• A slim 4-game slate highlighted by the first two conference meetings of the season awaits MEC football fans this week. The action kicks off on Thursday night when W.Va. State welcomes Carson-Newman (Tenn.) to Institute for a 6 p.m. kickoff
• Three games are on tap for Saturday, beginning with the first MEC game of the year when Frostburg State travels to West Liberty for a 1 p.m. game. Concord closes out its non-conference slate at 3 p.m. when UVa-Wise rolls into Athens. Week Two concludes on Saturday night with W.Va. Wesleyan hosting Wheeling at 6:30 p.m.
• Charleston, Fairmont State, Glenville State, and UNC-Pembroke have open dates this week
WEEK 2 SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 13
Carson-Newman (1-0) at W.Va. State (1-0) | 12 p.m. | Institute, W.Va.
Last Meeting: This is the first meeting between the two schools
Notes: West Virginia State opened the season on the road with a 27-24 victory at Barton (N.C.). …Coach John Pennington’s Yellow Jackets showcased a powerful running attack, rushing for 248 yards on 37 attempts. …All-MEC TB Joel Felder had a huge night, running for 178 yards and a TD on 22 carries – an average of more than 8 yards per rush. …PK Brennan Schmitt connected on field goals of 24 and 44 yards while going 3-for-3 on PATs. …Carson-Newman is 1-0 after crushing Reinhardt (Ga.), 50-7, in a mutual season opener last week. …CNU’s option-based attack rolled up nearly 500 yards of total offense with 388 yards on the ground. …Reinhardt managed just 89 yards of total offense on the night and scored its only TD on a 90-yard kick return. …Ashley Ingram is in his first year as head coach at Carson- Newman following 16 seasons on the coaching staff at Navy
Saturday, Sept. 14
Frostburg State (1-0, 0-0) at West Liberty (0-2, 0-0) | 1 p.m. | West Liberty, W.Va.
Last Meeting: September 26, 2023, Frostburg, Md. (Frostburg State d. West Liberty, 37-7)
Notes: This is the 11th meeting between the two teams. …Frostburg State holds a 6-3-1 lead in the all-time series. …The Hilltoppers are coming off a 48-13 loss to SAC power Limestone (S.C.) on Thursday night. …This is the third straight home game for West Liberty. …QB Trevor Lagarde completed 25-of-53 passes for 248 yards and a TD in the loss. …Lagarde has completed at least one pass of 50+ yards in each game this season. …WR Marquez Hurst had 7 catches for 108 yards and a TD. …The Bobcats throttled Millersville (Pa.), 23-6, in their season opener. …Frostburg State held the Marauders to just 188 yards of total offense on the night. … The Bobcats ground out more than 400 yards of total offense, rushing for 215 yards while adding 188 through the air. …QB Fulton Myles completed 17-of-25 passes for 188 yards and a TD while rushing for 56 more. …TB Owen Doyle ran for 95 yards and 2 TDs on 16 carries
UVa-Wise (0-1) at Concord (0-1) | 3 p.m. | Athens, W.Va.
Last Meeting: September 15, 2018, Wise, Va. (Uva-Wise d. Concord, 35-20)
Notes: This is the 11th meeting between the two teams. …Concord holds a 6-4 lead in the all-time series….The Mountain Lions enter Saturday’s game at 0-1 after dropping a 22-13 decision to Bluefield State a week ago. …Workhorse TB T.J. Finney rumbled for 137 yards on 28 carries and caught 4 balls out of the backfield for another 26 yards. …QB Blayne Ferguson completed 19-of-30 passes for 207 yards but was victimized by 3 INTs. …WR Jakari Clark was the leading receiver with 6 grabs for 75 yards. …Former MEC member UVa-Wise also enters at 0-1 after absorbing a 61-0 thrashing at the hands of FCS East Tennessee State. …The Highland Cavaliers were held to just 5 first downs and 113 yards of total offense….Punter Jake Marcantel had 444 yards on 12 punts, highlighted by a 66-yard bomb. …Gary Bass is in his first season as head coach at UVa-Wise after going 26-42 in 7 years at the helm of NCAA D2 Quincy (Ill.)
Wheeling (1-1, 0-0) at W.Va. Wesleyan (0-1, 0-0) | 6:30 p.m. | Buckhannon, W.Va.
