Looking to stop a two-game slide, coming back to Campus Field is the perfect remedy for the Sacred Heart University football team. The Pioneers (2-3 overall, 0-1 NEC) welcome Merrimack College to town on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Warriors (3-2, 0-1 NEC) were just in Fairfield seven months ago to take on SHU during the spring season.

OPENING KICKOFF

• Coming off back-to-back losses for the first time since 2019, Sacred Heart hosts Merrimack on Saturday for its Homecoming game. 
• SHU lost its last contest on the road at Howard, 22-17, while the Warriors lost their NEC opener, 37-14, versus Duquesne.
• The Pioneers are 4-4 on Homecoming under Mark Nofri, but have lost their last three games.
• The Pioneer defense is allowing 5.0 points per game at home, but surrendering 26.7 ppg. on the road.
• Sacred Heart won the one and only meeting with the Warriors as members of the NEC during the spring season, 26-9. 
• Since he took over as the starter, junior running back Malik Grant has averaged 103.3 yards per game after running for 111 yards at Howard.
• Earnest Howard was the third-different Pioneer to lead the team in tackles as he recorded six stops at Howard. Linebacker DeAndre Byrd has topped SHU three times.