Game Notes | ESPN3 | Tickets
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart football team wraps up its 2016 season Saturday at Campus Field, taking on Bryant at Campus Field at 12 p.m. for Senior Day. The game will be televised on ESPN3.
The Senior Day ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m., and will be streamed on the Sacred Heart University Pioneers Facebook page via Facebook Live. The first 500 fans to Campus Field on Saturday will receive a free SHU Senior Day t-shirt. With Sacred Heart also hosting the NEC Women's Volleyball Championship this weekend, Pioneer fans can get a ticket good for both the football game and the volleyball semifinal for just $10 by calling 203-396-TIXX.
Sacred Heart enters the final game of the regular season 6-4 after falling at Duquesne last week 31-10. Despite the loss, two seniors will have a chance to break some SHU football career records Saturday. Fifth-year quarterback RJ Noel is two touchdown passes away from breaking Dale Fink's career record of 82. Noel enters this week with 81 career touchdown passes and has accounted for 103 total touchdowns. Senior linebacker James Rentz is two sacks away from passing Odain Mitchell as the Pioneers' all-time leader in sacks. Rentz has 26.0 sacks for his career after posting one last week.
Bryant is 4-6 entering the final week of the regular season after a 31-21 loss at Coastal Carolina last Saturday. The Bulldogs led 21-16 after three quarters, but the Chanticleers scored 15 unanswered points to come away with the win. Quarterback Dalton Easton was 21-for-38 passing for 230 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. Easton is third in the NEC with 246.4 passing yards and 234.1 yards of total offense per game. Bryant is averaging 25.8 points per game while allowing 27.6 points per game.
Sacred Heart leads the all-time series against Bryant 6-3. Last season, the Pioneers defeated the Bulldogs 28-19 at Bulldog Stadium for SHU's third consecutive win in the series. SHU recorded five interceptions in the game. Nate Chavious rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown, while RJ Noel added two rushing scores of his own. The Pioneers won the last meeting at Campus Field 14-7 on Nov. 15, 2014, which clinched SHU's second straight NEC title and berth into the FCS Playoffs.
