ERIE, Pa. - The Gannon football team concludes a two-game homestand Saturday, October 12 against rival Edinboro at Gannon University Field. The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division battle is scheduled for 12 noon. It begins rivalry stretch that features games against local rivals Edinboro and Mercyhurst during a six-day period.
Tickets cost $5 for adults and $3 for non-Gannon students and senior citizens.
All Gannon students, staff and faculty are admitted free of charge by showing their school ID at the gate. The contest can be heard live locally on Jet Radio 1400 and online at
www.wergfm.com. A live video broadcast will also be available through America One by
clicking here.
Gannon dropped to 3-2 overall with a 38-14 setback to ninth-ranked Bloomsburg last week at home. The Golden Knights are still one of only two teams left undefeated in PSAC Western Division play, joining Indiana (Pa.) in that group. Both of Gannon's losses this season have come at the hands of nationally-ranked teams out of the PSAC Eastern Division in West Chester and Bloomsburg. The Golden Knights have faced the toughest schedule in the PSAC and the ninth-toughest slate in NCAA Division II through five games. Their previous five opponents have won 80 percent of their games.
Head coach
Brad Rzyczycki's club will have to get used to the road after Saturday's contest. The Golden Knights will only play one more time at Gannon University Field during the final five weeks of the regular season. That will be Senior Day on November 2 against Seton Hill.
Several Golden Knights have a chance to move up Gannon's all-time record charts. Junior
Justin Caliste has 3,327 all-purpose yards, needing 39 to move past Darmel Whitfield (2001-04) and into fourth place. Junior
Abraham Ocasio enters Saturday's contest with 1,328 receiving yards, sitting five yards behind John Zernick (1992-95) for fourth place.
Redshirt senior
Jansen Jones needs 39 yards to become the seventh student-athlete in school history to rush for 2,000 career yards. He needs 42 yards to pass Jack Fulkman (1989-92) and move into seventh place all-time at Gannon. Redshirt sophomore
Liam Nadler has 4,297 career passing yards, needing 75 to move past Chris Delmonaco (1990-93) and into second place despite playing only 16 career games.
Edinboro (1-1 PSAC West) improved to 3-2 overall last Saturday after celebrating Homecoming Weekend with a 31-6 victory against Lock Haven, winning for the 13th consecutive time against the Bald Eagles. The Fighting Scots rushed for a season-high 226 yards with Jeremy Donaldson accounting for a career-high 144 yards on 19 carries. The performance included a career-best 62-yard touchdown run.
True freshman quarterback Cameron Sheppard made his first career appearance during the second quarter. He scored on a two-yard run during his first play from scrimmage. Mike Simons took over as the team's placekicker and made a 30-yard field goal, the first of his career. Junior cornerback Devin Ghafoor made an impact in a number of areas. He blocked a 22-yard field goal attempt, returned an interception 38 yards to set up Simons' field goal and had a sack. He finished with six tackles and broke up two passes. Delano Fabor registered a career-high 12 tackles from his free safety position.
Gannon has never defeated Edinboro in seven all-time meetings. The Golden Knights fell as an NCAA Division II Independent in 2001 on the road (37-21) and 2002 at home (17-7). After a six-year hiatus, the Fighting Scots have won all five match-ups since Gannon joined the PSAC in 2008. The Golden Knights are 0-3 against Edinboro at home and 0-4 at Sox Harrison Stadium.
