Frostburg (7-2)	vs.	Kentucky Wesleyan (0-9)

Game Information
Date / Time: Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019 - 1:00 pm
Where: Bobcat Stadium
Watch: MountainEast.tv/Frostburg
Live Stats: FrostburgSports.com/Live
Directions: Click Here

Listen: All 11 games will be broadcast on 99.5 WDZN Cumberland/Frostburg


Frostburg Game Notes (PDF)
 

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PRIOR TO KICKOFF      
Frostburg State hosts Kentucky Wesleyan this Saturday in the final home game of 2019 for the Bobcats and the game is senior day for 11 players.

Frostburg had its seven-game winning streak snapped last Saturday with a 35-13 loss to No. 6 ranked Notre Dame (Ohio), but the Bobcats are still in second place in the MEC standings. Kentucky Wesleyan, meanwhile, comes to Frostburg for the third time with an 0-9 overall record. The series currently sits at one win apiece for each school.

Frostburg's seven-game winning streak started with a week two win over Concord (52-14) and it marks the fourth-straight season that FSU has won at least seven games in a row.

The Panthers have lost their last 12 games following a 46-6 victory over Lake Erie last October. Head coach Craig Yeast is in his first season at KWU.

SENIOR SEND-OFF      
Frostburg will honor 11 student-athletes to open the halftime festivities of Saturday's contest against Kentucky Wesleyan. Those 11 players represent the 2019 senior class and will be the final home game of their playing careers at Frostburg.

The 11 players are Will Brunson, Vincent Persichetti, Brady Watson, Wayne Palmer, Drew Ashley, Michael Bell, Matt Meier, Ryan Landis, Jason Money, Wade Olson and Walter Riley.

BY THE NUMBERS      
0 - Frostburg hasn't lost a non-conference regular season game under Fitzgerald
1 - First season (2019) at the NCAA Division II level for Frostburg State
2 - FSU has appeared in the NCAA Playoffs in each of the last two seasons
3 - The Bobcats have made three-consecutive trips to the postseason between the NCAA Playoffs and ECAC Bowl Game (2016, 2017 & 2018)
5 - The Bobcats have five All-Americans in the last five seasons
7 - FSU has allowed just 12 sacks; tied for 37th in fewest allowed (166 DII teams)
9 - Frostburg's preseason ranking in the MEC Coaches' Poll
10 - Frostburg has won 10 of its last 12 games in the month of November
10 - FSU has won 10 or more games in the last three seasons
11 - Seniors on this year's team
13 - The Bobcats have scored 13 TDs this fall outside the redzone
15 - FSU has 15 scoring drives (TD or FG) over 60 yards this season
17 - Number of wins for Frostburg in the last 20 home games
20 - Number of wins for Frostburg in the last 21 games away from home
26 - The numbers of wins over a 10-year stretch before Fitzgerald took over
29.5 - Tackles for loss for junior DE Zach Strand during his career
33 – Of Frostburg's 37 TDs this season; 33 have come from the offense
33 – Number of combined TFLs for Zach Strand, Carl Igweh and Wayne Palmer
38 - Number of wins for the Bobcats since the start of the 2016 season
48 - Wins in five-plus seasons under the direction of DeLane Fitzgerald
48 - Frostburg has collected 48 all-conference honorees in the last five years 78.5 - FSU has 74 tackles for loss this fall

WELCOME TO BOBCAT STADIUM      
The Frostburg football program has been impressive over the last three seasons at home at Bobcat Stadium. During that span, FSU has won 18 games against just four losses.

In 2016, the Bobcats were a perfect 6-0, while a year ago, Frostburg was 4-0 at home during the regular season and defeated Western New England, 42-24, in the opening round of the NCAA Playoffs at Bobcat Stadium.

This fall, FSU is 3-2 at home with losses to Notre Dame and W.Va. State (20-17) and wins over West Liberty (27-24), Urbana (24-16) and Charleston (42-7).

FSU SUCCESS IN NOVEMBER      
The month of November means that the Division II regular season is coming to a close and playoffs are just around the corner. Frostburg has made trips to the postseason in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and while the Bobcats don't qualify for the postseason for three seasons, the final month of the season is still big for FSU.

