CFB Week 1 Preview: Southeastern Conference (SEC)

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE PREVIEW

Thu., Sep. 1 @ 7:00 pm ET
Ball State Cardinals at Tennessee Volunteers

Ball State Cardinals
Notes

StoryLines
Ball State is set to square off with Tennessee for the first time in series history to kick off its 98th season in 2022. The Cardinals have faced teams from the currently constructed Southeastern Conference 10 times and are aiming to pick up their first win against teams in the league.

Fresh off its second consecutive season with a bowl appearance, Ball State begins its season aiming to accomplish something that has never been done in program history: make it to a bowl game in three straight seasons. The Cardinals have appeared in two straight seasons three times: 2007-08, 2012-13 and 2020-21, and have won 13 games over the past two campaigns, which is the most in the Mid-American Conference.

Out of the 112 players on the roster, 83 are classified as underclassmen. The 83 underclassmen total ranks as the 18th-highest in college football. In addition, Ball State’s roster makeup of 74.1 percent underclassmen ranks as the seventh-highest in the FBS.

With an expected high attendance number, Ball State could play in front of the fourth-highest crowd in program history. The Cardinals have played in games that featured attendances of 109,359 at Michigan (2006), 105,323 at Penn State (2021) and 104,213 at Texas A&M (). Those three games are the only times the Cardinals have played in front of at least 100,000 fans.

Ball State had strong representation in Phil Steele College Football Preview’s 2022 preseason All-Mid-American Conference teams as nine players earned a spot. Wide receiver Jayshon Jackson and offensive lineman Corey Stewart earned a spot on the second team, while the third team had the biggest contingent of Cardinals: linebacker Clayton Coll, safety Malcolm Lee, long snapper Dylan Seiler, running back Carson Steele and cornerback Amechi Uzodinma II were placed on the third team. Rounding out the list, wideout Yo’Heinz Tyler was tabbed to the fourth team.

In addition, Athlon Sports published its annual preseason magazine and featured a multitude of Ball State players. Uzodinma was chosen for the second team, while offensive lineman Ethan Crowe, defensive lineman Tavion Woodard, Coll, Jackson and Steele picked up nods on the third team. Offensive lineman Jaylen Turner and Tyler were selected to the fourth team

SEASON OPENERS
Ball State is 3-3 under head coach Mike Neu in season openers, which includes last season’s 31-21 victory over Western Illinois. Season Openers Since 2016
Sept. 2, 2016 at Georgia State W, 31-21
Sept. 2, 2017 at Illinois L, 24-21
Aug. 30, 2018 Central Connecticut W, 42-6
Aug. 31, 2019 vs. Indiana L, 34-24
Nov. 4, 2020 at Miami (Ohio) L, 38-31
Sept. 2, 2021 Western Illinois W, 31-21

YOUNG GUNS
Ball State is among the youngest teams in college football after have over 30 players graduate from a season ago. The Cardinals have 83 underclassmen out of 112 total players, which is the 18th-most in the FBS. In addition, Ball State’s roster makeup of 74.1 percent underclassmen ranks as the seventh-highest in the FBS.

PLAYMAKERS ON THE OUTSIDE
WR Jayshon Jackson and Yo’Heinz Tyler bring a load of playmaking experience through their collegiate careers. Along with Penn State and UTSA, Ball State’s duo of Jackson and Tyler are the only pairings to have each caught at least one ball in 20 consecutive games.

MAN OF STEELE
RB Carson Steele broke out in a big way during his freshman season last year. Steele totaled 891 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 192 carries and also added 157 receiving yards and a touchdown on 12 catches. Steele was one of only seven true freshmen in the country to eclipse 1,000 all-purpose yards. In addition, he was one of only four true freshmen in the country to rush for a touchdown in six games during the season, joining Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen, Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson and Houston’s Alton McCaskill.

HE’S A FREAK
Carson Steele was named to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman’s annual Freaks List, listing the top 100 freaks in all of college football. Steele, who is 6-foot-0 and 225 lbs, has 7.0 percent body fat, can back squat 615 lbs, bench press 405 lbs and power clean 305 lbs.
In addition, he owns a pet alligator back in his hometown of Greenwood, Ind.

NO FLY ZONE
DB Amechi Uzodinma II has been a mainstay defending the outside for the Cardinals. He has 32 passes defended by way of seven interceptions and 25 pass breakups, which ranks among the most in college football.

PEARCE-ING START
In his first career start against Army last season, ILB Cole Pearce had a career-best (and team-high) 14 tackles, nine of which were solo.
He had just nine tackles on the season entering the game and 10 in his career prior to the game. The Mason, Ohio native earned a scholarship the next day (Sunday, Oct. 3) in a team meeting.

STABILITY AT THE HELM
Ball State head coach Mike Neu enters his seventh season in charge of his alma mater. He currently stands as the third-longest-tenured coach in the MAC behind only Eastern Michigan’s Chris Creighton (nine) and Miami’s Chuck Martin (nine). Toledo’s Jason Candle is also in his seventh season.

CHAMPIONSHIP NEU
Head coach Mike Neu brought BSU’s sixth MAC title to his alma mater. In fact, Neu has factored in three of those championships, including two as a player. He quarterbacked the Cardinals’ MAC championship and Las Vegas Bowl team in 1993 and was also part of BSU’s league championship and California Raisin Bowl team in 1989.

Tennessee Volunteers
Notes

STORYLINES
SEASON NO. 126: The 126th season of Tennessee football kicks off at 7 p.m. Thursday as Ball State visits Neyland Stadium, Shields-Watkins Field. The first-ever meeting between the two teams will be televised by SEC Network. It marks the second straight season that the Volunteers will open vs. a MAC team. UT topped Bowling Green, 38-6, to start the Josh Heupel era last season. The Vols will face MAC teams in two of their first three games. Akron comes to town for a Week 3 matchup on Sept. 17. Thursday will see two new areas of Neyland Stadium (now capacity 101,915) debut with the North End Social Deck below a new videoboard and the lower-west club. Neyland Stadium, Shields Watkins Field is in its 101st year. Tennessee, which is receiving votes in both national polls, was picked to finish third in the SEC East in the annual SEC media poll.

• HEUPEL ERA: After a record-setting debut, Josh Heupel enters his second season as head coach of the Vols. Of the eight first-year Power Five head coaches hired in 2021, no coach won more regular season games than Heupel (7). He also produced the most 2022 NFL Draft picks among coaches making their debut with a new team (5). The 27th head coach in Vol football history, Heupel’s 35 victories since the start of the 2018 season rank tied for ninth among active FBS head coaches. Heupel joined Lane Kiffin (7 in 2009), Phillip Fulmer (10 in 1993), Bill Battle (10 in 1970) and John Barnhill (8 in 1941) as the only UT coaches in the last 80 years (since 1941) to win seven or more games in his first season.

• THURSDAY OPENERS: Tennessee is opening a season on a Thursday night for the second consecutive season and the fourth time in its existence. The Vols are 3-0 in those previous matchups. UT beat Bowling Green last season, 38-6, and in 2016, the Vols held on for a 20-13 overtime victory over Appalachian State. The other win came by a 28-11 fashion at Louisville to open the 1991 campaign. UT owns a 27-21-7 record all-time in Thursday games. Its last Thursday contest (all games) was the last game it played, a 48-45 overtime loss to Purdue in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30. The Vols are 16-5-2 all-time in Thursday games played in Neyland Stadium. UT returns to a traditional Saturday opener next season as it will begin the 2023 campaign at Nissan Stadium in Nashville vs. Virginia on Sept. 2.

• SEASON OPENERS: Tennessee owns a 93-26-6 record all-time in season openers. The Vols are 75-14-4 (.826) in season openers played in Knoxville. UT is 55-12-3 (.804) in season openers played in Neyland Stadium, Shields-Watkins Field (since 1921). Josh Heupel is 4-0 in season openers as a head coach, outscoring opponents 205-44. Heupel’s UCF squads defeated UConn (56-17 in 2018), Florida A&M (62-0 in 2019) and Georgia Tech (49-21 in 2020).

• RECAPPING 2021: Picked to finish fifth in the SEC East, Josh Heupel guided Tennessee to a 7-6 firstyear campaign and a 4-4 mark in SEC play to take third place in the division. The Vols beat six teams by at least 24 points en route to a Music City Bowl appearance. They dropped a 48-45 thriller to Purdue, racking up a school-bowl record 666 yards of total offense, including a career-high 378 yards passing and five touchdowns from QB Hendon Hooker. Tennessee jumped 99 spots in scoring offense, going from 108th in the country in 2020 to seventh in 2021, while averaging 39.3 ppg, a mark that ranked second in modern school history. The Vols shattered eight team single-season records in 2021, including points (511), total offensive yards (6,174), touchdowns (67), point after touchdowns made (67), total first downs (316), rushing first downs (164), fewest interceptions thrown (3) and passing efficiency (167.10).

NOTING THE TENNESSEE-BALL STATE SERIES
• Tennessee and Ball State are meeting for the first time in football.

• A total of 354 miles separate the two campuses from Muncie, Indiana, to Knoxville.

• The Vols own a 8-0 record against current Mid-American Conference (MAC) teams: Akron (2-0), Bowling Green (2-0), Buffalo (1-0), Ohio (2-0) and Northern Illinois (1-0). UT has never faced Central Michigan, Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan.

• This marks the second straight season and third time all-time that UT will open a season against a MAC school. The Vols topped Bowling Green, 38-6, to open the Josh Heupel era last season. They defeated the Falcons, 59-30, to open the 2015 campaign as well in Nashville.

• Akron visits Neyland Stadium for a Week 3 matchup on Sept. 17.

• Three members of the UT on-field coaching staff have spent time in the MAC. Defensive coordinator Tim Banks was a graduate assistant at Bowling Green and then served as the Falcons’ running backs coach (1999) and defensive backs coach (2000). He was also the defensive coordinator at his alma mater of Central Michigan (2007-09). Offensive coordinator Alex Golesh was a graduate assistant at Northern Illinois (2006-07) and the tight ends coach/ recruiting coordinator at Toledo (2009-11). Secondary coach Willie Martinez coached the same position at Central Michigan (1994, 1998-2000) and Eastern Michigan (1997).

SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS
• Special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler takes pride in his squad causing mayhem and will look to do so
again this season.

• In 2021, the Volunteers finished in the FBS top 20 in five special teams categories, including blocked punts (2 – 17th), kickoff return average (25.41 – 15th), net punting (42.08 – 19th), punt return defense (2.0 – fifth) and punt return average (11.83 – 16th).

• Tennessee either led the SEC or ranked in the league’s top three in punt return defense (first), punt return average (first), net punting (second) and kickoff return average (third). It represented the first time since 1997 that the Vols were tops in the SEC in punt return average.

• This season, they will have to replace the 2021 SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Year in Velus Jones Jr., who was a 2022 NFL Draft third round pick by the Chicago Bears. Junior college transfer Dee Williams could get first shot at punt returner, while junior Jimmy Holiday is likely at kickoff returner.

• Fifth-year senior punter Paxton Brooks is back for his final season. Brooks ranks third in UT history in career punt return average at 43.3, just behind Trevor Daniel and Jimmy Colquitt.

NOTING TIM BANKS’ ATTACKING DEFENSE
• Tim Banks returns as the Vols’ defensive coordinator this season, and his unit will feature more depth. In 2021, Banks’ squad ranked second in the SEC and tied for eighth in the nation with 102 tackles for loss. That figure ranked tied for fifth in UT single-season annals and the most since the 2000 team produced a school-record 114.

• R-Sr. LB Jeremy Banks is the SEC’s leading returning tackler after collecting 128 a year ago, including 59 solo. His 128 total tackles were the most by a Vol in a season since A.J. Johnson logged 138 in 2012. Banks enters 2022 with double-digit tackles in six of his last seven games, including a career-high 20 in his last contest vs. Purdue in the 2021 Music City Bowl. Banks has a combined 32 tackles in his last two contests.

• Tennessee will feature one of the most experienced safety tandems in the country. Sr. Jaylen McCollough (27 starts) and Sr. Trevon Flowers (25 starts) are starting in the defensive backfield together for the third consecutive season. McCollough has started 14 straight games entering the 2022 season.

