FROSTBURG, Md.

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WEST LIBERTY (4-6, 4-5 MEC) VS #17 FROSTBURG STATE (9-1, 8-1 MEC)

-When: Thursday Nov 11, 2021
-Where: Frostburg, Md.
-Stadium: Bobcat Stadium (4,000)
-Kickoff: 7 p.m.
-Live Video: (MASN)
-Live Audio: (99.5 WDZN Cumberland)
-Live Stats: (Frostburg State Live Stats)

SERIES BREAKDOWN

-All-Time Series: Tied 3-3-1
-First Meeting: 1965, 26-12 WL
-Last Meeting: 2019, 27-24 FSU
-Streak: FSU +3

GAME NOTES

TICKETS/TAILGATING      
Don't forget tickets need to be purchased online, as cash will not be accepted at the gate. Purchase at frostburgtix.universitytickets.com.

PRIOR TO KICKOFF      
- The Frostburg State Bobcats prepare to close out the 2021 football season at home against the West Liberty Hilltoppers at Bobcat Stadium under the Thursday Night Lights.

Frostburg enters the matchup vs West Liberty this week after a 55-14 home victory over the West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats in the tenth
week of the season.

West Liberty enters the matchup after losing their matchup last Saturday against West Virginia State at home, 33-28.

SERIES HISTORY      
-The all-time series is tied at: 3-3-1. The last matchup between these two programs was September 19, 2019 in Frostburg, Md. where the Bobcats took the victory 27-24. Senior Gavin Lavat rushed for 98 yards on 25 attempts and senior Christian Thornton hauled in five receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. Until 2019, the last time these programs met was 1986, a 15-6 win for FSU. The series breaks down as follows:

-1965: 26-12 WL
-1966: 53-9 WL
-1982: 21-21 Tie
-1983: 27-17 WL
-1985: 23-13 FSU
-1986: 15-6 FSU
-2019: 27-24 FSU

LAST TIME OUT ON EACH SIDE     
- Last time out for Frostburg State was a 55-14 victory at home over the West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats at Bobcat Stadium. The FSU offense was running downhill after trailing through the first quarter. After taking the lead for the first time at 20-14 in the second quarter, FSU continued to rush the football with great result. Seniors Gavin Lavat and Malcom Facey would each register two touchdowns, and combine for 287 yards on the afternoon. This would be the first time since 2017 that two FSU running backs registered 2+ rushing touchdowns (Jamaal Morant (2) and Grayson Boyce (2) vs TCNJ 9/9/17).  

-West Liberty suffered a 33-28 loss at home to West Virginia State on November 6. WVSU opened up a 20-7 lead over the Hilltoppers in the 2nd quarter, but WL would come charging back to make things close. With a touchdown late in the second quarter, WL would cut the defecit to 20-14 before the halftime break. In the second half, the Hilltoppers would score twice in the fourth quarter to take the lead 28-27, but a late rallying drive by WVSU would give the victory 33-28 with a 28 yard rushing TD within the final minute of the contest. Graduate student Jack Allison would toss four TDs and 294 yards in the loss.

PUSHING THEM BACK      
- Junior Luke Freeman ranks fifth in the MEC in the tackles for loss department after ten weeks with a stat line that reads: 15 solo, six assisted for a 18.0 total and 85 yards. Additionally, senior Hauns White ranks ninth in the MEC with nine solo, two assisted for a total of 10 and 53 yards. Senior Carl Igweh also sits at number three with a stat line of: 18 solo, eight assisted for a total of 22 and 133 yards.

CHAMPIONSHIP ASPIRATIONS      
- Entering the final week of the Mountain East regular season, Frostburg State continues to hold a tie with Notre Dame (OH) for the spot of conference champion. If FSU wins against West Liberty and NDC defeats Alderson Broaddus, the two programs with split the title and be conference co-champions. This will be the first time since the inception of the MEC in 2013 that two teams share a conference title as the conference does not sponsor a championship game.

GREAT HANDS      
- Senior Malik Morris sits at second in receiving leaders for the conference with 45 receptions for 1090 yards, 11 TDs, with a 121.1 avg/g.

BRING THE PRESSURE      
- Frostburg State currently has three players within the top 10 for sacks amongst the MEC. Seniors Hauns White (9th, 5 solo, 1 assisted, 5.5 total) Carl Igweh (1st, 14 solo, 4 assisted, 16 total) and junior Luke Freeman (4th, 8 solo, 3 assisted, 9.5 total) continue to pace the defensive side of things.