Last Meeting: October 7, 2023, Wheeling, W.Va. (Wheeling d. W.Va. Wesleyan, 58-3)
Notes: The Bobcats will be making their home debut under the lights on Saturday night when Wheeling rolls into Buckhannon for a mutual MEC opener. … This is the 5th meeting between the programs….Wheeling has won the last three to take a 3-1 series lead. …W.Va. Wesleyan was open last week after dropping a 24-13 decision to Post (Conn.) on Aug. 31. …The Bobcats outgained their hosts, 374-334, in total offense and didn’t commit a turnover but were hamstrung by 13 penalties for 117 yards….Wesleyan QBs Quinton Pulley and Nate Payne combined to complete 23-of 38 throws for 244 yards and a TD. …WRs Elijah Lewis and Dariuse Cooper teamed up for 10 catches and 150 yards while TB Kevin Mitchell ran for 61 yards on 17 carries. …Wheeling comes in at 1-1 after gutting out a 14-10 win at Walsh on Saturday night. …Cardinal QB Javon Davis completed 20-of-34 passes for 168 yards and a score while WR Tre Holloway had 6 catches for 60 yards. …TB Dawaun Green ran for 103 yards and a TD on just 14 attempts, including a 15-yard TD burst in the third quarter to give the visitors a 14-0 lead
NOTABLE
• MEC teams have posted a 6-10 record in non-conference play through the first two weeks
• Only five of the 16 games played thus far have been decided by four points or less, with MEC teams going 3-2 in those contests. The opening weekend saw FCS Mercyhurst (Pa.) edge Wheeling, 28-25, but MEC teams were 3-1 in close games last week. W.Va.
State beat Barton, 27-24, on Thursday with Charleston knocking off California (Pa.), 23-19, and Wheeling holding off Walsh (Ohio), 14-10, on Saturday. Fayetteville State edged UNC-Pembroke,
35-31, on Saturday night
• Fairmont State (31.5 ppg.) and Charleston (30.5 ppg.) are averaging more than 30 points a game through the first two weeks of play. The Falcons have scored an MEC-high 9 touchdowns while UC checks in with 8 TDs and a pair of field goals
• Among MEC teams with two games in the books, Charleston and Fairmont State also lead the way in Total Offense. Fairmont State is averaging 372.5 yards/game with Charleston close behind at 342.5
• Frostburg State and W.Va. Wesleyan had impressive offensive showings in their season debuts. Frostburg State rolled up 403 yards in a 23-6 win over Millersville while W.Va. Wesleyan finished with 374 yards of total offense in a 41-24 loss at Post (Conn.)
• Charleston’s Chavon Wright is in a four-way tie for No. 1 nationally in rushing TDs with 5 rushing scores in his first two games
• West Virginia State’s Joel Felder’s 178 yards on 22 carries in last week’s win at Barton (N.C.) is tops in the MEC this season
• Fairmont State’s Will Adkins leads the MEC in passing through two games, completing 42-of-68 throws for 475 yards and 4 TDs with just one INT for an average of 237.5 yards/game
• Three MEC receivers have recorded double-figure receptions with two games in the books. Wheeling’s Tre Holloway tops the charts with 12 catches for 185 yards and 2 TDs. West Liberty’s Marquez Hurst has 11 grabs for 134 yards and a score while Gage
Michael of Fairmont State shows 10 catches for 163 yards and one TD
• Charleston’s Shamarr Wright has the longest pass reception of the young season, a 57-yard bomb from QB Javonte Howard in Saturday’s win against California (Pa.)
• The MEC’s longest play from scrimmage thus far belongs to UC’s Chavon Wright, whose 68-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game put the Golden Eagles ahead to stay
• Defensively, Fairmont State’s Tyrees Smith leads the MEC with 21 total tackles, an average of 10.5/game. Teammates Izuchukwu Igwe and Howard Williams rank second and third with 18 and 17 stops, respectively
• Charleston’s Andre Chamblee ranks first in the MEC with 4.5 tackles-for-loss. West Liberty’s Trent Crawford is second with 3.5 TFLs
• UNC-Pembroke’s D’Marcus Harrington leads the MEC with 3 Passes Defended – one interception and two PBUs