• Sr. edge rusher Byron Young is poised for a monster 2022. The preseason first-team All-SEC selection enters just his second season at the FBS level after racking up 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2021.

EXPERIENCED OFFENSIVE LINE
• Offensive line coach Glen Elarbee welcomes back four of his five starters on the offensive line this season. The only starter departure was tackle Cade Mays, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.

• Center Cooper Mays (10 starts), guards Jerome Carvin (30 starts) and Javontez Spraggins (13 starts) and tackle Darnell Wright (29 starts) all return. Including reserves, Dayne Davis (3 starts) and Ollie Lane (5 starts), Tennessee’s offensive line boasts a combined 90 starts and is one of the most experienced in the country.

• Wright has started 21 consecutive games entering the opener, while Carvin has notched 15 straight starts. The super senior Carvin did not allow a sack in 896 offensive snaps last season, and he has allowed only one sack in his last three seasons combined.

Thu., Sep. 1 @ 7:00 pm CT
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Missouri Tigers

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Notes

THURSDAY KICKOFF

Louisiana Tech begins its 120th season of football with head coach Sonny Cumbie takng over the reigns in 2022. Cumbie is his inuagural season at LA Tech and is the 34th head coach in program history.

Thursday’s meeting will be the first between the Bulldogs and Tigers, it will also mark the first time LA Tech has ever played in the state of Missouri.

The Bulldogs will open the season on the road for the fifth straight season, which is the third longest streak in program history.

Cumbie has spent the past 12 years as an assistant coach in the Big 12, including two stints at Texas Tech (2009-13, 2021) and one at TCU (2014-2020). He has served as offensive coordinator the past nine years for the Red Raiders and Horned Frogs and worked under some of the top coaches in college football, including Mike Leach, Tommy Tuberville, Kliff Kingsbury and Gary Patterson.

Cumbie’s career head coaching record is 2-3 as he assumed the head coaching role at Texas Tech on Oct. 25 2021. In that role he led Texas Tech to their first bowl win since 2013 with a 34-7 win over Mississippi State in the Liberty Bowl

Cumbie announced Matthew Downing as his starting quarterback on Aug. 22, 2022. Downing, a junior, transferred from to Tech from TCU where spent the 2020-21 seasons.

Six Bulldogs landed on the 2022 C-USA Preseason Watchlist: WR Smoke Harris, OL Joshua Mote, DL Keivie Rose, LB Tyler Grubbs and K Jacob Barnes.

LA Tech returns 17 starters, six on offense, eight on defense and three on special teams. They return

In 2021, LA Tech forced 15 fumbles and ranked 12th nationally in fumbles recovered (12). Returnees LB Tyler Grubbs, DB BeeJay Williamson and LB Makai Carabin led the efforts with two each. >> Louisiana Tech added 24 total transfers this offseason with 11 on offense and 13 on defense.

Seven of the Bulldogs’ 12 games were decided by a single possession in 2021, the most since 2011

LB Tyler Grubbs headlines the LA Tech defense. The New Orleans product is coming off back-to-back seasons with over 90 total tackles.

Mizzou defensive coordinator Blake Baker was at LA Tech from 2014-2018.

A LOUISIANA TECH WIN WOULD… » Improve it’s all-time record to 637-470 (.573).

Improve its record to 60-55-5 in season openers. » Sonny Cumbie would become the 13th LA Tech Head Coach to win in his debut.

Improve Sonny Cumbie’s career record against SEC programs to 2-0. » Give La Tech its first win over a Power 5 School since 2018.

Give LA Tech its first win over an SEC program since the Bulldogs defeated Ole Miss 27-7 in 2011.

NOTABLE STREAKS/ TRENDS ENTERING THE GAME
Louisiana Tech has converted its last 162 extra point attempts.

Smoke Harris has tallied a reception in 14 consecutive games and led the Bulldogs in receptions in 12 straight games.

LA Tech has scored in 174 straight games.

The Bulldogs have tallied an interception in five straight games.

OL Abraham Delfin has appeared in 46 consecutive games.

OL Joshua Mote has started 22 consecutive games.

For the fourth-consecutive season opener LA Tech will have a new starting quarterback.

K Jacob Barnes has converted his last five field goal attempts.

LB Tyler Grubbs has started all 22 games of his career.

LA Tech has won its last two overtime games.

ELITE COMPANY
The Bulldogs 636 all-time wins lead the C-USA and rank eighth among all Group of Five schools.

JOINING THE SQUAD
Louisiana Tech added 24 total transfers this offseason with 11 on offense, 13 on defense.

Offense
Elijah Bowser (Offensive Lineman / Navarro JC)
Brett Canis (Offensive Lineman / Texas Tech)
Matthew Downing (Quarterback / TCU)
Tru Edwards (Wide Receiver / Hawaii)
Isaac Ellis (Offensive Lineman / Memphis)
Nate Jones (Tight End / Trinity Valley CC)
Devonta Lee (Wide Receiver / LSU)
Parker McNeil (Quarterback / Texas Tech)
Landon Nelson (Offensive Lineman / Iowa Western)
Joe Ta’ase (Offensive Lineman / New Mexico Military)
Jack Turner (Quarterback / Navarro JC)

Defense
Queden Ballew (Defensive Lineman/ Iowa Western CC)
Michael Bowe (Linebacker / New Mexico State)
Myles Brooks (Defensive Back / Stephen F. Austin)
Hugh Davis (Linebacker / Boston College)
DJ Johnson (Defensive Lineman / Illinois)
Jakelyn Morgan (Defensive Back / Arizona)
Zion Nason (Defensive Lineman/ Mississippi Gulf Coast)
Eric Randal (Defensive Back / Memphis)
Willie Roberts (Defensive Back / Stephen F. Austin)
Omar Sims (Defensive Lineman/ Jacksonville State)
Cecil Singleton Jr. (Defensive Back / Miami (OH)
Kalen Villanueva (Linebacker / Illinois)
Joriell Washington (Defensive Back / Illinois)

TAKING > GIVING
The Bulldogs have had a positive turnover margin in seven season this past decade.

DISCIPLINED DOGS
LA Tech was one of the most disciplined teams in the conference last season. The Bulldogs 625 penalty yards were the least in the C-USA
and their 52.08 penalty yards per game were second-best trailing only UTSA.

DOWNING IS THE DUDE
LA Tech redshirt junior quarterback Matthew Downing won a quarterback battle over redshirt senior Parker McNeil in fall camp to assume the starting role for the Bulldogs. Downing arrived in Ruston after spending his previous three seasons at TCU. The Alpharetta, Ga., native has one career start which was during the Horned Frogs 2020 season opener against Iowa State. Downing started his career as a preferred walk-on at Georgia. » Downing has familiarity with the Cumbie’s offense as Cumbie coached him in 2019 and 2020 at TCU.

BIG DOGS GOT EXPERIENCE
Redshirt seniors Abraham Delfin and Josh Mote anchor the LA Tech offensive line. Delfin and Mote have both started the last 22 games for LA Tech while Delfin has 48 career appearances and Mote has 39.

Both helped anchor an offensive front that ranked in the top half of the conference in scoring offense (28 ppg), passing offense (262.6 ypg), passing touchdowns (22) and completion percentage (.602).

Both were part of an offensive line that allowed only one blocked field goal and one blocked punt during the season.

Redshirt junior Biron Rossell (8 career starts) and sophomore Dakota White (7 career starts) also provide some experience at the tackle positions.

Overall, LA Tech returns 60 percent of their starts from 2021 on the offensive line.

PLENTY OF TARGETS
Fifteen different Bulldogs recorded at least one reception in the 2021 campaign, with four returnees registering at least one touchdown reception. Redshirt Junior wide receiver Smoke Harris led the way with six touchdown receptions.

The Bulldogs return 59.6 percent of their receiving yards, 65.3% of their receptions and 59% of their receiving touchdowns from last season.

BRINGIN THE SMOKE
Redshirt junior wide receiver Smoke Harris led the Bulldogs in receptions in every single game in 2021. He became the first player since Biletnikoff Award Winner Troy Edwards (1998) to lead LA Tech in receptions in every game.

Harris was second on the team in all-purpose yards with 955, for an average of 79.6 yards per game in 2021 » Led the team in receptions (71), receiving yards (756) and receiving touchdowns (6) last year.

Harris is the only Bulldog to tally a touchdown reception in each of the past four seasons.

TRE CAN PLAY
Sophomore WR Tre Harris returns after an impressive 2021 campaign where he finished second on the team in receptions (40), receiving yards (562) and receiving touchdowns (4).

Harris’ 14.05 yards per reception was ranked 17th in Conference USA.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
RUNNING IT BACK
LA Tech returns three running backs who tallied a career last season, in redshirt senior Greg Garner, sopomore Harlan Dixon and sophomore Keyon Henry-Brooks.

Redshirt senior Greg Garner is the Bulldogs returning rushing leader for the second consecutive season. Garner rushed for 233 yards and three touchdowns on 54 carries.

PROTECTING THE FOOTBALL
The Bulldogs lost just six fumbles last season which ranked second in the C-USA and 42nd nationally.

BULLY BALL
The Bulldog offensive line ranked fourth in the C-USA and 25th nationally in tackles for loss allowed with 4.58.

WHERE IS THE FULLBACK?
LA Tech does not have a designated fullback this season. The Bulldogs offensive primarialy operates out of the shotgun.

BULLDOG BLOODLINES
Offensive Lineman Joshua Mote’s father Mike (1994-95) and uncle Joshua Bradley (1995-1997) both played football at Louisiana Tech. Bradley was an All-American at LA Tech in 1996 and 1997.

Redshirt junior Tru Edwards transferred to LA Tech from Hawaii this offseason. Edwards is the son of former LA Tech standout and 1998 Biletnikoff Award winner Troy Edwards who spent seven-years in the NFL with the Steelers, Rams, Jaguars and Lions.

LOUISIANA BRED
Six of LA Tech’s 11 projected offensive starters are Louisiana natives
Tre Harris – Lafayette, La. Smoke Harris – St. Fracisville, La.
Griffin Hebert – Lafayette, La. Joshua Mote – Oak Grove, La.
Abraham Delfin – Plaquemine, La. Isaac Ellis – Monroe, La.

SMOKE IS NO JOKE
Smoke Harris has had quite the career in red and blue, ranking among the FBS active career leaders in numerous stat categories.

Receptions Per Game – 31st (4.30)

Career Receptions – 44th (159)

HEBERT IS WHERE?
Redshirt senior Griffin Hebert has moved from wide receiver to tight end this season.

Herbert’s last name is pronounced AYE-bear, which is a French surname.

Hebert has accumulated 1,101 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns in his career.

FROM THE TRACK TO THE GRIDIRON
Redshirt senior wide receiver came to Louisiana Tech as a track athlete as a freshman in 2017. After a year on the track squad Okorie decided to take his talents to the gridiron. Okorie has mostly seen action on special teams in his football career, mainly serving as a returner.

MOTE EARNS MASTER’S
Joshua Mote recently graduated with a master’s degree in guidance and counseling on Aug. 21. Mote is one of 18 graduates on the LA Tech squad.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
BRINGING THE TALENT BACK
Louisiana Tech returns 8 of its 11 defensive starters from the 2020 campaign in sophomore linebacker Tyler Grubbs, defensive backs, Jaiden Cole, BeeJay Williamson and Cedric Woods, and defensive linemen Tristan Allen, Mykol Clark, Deshon Hall Jr. and Keivie Rose.

LA Tech returns 3 of its 5 leading tacklers from the 2021 campaign, including its top four tacklers in Grubbs (97), Williamson (52) and
Cole (48).

LA Tech returns 81 totals starts on defense and 57.79 percent (504) of
their total tackles.

FOURTH-STRING TO ONE OF THE NATION’S BEST
In his true freshman campaign in 2020, linebacker Tyler Grubbs was a fourth-string linebacker during fall camp. Due to various health-related issues within the team, he started in the season-opener against Southern Miss and has never looked back. The New Orleans, La., native has been one of the best linebackers in the nation since bursting onto the scene in 2020.