Over the last three seasons, Frostburg is 10-2 in games in November and the Bobcats are 4-1 in postseason play in November.

Frostburg Month-By-Month Over The Last Five Seasons
Month    W-L
September    14-5
October    21-5
November    11-5

SCOUTING FROSTBURG      
- 7-2 Overall
- Suffered 35-13 loss at No. 6 ranked Notre Dame (Ohio) last week
- Prior to ND loss, FSU posted seven-game winning streak for fourth-straight season
- FSU is 3-2 at home this season
- Fitzgerald has not lost a non-conference game during the regular season at FSU
- The Bobcats are averaging 32.6 ppg
- FSU leads MEC in scoring defense (20.5)
- Fourth in MEC in scoring (32.6), leads league in scoring defense (20.5)
- Sixth in total offense (364.6), fifth in total defense (359.0)
- Fourth in rushing (137.3), seventh in rushing defense (154.3)
- Sixth in passing offense (227.3), second in passing defense (204.7)
- Lead MEC in sacks (33); fourth in fewest sacks allowed (12)
- First in time of possession in MEC (32:58)
- Junior RB Gavin Lavat second in MEC in rushing (101.2)
- Graduate QB Will Brunson eighth in passing (193.0)
- Brunson tied for fifth in MEC in TDs (16)
- Juniors Carl Igweh and Zach Strand rank fourth and fifth respectively in the league in tackles for loss per game at 13 and 12.5
- Senior Michael Bell is third in MEC interceptions (4)

SCOUTING KENTUCKY WESLEYAN     
- 0-9 Overall ... last in Great Midwest Athletic Conference
- The Panthers have lost their last 12 games dating back to last October
- KWU is averaging just 12.7 points per game over the last four contests
- Scored over 20 points just twice in 2019
- Teams average nearly 37 ppg against the Panthers
- Allow 413.8 yards in offense per game
- Third in the GMAC in passing offense (239.2); last in rushing (65.2)
- Have allowed 35 sacks in nine games
- Wiley Cain completed 185-of-332 passes for 1,864 yds. and 8 TDs

BOBCATS ON TV      
Frostburg's dominating 42-7 win over Charleston on Thursday, Oct. 17 was broadcast live to 10 million homes on MASN and was rebroadcast on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh at 9:00 pm later that evening. It was Frostburg's first live TV game in program history and fans joined watch parties throughout Maryland and in Charlotte to catch all of the action.

PRESEASON POLL       
Frostburg was picked to finish ninth in its first season as a member of the Mountain East Conference and five of FSU's seven wins have come against teams picked ahead of them in the poll.

Frostburg took down Fairmont in 2OT and the Falcons were picked to finish second in the league. On Thursday Oct. 17, the Bobcats dominated Charleston to the tune of 42-7 at Bobcat Stadium and UC was slated to finish fourth in the league.

The Bobcats have also defeated Urbana (fifth), West Liberty (sixth), Concord (eighth), W.Va. Wesleyan (10th) and Wheeling (11th).

SCORING FIRST      
Frostburg is 5-1 this season when scoring first and is 38-4 under Fitzgerald when the Bobcats put the first points on the scoreboard.

CONSECUTIVE LOSSES      
Frostburg hasn't suffered consecutive losses since Fitzgerald's second year at the helm when Frostburg closed the 2015 season with losses to Rowan, Montclair and Salisbury.

Since that stretch, Frostburg is 38-6 with winning streaks of 13, 7, 10 and 7 games. The 13-game winning streak started in 2016 and stretched into the 2017 campaign and is a school record. Meanwhile, Frostburg started 10-0 last season with a 9-0 regular-season. It is the only unblemished regular-season in program history.

A VICTORY WOULD      
- Lift the Bobcats to 284-284-8 overall in 59 seasons
- Land Fitzgerald his 49th victory at the helm of Frostburg
- Give the Bobcats their 11th win in their last 13 games in November
- Push FSU's record to 7-0 in non-conference regular season games under Fitzgerald
- Give Frostburg a 2-1 series lead against Kentucky Wesleyan

THE SERIES      
As Frostburg entered the NCAA Division II ranks this season, the Bobcats were facing new teams and schools that they have never played before. Frostburg has previously played only two of this season's 11 opponents; West Liberty and Kentuckey Wesleyan.

