CONFERENCE PLAY CONTINUES IN WEEK 3
• Conference play continues with six matchups on Saturday afternoon across the league. The next three weeks of the MEC schedule features full six-game slates on Saturday following Thursday night action the previous two weeks.
• Saturday’s action gets underway with Frostburg State at Charleston and West Liberty at No. 17 Notre Dame at 12 noon. An hour later, three more games will kickoff with UNC Pembroke at Glenville State, Wheeling at Alderson Broaddus and Fairmont State at West Virginia State. Concord at West Virginia Wesleyan is slated for a 2 p.m. start in Buckhannon.
• Last weekend, five of the six home teams were victorious, with Charleston’s 40-38 four-overtime victory over Fairmont State being the only win by a road team.
• Only four teams scored 30+ points during week two, led by 50 points from UNC Pembroke in a win over Wesleyan.
NOTABLE
• West Liberty’s Shon Stephens was named the D2 Football National Player of the Week after recording four interceptions last Thursday against Alderson Broaddus. Through two weeks, Stephens has six interceptions during the 2022 season.
• Stephens’ four interceptions against Alderson Broaddus set a new Mountain East Conference single game record. West Liberty also tied the MEC single-game interception record with six against the Battlers.
• MEC teams went 6-6 in non-conference play in week one, with three of the four MEC home teams coming away with victories.
• MEC teams are 8-2 at home this season.
• Through two weeks of the 2022 season, just four games have been decided by 7 points or less. In fact, five of the six games last weekend were decided by 11-points or more.
• Through two weeks, MEC teams have broken 30 points in a game just five times in 2022.
• In week two, eight MEC running backs rushed for 100+ yards in a game, led by 183 yards from UNC Pembroke’s JaQuan Kelly – the week two MEC Offensive Player of the Week. UNCP and Fairmont State both had two running backs rush for more than 100 yards in week two.
• No MEC quarterback passed for 300+ yards in week two. Fairmont State’s Connor Neal had the league’s top passing performance by completing 19-of-38 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns.
• Two receivers surpassed 100 yards receiving in week two, led by Notre Dame’s Napoleon Harris (6 catches, 121 yards). Wesleyan’s Devin Washington also hauled in three catches for 102 yards and a TD.
• Fairmont State’s Brocton Blair led all MEC defensive players with 21 tackles and a sack last Thursday against UC. Twelve players had 10+ tackles during week two.
• West Liberty’s Edwin Linares-Rivera led all MEC pass rushers last weekend with three quarterback sacks.
• In addition to the performance by Stephens (mentioned above), Charleston’s Nirion Washington also had two interceptions on Thursday night at Fairmont State.
• Last weekend, four teams had over 400 yards of total offense in the MEC, led by Fairmont State with 522 yards in an overtime setback against UC.
• In addition, during week two all but two teams in the MEC rushed for over 100 yards on the ground. Four teams surpassed 200+ rushing yards in week two, led by UNCP with 386 yards on the ground.
WEEK 3 | Saturday, Sept. 17
Frostburg State (2-0, 1-0) at Charleston (1-1, 1-0) | Noon | Charleston, W.Va.
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Notes: Frostburg State edged Charleston in double overtime, 30-24, on Sept. 16, 2021 … Gavin Lavat’s 3-yard touchdown run proved to be the difference in double overtime for the Bobcats … Frostburg State is receiving votes in the AFCA Top 25 for the third-consecutive week … Charleston’s Davis Black connected with Niko Kausky on a two-point conversion in the fourth overtime to lift the Golden Eagles to a 40-38 victory last Thursday at Fairmont State … UC had 446 yards in total offense last week … Frostburg State scored 18 unanswered points against West Virginia State last Saturday to pick up an 18-7 win … The Bobcats rushed for 215 yards in the win.
West Liberty (2-0, 1-0) at #17/25 Notre Dame (1-1, 1-0) | Noon | South Euclid, Ohio
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Notes: Notre Dame rolled to a 51-10 victory over the Hilltoppers in 2021 … NDC quarterback Chris Brimm threw for 449 yards and five touchdowns in the victory … Notre Dame outgained West Liberty 687-300 in the win … The Falcons are currently ranked in both Top 25 national polls, include at No. 17 in the AFCA Coaches Poll … Last week West Liberty scored 27 of the final 34 points to take down Alderson Broaddus in the MEC opener for both teams … The Hilltoppers took control of the game with a 20-point third quarter … Notre Dame scored first half points and never trailed in a 27-14 win over Wheeling last Saturday … Brimm passed for 264 and a touchdown for the Falcons, while Idris Lawrence chipped in 97 yards on 19 carries for the Falcons.
UNC Pembroke (1-1, 1-0) at Glenville State (1-1, 0-1) | 1 p.m. | Glenville, W.Va.
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Notes: UNC Pembroke defeated Glenville State, 36-22, at home in 2021 … In last year’s meeting, Glenville State led 14-0 early before the Braves would score 36 of the game’s final 44 points … UNC Pembroke quarterback Josh Jones completed 20-of-38 passes for 182 yards and two TDs in the win … Despite the setback against Concord last Saturday, the Pioneers outgained the Mountain Lions 383-366 … UNC Pembroke scored 26 unanswered points and rolled to a 50-26 win over Wesleyan last Saturday … UNCP rushed for 386 yards in the win.
Wheeling (1-1, 0-1) at Alderson Broaddus (0-2, 0-1) | 1 p.m. | Philippi, W.Va.
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Notes: Wheeling rolled to a 28-6 victory over Alderson Broaddus in 2021 … Wheeling outgained Alderson Broaddus 366-200 during the 2021 meeting … the Cardinals did most of their damage through the air, with 295 yards passing in the win … Tayshawn Yates was on the receiving end of three passes for 99 yards for AB during last week’s loss to West Liberty … In last week’s loss to nationally ranked Notre Dame, Wheeling running back Eli Young rushed for 146 yards on just 14 carries, which included a 74-yard TD run in the opening quarter.
Fairmont State (0-2, 0-1) at WV State (1-1, 0-1) | 1 p.m. | Institute, W.Va.
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Notes: West Virginia State edged Fairmont State, 30-23, in Fairmont last fall … Trailing 30-10 with 9:20 remaining in the fourth quarter, Fairmont State scored 14 points in the final 6:18 of the game before being edged late … West Virginia State outgunned the Falcons on offense with a 465-351 yardage advantage … The Yellow Jackets rushed for 282 yards in the game … Despite the four-overtime loss last Thursday, Fairmont State outgained UC 522-446 … In last week’s setback against Frostburg State, West Virginia State had four players with double-digit tackles, led by Kameron Vargas with 14. Donovan Riddick was State’s leading passer (140) and rusher (33) in the game.
Concord (2-0, 1-0) at WV Wesleyan (0-2, 0-1) | 2 p.m. | Buckhannon, W.Va.
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Notes: Concord came away with a 28-25 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan last September in Athens … In 2021, Concord scored all of its 28 points in the opening half, before holding off a late rally by the Bobcats … CU quarterback Jack Mangel completed 19-of-39 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns in the victory … West Virginia Wesleyan outgained Concord 401-397 in the win … Concord improved to 2-0 with a 21-7 win over Glenville State last Saturday … Mangel completed 19-of-37 passes for 181 yards and a score in the CU win … Concord also got two turnovers from its defense in the win … In last week’s loss at UNC Pembroke, West Virginia Wesleyan quarterback Nathan Payne threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns … Devin Washington (WVWC) caught three passes for 102 yards and a score.