Grubbs has started all 22 career games

He has led the Bulldogs in tackles in 2020 (99) and 2021(97).

Grubbs is the first Bulldog to tally 90 or more tackles in consecutive seasons since Jay Dudley in 2010-2011.

His career mark of 8.91 tackles per game ranks second nationally among all active players.

He is also among the FBS active career leaders in solo tackles per game, ranking 19th with 4.05.

Grubbs has registered at least five tackles in 21 of 22 games in his career.

ROSE IS A THORN
Redshirt Sophomore defensive lineman Keivie Rose has been a thorn in opposing offense’s sides since arriving in Ruston. The native of Henderson, Texas, registered 25 total l tackles (11 solo, 14 assists), with 4.0 tackles for loss and a sack in 2021. He also posted four quarterback hurries and two pass breakups in addition to registering a tackle in nine of 12 games, highlighted by four tackles in the season finale at Rice. As a redshirt freshman in 2020, Rose registered 25 tackles with four tackles for loss and a sack.

QUARTERBACKS BEWARE
In the last five years, Louisiana Tech is first in Conference USA with 174 total sacks. Since joining the league in 2013, LA Tech is second in
total sacks with 259.

Most sacks in C-USA in last six years

Louisiana Tech 174
North Texas 172

Most sacks in C-USA since joining league (nine years)
North Texas 263
Louisiana Tech 259
Florida Atlantic 249

LEADING THE LEAGUE IN TAKEAWAYS
Since joining the league in 2013, Louisiana Tech leads Conference USA with 219 forced turnovers.

TAKING IT AWAY
Louisiana Tech has turned over its opponents with ease since joining the C-USA in 2013: » Have forced at least one turnover in 98 of 114 games (86 percent) » Have forced multiple turnovers in 64 of 114 games (56.1 percent) » Have forced 3+ turnovers in 36 of 114 games (31.6 percent) » Have forced 4+ turnovers in 17 of 114 games » 22 Pick 6’s » 29 defensive touchdowns

PICKING IT OFF
Louisiana Tech has posted an interception in 20 of its last 26 games. Returnees DB Jaiden Cole (1 at UAB, Nov. 6; 1 at UTEP, Oct. 16), and
DB BeeJay Williamson (2 vs. Southeastern, Sept. 11; 1 at Rice, Nov. 27) are among current Bulldogs who recorded an interception in 2021.

Missouri Tigers
Notes

Story Lines
NOTING THE OPENER
• University of Missouri football will begin its 132nd season and its third under head coach Eliah Drinkwitz on Thursday, September 1, 2022.

• The Tigers start the season at home for the third-straight campaign, and five of the last six. Mizzou is 167-71-8 at home vs. non-conference since 1907.

• Thursday night’s contest is Mizzou’s first night game in Columbia since the home opener in 2020 against Alabama. The contest also marks the Tigers’ first Thursday game since hosting Mississippi State on November 5, 2015.

• The Tigers and Bulldogs are meeting for the first time on the gridiron. Mizzou is 5-1 all-time against current C-USA members. Louisiana Tech went 3-9 a year ago.

LAST TIME OUT: MIZZOU
Cole Talley kicked a 41-yard field goal on the last play of the game to give the Army West Point Black Knights a 24-22 victory over the Missouri Tigers in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, at TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium. Talley’s kick, his longest of the season, spoiled a valiant Mizzou drive that gave the Tigers a 22-21 lead with 1:11 to play. Brady Cook, in his first start as the Tiger quarterback, completed 7-of-9 passes for 72 yards to drive the Tigers 83 yards to a touchdown on a six-yard pass to Keke Chism. The ensuing two-point attempt failed, however, leaving Mizzou with just the one-point lead. After the Tigers’ score, the Black Knights’ third quarterback of the night, Jabari Laws, moved Army 51 yards on seven plays, aided by a Mizzou face-mask penalty, to put Talley in position for the game-winning kick. For the game, Cook completed 27-of-34 passes for 238 yards and a TD, and ran nine times for 53 yards and a score. In total offense, Missouri outgained Army, 433-306.

LAST TIME OUT: LOUISIANA TECH
For the seventh time in 2021, a Louisiana Tech football game was decided by a single possession as the Bulldogs lost to Rice, 35-31, in its season finale on Nov. 27, 2021. LA Tech took an early 10-0 lead after a 20-yard field goal by kicker/punter Jacob Barnes and a 44-yard touchdown reception from quarterback JD Head to freshman wide receiver Tre Harris. Rice scored a pair of touchdowns to take the 14-10 lead at the half. Head connected with sophomore wide receiver Smoke Harris for a 4-yard touchdown in the third quarter for the 17-14 lead. After another touchdown by the Owls, Head rushed for a 22-yard touchdown and then found junior wide receiver Griffin Hebert for the 6-yard touchdown to lead 31-21 with 13:10 left in the fourth quarter. Rice trimmed the lead to 31-28 with just over four minutes to play. After forcing a three-and-out, the Owls returned a punt for 48 yards to the Tech 18 yard line where they went onto convert a touchdown for the 35-31 lead.

SONNY CUMBIE: A FAMILIAR FOE
• Sonny Cumbie is in his first season as head coach at Louisiana Tech and is the 34th head football coach in Bulldog history. No stranger to Mizzou, Cumbie first faced the Tigers as a backup quarterback for Texas Tech in 2003, going 5-of-11 for 29 yards and throwing one interception in a 62-31 Missouri victory in Columbia. This is the same game in which Mizzou quarterback Brad Smith rushed for a school record five touchdowns on 19 carries for 291 yards.

• With Cumbie on the sidelines as a Texas Tech assistant coach, Mizzou fell to the Red Raiders, 24-17, in Lubbock (2010) but rebounded in 2011 with a 31-27 victory at Faurot Field.

NEW KIDS IN THE BLOCK M
• The Tigers were joined by 50 newcomers in the offseason, including 31 true freshmen and 19 transfers. Division I newcomers (14) include Jayden Jernigan (Oklahoma State), Tyrone Hopper (North Carolina), DJ Coleman (Jacksonville State), Ty’Ron Hopper (Florida), Nathaniel Peat (Stanford), Jack Abraham (Mississippi State), Dreyden Norwood (Texas A&M), Joseph Charleston (Clemson), Dylan Spencer (Jackson State), Bence Polgar (Buffalo), Tyler Stephens (Buffalo), Josh Landry (Baylor), Ian Mathews (Auburn) and Kristian Williams (Oregon).

STAYING IN THE SHOW ME STATE
• The 2022 Tigers’ roster features 48 student-athletes from the state of Missouri, including nine from the 573, 24 from the St. Louis area and 11 from the Kansas City area.

THE PELICAN STATE IN BLACK AND GOLD
• Carmycah Glass (Monroe), Daniel Hawthorne (West Monroe) and MaKyi Lee (Metairie) are all Louisiana natives.

COOK GETS THE CALL
• On August 9, head coach Eliah Drinkwitz named Brady Cook the starting quarterback for the Tigers’ season opener.

• The St. Louis native has played in eight career games, including five a season ago. He earned his first career start in the 2021 Armed Forces Bowl vs. Army West Point, completing 27-of-34 passes for 238 yards and a score. He also rushed for a career-high 53 yards and a touchdown against the Black Knights.

• Cook ran in a 30-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the game, the longest rush by a Mizzou quarterback in 2021, and his first career rushing TD.

COOK CONT.
• His second score of the bowl game was a go-ahead touchdown pass to Keke Chism with just over a minute remaining.

• Also in 2021, he was a perfect 5-of-5 for 29 yards with one passing touchdown against Southeast Missouri State. Cook finished the season 47-of-59 for 350 yards and two scores while rushing for 92 yards and a score.

• As a true freshman in 2020, he played in three games, completing 6-of-7 passes for 72 yards. His first career touchdown came on a 25-yard pass in Mizzou’s 41-0 win over Vanderbilt in 2020.

• In Cook’s 65 career pass attempts, he has yet to throw an interception, ranking him third since 2001 for most pass attempts before a first interception, trailing Brad Smith (94) and Blaine Gabbert (178).

THE THICCER KICKER
• Harrison Mevis, a first-team preseason All-SEC selection by the coaches, enters his third season as arguably the nation’s top kicker. His 19 field goals from at least 30 yards last year are the most by a returning kicker, as are the 14 of those that came from at least 40 yards out. His 88.9% career accuracy rate is the best by an active kicker with at least 40 career attempts.

• A two-time Lou Groza Award finalist, he was named preseason All-America teams by the Associated Press, The Athletic, Phil Steele, Action Network and Pro Football Network.

• He is one of just two Tigers in program history to make five or more kicks of 50+ yards, joining Tom Whelihan (6, 1984-87).

• In 2021, Mevis went 23-for-25, good for a 92-percent field goal percentage, setting a new single-season school record (min. 20 att.)

• Mevis totaled 109 points a year ago, taking sole possession of ninth on the Mizzou all-time single-season scoring list

FIRST DOWN BANISTER
• Sixth-year receiver Barrett Banister has played in 44 career games with 93 receptions, 812 yards and two touchdowns. He holds a career average of 17.8 yards per catch and has hauled in 27+ receptions in three-straight seasons.

• Banister’s first catch in 2022 will make him the third Tiger with a reception in five seasons, joining Lamont Downer (1974-78) and George Shorthose (1980-84).

JOURNEYMAN JACK
• Graduate quarterback Jack Abraham is one of only 23 players in the nation entering into at least their seventh year of college football, one of 14 in the Power Five, and one of two in the SEC.

• Abraham spent the 2021-22 season at Mississippi State, was injured prior to 2021 and earned a medical redshirt. He was at Southern Miss for the 2018, 2019 and 2020 season and played in 27 games. He played the 2017 season at NW Mississippi C.C., throwing for 2,949 yards and 23 touchdowns in 11 games. His collegiate career started as an early enrollee at Louisiana Tech in Spring 2016, where he redshirted the season.

TAKE YOUR PICK
• From six different players, Mizzou’s secondary snagged an interception in nine of the 13 contests played in 2021.

• Jaylon Carlies led the way with four INTs while Kris Abrams-Draine had three.

SPREADING THE LOVE
• 16 receivers hauled in 302 receptions while 10 Tigers hauled in 19 receptions for touchdowns last season. Five Tigers had multiple TD receptions.

• Mookie Cooper was the 10th Tiger to haul in a touchdown reception in 2021 with his 60-yard bomb against South Carolina. The 10 players with a TD grab are the most by the Tigers since 2016.

