Sacred Heart (9-2 / 3-2) @ Robert Morris (5-4 / 3-1) Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013 at Noon Joe Walton Stadium (3,000) - Moon Township, Pa.
Radio: ESPN 970 AM (Chris Shovlin - play-by-play & Brian Cleary - color) Audio on the internet at: www.970espn.com / Live Video: www.necfrontrow.com Top Story - The Robert Morris University football team returns home for its fifth Northeast Conference (NEC) contest this Saturday, Nov. 16, at Noon as the Colonials welcome 9-2 Sacred Heart to Joe Walton Stadium. The winner of the game will claim, at a minimum, a share of the league championship. Robert Morris can clinch the league’s automatic playoff bid with a win and wins by Central Connecticut State and Wagner while the Pioneers can clinch it with a win and a win by Wagner. On the other hand, RMU would be eliminated from claiming the auto bid with a loss while a loss by Sacred Heart would end its chances at a league title. Saturday is Robert Morris’ home finale and thus will be the final regular-season home game for Joe Walton, the only head coach in program history. RMU is coming off of its third straight league win, two of which came on the road, as it toppled Central Connecticut State last weekend, 54-21. As is customary, the Colonials will take a moment to honor each of their seniors, 21 in all, in a brief ceremony prior to kickoff. RMU will finish the regular season next Saturday, Nov. 23, at Saint Francis. Quick Stat of the Afternoon - Robert Morris delivered an offensive outburst in its victory last week at CCSU. The Colonials scored seven touchdowns en route to 54 points. The seven TD's marked only the second time that RMU found the end zone seven times in a road game and were also the most in any game by RMU since the inaugural contest at Joe Walton Stadium in 2005, a 49-13 victory over Butler. What made last week’s display more notable was the fact that each touchdown was scored by a different Colonial—that marked the first time in RMU history that seven distinct Colonials scored a TD in the same game. Three of those seven scored touchdowns for the first time in their career (Kenny Davis; Eric Lowry; Kimani Smith) while a fourth scored via a new medium (Deontae Howard had his first receiving touchdown). After its strong outing, the RMU offense will be challenged as it faces the NEC leader in scoring defense in Sacred Heart. Saturday's Opponent - Robert Morris has met up with Sacred Heart in each of the past 15 seasons, and the series has been largely even. RMU has a slim, 8-7, edge, but the squads have split the eight prior meetings in Pennsylvania and have also split the four prior matchups at Joe Walton Stadium. RMU scored two touchdowns in the final 10 minutes in last year’s meeting with the Pioneers to come from behind and claim a 21-17 victory in Connecticut. Four of the past five games have been decided by four points or fewer. For more information on the all-time series against Sacred Heart, including the last game recap, please see page four of today’s game notes. On This Date (Nov. 16) in Robert Morris Football History - Robert Morris has played twice before on November 16, but only one of those contests was a home game. RMU won its first-ever game on Nov. 16, a contest that was its final home game of 1996 as well as its penultimate outing of the season. After a scoreless first quarter against C.W. Post, RMU took control over their middle two quarters. The Colonials scored 14 points before halftime and added three more touchdowns in the third frame to take a 35-0 lead after 45 minutes of action. The defense’s shutout bid was ended with a single second remaining in regulation as the Pioneers found the end zone to set the final margin at 35-6. Nonetheless, that final score could hardly dent a stout defensive effort from the Colonials as they yielded only 114 total yards of offense and held the Pioneers to -25 rushing yards. RMU tallied 10 sacks, a single-game school record that still stands as seven Colonials got to the quarterback. Archie Wannamaker (1996-98) ran for 122 yards and a TD.
2013 Schedule Aug. 29 Sept. 7 Sept. 14 Sept. 28 Oct. 5 Oct. 19 Oct. 26 Nov. 2 Nov. 9 Nov. 16 Nov. 23
@ #19 Eastern Kentucky L, 6-38 MORGAN STATE W, 31-14 DAYTON L, 14-21 @ VMI W, 37-31 (2 OT) @ Monmouth L, 9-35 DUQUESNE * # L, 20-21 @ Wagner * W, 17-13 BRYANT * W, 24-3 @ Central Conn. State * W, 54-21 SACRED HEART * ^ $ Noon @ Saint Francis * Noon
* NEC game; # Homecoming; ^ Hall of Fame Day; $ Senior Day
Colonials At A Glance Starters Returning / Lost .......................... 14 / 10 Offensive Starters Returning / Lost ............ 7 / 4 Defensive Starters Returning / Lost ............ 6 / 5 Specialist Starters Returning / Lost ............. 1 / 1 Letterwinners Returning / Lost .............. 34 / 21 Offensive Starters Returning / Lost ........... 7 / 4 LT - A.J. Dalton .................................. 6-4, 280, Sr. LG - Max Robertson ......................... 6-3, 305, So. C - Nick Faraci .................................... 6-2, 275, Jr. RG - Vince Mongelluzzo .................... 6-3, 265, Sr. HB - Evan Taylor .............................. 5-10, 180, Sr. FL - Duane Mitchell ............................ 6-1, 210, Jr. SE - Donte Jeter .................................. 6-1, 160, Sr. Defensive Starters Returning / Lost ........... 6 / 5 NG - Farren Mason ....................... 5-11, 285, R-Sr. OLB - Mark Centofanti ...................... 6-1, 240, Sr. ILB - Mike Cook .............................. 6-0, 235, R-Sr. CB - Antwan Eddie ............................ 5-10, 180, Jr. CB - Marcelis Branch ....................... 5-11, 180, So. SS - D.J. Myers ................................... 5-11, 185, Sr. Specialist Starters Returning / Lost ........... 1 / 1 P - Tony LaMancusa ......................... 5-10, 200, Jr. For the latest information on Robert Morris University football, including news, stats, records and videos, please visit:
www.rmucolonials.com