Lafayette (3-0) @ Robert Morris (0-3) Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. Joe Walton Stadium (3,000) - Moon Township, Pa.
Radio: WPIT-AM 730 (Chris Shovlin - play-by-play & Brian Cleary - color) Live Video/Audio on the internet at: www.rmucolonials.com Top Story - The Robert Morris University football team returns to action this Saturday, Sept. 29, at 6:00 p.m. as the Colonials welcome Lafayette to Joe Walton Stadium in a non-conference affair. After having a bye this past week, RMU will meet the Leopards for the first time in program history Saturday. Lafayette will be the 31st distinct opponent for Robert Morris in its 19-year football history. Robert Morris will be celebrating Homecoming Weekend on campus and will be playing just the second home night game in program history after it posted a 45-14 victory over Saint Francis under the lights during the 2011 Homecoming game. RMU is 14-6-1 (.690) when playing after a bye week and is 18-11-1 (.617) when meeting an opponent for the first time. For the sixth time in the past nine meetings, Robert Morris had more total yards of offense than Dayton, but the Colonials fell, 20-14, to the Flyers in their last time out. After facing the Leopards, RMU will play seven Northeast Conference (NEC) games to close its slate, the first two of which will be on the road at Saint Francis and Bryant, respectively. Quick Stat of the Afternoon - When Robert Morris takes the field Saturday against Lafayette, it will be doing so as part of the University’s Homecoming festivities. That fact should bode well for RMU as the Colonials have won 13 of their past 17 games played as a part of Homecoming. The 2011 Homecoming game (10/8) was notable in large part because it was the first-ever home night game in program history, and the Colonials put on a show for their fans, running out to a 35-0 halftime lead en route to a 45-14 victory over Saint Francis. RMU opened up a similar 35-0 halftime lead on Albany during the 2010 Homecoming contest (10/16) and cruised to a 38-0 victory. Another recent memorable Homecoming performance for RMU occurred Oct. 14, 2006 when it met Central Connecticut State in what was the first-ever game against a nationally ranked opponent. The Colonials came away with an exciting, 23-17, victory in double overtime. Saturday’s Opponent - Saturday’s game between Robert Morris and Lafayette marks the inaugural meeting between the two programs. Robert Morris owns a record of 18-11-1 (.617) when facing off with an opponent for the first time. Only four of those 11 defeats have occurred at home, and just two of those four setbacks on home soil have happened since 1998. The last time the Colonials had a matchup with a first-time opponent at home was Sept. 15, 2010 when RMU stunned No. 15 Liberty with a thrilling, 30-23, victory. All-time leading rusher and current assistant coach Myles Russ (2007-10) scored the winning touchdown with just 22 seconds remaining. On This Date (Sept. 29) in Robert Morris Football History - The 2001 Robert Morris squad faced a similar situation to that of the current team. It had dropped its first three games, including a season-opening road loss and a setback to Dayton, and was set to play its fourth game of the season September 29 as part of Homecoming--exactly the scenario in which the 2012 team finds itself. In that 2001 game, RMU erupted for 20 points in the second quarter to open up a 27-7 halftime lead and cruised to a 41-7 victory over Saint Francis. Robert Morris exploded for 509 yards of total offense, a mark which was aided by Sam Dorsett’s (1999-03) 122 rushing yards on 16 carries. Colonial quarterback Tim Levcik (1998-01) was 13-for-18 for 252 yards and four touchdown passes and, in the process, broke career school records for completions and passing yards, marks he still owns to this day. The win jumpstarted the Colonials’ season as RMU did not lose for the remainder of the campaign as it finished the year with a 6-1 mark in the NEC.
2012 Schedule Sept. 1 Sept. 8 Sept. 15 Sept. 29 Oct. 6 Oct. 13 Oct. 20 Oct. 27 Nov. 3 Nov. 10 Nov. 17
@ #2 North Dakota State L, 0-52 ALBANY * L, 10-35 @ Dayton L, 14-20 LAFAYETTE # 6 p.m. @ Saint Francis * Noon @ Bryant * 1 p.m. CENTRAL CONN. STATE * ^ Noon @ Wagner * 1 p.m. DUQUESNE * 3:30 p.m. @ Sacred Heart * Noon MONMOUTH * $ Noon
* NEC game; # Homecoming; ^ Hall of Fame Day; $ Senior Day
Colonials At A Glance Starters Returning / Lost ............................ 17 / 7 Offensive Starters Returning / Lost ............ 7 / 4 Defensive Starters Returning / Lost ............ 8 / 3 Specialist Starters Returning / Lost ............ 2 / 0 Letterwinners Returning / Lost .............. 39 / 14 Offensive Starters Returning / Lost .......... 7 / 4 LT - A.J. Dalton .................................. 6-4, 300, Jr. LG - Vince Mongelluzzo .................. 6-3, 265, Jr. RT - Nate Hargraves ........................ 6-4, 275, Sr. QB - Jeff Sinclair ............................ 6-3, 210, Sr. FB - Nick Groat ............................ 5-11, 220, Sr. HB - Deontae Howard ...................... 5-8, 185, Jr. SE - Donte Jeter .............................. 6-1, 160, Jr. Defensive Starters Returning / Lost ........... 8 / 3 LE - Nolan Nearhoof ......................... 6-2, 250, Sr. NG - Farren Mason ....................... 5-11, 285, R-Sr. RE - Steve Mitchell ............................ 6-1, 265, Sr. OLB - Brad Banas ............................... 6-2, 235, Sr. ILB - Kyle Cooper ............................... 6-0, 230, Sr. OLB - Andrew Douglass .................... 6-1, 230, Sr. SS - D.J. Myers ............................... 5-11, 185, Jr. WS - Cameron Chadwick .................. 6-1, 205, Sr. Specialist Starters Returning / Lost ........... 2 / 0 PK - Greg Langer ............................ 5-7, 165, Sr. P - Tony LaMancusa ................... 5-10, 190, So.