Sat., Sep. 3 @ 11:00 am CT
Sam Houston State Bearkats at Texas A&M Aggies

Sam Houston State Bearkats
Notes

GETTING STARTED

• Sam Houston kicks off the 107th season of Bearkat Football on Saturday when it travels to College Station to take on Texas A&M in the 2022 season opener
• The game will mark the beginning of a 9-game season that will be the last in SHSU’s history at the FCS level. The team will compete as a member of the WAC in for its second straight season in 2022 before joining Conference USA for the 2023 campaign
• Saturday’s game will be the first FBS opponent for the Kats since falling at New Mexico to start off the 2019 season. It will be the first ranked FBS opponent Sam Houston has seen since opening up the K.C. Keeler era in 2014 vs No. 12 LSU
• With Texas A&M ranked No. 6 in the AP poll, it marks the a tie for the highest-ranked FBS opponent the Kats have ever faced. The Aggies were also ranked No. 6 when the Kats faced them in 2013

THE LAST TIME THE KATS FACED TEXAS A&M
FBS No. 7 Texas A&M 65, FCS No. 4 Sam Houston 28
Kyle Field – College Station – 9/7/2013

• Timothy Flanders moved into second all-time in Southland Conference career rushing with 170 yards on 19 carries against the Aggies
• It was only the third 100-yard rushing game vs an FBS program in SHSU history
• He scored 3 of the Kat’s 4 touchdowns, 2 on the ground (11 and 68 yards) and a 33-yard reception

WITH A BEARKAT WIN OVER TEXAS A&M

• Sam Houston would get only its fourth win ever against an FBS opponent
• Sam Houston would get its first win ever over Texas A&M or an SEC opponent
• K.C. Keeler woul pick up his third career victory over an FBS opponent
• The Kats would win their third consecutive season opener

BEARKAT BYTES

• Just a year after claming the 2020 FCS national championship, the Sam Houston Bearkats enter the 2022 season on the verge of a new horizon in what will be its final season competing at the FCS level. Sam Houston will be in its first season of a 2-year transition period to the FBS in 2022 and is set to become a member of Conference USA beginning July 1, 2023 along with Jacksonville State, Liberty and NM State
• The Kats currently have 9 games on the schedule in 2022 as the transition process to the FBS will not allow Sam Houston to be eligible for a spot in the FCS playoffs, despite competing as an FCS institution this year. Sam Houston will also not be eligible for a WAC or WAC/ASUN Challenge title in 2022 and Stats Perform has announced that the Kats will not be included in the weekly national polls
• Sam Houston will compete as an FBS school in 2023 in Conference USA, but will not be bowl eligible until 2024
• Sam Houston has been busy filling its future schedules for its time in the FBS, both at home and on the road. Since officially making the move to C-USA for 2023, the Kats have announced home-and-home series with Hawai’i, Colorado State and Georgia Southern in addition to single road games at both BYU (2023) and UCF (2024)
• Sam Houston will be kicking off 2022 after a historic 2021 calendar year. The Bearkats won 21 games in 2021, running its overall win streak to 22 games dating back to 2019, before falling in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs to Montana State. The 21 wins in 2021 is the most in the history of college football for a calendar year and included an FCS national title, Southland Conference title, WAC title and WAC/ASUN Challenge title
• Sam Houston originally had a full 11 games on its schedule, but fell to 9 games after both Lamar and UIW made late decisions to compete in the Southland Conference rather than the WAC for the 2022 season
• The game vs the Aggies will be the 10th game in K.C. Keeler’s career vs an FBS opponent. He is currently 2-7 vs FBS opponents, including 0-3 as the head coach of the Kats. Of his 9 previous FBS games, 5 were against Navy during his time as the Delaware head coach, including both wins in 2003 and 2007
• The Bearkat roster boasts a number of FBS transfers, but only 1 player on the current roster has ever squared off against Texas A&M. Transfer running back Dezmon Jackson is in his first year with the Kats after his career at Oklahoma State. While there as a freshman in 2018, Jackson got on the field for the Cowboys in the 2019 Texas Bowl, a 24-21 loss to the Aggies at NRG Stadium
• Saturday will serve as a homecoming for the Williams brothers for SHSU. Linebacker Trevor Williams and wide receiver Tony Williams have both been on the team since 2019 and starred in high school at A&M Consolidated High School. Their sister, Taylor, is also a student manager with the team
• Bearkat football has very much been a family affair in recent years with 4 sets of brothers on the 2021 squad. But this year’s team has one-upped it with the Williams being just 1 of 5 sets of brothers on the team including: Chrests (Cody, Jaxon, Nick), Murrays (Lloyd, Chris), Morgans (Seth, Kaden) and Haglers (Ethan, Garret)
• The WAC is the fifth conference in which Sam Houston has competed in since it began football in 1912. Sam Houston was previously a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1924-31), the Lone Star Conference (1932-83), the Gulf Star Conference (1984-86) and the Southland Conference (1987-2020)
• SHSU’s 11-1 record in 2021 was the 11th time in program history the Kats have finished with 10+ victories and the sixth time in 8 seasons under K.C. Keeler
• With its 11-1 record last season, the Bearkats enter 2022 riding a streak of 12 consecutive winning seasons, a mark tied with North Dakota State for the second longest current streak in the FCS. The longest streak is held by Eastern Washington who enters this season with 15 straight winning seasons
• Sam Houston boasted one of the most experienced teams in the nation in 2021, but will be fielding plenty of new faces in 2022 with only 3 starters returning on either side of the ball. The Kats have rebuilt the roster through a high-quality class of high school prepsters primarily from Texas, but have also heavily hit the transfer portal with 16 additions
• One of the primary additions to the Bearkat defense is the addition of safety BJ Foster, who spent the past 4 seasons at Texas. The Angleton native earned all-Big 12 honorable mention honors last year after leading UT with 3 interceptions, but joins the Bearkats where he has deep family roots. In addition to his sister also attending SHSU, his mother – Yolanda Royston – is one of the top volleyball players in Bearkat history. She is a member of SHSU’s Hall of Honor and still ranks in the all-time top 25 at SHSU in those categories
• In addition to a large number of new faces on the field, the Kats brought in a bevy of new coaches, headlined by offensive coordinator John Perry who was most recently at Rutgers but spent a number of years profession- ally with the Houston Texans. On the defensive side, Joe Morris will take over calling the defense after Clayton Carlin was elevated into a role as Associate Head Coach
• After winning the 2020 FCS national title, Sam Houston head coach K.C. Keeler now has 2 FCS title (Delaware, 2003) and is the first coach in FCS history to win a national title with multiple schools. In his FCS tenure at Delaware and SHSU he has amassed 25 career win in the FCS playoffs, which is the most playoff wins by a head coach in FCS history
• Sam Houston had not had a player taken in the NFL Draft since PJ Hall in 2018, but that changed in April when cornerback Zyon McCollum was taken by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round. He was the 20th Bearkat to be selected in the history of the draft and was so after a career that saw him earn all-league honors four times and start nearly every game for Kats at cornerback since his true freshman season in 2017. He also was a 3-time all-American and finished with 13 career interceptions, just one shy of the SHSU school record

Texas A&M Aggies
Notes

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
• Saturday’s opener marks the 13th meeting between Texas A&M and Sam Houston, the first since the 2013 season … The Aggies have claimed all 12 previous meetings.

• The Aggies are 15-2 in season openers at home since 2000 and have gone 8-2 in their first game of the year since joining the SEC in 2012.

• Coach Fisher owns an 11-1 record in season openers, including a perfect 8-0 mark when beginning the year at home.

• Senior WR Ainias Smith looks to extend his streak of 23 consecutive games with at least one reception, which dates back to the 2019 season … Smith served as a team captain in 2021 and led the Aggies in receptions (41) and receiving touchdowns (6), while ranking second with 472 receiving yards.

• Junior RB Devon Achane was one of the most productive backs in the nation last season, ranking 11th in the FBS with a 7.00 yard-per-carry average … He led the A&M offense with 10 trips to the end zone, while also adding a 96-yard kickoff return score.

• A key contributor since arriving in Aggieland, DB Demani Richardson returns for his senior season and leads all Aggies with 31 starts through 32 career games, while his 65 tackles and 6.5 TFL in 2021 are both the second-most among current Aggies.

• Junior DB Jaylon Jones has started all 22 games of his career and led the Aggies last season with a pair of picks, while also ranking second on the team with six breakups.

• Junior P Nik Constantinou led the SEC and was 10th nationally in 2021, as he boasted a 46.61 yards-per-punt average on the season … Constantinou was named to the Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List and was a semifinalist for the national accolade in 2020.

QUICK HITS
• The Aggies return two of the team’s top three scorers from a season ago in senior WR Ainias Smith and junior RB Devon Achane … Achane led the team last season with 11 touchdowns, while Smith added seven trips to the end zone.

• The offensive line sees great experience and depth return for 2022, led by veteran Layden Robinson, who started 10 games at right guard last season … Sophomores Bryce Foster and Reuben Fatheree II were named Freshman All-Americans by the FWAA and The Athletic after making immediate impacts in 2021, as Foster started all 12 games at center and Fatheree II became a mainstay in the starting lineup at right tackle.

• The A&M defense finished the 2021 season third in the nation in scoring defense (15.9 ppg) and second in points allowed (191 pts).

• Six of the team’s top 10 tacklers return from a season ago, led by junior DB Antonio Johnson, who tallied 79 takedowns in 2021, including 53 solo tackles.

• The Aggies were tied for fifth in the SEC last season with 55 passes defended on the year … Sophomore DB Tyreek Chappell, who started the final eight games of the season at corner, was fifth in the league after defending 10 passes in 2021.

• A dependable contributor on punt return, Smith ranked 11th in the nation and was third in the SEC as he averaged 11.3 yards per return last season.

• The Aggies are 21-4 (.840 win pct.) at Kyle Field under Jimbo Fisher … In the five seasons prior to Fisher’s arrival, the Aggies were 23-12 on their home turf (.657).

• Quick starts have been a harbinger of Aggie victories in the Jimbo Fisher era … The Aggies are 26-4 when scoring first and a perfect 24-0 when leading after the first quarter.

ACHANE IS OFF THE CHAIN
• Junior RB Devon Achane looks to lead the Aggies as the premier back this season after flexing his speed and versatility last year.

• Achane led the SEC and was second in the nation (min. 100 attempts) averaging 7.00 yards per carry last season, while also pacing A&M’s kickoff return team that ranked No. 2 in the country, averaging 30.55 yards per return. • Achane reached the end zone as rusher, receiver and
returner, leading the offense with 10 touchdowns.

• In the win over New Mexico, Achane’s success came through the air as he caught all three passes that came his way and finished the day with 45 yards and the second receiving TD of his career.

• Achane put his speed on display in the win over No. 1 Alabama when he returned a third quarter kickoff 96 yards to the end zone.

• Against Prairie View, Achane’s two trips to the end zone marked the sixth multi-TD game of his career, fourth of the year … He also tallied four 100-yard games as a sophomore to bring his career total to six through his first two seasons.

• The talented back also runs track for the Aggies, already receiving NCAA All-America selections in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay … In April of this year, Achane clocked the sixth-fastest time in A&M history in the 200m (20.20) and posted a time of 10.14 in the 100m at the 2022 Texas Relays.

OFFENSIVE LINE
• The Texas A&M offensive line returns great experience from last season … Led by junior Layden Robinson, the Aggies return three of five starters from a year ago.

• Robinson is in his second year as a starter after helping clear the way for one of the top running back tandems in the nation in 2021 … He was a key reserve in 2020 when A&M became the first school in the last 10 years to lead the SEC in sacks allowed (0.7), tackles for loss allowed (3.8) and yards per carry (5.45) in the same season.

• In 2021, the Maroon Goons cleared the way for a pair of 100-yard rushers in the same game on three occasions, as the duo of Isaiah Spiller and Devon Achane rushed for over 100 yards a combined 10 times on the year.

• Sophomores Bryce Foster and Reuben Fatheree II made immediate impacts in their debut seasons as Foster started all 12 games at center and Fatheree II earned a starting role at right tackle for the final nine games of the season … The pair of newcomers were recognized for their hard work as they were named Freshman All-Americans by the FWAA and The Athletic.

• Sophomore Aki Ogunbiyi and junior Blake Trainor, along with redshirt freshmen Matthew Wykoff and Trey Zuhn III, added depth for the Aggies off the bench last season with Ogunbiyi starting four of the eight games he appeared in and Trainor joining the starters for the first snap in two of the 11 games he played.

SEASONED SECONDARY RETURNS
• A&M boasts a seasoned secondary that returns four starters, including senior Demani Richardson and junior Jaylon Jones, who have combined to start 52 games.

• The Aggies return six of their top 10 tacklers from the 2021 season, four of which were secondary starters … While Richardson boasts the most career tackles on the current roster (172), junior Antonio Johnson is the top returner in the category after tallying 79 tackles, 53 solo last year.

• A&M’s 55 passes defended last season was good for fifth among SEC teams … Sophomore Tyreek Chappell was fifth in the SEC with 10 passes defended in his debut season, nine of which were breakups, which tied him for fourth in the league … Jones added eight passes defended, putting him in a tie for 13th in the SEC.

• The Aggies were one of the best in the nation at limiting their opponents last season, finishing the year second in the country in points allowed (191) and third in scoring defense (15.9) … A&M led the SEC in yards allowed (3,930) and pass yards allowed (2,312).

JOHNSON EMERGES AS LEADER
• Junior DB Antonio Johnson emerged as one of the SEC’s top tacklers among DBs in his first season as the Aggies’ starter at nickel in 2021.

• Johnson tallied 79 tackles on the year, which was the second most on the team … He led the Aggies and was tied for 11th in the SEC with 53 solo takedowns.

