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FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart football team will carry a two-game winning streak and an unblemished record in Northeast Conference play into a matchup with Robert Morris this Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers (5-3, 3-0 NEC) enter this weekend's matchup in sole possession of first place in the Northeast Conference, off to a 3-0 start for just the third time in their history.
SHU is coming off a 49-26 win over Bryant last Saturday, using a power rushing attack to set a school record with 538 yards on the ground. Robert Morris (2-6, 0-4 NEC) is coming off a 20-7 loss to Saint Francis U. last weekend and has dropped five of their last six games.
Kickoff from Campus Field is set for noon on Saturday, NEC Front Row.
OPENING KICKOFF
• Sacred Heart will play back-to-back home games for the only time all season this Saturday with a matchup against Robert Morris.
• SHU is the lone remaining unbeaten team in NEC play, one game up on CCSU and Duquesne
• SHU put up a season-highs of 579 and 542 yards of offense the last two weeks
• SHU eclipsed 500 yards rushing for the first time in school history last week
• SHU has gone five straight games without an interception on defense for the first time in the Division I era (since 1999).
• This is the third 3-0 NEC start in school history for SHU (2000, 2001).
STARTING OFF:
• Senior quarterback Kevin Duke has spread the ball around this season, throwing 13 touchdown passes to eight different receivers.
• SHU set a school record with 538 rushing yards against Bryant.
• Sacred Heart is coming off its two best offensive outputs of the season (579 yards vs. Bryant and 540 yards vs. CCSU).
• SHU eclipsed 500 yards rushing as a team for the first time in program history vs. Bryant.
• The Pioneers attempted just three pass attempts vs. Bryant, the fewest since at least 1998.
• Despite winning by 23 points, SHU was also just 2-for-11 on third downs and had the ball for over seven minutes less than Bryant.
• SHU's two pass completions are tied for the second-fewest in the Division I era (2 at Robert Morris on (10/16/1999). The school record is 1 (1-for-6 vs. Iona on 10/28/2000).
• SHU scored four of their six TDs on the first play of drives in their win over Bryant.
• SHU had six plays of 40+ yards, all on the ground.
• SHU also scored on special teams as Kevin Peprah scooped up a fumble on an extra-point attempt and returned it all the way for two points in the fourth quarter.
RECORD BREAKING SATURDAY
The Pioneers broke several school records en route to a 49-26 win over Bryant on Oct. 27, including:
• School record rushing yards (538).
• NEC record for rushing yards in conference game (538).
• Jordan Meachum- school record 318 yards on 23 carries.
• Jordan Meachum- 13.8 yard per carry (min. 10 attempts).
• Jordan Meachum went over 100 yards rushing for the fourth time this season and moved back into second in the NEC in rushing yards per game this season with 119.8.
(CHEST)NUTS AND BOLTS:
• First-year tailback Julius Chestnut ran for a career-high 164 yards and three TDs against Bryant in a breakout performanc
• His 12.6 yard per carry vs. Bryant ranks third in single-game program history (13 carries, 164 yards)
• Chestnut averaged 49.2 yards on the ground against Dartmouth and Cornell, including a team-high 48 yards at Dartmouth.
• Chestnut had a solid collegiate debut against Lafayette with 57 yards rushing on 12 carriess.
RUNNING WILD:
• Senior running back Jordan Meachum had a career-day against Bryant, rushing for school records of 318 yards and 13.8 yard per carry (23 total carries). He set a career-high with 3 TDs.
• It was his fourth time this season rushing for over 100 yards.
COLLECTING THE HARDWARE:
Oct 29 Weekly Awards
JORDAN MEACHUM
• Northeast Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week
• College Sports Madness - FCS National Offensive Player of the Week
• College Sports Madness - NEC Offensive Player of the Week
• STATS FCS - Honorable Mention for National Offensive Player of the Week
• CFPA FCS - Honotable Mention National Player of the Week
JULIUS CHESTNUT
• NEC Rookie of the Week
• STATS FCS- Honorable Mention for National Rookie of the Week
SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS
• Robert Morris enters Saturday's game with a 2-6 overall record and a 0-4 record in NEC Conference play. The Colonials are coming off a 20-7 loss against Saint Francis this past weekend.
• RMU returns 15 players this season. The Colonials were picked to finish 9th in the NEC Preseason Poll.
• On the defensive side DB Amir Fenwick and LB Adam Wollet were named to the Preseason All-NEC Team. Fenwick was the Colonials only All-NEC First Team pick last season. Wollet led the NEC with 108 tackles and finished 18th in nation averaging 9.8 tackles per game he was also named to the 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-America team.
• On the offense, junior WR Tim Vecchio has been the team's offensive MVP each of the last two seasons. Sophomore C Eric McAllister was a Hero Sports Freshmen All-America pick in 2017. Of active FCS players, Warren Robinson is eighth with a 12.2 yard punt return average. 2018 marks the 25th season of football at Robert Morris. RMU was ranked 14th nationally with four blocked kicks. RMU was 17th in the nation holding opponents to 171.1 passing yards per game.
LAST TIME OUT
The Colonials are coming off a 20-7 loss at home to Saint Francis U. last weekend. The RMU defense put forth its best defensive effort of the season, allowing 329 yards of offense and only 105 rushing yards. Senior linebacker Adam Wollet had a season-high 15 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss. Jonathan Wanat added nine tackles and Brady Ours made his first collegeiate start, totaling seven tackles.
Offensively, quarterback Jimmy Walker was 10-of-22 for 151 yards and one touchdown. Tight end Matthew Gonzalez had three catches and scored RMU's only touchdown.
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