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WEST LIBERTY (0-2, 0-1 MEC) VS FROSTBURG STATE (2-0, 1-0 MEC)

-When: Saturday, September 16, 2023
-Where: Frostburg, Md.
-Stadium: Bobcat Stadium (4,000)
-Kickoff: 1 p.m.
-Live Audio: (99.5 DZN Cumberland)
-Live Video: (Bobcat Sports Network)
-Live Stats: (Frostburg State Live Stats)

SERIES BREAKDOWN

-All-Time Series: Tenth Meeting, FSU 5-3-1
-First Meeting: 1965, WL 26-12
-Last Meeting: 2022, FSU 28-23
-Streak: FSU +4

GAME NOTES

-LAST TIME OUT FOR FROSTBURG STATE  
   -Frostburg State's  defense powered the victory over the Wheeling Cardinals in last weeks MEC conference opener on the road. It didn't take long for the Bobcat defense to make their presence known, as graduate student LB Mike Morgan jumped in front of the first pass of the game and returned it 30 yards for a score to put FSU up 7-0. The Bobcats would again pick off another pass on the very next drive, as part of their four interception afternoon. Scores were hard to come by for FSU, as the Cardinals would post the next 12 points unanswered to lead 13-7. The Bobcats would come up with a TD pass within the final minute of the first half, jumping in front 14-13. The Bobcat defense was once again the story of the second half, featuring a goal line, four down stand and limiting Wheeling to only three total points. However, the Cardinals would lead 16-14 in the fourth. FSU would convert the go ahead score thanks to a six yard rushing TD from sophomore RB Sean Aaron, with the eventual finally score being 20-16. 

-SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS 
   -The Hilltoppers find themselves struggling to start the season, as they dropped a Thursday night contest at home to Fairmont State. After just the first quarter, WL trailed 21-2. 14 points in the second would help them to draw closer at 28-17 at the half, but the Fighting Falcons continued to score with ease. 14 more points in the third quarter would overwhelm the Hilltoppers, and despite 13 points of their own, Fairmont State got the win 42-29. Fairmont State racked up 460 yards of total offense against the Hilltopper defense in their massive win.  WL managed 414 yards of offense themselves, but did not find nearly enough points to keep pace. WL has yet to beat FSU in the Division II era of the Bobcat program (0-3). 

-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 LIBERTY HEAD COACH 
   -Roger Waialae leads all MEC coaches in victories with 92 in the midst of his 18th season on the hilltop. Waialae spent one year at Dubuque as offensive coordinator before heading overseas for a year as a player-coach with the Munich Rangers of the German-American Football League. He served two years as offensive coordinator at Bethany (W.Va.) College before coming to West Liberty as an assistant coach in 1992. His 92 wins since taking over as Head Coach in 2005 rank second all-time in WL football history, as he is closing in on Joe Bartell's 118 wins from 1933-56. A native of Hawaii, Waialae is one of only three Pacific Islanders working as an NCAA Head Coach and the only one at the Division II level.

 -TROUBLE ON THE HILLTOP
   - The Hilltoppers football program finds itself in the midst of a tough skid as of late. Dating back to last season, WLU is in the midst of a six game losing streak stretching back to an OT win over Fairmont State on October 13, 2022 being the last win on the books. In the six game stretch, WLU has been outscored 202-129.  

-NO FLY ZONE
   - FSU currently resides at 6th in the country in passes intercepted and first in the MEC. The six pick total sits behind the national leader Emporia State (Kansas), who has racked up eight this season to date. 

-BEND BUT DON'T BREAK
  - The Bobcats own the seventh best red zone defense in the country, with a value of 0.429. In conference play, they rank second behind Glenville State who has yet to record any conference data after being idle last week. 

-TURNOVER MACHINE
   - FSU's defense sits at 18th in the country as they continue to rack up turnovers in this young season. The five recorded takeaways sit behind Notre Dame (OH) for first in the conference by one, as the Falcons have six through two weeks.

-NO FLY ZONE
   - Sophomore RB Sean Aaron remains within the top 20 in the country in country after landing in the end zone once again last week. His three scores also are tied for first in MEC statistics, with NDC's Jay Sharp through two weeks. 

-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.