THROUGH THE AIR      
- Redshirt freshman Graham Walker ranks fifth in the MEC in passing through ten weeks of the season, with a stat line of 121-221, 11 int, 54.8%,1986 yds, and 18 TD and an average of 198.6/ypg.

ON THE RETURN      
- Graduate student Zae Giles sits in top three in kick return rankings in the MEC at number one. Through ten games, Giles has 15 returns for 352 yards, a touchdown a long of 91 yards and an average return of 23.5 yds.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN    
- Senior Malik Morris is 110 yards away from taking the spot of all-time leading receiver for the Frostburg State University football program.

REWRITE THE RECORDS    
- Senior Gavin Lavat's 24 rushes for 228 yards and two touchdowns last week were enough to make him the all-time rushing leader in Frostburg State football history. He surpassed the mark set by Rich Prather from 1979-1982 of 3,163. Lavat enters his final collegiate game with 3,391 yards and looks to add to the total.  

SCOUTING FROSTBURG STATE    
- 9-1 Overall in 2021.
- Second in MEC in scoring offense (38.2 avg/g), third in scoring defense (17.7 avg/g).
- Third in total offense (404.6 avg/g), third in total defense (298.6 avg/g).
- Second in rushing offense (196.0 yds/g), first in rushing defense (87.7 yds/g).
- Eighth in passing offense (208.6 avg/g), fifth in passing defense (210.9 avg/g).
- First in MEC in sacks (51); fourth in MEC in sacks allowed (17).
- Eighth in time of possession in MEC (29:14 avg).
- First in MEC in 3rd down conversions (50-118, 42.4%).
- Second in MEC in Opponent 4th down conversion (7-20, 35.0%)
- First in red zone offense in MEC, (38-44, 86.4% / 30 TDs / 8-8 FGs)

SCOUTING WEST LIBERTY     
- 4-6 overall in 2021.
- WL ranks sixth in MEC in scoring offense (22.4 avg/g), seventh in scoring defense (23.4 avg/g).
- Ninth in total offense (304.8 avg/g), sixth in total defense (356.5 avg/g).
- Eighth in rushing offense (92.0 yds/g), third in rushing defense (110.7 yds/g).
- Sixth in passing offense (212.8 yds/g), tenth in passing defense (245.8 avg/g).
- Third in MEC in sacks for (35); fifth in MEC in sacks allowed (26).
- Ninth in time of possession in MEC (29:00 avg).
- Second in MEC in red zone offense (26-43, 60.5%, 19 TDs, 7-14 FGs)
- First in MEC in punting (55, 2115 yards, 38.5 avg)

ADDITIONAL WEST LIBERTY NOTES     
- First year of football: 1899
- All-time program record: (Since 1923): 466-405-34
- Program's best all-time single season was 2009: 11-2 (Lost in NCAA Quarterfinals vs Cal U 57-35).
- School once beat an opponent (Shenandoah) 98-0 in 1928.
-WL reached the NAIA semifinals in 1970 (12-6 loss to Wofford S.C.)
-WL is part of an college football record that still stands today, a 54-54 tie with West Virginia State (most points ever scored by both teams in a contest to end in a tie).  
-Roger Waialae is in the midst of season 17 at the helm of WL, compiling an 88-92 record.

A VICTORY WOULD      
- Lift the Bobcats to 301-288-8 overall in 60 seasons.
- DeLane Fitzgerald his 62nd victory at the helm of Frostburg State.

FSU SUCCESS MONTH BY MONTH     
The month of November has been a solid month for Frostburg football, netting a winning percentage of 68% (0.684).

In fact, since the 2015 season, Frostburg is 13-6 in the month of November.

Follow along monthly as month-by-month winning percentage is tallied here.

Frostburg Month-By-Month Over The Last Five Seasons
Month    W-L
September    21-6
October    27-6
November    13-6

TEAM GAME STREAKS    

HOME WINS: 7
last loss: vs #14 Notre Dame (OH) (13-35) 11/2/19

ROAD WINS: 2
last loss: at #14 Notre Dame (OH) (21-23) 10/9/21

CONFERENCE WINS: 4
last loss: at #14 Notre Dame (OH) (21-23) 10/9/21

SCORING: 75
last shutout: at SUNY Brockport (0-46) 10/11/14

SCORING A TD: 68
last contest without a TD: vs Wesley (3-44) 9/12/15