Maynard (Camp Hill/East Pennsboro) finished the game with four tackles, one assist and a one-yard tackle for loss.
The Last Time Out: WCU 35, Bloomsburg 24
WEST CHESTER, PA - Senior quarterback Bob Findora (Downingtown/Coatesville) completed 9 of 10 pass attempts for 177 yards and three touchdowns in the second half as West Chester beat Bloomsburg 35-24 and captured the 2004 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division crown on Saturday night, October 30.
Findora was sterling, finishing the day 16 for 26 with 252 yards and four touchdowns. His primary target was senior WR Cory DeForrest (Wycombe/Council Rock) who snagged six balls for 135 yards and one touchdown. Junior WR Brandon Simmons (Philadelphia/Williamsport), senior wideout Omar Harris (West Chester/West Chester Henderson) and senior split end Matt Chambers (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Holy Cross) all caught touchdown throws from Findora who spread the ball around.
Sophomore tail back Osagie Osunde (Bloomsburg/Central Columbia) carried the ball 25 times for 149 yards and one score.
Bloomsburg was led by Jamar Brittingham who had 18 carries for 153 yards and one touchdown, and Mike Ceroli who had 18 attempts for 120 yards. Jack Lydic finished the game by completing 12 passes on 22 attempts for 133 yards and two scores.
Red-shirt freshman strong safety Mike Mignogno (Glenside/Abington) led the Golden Rams with 18 tackles (16 solos and 2 assists) and one pass breakup in his first career start. His total of 18 hits tied Paul Nanni and former San Francisco 49er All-Pro Lee Woodall (twice) for the third-most tackles in a single game in school history.
Findora moved to third all-time in career passing yards, rolling by Al Niemela. He now has 7869 yards for his career.
Bloomsburg started the scoring when Brittingham scampered 11 yards at 5:26 of the first quarter to give the Huskies a 7-0 lead. The Golden Rams countered when Harris caught a three-yard fade in the left corner of the end zone just 1:16 later.
Bloomsburg went back up by seven in the second on Steve Burkes five-yard catch from Lydic with 8:38 left in the first half, allowing the Huskies to hold a 14-7 halftime advantage.
WCU tied the game 14-14 on the first series of the second half when Chambers caught his 14-yard TD pass from Findora to cap a four-play, 46-yard drive. Bloomsburg counter-punched again by taking a 17-14 lead on Garrett Blooms 36-yard field goal with 7:54 left in the third, but WCU responded when Osunde dove for the pylon at 1:58 of the third from one-yard out. The Golden Rams held a 21-17 lead at the end of the third.
In the fourth quarter, Burke caught a 39-yard touchdown throw from Lydic at 14:52 to jump Bloomsburg back on top 24-21. But the Golden Rams reclaimed the lead for good when Simmons snared a three-yard fade from Findora in the same spot that Harris caught his in the first half. The score came at 11:30 and pushed the Golden Rams ahead by four at 28-24.
Bloomsburg failed to score on its next series and the Golden Rams delivered the knockout blow when a pass intended for senior tight end Joe Bernatowicz (Langhorne/Neshaminy) went through his hands and into the outstretched arms of DeForrest at 4:52 of the fourth. The 26-yard ricochet touchdown throw from Findora to Bernatowicz to DeForrest put the Golden Rams up 35-24.
The play was reminiscent of a similar occurrence two years ago vs. Shippensburg when a Findora pass went off the hands of tight end Ryan Koch and into DeForrests for a touchdown.
Simmons finished the game with four grabs for 39 yards, while Chambers had three catches for 44 yards and a 16-yard tackle for loss on a botched Bloomsburg field goal attempt. Harris contributed two receptions for 32 yards and his score.
Osunde produced 219 all-purpose yards after taking 68 in returns and two on a pass reception. Findora posted 278 yards of total offense after also rushing for 26 yards on four plays.
Senior OLB Chad Weaver (Mechanicsburg/Red Land) registered the lone sack of the game on a blitz. He took down the Bloomsburg quarterback for an eight-yard loss and finished the game with three solo tackles. Senior OLB Scott Dudley (Havertown/Haverford) accumulated five tackles, an assist and a four-yard tackle for loss, while senior CB Isaiah Harrison (Wayne/Radnor) turned in five tackles, one assist and a pass breakup.
NCAA II National Offensive Statistics
WCU is ranked 27th in Division II in rushing offense (213.5 y/g)...the Golden Rams are ranked 21st in scoring offense (36.9 points per game)...Simmons is ranked 34th in receiving yards per game (82.0)...Findora is ranked 28th in pass efficiency (137.5 rating)
NCAA II National Defensive Statistics
WCU is ranked 17th in scoring defense (16.8 ppg.).