FSU and KWC have met twice before on the field. The Bobcats won the first meeting 34-16 at Bobcat Stadium in 1998, while the Panthers won in Owensboro 43-31.

TOUGH TO COME BY      
In his five-plus seasons at the helm, Fitzgerald has led the Bobcats to a 30-1 record when holding opponents to less than 100 yards rushing.

FSU has limited three opponents this fall, Urbana, Wesleyan and Charleston, to less than 100 yards on the ground.

TURNOVER BATTLE      
Over the last three games, Frostburg has won the turnover battle by forcing nine turnovers while giving the ball away just four times.

On the season, FSU has forced 17 turnovers, while committing just 13. The Bobcats are fourth in the league in turnover margin at +4.

IN WILL WE TRUST      
Frostburg graduate QB Will Brunson has thrown for 16 touchdowns in nine games this season and is completing nearly 55 percent of his passes. He has thrown for two or more TDs in five contests and has passed for 1,737 yards. He is currently fifth in the MEC in TDs and eighth in yards.

TIME MANAGEMENT      
Frostburg enters the 10th week of the fall season ranked third in the MEC and 19th in the nation in time of possession at 32:47 per game.

The Bobcats have held the ball for 30 or more minutes in seven of nine games this season. FSU has held onto the football for 34 or more minutes in three games.

The Bobcats' T.O.P. numbers are a direct result of Frostburg running the ball on 62.6 percent of its offensive plays.

TIME MANAGEMENT 2.0      
Frostburg held the football for impressive 37:25 in its win over Charleston, effectively keeping UC's high-powered offense off the field. The time of possession against UC, is the most since Frostburg held the ball for 40:07 in its 35-34 win over nationally-ranked Wesley a year ago.

OPPONENT BACKFIELDS      
A pair of Frostburg juniors have been introducing themselves to MEC opponents by spending quality time in their opponent's backfield.

Carl Igweh and Zach Strand are currently fourth and fifth in the league's statistical standings in tackles for loss. Igweh has 13.0 tackles for loss (1.44), while Strand has 12.5 (1.39).

In his two years with Frostburg, Igweh has made 19 stops behind the line, while Strand has 29.5 TFLs through 2.5 years on the roster.

The Bobcats are currently tied for 11th in the DII ranks in sacks per game (3.44) and tied for 13th in tackles for loss per game (8.8).

LEANING ON LAVAT      
Junior RB Gavin Lavat is second in the MEC statistics in rushing this season, averaging 101.2 yards per game over FSU's first nine games in Division II.

Lavat ran for 141 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Concord and posted a season-high 143 yards on 30 attempts with three touchdowns in a win over Charleston.

Lavat is on pace to become Frostburg's first 1,000 yard runner in a single season since DeNelle Hale in 2001 (1,073). He needs just 89 yards to reach 1,000 for the season.

FINDING THE END ZONE      
The Bobcats have scored 61 offensive touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. In 2017, Frostburg's 61 TDs broke the program record of 53 touchdowns that was set in 1990.

So far this fall, Frostburg is averaging 4.2 TDs per game and if that pace continues, the Bobcats will find the end zone nearly 46 times in their first season at DII.

LAST TIME OUT      
Frostburg surrendered four rushing touchdowns to No. 6 ranked Notre Dame (Ohio) as the Bobcats were dealt a 35-13 loss.
 
The loss drops the Bobcats to 7-2 overall on the season and ends their seven-game winning streak. Frostburg opened the game's scoring when junior kicker Jeremy Harrison connected on a 26-yard field goal midway through the first quarter for a 3-0 cushion. It was the longest drive of the afternoon for FSU as the march lasted nine plays and covered 61 yards.
 
Notre Dame, behind the nation's 13th-best rushing attack, answered with three-consecutive rushing touchdowns for a 21-3 advantage at halftime.

Notre Dame scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns, while Will Brunson ran in from 10 yards out to cap the afternoon.