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WEST VIRGINIA STATE (4-2, 4-1 MEC) VS FROSTBURG STATE (5-1, 4-1 MEC)

-When: Thursday, October 19, 2023
-Where: Frostburg, Md.
-Stadium: Bobcat Stadium (4,000)
-Kickoff: 7 p.m.
-Live Audio: (99.5 DZN Cumberland)
-Live Video: (Bobcat Sports Network) (MASN) (SportsNet PGH)
-Live Stats: (Frostburg State Live Stats)

SERIES BREAKDOWN

-All-Time Series: Fourth Meeting, FSU 2-1
-First Meeting: 2019: WVSU 20 FSU 17 
-Last Meeting: 2022: WVSU 7 FSU 18
-Streak: FSU +2

GAME NOTES

-LAST TIME OUT FOR FROSTBURG STATE  
   -Frostburg State takes the field for an early week after hitting the road for Concord last Saturday. After Concord would strike first with a 23 yard field goal to lead 3-0, FSU would not look back and proceed to pour on 34 straight points in the contest. The rushing game for FSU would take control of the game from the jump, with a pair of senior RBs racking up over 100 yards each (Evan Branch: 142 net, Sean Aaron: 129 net). A rushing total of 324 net yards carried the FSU offense, and pushed the Bobcat side to its third straight victory in Athens over the Mountain Lions. 

-SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS 
   -The Yellow Jackets have sat idle since October 7, when they traveled to take on Notre Dame College. WVSU jumped ahead 14-7 by the end of the first quarter, but an unrelenting NDC offensive unit continued to push the Yellow Jackets on the ground, with the final totals have NDC edge by a lone yard (230-229). One score from the Falcons in the second would send the game into the half at 14-14. After WVSU took the lead in the third quarter 24-17, two straight touchdowns would seal the home win for NDC, as the pair of rushing scores made the final score 31-24 for NDC. 

-FROSTBURG STATE HEAD COACH  
   -Eric Wagoner enters his second season as head coach of the Football program, having spent the previous two seasons as the team's defensive coordinator. Wagoner came to Frostburg after serving on the coaching staff at the University of Saint Francis in Indiana for the last 12 years, having been the program's DC for seven seasons. He helped the Cougars win NAIA National Championships in 2016 & 2017 and he was named the 2016 Football Scoop NAIA Coordinator of the Year. In 2016, his defensive squad finished second in the country in scoring (18.4) and second in rushing defense (101.0 ypg). In '17, his Cougar defensive squad led the nation in scoring defense (17.2) and finished first in both total defense (298.0) and rushing defense (92.0). In 2018, he helped the defense to second in NAIA in rushing defense (99.6). Wagoner also served as the Cougars' special team's coordinator and his unit led the Mid State Football Association in kick returns five times in a seven-year stretch. Those return groups also returned eight kicks for TDs.

-WEST VIRGINIA STATE HEAD COACH 
   -John Pennington has been the Head Coach of WVSU for seven years coming into 2023, and has never had a losing season for the Yellow Jackets, with a lowest mark of 2-2 in the shortened 2020 season. Prior to taking over has HC
in 2017, he had various roles within the organization as Offensive Coordinator, Special Teams Coordinator, Offensive
Line Coach and Quarterbacks Coach. He would make a brief appearance with Concord in 2011 until 2015.

 -BRINGING IT ON THE BIG SCREEN  
   - Since FSU has begun appearing on regional television in 2019, they have amassed a 3-0 record, and outscoring opponents by a combined 114-24.

-READY FOR THE BRIGHT LIGHTS 
   - When taking to the turf of Bobcat Stadium under the lights in the Division II era, FSU has been nearly untouchable. The combined record when the lights come on is 6-1, with the lone loss coming to West Virginia State 20-17 in 2019 in the first ever DII contest for the program.  

-SHUT DOWN THE PASS
  - The Bobcats own the third best team passing efficiency defense rating coming into play this weekend. The 83.25 measurement also places them at first in the MEC. The 12 pick total also ranks FSU with the 8th most interceptions in the country. 

-LOCKING IT DOWN
   - FSU's sophomore DB Anthony Smith currently ranks third in the country in interceptions per game (0.8 value). Smith has recorded four interceptions this season, which also stands as the team lead and is tied for the MEC leader position.

-2023 TEAM CAPTAINS
   -The following players have been named team captains for the 2023 season:
-Sr. OL Michael Hudren #68
-Gr. QB Graham Walker #18
- Sr. K Dayne Koontz #37
- Jr. DE Yasir Holmes #8
- R-Jr. LB Colby Street #0

-ALL SEASON LONG ON 99.5 DZN
   -Join Colin Kirkwood all season long on 99.5 DZN FM for radio coverage of Frostburg State Football. Games are available on local radio as well as online via www.995wdzn.com. Be sure to drop by the radio home of the Bobcats for pregame and postgame coverage of the Bobcats.