PSAC Offensive Statistical Rankings
WCU is tied for 2nd in scoring offense (36.9 points per game)...WCU is 4th in rushing offense (213.5 y/g), 4th in passing offense (192.7 y/g) and 5th in total offense (406.2 y/g)...the Golden Rams are 2nd in third-down conversions (56 of 122 for 45.9%)...WCU is 1st in first downs made (213).
Findora is 3rd in passing yards per game (188.6) and 3rd in total offense (202.8 y/g)...he is 6th in pass efficiency (137.5 rating)...Simmons ranks 5th in receptions per game (4.80) and 3rd in receiving yards per game (82.0)...Osunde is 6th in scoring and scoring touchdowns (8.2 ppg. in each category), 7th in all-purpose yards (132.2 y/g) and 9th in rushing (91.5 y/g).
PSAC Defensive Statistical Rankings
WCU is ranked 3rd in total defense (309.5 y/g), 6th in pass defense efficiency (167.2 rating) and 3rd in stopping third-down conversions (44 of 139 for 30.4%)...the Golden Rams are ranked 2nd in scoring defense (16.8 ppg.) and 5th in rushing defense (142.3 y/g).
Harrison is tied for 8th in passes defended with 10 (4 interceptions, 6 breakups)...Eggleston is tied for 4th in sacks (4.5 for -22 yards).
PSAC Special Teams Statistical Rankings
WCUs kick coverage permits just 16.1 yards per return to stand 2nd...WCU is 2nd in punt returns (11.5 y/r) and 4th in kickoff returns (20.7 y/r).
Wilbourne is 9th in punting (35.7 y/p)...freshman Cody Collins (Millsboro, DE/Delmar) is tied for 8th in kick scoring (4.0 ppg.)...Osunde is 5th in kick return average (23.2 y/r).
Ranking the Lines
The WCU defensive line has produced 24 sacks for -156 yards and is tied for 3rd in the PSAC...the WCU offensive line ranks 3rd in the PSAC in sacks allowed (11 for -66 yards).
In the Red Zone
The Golden Rams are by far the best team in the red zone...WCU has converted 88.7% of its red zone opportunities into points this year...WCU ranks 1st in the category after scoring 47 out of 53 times within the red zone area...the 53 attempts are 5 more than any other PSAC squad (Shippensburg has 48), while the 47 scores are 9 more than any other PSAC team (38 for Shippensburg)...the Golden Rams have 44 touchdowns and 3 field goals in the red zone...only one other school has even 30 red zone TDs (Bloomsburg with 32)...the WCU defensive ranks 3rd in allowing points in the red zone...teams have converted only 67.7% of opportunities (21 for 31).
The Streak
The Golden Rams have won 11 straight home games...the last time that occurred was from November 9, 1984 (31-20 vs. Kutztown) through November 6, 1987 (44-8 vs. Millersville)...IUP ended that three-year, 14-game streak in the last PSAC Championship Game ever played (21-9 on November 21, 1987)...WCU currently has a six-game winning streak...the last time WCU had a winning streak that long was in 1999 when the Golden Rams ended the season with seven consecutive victories and the PSAC East title.
The Coaches
Shippensburg head coach Rocky Rees (West Chester 71) is in his 15th season with the Red Raiders...he has amassed a 92-72-1 (.561) record...he owns a career mark of 128-87-2 (.594) in over 18 seasons...this marks the second straight week a WCU alum has brought his football team back to Golden Ram Country to face his alma mater...WCU beat the Danny Hale-led Bloomsburg Huskies last week 35-24...Bill Zwaan is in his second year with WCU...the University of Delaware graduate (1979) owns a 70-19 (.784) career mark...he is 16-5 (.787) at WCU.
Ramblings
The Golden Rams reached the 500-victory plateau all-time vs. New Haven to begin the 2003 campaign...WCU is 515-238-18 (.680) in its history dating back to 1920...WCU is now the second winningest Division II program in the nation (.683) behind Texas A&M-Kingsville...the Golden Rams own an NCAA-recognized all-time record of 484-220-17 (since 1927 when WCU became a four-year institution).
The Golden Rams have finished first or second in the PSAC East in 31 of the 39 years they have competed in the league...the Golden Rams own or have shared 19 PSAC East titles - including the one captured Saturday vs. Bloomsburg...Jim Brazill (Coatesville/Coatesville), Graham Eggleston (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg), Bob Findora (Downingtown/Coatesville) and Chad Weaver (Mechanicsburg/Red Land) are serving as the team captains in 2004...WCU was picked to finish second behind Bloomsburg in the PSAC East in the leagues preseason poll...the poll is voted on by the head coaches in the division.