• On the season, Johnson led the team in tackles in four games, including against Mississippi State when he tallied a career-high 15 … He added 11 tackles at Ole Miss to record the second double-digit tackle game of his young career.

• Against Prairie View, Johnson laid the boom on the Panthers’ QB to force a fumble and set up an Aggie defensive touchdown as he registered both stats for the first time in his career.

• Johnson was third on the team with five passes defended last season and recorded the first interception of his career when he picked off Missouri in the first quarter and returned the ball 6 yards.

THE 12TH MAN
• Graduate DS Connor Choate was named the 12th Man by head coach Jimbo Fisher on August 28, 2021.

• Choate has served as the team’s primary deep snapper in each of his two seasons in Aggieland … He earned the team’s Special Teams Newcomer of the Year Award in 2019, the Special Teams Most Valuable Player Award in 2020 and added the Special Teams Mr. Dependable Award in 2021.

• Texas A&M’s famous 12th Man tradition dates back to 1922 when student E. King Gill came out of the stands in the Dixie Classic in Dallas at the request of legendary head coach Dana X. Bible because of injuries to his football team … Gill never entered the game but “stood ready” in the Aggies’ 22-14 win over the powerhouse Centre College Praying Colonels.

• In honor of the tradition, the Texas A&M student body “stands ready” to show their support of their team on the field.

• The 12th Man Kickoff Team tradition was started in 1983 by then-head coach Jackie Sherrill after being inspired by watching students build the famous Aggie Bonfire. “I knew that I could find, out of 40-some-odd thousand students, 11 guys that would cover kickoffs, but have no
regard for their body and be tough as nails,” Sherrill said. (Source: MyAggieNation.com) Beginning in 1991, a single 12th Man was chosen to represent the study body on the kickoff unit.

Sat., Sep. 3 @ 3:30 pm ET
Oregon Ducks at Georgia Bulldogs

Oregon Ducks
Notes

TALKING POINTS
LANNING ERA BEGINS IN ATLANTA
Head coach DAN LANNING will make his head coaching debut on Saturday after being named the 35th leader of Oregon football on Dec. 11, 2021. The start of the Lanning era couldn’t come in more dramatic fashion, with the Ducks’ first game coming against Lanning’s former team and the
defending national champion in No. 3 Georgia. Lanning helped lead the Bulldogs to the College Football Playoff title while simultaneously hiring his inaugural coaching staff at Oregon and recruiting an impressive early signing class for the Ducks. As Georgia’s defensive coordinator, Dan Lanning…

Directed the top defense in the nation from 2019-21, leading the country in combined scoring defense (13.6 PPG) and rushing defense (75.7 YPG) while ranking No. 2 in total defense (284.3 YPG).

Led a 2021 defense that allowed just 10.2 PPG, 4.6 PPG better than any other team in the country, and only 6.9 PPG during the regular season.

Was a two-time Broyles Award finalist.

A WIN WOULD…
Be the first in program history over Georgia.

Be Oregon’s ninth win over a top-five team and second in as many seasons after beating No. 3 Ohio State in 2021.

Improve the Ducks to 91-32-4 all-time in season openers.

Give Oregon its 10th win in the last 11 season openers.

Mark UO’s third-ever win over a ranked team in a season opener, and first since beating No. 22 Wisconsin in 2001.

Be Oregon’s second neutral-site win in a season opener, and first since an 18-0 victory over Gonzaga in 1935.

Make Dan Lanning the first Oregon head coach ever to defeat a ranked opponent in his UO debut.

Be Oregon’s fourth ever against a SEC team.

NUMBERS TO KNOW
3 – Oregon is one of just three teams in the nation to reach its conference title game each of the last three seasons.

5 – Oregon is one of eight FBS teams to have five returning starters on the offensive line entering the 2022 season.

11- The Ducks kick off 2022 at No. 11 in the AP top-25 poll, the fourth straight season Oregon has opened in the top 11.

13 – 13 Ducks earned preseason Pac-12 All-Conference honors, including four on the first team (Bass, Dorlus, Forsyth, Sewell).

96 – UO is tied for the fourth-most in the nation with 96 underclassmen, making up 76.2 percent of the roster.

TEAM NOTES
DUCKS PLAYING WITH HEAVY HEART
The Oregon football program suffered heartbreak in the offseason when tight end Spencer Webb passed away tragically on July 13. The Ducks will honor Webb in multiple ways throughout the season, including a decal on their helmets that features Webb’s No. 4 inside a spider web. “Our team has a void,” head coach DAN LANNING said at Pac-12 Media Day. “We’re missing a brother in Spencer. We spent a lot of time together as a family, mourned his loss. It’s something you certainly cannot replace. I’ve talked to our players about that moment and Spencer, on your tombstone, there’s a day you were born and a day when you passed, but what made Spencer special was how he lived that dash in between those two numbers.”

PILLARS OF THE PROGRAM
Head coach DAN LANNING got right to work building the program’s culture after taking over in Eugene, establishing four program pillars that the Ducks strive to embody every day – Connection, Toughness, Growth and Sacrifice. Lanning had those four pillars posted on Oregon’s practice fields at the Hatfield Dowlin Complex.

TOP-11 SHOWDOWN
Oregon is in the top 15 of the preseason AP poll for the fourth straight year, and in the top 25 for the 14th time in the last 15 seasons. The Ducks will face a top-five foe for the 51st time in program history, holding an 8-41-1 record in those contests. UO is 190-76-2 all-time as a ranked team, including 96-25 when ranked since 2010 and 153-48 since 2000. Oregon picked up its first top-three win since 2011 and fifth all-time last September at No. 3 Ohio State, knocking off the Buckeyes, 35-28, for the program’s first-ever win over OSU.

YOUTH MOVEMENT
The Ducks enter 2022 as one of the youngest teams in the country, tying for the fourth-most underclassmen of any FBS team with 96 on its roster. That number is comprised of 53 freshmen and 43 sophomores, and makes up 76.2 percent of Oregon’s 126-player roster. The only teams with more underclassmen are Navy (117), Army (108) and Nebraska (110), with Wyoming tied with the Ducks at 96. Colorado ranks second in the Pac-12 with 91 total underclassmen.

FRESH FACES
In addition to having 53 freshmen on the roster, Oregon added 21 players via transfers over the offseason to give the program 74 total newcomers. 15 of those 21 transfers came from Power 5 programs, and have combined to make exactly 100 starts at the FBS level. Oregon also boasts an entirely new coaching staff under head coach DAN LANNING.

ELITE COMPANY
Oregon made its third straight trip to the Pac-12 Championship Game in 2021, becoming the only Power 5 team – and one of just three nationally – to make a conference championship game in each of the last three seasons. The Ducks joined Cincinnati and Louisiana as the only three teams in the FBS to reach a league title game in each season since 2019. Oregon is also the only team in the 11-year history of the game to reach the Pac-12 title game in three straight seasons.

WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Oregon was one of the best teams in the FBS last season when it came to winning the turnover battle, sitting in a tie for 18th nationally and third in the Pac-12 with a plus-9 turnover margin. The Ducks tied for 19th nationally and second in the Pac-12 with 23 takeaways, and ranked 30th in the FBS with just 14 turnovers lost. Oregon’s defense hauled in 17 interceptions, which ranked tied for fifth nationally and led the Pac-12. Oregon won each of the six games in which it won the turnover battle in 2021.

NEXT MAN UP
Oregon’s depth was put to the test last season as the Ducks dealt with injuries to a number of starters and key contributors. Oregon had 46 different players start games in 2021, including 17 who made their first career starts (5 offense, 12 defense). Just six Ducks started all 14 games last season, while UO used a different starting unit in 12 of the 14 games on both sides of the ball.

HOME COOKIN’
Oregon has taken care of business at home over the last four seasons, owning a 19-game winning streak at Autzen Stadium dating back to 2018. The Ducks have the third-longest active home win streak in the FBS and are one of just nine teams to have won at least 10 consecutive home games heading into the 2022 season. The streak is good for the fourth-longest home winning streak in school history, and the longest since a 21-game stretch from 2008 through 2011. Oregon has also won its last 15 home Pac-12 games, the fourth-longest active conference home winning streak in the FBS, and it ranks second in the nation with a 29 straight nonconference home wins.

Active Home Winning Streaks (Last home loss)

1. Clemson – 34 (11/12/2016)
2. Cincinnati – 27 (11/10/2017)
3. Oregon – 19 (9/22/2018)
4. Miami (Ohio) – 14 (9/28/2018)
5. Alabama – 13 (11/9/2019)

Active Home Nonconference Winning Streaks (Last home nonconference loss)

1. Alabama – 39 (11/17/2007)
2. Oregon – 29 (9/20/2008)
3. Utah – 27 (9/30/2006)
4. Clemson – 24 (11/24/2012)
   T5. – Penn State – 20 (9/14/2013)
   T5. – NC State – 20 (11/23/2013)

OFFENSIVE NOTES
OFFENSIVE STAFF SNAPSHOT
Head coach DAN LANNING’s first hire for his inaugural coaching staff at Oregon was offensive coordinator KENNY DILLINGHAM, who will take on offensive play-calling responsibilities for the first time in his career. Dillingham, who also works with Oregon’s quarterbacks, came to Oregon after spending time in the same role at Florida State (2020-21), Auburn (2019) and Memphis (2016-18). Lanning and Dillingham worked together at Memphis in 2016 and 2017, when Lanning was the inside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. Lanning and Dillingham added JUNIOR ADAMS to the staff as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, a West Coast native who recruited and mentored current NFL superstar Cooper Kupp during his time at Eastern Washington. ADRIAN KLEMM joined the staff as associate head coach and offensive line coach, returning to college football after spending three seasons in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rounding out the offensive coaching staff are two young up-and-comers in the coaching world – running backs coach CARLOS LOCKLYN and tight ends coach DREW MEHRINGER. Locklyn is in his second year as an on-field coach after coaching running backs last season at Western Kentucky, while Mehringer was once the youngest play caller in the Power 5 as the offensive coordinator at Rutgers in 2016 at the age of 28.

GROUND AND POUND
Oregon’s offense was paced by a consistent ground attack throughout the 2021 season. The Ducks ranked fourth in the Pac-12 and 24th in the nation with 202.36 rushing yards per game, and were tied for sixth in the country with 36 total rushing touchdowns. Oregon eclipsed 100 rushing yards in all but two games last season, and rushed for 200-plus yards seven times in 14 games. UO erupted for back-to-back 300-plus yard rushing efforts against Washington (329) and Washington State (306) in November, the first time since 2017 Oregon rushed for 300 yards in consecutive games. The rushing attack also fueled Oregon’s historic win over No. 3 Ohio State on Sept. 11, gaining the most rushing yards by a team against the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium since 2014 with 269.

329 yards at UW marked UO’s best rushing performance since going for 392 on Nov. 23, 2018 against Oregon State.

First team to rush for at least 300 yards against Washington in Seattle since Nebraska on Sept. 18, 2010.

Led the Pac-12 with 5.55 yards per rush during the fourth quarter.

THRIVING ON THIRD DOWN
The Ducks’ offense was excellent on third down in 2021, ranking fourth in the nation with a 51.11 conversion percentage (92-of180). Oregon made first downs on at least half of its third-down attempts in seven of 14 games, including a 77.78 conversion percentage in a win at UCLA after converting on 7-of-9 attempts. Oregon was especially good on third down during the final month of the regular season, ranking second nationally with a conversion percentage of 60.0 (33-of-55) during the month of November.

One of five teams nationally in 2021 with a third-down conversion rate of at least 50 percent.

Went 10-for-13 vs. Oregon State, marking the only time since at least 1996 that a UO team has converted at least 10 third downs at a rate of 70 percent or higher in a game.

Converted on 12 consecutive third-down attempts between the UCLA and Colorado games.

No. 7 in the FBS with three-and-outs on just 13.38 percent of drives.

EXPERIENCED & VERSATILE O-LINE
The offensive line is a clear strength for Oregon entering the 2022 season, with experience and versatility expected to play a valuable role up front. The Ducks are one of eight teams in the nation to return five starters along the offensive line, with MALAESALA AUMAVAE-LAULU, T.J. BASS, ALEX FORSYTH, STEVEN JONES AND RYAN WALK all starting at least nine games in 2021. Forsyth was the only one of those five to start at only one position, speaking to the versatility of Oregon’s returning group, and Oregon used seven different starting offensive line combinations throughout the season. Dawson Jaramillo is also back after playing four different positions last season as a valuable sixth O-lineman, and more talent returns with JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON, MARCUS HARPER II, FAAOPE LALOULU and others. Oregon brought in some talented freshmen up front as well, headlined by five-star prospect JOSH CONERLY JR.

Offensive Linemen That Have Played Multiple Positions Positions (2021 Snaps)
Dawson Jaramillo LT (115), LG (100), RG (86), RT (28)
Jackson Powers-Johnson *RG (80), *LG (26), C (20)
Ryan Walk *C (306), *RG (235), LG (36)
Steven Jones *RG (556), *RT (225)
T.J. Bass *LG (431), *LT (425)

• Has a start at that position

FBS Teams With Five Returning Starters On The Offensive Line
Cincinnati, Maryland, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Syracuse, Wake Forest, West Virginia.

STAYING AHEAD OF THE STICKS
Oregon did a good job of limiting negative plays on offense all last season, tying for 12th in the FBS and third in the Pac-12 with 56.0 TFLs allowed. The Ducks also gave up just 24.0 sacks in 2021, a number that tied for 42nd nationally, highlighted by four games with no sacks allowed. Oregon lost yards on just 6.8 percent of its plays, tied for the seventh-lowest rate in the FBS and the best in the Pac-12.

QB BATTLE GOES DOWN TO THE WIRE
Fans will have to wait until Saturday’s opening kickoff to know who Oregon’s starting quarterback will be to begin the season, with head coach DAN LANNING saying he would not name a starter ahead of time. The Ducks brought in senior transfer BO NIX this offseason to compete with talented freshmen JAY BUTTERFIELD and TY THOMPSON, and the three have battled for the job since Nix arrived in the spring. Nix certainly owns an advantage in terms of experience with 7,250 career passing yards

• good for No. 15 among active FBS passers – compared to 109 combined for Butterfield and Thompson. Nix is also familiar with offensive coordinator KENNY DILLINGHAM, who was Nix’s OC at Auburn when he was a true freshman in 2019. Oregon fans may remember Nix from the 2019 opener, when he led the Tigers to victory over the Ducks in his first career game. Butterfield and Thompson both saw limited action in 2021 after coming to Oregon as highly-touted recruits, with Thompson throwing for 87 yards and two touchdowns across two games.

TALENTED TRANSFERS ADD TO DEPTH
Oregon was active in the transfer portal on offense this offseason outside of just the quarterback position, bringing in talent and experience at both running back and wide receiver. MAR’KEISE IRVING (Minnesota) and NOAH WHITTINGTON (Western Kentucky) bring a combined 1,355 career rushing yards to the running back room, with Whittington reuniting with running backs coach CARLOS LOCKLYN after playing for him last season. Irving showed explosive capability in 2021 as a true freshman with Minnesota, averaging 58.25 yards per game and 5.26 yards per carry. At receiver, the Ducks brought in 92 combined receptions and 1,296 receiving yards in transfers CHASE COTA (UCLA) and CALEB CHAPMAN (Texas A&M). Cota was a consistent contributor over the last four years for the Bruins and is an Oregon legacy, with his dad, Chad Cota, having played defensive back for the Ducks from 1991-94. Chapman is a big target for the Ducks, and is the only player on the roster with a 150-plus yard receiving game in his career.

BASS HAS YOUR BACK
One of just two Oregon offensive players to start all 14 games in 2021, senior T.J. BASS anchored the Ducks’ offensive line last season. Bass made eight starts at left tackle and six at left guard, getting the nod at guard in the first six games before starting at tackle the rest of the way. He earned a stellar run-blocking grade of 90.5 according to Pro Football Focus, a mark that tied for second among qualified Pac-12 offensive lineman and 12th nationally. Bass was also the highest graded player overall on the team at 86.0, and was the fifth-highest graded lineman in the Pac-12 overall.

» Earned Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week honors after earning a grade of 89.7 from PFF in the Stony Brook game.

» Graded out at 75.0 or higher in run blocking in a game four times, including two games over 90.0.

» Played 500 total snaps at left tackle and 431 at left guard

» Played every offensive snap in 11 of the 14 games.

HUTSON HEATS UP LATE
With reps available at wide receiver following the injuries to veterans late in 2021, receiver KRIS HUTSON provided big-time production down the stretch. Hutson caught 18 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns in the final four games, finishing second on the team with 419 total receiving yards and third with 31 receptions. Hutson’s production in the final four games makes up more than half of his career 456 receiving yards, and he’s expected to be a key weapon on Oregon’s offense in 2022.

» Caught a then-career-high seven passes fo 82 yards while hauling in first career TD in the win over Oregon State.

» First UO wide receiver to catch at least seven passes in a game since Johnny Johnson III at ASU on Nov. 23, 2019 (10 rec.).

» Career-high 96 receiving yards on four receptions at Utah, highlighted by a career-long 50-yard catch.

YOUNG RECEIVERS STEP UP
In addition to Hutson, Oregon saw a youth movement at wide receiver late in the 2021 season. TROY FRANKLIN and DONT’E THORNTON both impressed late as true freshmen after arriving as top recruits, with Franklin hauling in 18 catches for 209 yards and two touchdowns and Thornton adding nine receptions for 175 yards and a pair of scores. Both Ducks scored long touchdowns in the Alamo Bowl and are expected to see increased playing time as sophomores. ISAAH CROCKER also emerged late in the season, making six catches for 91 yards in the final two games including a career-best three receptions for 51 yards in the Pac-12 Championship Game. SEVEN MCGEE will be another name to watch in 2022 as the dynamic sophomore has made the transition from running back to receiver.

BIG PLAY BYRON
Running back BYRON CARDWELL impressed for the Ducks late in 2021 as a true freshman, delivering explosive plays in the running game. Cardwell led the Pac-12 with 6.84 yards per carry while tying for fourth with eight rushes of 20-plus yards, and his 417 total rushing yards ranked second among Pac-12 freshmen. Cardwell erupted for his first career 100-yard rushing performance in a win over Colorado with 127 yards on just seven carries (18.14 YPC), and he notched his first multi-touchdown game against Washington State with two scores and 98 rushing yards on nine carries (10.89 YPC).

» Ran for 304 yards on 27 carries in the five home games in which he got a carry, averaging 11.3 yards per rush.

» Became the first Oregon player to rush for at least 100 yards on 10 or fewer carries since CJ Verdell did it against California on Sept. 29, 2018.

» Named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week after rushing for 98 yards and two TDs on nine carries against Washington State.

DEPTH IN THE TIGHT END ROOM
Oregon boasts one of the deeper tight end rooms in the country this season. TERRANCE FERGUSON looks like an emerging star after recording 17 catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns last year as a true freshman, becoming one of five true freshman tight ends in the FBS with multiple receiving TDs. MOLIKI MATAVAO also flashed in his first season with nine catches for 75 yards and a touchdown, a crucial play in Oregon’s historic win at No. 3 Ohio State. CAM MCCORMICK brings experience to the room as he goes into his seventh season with the program, hoping to get through a season healthy for the first time since he was a redshirt freshman in 2017. Sophomore PATRICK HERBERT – the brother of former star quarterback Justin Herbert – is also looking to shake the injury bug and have his first healthy season for the Ducks. The Ducks added one more intriguing tight end prospect in TERRELL TILMON, an impressive athlete who has made the transition from defense to offense.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
DEFENSIVE STAFF SNAPSHOT
Head coach DAN LANNING comes to Eugene as one of the top defensive minds in all of college football, and he surrounded himself with an elite defensive coaching staff. Defensive coordinator TOSH LUPOI helped Alabama reach four straight national title games and win two while on staff, including as defensive coordinator in 2018. Lupoi then spent three seasons in the NFL, where he helped develop star players such as Myles Garrett (Browns), Grady Jarrett (Falcons) and Josh Allen (Jaguars). MATTHEW POWLEDGE will serve as co-defensive coordinator while working with the safeties, and he came to Eugene after mentoring one of the best safeties in the country the last couple years in Baylor’s Jalen Pitre. DEMETRICE MARTIN will coach the cornerbacks after making an inter-conference move from Colorado to Oregon, and TONY TUIOTI will coach the defensive line following three seasons in the same role at Nebraska. JOE LORIG rounds out the defensive staff working with the nickels while also serving as Oregon’s special teams coordinator, the same role he held previously at Penn State.

PICK PARTY
No team has been better at coming away with interceptions than Oregon over the last decade-plus. Oregon leads all FBS teams with 190 total interceptions since 2010, three more than second-place Alabama and eight more than third-place Iowa. That impressive run of picking off passes goes back even further, as the Ducks rank second with 352 total interceptions since 2000, trailing only Virginia Tech (354). Since 2018, Oregon ranks fourth in the nation with 59 interceptions.

WE’LL TAKE THAT
Takeaways were one of the keys to Oregon’s success defensively last season. The Ducks led the Pac-12 and tied for fifth nationally with 17 interceptions, and they were tied for 26th in the FBS with 22 total forced turnovers. Oregon came away with at least three turnovers five times in 2021, with 16 of the 23 takeaways coming in home games. While Oregon lost Verone McKinley III – who tied for the national lead with six interceptions – to the NFL Draft, the Ducks bring back safety BENNETT WILLIAMS, who impressed with three interceptions in the season’s first four games last season before suffering an injury that knocked him out until the Alamo Bowl. Williams owns six career interceptions, the most of any Duck on this year’s roster.

DORLUS BRINGING THE PRESSURE
Defensive end BRANDON DORLUS was a force to be reckoned with last season for the Ducks, earning first-team all-conference honors after setting career-highs with 25 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. According to Pro Football Focus, Dorlus was the highest-graded interior defensive lineman in the Pac-12 last season with an 82.3 pass-rushing grade. Overall, he was second among Pac-12 defensive linemen – behind only teammate POPO AUMAVAE – with a 79.2 overall grade, and third with a 72.9 run-defense grade. PFF credited the Florida native with 42 total pressures, 33 quarterback hurries and six QB hits. Dorlus has flown up NFL Draft boards entering 2022, and he joined linebacker NOAH SEWELL on the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which goes to the national defensive player of the year.

CAN’T GET BY POPO
POPO AUMAVAE may not have shown up a ton in the box scores last season, but Oregon’s nose tackle was a big key to the Ducks’ defensive success. Aumavae received first-team all-Pac-12 honors from the Associated Press and Pro Football Focus, finishing the season with a career-high 36 total tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss. Aumavae joined Brandon Dorlus among the highest graded interior defensive linemen by PFF, leading that group with an 81.3 overall defensive grade. Aumavae was second behind Dorlus with a pass-rushing grade of 82.0, and was also second with a 74.8 run-defense grade. The senior is among the most experienced players on Oregon’s defense, having played 38 career games entering 2022.

NEW FACES READY TO CONTRIBUTE
Oregon’s defense brought in some reinforcements this offseason via the transfer portal. CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ is expected to play a big role in the secondary after coming from Colorado, where he recorded 78 tackles, 10 pass breadkups and 5.5 tackles for loss while starting all 18 games for the Buffaloes over two seasons. The Ducks added a trio of experienced players along the defensive line, bringing TAKI TAIMANI over from rival Washington and the duo of JORDON RILEY and CASEY ROGERS from Nebraska, where they played for new defensive line coach TONY TUIOTI. Taimani has 71 career tackles and was the fifth-highest graded Pac-12 interior defensive lineman by Pro Football Focus in 2021 at 72.0, giving Oregon three of the top five players in that category as he joins BRANDON DORLUS and POPO AUMAVAE along the defensive line. The Ducks also added defensive back DONOVAN DALTON, who spent the last five seasons at Hawai’i.

BACK ON DEFENSE, JOHNSON READY TO GET AFTER THE QB
DJ JOHNSON was one of the more versatile player in the nation last season for Oregon, playing 152 snaps on defense as an outside linebacker, 98 on offense as a tight end and 18 on special teams. Johnson had made the move from defense to offense during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but now will move back to defense full-time in his final season. Johnson has shown the potential to be a disruptive pass rusher off the edge, finishing with 11 tackles, 2.0 TFLs and a sack last season and then flashing with three sacks in the spring game in April.