Inside Some Cool Numbers
The Golden Rams are 5-0 all-time in regular-season overtime games...WCU is 5-1 all-time in overtime games and 4-0 vs. PSAC East teams...WCU has beaten each PSAC East team in overtime once except for Bloomsburg and Cheyney...the first overtime game played by WCU was a 56-50 triple-overtime loss at Portland State during the NCAA Division II Playoffs in 1989...the Golden Rams have recorded two shutouts in one season for the first time since 1996...like that year, both blankings this season came against Mansfield and Cheyney...WCU beat Mansfield for the 33rd consecutive time and owns a 33-0 all-time mark vs. the Mounties...West Chester is 6-0 in the PSAC East for the first time since 1999 - the last time the Golden Rams captured a divisional title...WCUs two losses this year have come to a pair of current Top 5 teams - I-AA Delaware and Division II Northwest Missouri State.
Inside Some Really Cool Numbers
WCU is 8-0 in the Northeast Region and has allowed a grand total of 106 points in those eight games (13.3 points per game)...WCU has allowed just 86 points in six PSAC East games (14.3 ppg.) and 100 vs. the seven PSAC teams it has faced (14.8 ppg.)...WCU has piled up 356 points in its eight Northeast Regional contests (44.5 ppg) and has amassed 274 points vs. its six PSAC East opponents (45.4 ppg).
The Record Watch
Findora is 3rd all-time in career passing yards at WCU with 7869...he passed Al Niemela (7853 from 1985-88) vs. Bloomsburg last Saturday...he needs 131 yards to become just the 3rd Golden Ram quarterback to throw for 8000 career yards...Findora is ranked 4th all-time at WCU in completions with 526...he is just the 4th WCU quarterback to surpass the 500 plateau...he is 3rd all-time in career 200-yard games with 21...he is 4th all-time in career TD throws (62).
DeForrest is 10th in career receptions (123)...he is 7th in career receiving yards (2168)..he is just the 8th Golden Ram in team history to record over 2000 career receiving yards...he moved past Bill Lowe (2076 yards from 1996-99) for 7th all-time...he needs 18 yards to catch former Minnesota Viking All-Pro Joe Senser for 6th (2186 from 1975-78), 98 to match Monk Culbreth for 5th (2266 from 1992-95) and 112 to tie Don Wilkinson for 4th (2280 from 1966-68).
Freshman Jimmy Lewis (Wilmington, DE/Concord) tied a WCU record vs. Glenville State with two blocked punts in the game.
WCU set a record for rushing touchdowns with nine also at Glenville State.
Simmons set the mark for the 8th best single-game receiving record with his 187 yards vs. Kutztown...he tied Lowes mark for the 11th best game in team history with 168 vs. Millersville...Lowe had his game in 1999 vs. Clarion...Simmons is the only receiver in WCU history to record back-to-back 160-yard games...he recorded his 3rd 100-yard game this season vs. East Stroudsburg...if he has one more, he will become just the 6th Golden Ram to record four in one campaign...Billy Hess, Steve Weaver, Rich Neal, Kevin Ingram and Brian Penecale are the only others.
Eggleston is 5th all-time on the career sack chart...he has 17.5 in his career...he needs 4 to catch the all-time leader Doug Jacob (21.5 from 1980-83)...Mike Testa is 4th (18 from 1985-88) and NASCAR crew chief Pat Ellis is 3rd (19.5 from 1985-88)...Jason Swint is 2nd (20 from 1993-95)...Eggleston is now 3rd all-time in tackles for loss with 34...he needs 1 to catch Greg Espenshade (35 from 1988-89) for 2nd place...Ben Tonon (63 from 1994-97) is the all-time leader.
Mignognos 18 total tackles tied Paul Nanni (October 1, 1983 vs. Millersville) and Lee Woodall (September 25, 1993 vs. Delaware & September 28, 1991 vs. Mansfield) for the 3rd highest total in a single game.
The Long and Windy Road
The Golden Rams began the season with a 3800-mile journey featuring five straight road games...the Golden Rams played games in Pennsylvania, Missouri, West Virginia and Delaware before finally finding their way back to Farrell Stadium on October 2...WCU will have closed the regular season by playing four of its final six games at home.
Internet & Radio Broadcast
For the third straight year, all 11 Golden Ram football games will be broadcast on Red Zone Media (redzonemedia.com) this season...fans may access Red Zone Media through the WCU webpage: wcupagoldenrams.com...this weeks broadcast duties will be handled C.D. Becthel and legendary Golden Ram coach and football historian John Furlow...pregame is slated for 12:45 p.m. (EST)...Saturdays game will be simulcast on 1520 AM WCHE (West Chester, PA)...the game will also be heard live on WCUR 91.7 FM - West Chester University Student Radio....the game can be heard live in Shippensburg, PA, on WSYC 88.7 FM.
The Next Game
The Golden Rams are anticipating an NCAA Division II Playoff berth...if the Golden Rams defeat Shippensburg, West Chester would get likely get a bye on November 13 and host an NCAA II Northeast Regional Semifinal on November 20...if Shippensburg beats the Golden Rams, WCU could possibly receive a bye or would play a first-round game on November 13.