TURN UP THE PRESSURE
Oregon is tasked with replacing the pass-rush production vacated by No. 5 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux this season. DJ JOHNSON will be a leading candidate for that role, along with BRADYN SWINSON and MASE FUNA. Swinson showed potential last season in his first extended playing time with 3.0 sacks, including a crucial sack in Oregon’s historic win at No. 3 Ohio State. Funa is looking to get back to his freshman form from 2019, when he was a freshman all-American after posting 4.0 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. NOAH SEWELL is Oregon’s active career sacks leader with 6.0, and BRANDON DORLUS is second with 4.5.

BASSA SETTLING IN AT ILB
JEFFREY BASSA was one of the better storylines for the Oregon defense last year as a true freshman, starting seven of the Ducks’ last nine games at inside linebacker after transitioning from defensive back early in the season. Bassa played 452 total defensive snaps – 423 at linebacker – finishing with 48 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack. He made six or more tackles five times in the final eight games, culminating with a career-high nine stops in the Alamo Bowl. Bassa racked up his 3.5 tackles for loss in a three-game span from Oct. 23 to Nov. 6, and he was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week after shining with six tackles, 1.5 TFLs and his first career sack in Oregon’s win at Washington.

FLOWE READY TO ROLL
After suffering season-ending injuries in each of his first two seasons, Oregon fans are ready to see what linebacker JUSTIN FLOWE can do when healthy. A former five-star recruit, Flowe made one tackle in the 2020 season opener before going down with an injury. He returned last season and was stellar in the season opener vs. Fresno State, earning Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors after starring with 14 tackles, one tackle for loss and a forced fumble. Unfortunately, Flowe sustained another injury during that game and missed the rest of 2021. Now healthy, a linebacker group led by NOAH SEWELL, JEFFREY BASSA and Flowe is an exciting prospect for an Oregon defense that is full of potential.

DEPTH AT DB
Oregon’s depth in the secondary was put to the test in 2021 due to injuries, and the Ducks hope that experience pays dividends in 2022. TRIKWEZE BRIDGES and DONTAE MANNING both played extensively at cornerback last season as freshmen, with Bridges recording 26 tackles and an interception in 14 games (3 starts) and Manning adding 21 tackles and a TFL in 13 games (one start). BRYAN ADDISON played in 13 games at safety after making the transition from wide receiver, making his first career interception in Oregon’s win over Washington State. Also back is JAMAL HILL, a key part of Oregon’s secondary for the last two seasons. Hill made 36 tackles last season while playing in 13 games (seven starts), and he was a star of the 2020 Pac-12 Championship Game with a pair of interceptions. STEVE STEPHENS IV is another returning veteran with 63 career tackles. That depth combined with the return of BENNETT WILLIAMS, who leads the team with six career interceptions, and the addition of transfer CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ gives the Ducks options in the secondary entering DAN LANNING’s first season.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
LEWIS KICKS IT INTO GEAR
Kicker CAMDEN LEWIS made a drastic improvement as Oregon’s place kicker and kickoff specialist from 2020 to 2021. The North Carolina native was a second-team Pac-12 all-conference selection last season after ranking second in the league with an 81.3 field goal percentage (13-of-16). Lewis started the season 10-for-10 on field goals, the longest streak of his career and longest by a UO kicker since Adian Schneider made 10 straight in 2015. Lewis was 5-of-7 on field goals of 40 to 49 yards, headlined by a career-long 49-yard make against California. Lewis was also much better on kickoffs, with his 44.9 touchback percentage showing a significant improvement from his 26.0 percent mark in 2020.

» First UO kicker since Schneider in 2015 to make at least four field goals of 40 or more yards in a season.

» Career-long 49-yard FG vs. California was the longest by a UO kicker since Matt Evensen hit a 52-yarder on Oct. 25, 2008.

» Totaled 4,852 yards on 78 kickoffs in 2021 with 35 touchbacks.

COMPETITION ABOUND ON SPECIAL TEAMS
While Lewis returns as the incumbent at place kicker, Oregon has had a competition-filled fall at the other kicking spots after bringing in a quartet of transfers. ALEX BALES (Cincinnati) and ANDREW BOYLE (Washington State) both have experience kicking for Power 5 programs, and both have been competing with Lewis for kickoff duties as well as pushing him for the place kicking job. Bales owns a career-long field goal of 52 yards, and he was second in the AAC last season with 45 total touchbacks. At punter, the Ducks added two more transfers in ADAM BARRY (Temple) and ROSS JAMES (East Central CC) to compete for the starting job, and Boyle has experience punting as well as kicking. Barry was on the preseason watch list for the Ray Guy Award entering 2021 with Temple, and he punted a career-high 63 times for 2,643 yards (41.9 yards per punt) with a career-best 13 punts of 50-plus yards. Barry also pinned 13 punts inside the 20-yard line in 2021, and he was a fourth-team all-AAC selection by Phil Steele in 2020 after ranking second in the conference with an average punt of 44.0 yards. James punted 62 times for 2,514 yards (40.5 yards per punt) in 2021 for East Central Community College in Dacatur, Miss., with a long punt of 63 yards, and Boyle punted twice last season for WSU with an average of 44.5 yards.

BATTLES AS CONSISTENT AS THEY COME
You won’t hear KARSTEN BATTLES’ name much – or ever – during the course of a game, and that speaks to how consistent he has been as Oregon’s long snapper since taking over the job in 2018. Battles has been the long snapper for all 48 games since the start of that season, and he has been on the preseason watch list for the Patrick Mannelly Award – given to the nation’s top long snapper – each of the last two seasons. Battles was named a preseason second-team all-American by Phil Steele entering his final season in Eugene.

Georgia Bulldogs
Notes
2022 SEASON OPENER
Georgia and Oregon are set to face off for the first time in 45 years in the 2022 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday, Sept. 3. This will mark only the second time the two football programs have met. The one previous meeting resulted in a 27-16 home win for the Bulldogs in 1977. The Ducks are led by first-year coach Dan Lanning, who spent the previous four seasons on Kirby Smart’s staff (serving as DC from 2019-21). The 2022 Georgia-Oregon matchup will mark the Bulldogs’ fourth scheduled appearance in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. Georgia previously fell 35-21 to Boise State in 2011 and defeated North Carolina 33-24 in the 2016 contest during Smart’s debut as head coach. The Bulldogs were supposed to face Virginia to open the 2020 season in Atlanta. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of that contest. Oregon will be making its first-ever appearance in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, and will be the second Pac-12 team to play in the game. The matchup with the Ducks marks the first of four non-conference games in 2022. Georgia plays host to Samford for its home opener on Sept. 10. The Bulldogs will be matched up against Kent State two weeks later. Georgia completes its regular season versus the Yellow Jackets in Sanford Stadium on Nov. 26. The Bulldogs’ first SEC contest will be at South Carolina on Sept. 17. The first league opponent coming to Athens will be Auburn on Oct. 8. The Bulldogs are 98-27-3 in season openers including winning their last eight. In the Smart era, Georgia is 6-0 in season openers including 2-0 against ranked teams (2016: #22 UNC, 33-24; 2020: #3 Clemson, 10-3).

STETSON BENNETT RETURNS AS SIGNAL CALLER
After helping lead Georgia to the 2021 national championship, senior QB Stetson Bennett returns to the quarterbacks room in 2022. Bennett is 14-3 as a starter, including 11-1 last season. He set the school record for Passing Efficiency at 176.7 during the 2021 campaign. Bennett was the Offensive MVP in both the College Football Playoff National Championship win over top-ranked Alabama as well as in the CFP Semifinal Orange Bowl victory over No. 2 Michigan. He directed the Bulldogs to the first undefeated regular season in the SEC (school record 8-0) since 1982.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
Senior OLB Nolan Smith, redshirt sophomore DB Kelee Ringo and senior S Christopher Smith are the Bulldogs’ three returning defensive starters from last season’s championship team. Eight Georgia defenders were taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, including the No. 1 overall pick in Travon Walker (Jacksonville) and four others in the First Round (Jordan Davis, Philadelphia; Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt, Green Bay; Lewis Cine, Minnesota). For the third time in school history, Georgia led the nation in Scoring Defense. The 2021 unit allowed just 10.2 points per game and only 153 total points in 15 games. A number of Georgia defenders will be aiming to play bigger roles in 2022. Returning senior STAR William Poole, who is a recent Georgia graduate, got the nod in two of the Bulldogs’ three postseason contests and junior S Dan Jackson, junior DL Jalen Carter and senior OLB Robert Beal all started games last year and return. Junior S Tykee Smith and junior ILB Rian Davis also sustained season-ending injuries early in the 2021 campaign and will have an opportunity to help the Bulldogs continue their success on that side of the ball.

QUICK FACTS
• Seventh season as Georgia coach • 66-15 Career Record • 2021 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
• 2017 CFP national runner-up • 2017 SEC Champions • SEC Eastern Division Champs 2017-19-21
• 2017 George Munger award (National Coach of the Year by Maxwell Club) • SEC Coach of the Year, 2017 & 2021
• Bulldogs have won two Butkus Awards • One Outland Trophy • One Chuck Bednarik Award • One Thorpe Award • One Lou Groza Award
• THIRTEEN 1st-team All-Americans • ELEVEN 1st Round NFL Draft picks • FORTY-FIVE NFL Draft Picks overall
• A total of 168 players on SEC Academic Honor Rolls, including a high of 35 on the 2021 national championship team

A LOOK AT THE LINE
Georgia’s offensive line is slated to return three of five starters after Jamaree Salyer and Justin Shaffer had a combined 50 starts between them and have since moved on to the NFL. The Bulldogs welcome back redshirt sophomore C Sedrick Van Pran and senior RT Warren McClendon, who each started all 15 games. RG Warren Ericson started the final 14 games of the year after redshirt freshman Tate Ratledge was lost for the season following a foot injury in the opener versus Clemson. Both sophomore Amarius Mims and redshirt sophomore Broderick Jones saw extended looks during Georgia’s national championship run and will be called upon to help fill in the vacancies in 2022. Jones started the final four regular season games last year when Salyer went down with an injury.

SPECIALISTS RETURN
Senior PK Jack Podlesny is back in 2022 for his third season as UGA’s top kicker. Podlesny made 22 of 27 fieldgoal attempts last year and drilled 71 of 72 PATs. The Bulldogs will be without four-year starter Jake Camarda, who averaged 46.7 yards on 47 punts last season. Camarda’s career mark of 45.8 yards set the UGA record, topping the previous mark set by Drew Butler (45.4). The Bulldog snappers return in senior Payne Walker and junior William Mote. Walker handles the snapping duties on field goals and PATs while Mote is called on for punts. Early enrollee Brett Thorson, a native of Australia, is vying for the open spot at punter.

Bennett 14-3 As A Starter at Georgia

• Senior Stetson Bennett, a native of Blackshear, Ga., who was a 2021 Burlsworth Trophy finalist, began his career with the Bulldogs as a walk-on in 2017 when he was redshirted. Bennett transferred to Jones College (Miss.) where he started in 2018 and then returned to the Bulldogs on scholarship in 2019. He saw action that season in five games including throwing passes in four of them. In 2020, he started five games.
• In his Bulldog career, Bennett is 14-3 and has completed 62.0 percent of his passes (291-for-469, 4,301 yards, 39 TDs, 14 INTs).
• In 2021, Bennett played in 14 games (11-1 as a starter) and was 185-for-287 (64.4%) for 2,862 yards with 29 TDs and seven INTs.
• He ranked fourth nationally in Passing Efficiency (176.7), which broke the school record in that category previously belonging to Aaron Murray (174.8, 2012).
• JT Daniels started the season behind center but was sidelined versus UAB due to a lat injury. Bennett stepped in and started that game. Daniels returned against South Carolina and then left the Vanderbilt game after the first quarter with an aggravation of his injury. Bennett played most of the Vanderbilt game and then served as the starter since the Oct. 2 win over No. 8 Arkansas.
• Bennett helped Georgia complete a historic 8-0 SEC regular season and its first undefeated regular season since 1982.
• During the CFP National Championship Game versus No. 1 Alabama, Bennett finished 17-for-26 passing with 224 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. Trailing 18-13 with 10:14 left in the game, Bennett directed a four-play, 75-yard scoring drive that gave the Bulldogs a one-point lead at the 8:09 mark (a two-point conversion failed). Georgia never relinquished its lead to collect its first national championship in 41 years. Bennett was named the game’s Offensive MVP.
• Bennett was named the Offensive MVP of the Orange Bowl/CFP Semifinal win over No. 2 Michigan. He completed 20 of his 30 attempts for 313 yards and three touchdowns against the highly-touted Wolverine defense, including Heisman Trophy runner-up Aiden Hutchinson.
• Bennett posted career highs in completions (29), yards (340) and attempts (48) and threw for three touchdowns against No. 4 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.
• Bennett enjoyed a record-setting performance, torching the Blazers for a school record tying five TDs (all in the first half). He finished the day 10-for-12 for 288 yards with his scoring strikes covering 9, 12, 61, 73 and 89 yards.

Bowers Is Back

• Brock Bowers burst on to the scene last year and had one of the finest seasons ever by a Bulldog pass catcher in earning All-America honors, and he was just a freshman. A 6-4, 230-pound native of Napa, Calif, he was named the FWAA Freshman of the Year, the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year and the SEC Freshman of the Year. He tallied 56 receptions for 882 yards and 14 touchdowns (13 receiving, 1 rushing), all team-bests and school records for a tight end. The 13 TD catches was the most ever by a Bulldog. He was utilized as an H-back too for his superior blocking skills and running ability. In fact, he had four carries for 56 yards and one touchdown. His first career rush resulted in a 12-yard TD at Vanderbilt.
• As a pass catcher, Bowers had three 100-yard games; four TD receptions of 25+ yards; his first career TD catch covered 89 yards against UAB, and he had a 77-yard TD at Georgia Tech.
• Georgia’s tight end room is loaded. Along with Bowers, the top targets here include 6-7, 270-pound junior Darnell Washington, 6-5, 255-pound redshirt sophomore Arik Gilbert and 6-5, 225-pound freshman Oscar Delp.

Running Back Corps

• With Zamir White and James Cooks off to the NFL, Georgia’s veterans in the backfield will include senior Kenny McIntosh, as well as juniors Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards. McIntosh was the team’s third-leading rusher last season, going for 328 yards and three touchdowns on 58 carries while Milton had 56 attempts for 264 yards and a score in only eight games. Edwards added 210 yards and three touchdowns on 49 carries.
• McIntosh and senior receiver Kearis Jackson also handled a majority of the kick return duties last year. McIntosh took eight back for 157 yards (19.6 avg.) while Jackson handled six for 116 (19.3). Jackson also led the team with 22 punt returns for 189 yards (8.6).

Aiming For More Explosive Plays

• The Bulldogs averaged 38.6 points/game and outscored their opponents 579-153 last year. The Georgia defense and special teams combined to score six TDs in 2021, two safeties and blocked eight more potential points (two FGs, two PATs).
• The Bulldogs had nine touchdowns passes that covered at least 38 yards, including passes to current Georgia receivers AD Mitchell, Arian Smith, Brock Bowers (TE) and Ladd McConkey.

Sat., Sep. 3 @ 2:30 pm CT
Cincinnati Bearcats at Arkansas Razorbacks

Cincinnati Bearcats
Notes
BEARCATS ARE READY TO RELOAD
• Led by Luke Fickell, the reigning consensus National Coach of the Year, and 12 returning starters, the Bearcats are the two-time defending AAC Champions and are coming off of a 13-1 season that culminated in a trip to the 2021 College Football Playoff.

• With a 44-7 mark since the start of 2018, Cincinnati’s 86% winning percentage ranks among the nation’s Top 5 winning percentages over the last four years.

• Cincinnati lost nine players to the NFL Draft, but return leaders like TE Josh Whyle, a third-team All-American in 2020 and two-time All-AAC selection, all five offensive line starters, three senior defensive linemen and three-year starters at defensive back in Arquon Bush and Ja’von Hicks.

• Whyle has 12 career touchdown receptions. He caught touchdowns in the last two season openers in 2021 and 2020.

• Cincinnati has finished in the Top 10 in turnovers gained the last three seasons after forcing 30 to rank third in 2021. Cincinnati has averaged 2.0 turnovers gained per game and has a +23 turnover margin since 2019.

• Cincinnati’s Black Cats defense has allowed only 17.9 ppg since the start of the 2018 season. Only Georgia (15.1), Clemson (15.2) and Iowa (16.8) have allowed fewer points per game over the last four seasons.

• Cincinnati’s only two losses over the last two seasons are to the last two national champions in bowl games. UC has won 22 straight non-bowl games.

• UC (22-2), Louisiana (23-3) and Alabama (26-2) are the only teams with two losses or less since 2020.

BEARCATS READY FOR ROAD TEST TO OPEN TO 2022 SEASON
• After finishing 13-1 and advancing to the College Football Playoff in 2021, the No. 23/22-ranked Cincinnati football team will open the season on the road against No. 19/23 Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark.

• UC is 5-0 in season-openers under Luke Fickell and has won 11 consecutive season openers, dating back to 2011.

• Cincinnati last opened the season on the road against a Top 25 opponent in 2004, traveling to take on No. 9 Ohio State.

• The Bearcats won back-to-back non-conference road games in 2021, defeating preseason Top 25 opponent Indiana, 38-24, in Bloomington, Ind., before traveling to South Bend, Ind., to defeat No. 9 Notre Dame, 24-13. The win over the Fighting Irish was the Bearcats’ first-ever over a Top 10 opponent on the road.

• Cincinnati has capped the season against SEC opponents in New Year’s Six Bowl Games the last two seasons, facing Alabama in the Cotton Bowl in the CFP Semifinals in 2021 and Georgia in the Peach Bowl in 2020.

• The Bearcats hold 17 wins over the SEC all-time with nine coming against Kentucky and four coming versus Vanderbilt.

• The Bearcats have won eight straight true road games. UC’s last away game loss came on Dec. 7, 2019 at Memphis in the 2019 AAC Championship.

RECENT OPENERS
• The Bearcats kicked off the 2021 campaign with a 49-14 victory over Miami (Ohio) in Nippert Stadium, which was highlighted by an 81-yard TD pass from Desmond Ridder to Tyler Scott on the first pass play of the season just 45 seconds into the game. Returners Josh Whyle, Leonard Taylor and Ryan Montgomery all also caught touchdowns, while Evan Prater had a rushing score.

• The 2020 opener was won 55-20 over Austin Peay. Ben Bryant tossed a touchdown and rushed for another, while Tre Tucker and Josh Whyle each caught touchdowns. Arquon Bush had a 31-yard interception return.

• Cincinnati last opened the season on the road against UCLA in 2018 when the Bearcats erased a 10-point deficit to defeat the Bruins, 26-17, in the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles. QB Desmond Ridder came off the bench in his first career game in the win.

BREAKING RECORDS IN THE CLASSROOM
• UC led the nation with four CoSIDA Academic All-Americans in 2021 and six Academic All-District selections. Lorenz Metz returns as a Second Academic All-American and All-District pick, while Wil Huber returns as an All-District selection.

STREAKS, STORYLINES, SIDEBARS …
• Cincinnati has been ranked in the AP poll for 45 consecutive weeks, dating back to Oct. 6, 2019 – since beating UCF on a Friday night in Nippert Stadium on Oct. 4, 2019.

• UC has won 27-straight at Nippert Stadium, which is the second-longest home win streak in the country behind Clemson (34).

• UC has won a league title seven times in the last 14 years and has played in 12 bowl games in the past 15 years.

• Cincinnati is 650-595-50 (.522) all-time.

• UC is playing its 135th football season in 2022. The Bearcats program dates to 1885 and is one of the 10 oldest in the FBS.

CINCINNATI ON THE ROAD
• Cincinnati has won eight straight away games – last falling at Memphis on Dec. 7, 2019 in the AAC Championship.

• Cincinnati is 18-9 in away games since Luke Fickell took the helm of the Bearcats in 2017.

• UC has picked up a Top 25 win against a non-conference opponent in back-to-back seasons. Cincinnati defeated No. 9 Notre Dame on the road in 2021 and took down No. 22 Army in Nippert Stadium in 2020.

INSIDE THE RANKINGS
• Cincinnati is ranked No. 23 in the nation in the preseason AP top-25 poll.

• Cincinnati earned its first ever win over a Top-10 team on the road with its 24-13 victory at No. 9 Notre Dame on Oct. 2, 2021.

• Since the start of 2020, UC is 5-2 against ranked opponents.

• The Bearcats’ highest-ranked win to date was over No. 7 Rutgers (30-11) in 2006, with its highest on the road coming at No. 9 Notre Dame (besting 2009 at No. 14 Pitt). The squad’s other top-10 win came in 1999 against No. 9 and eventual Rose Bowl champion Wisconsin.

• Fickell is 6-9 against ranked foes at UC, including a 2-1 record in 2021 (Notre Dame, Houston) and a 3-1 mark in 2020 (Army, SMU and Tulsa), while also defeating UCF in 2019.

SEEKING 12 STRAIGHT 1-0 STARTS
• Cincinnati has won 11 consecutive season-openers.

• Last year’s contest saw Desmond Ridder connect with Tyler Scott for an 81-yard touchdown pass on the second snap. The Fickell era has also included two wins apiece vs. UCLA (2018, 2019) and Austin Peay (2017, 2020).

• The 2018 game in the Rose Bowl saw Desmond Ridder come off the bench in the third offensive series, leading UC to a 26-17 win.

WHYLE THE ROAD WARRIOR
• Redshirt senior tight end Josh Whyle scored five of his six touchdowns on the road in 2021, hauling in a pair of scores at Navy (10/23) and at Tulane (10/30) in consecutive weeks. He also caught a touchdown at USF. He also had three touchdown receptions away from Nippert in 2020. Overall, eight of his 12 career TD catches have come on the road.

BRYANT ON THE MONEY
• Ben Bryant completed 68.4% of his passes (279-of-408) while throwing for 3,121 yards and 14 touchdowns at Eastern Michigan in 2021. He ranked as the nation’s 11th most accurate passer. His 68.4% completion percentage would’ve been the third-highest in UC history and better
than any season by Desmond Ridder, Tony Pike, Gino Guidugli or Greg Cook.

BLACK CATS DEFENSE AMONG THE NATION’S BEST
• Only reigning national champion Georgia (14.1) and Wisconsin (16.6) have allowed fewer points per game since 2020 than Cincinnati (16.8)

• Only Georgia (15.1), Clemson (15.2) and Iowa (16.8) have allowed fewer points per game since 2018 than Cincinnati.

TURNOVER TIME
• UC has finished in the top 10 in turnovers gained three consecutive seasons.

• Cincinnati forced 30 turnovers in 2021, averaging more than two gained per game to rank third in the country. UC was +12 in turnover margin to rank fifth in the country.

• The Bearcats ranked 10th nationally with 21 turnovers gained in 2020.

• UC ranked 10th in 2019, as well, with 26 turnovers gained.

• Since 2019, UC is +23 in turnover margin.

• Cincinnati has forced 2.0 turnovers per game since 2019 (77 turnovers forced, 38 games).

44-7 RECORD SINCE 2018 AMONG NATION’S BEST
• Luke Fickell wasted no time vaulting Cincinnati to among the nation’s best programs. After going 4-8 in Year 1 of the Fickell Era in 2017, Cincinnati is 44-7 over the last four seasons, winning 86.3% of its games since 2018 to rank among the top five programs in all of the FBS.

• Of the six different teams Cincinnati has lost to since 2018, five have played in a New Year’s Six bowl (Alabama, Georgia, Memphis, UCF, Ohio State).

TWO LOSSES SINCE 2020 TIED FOR NATION’S BEST
• Cincinnati is 22-2 since the start of 2020. No team has less losses than UC’s two.

• The Bearcats are matched by Alabama (26-2) and Louisiana (23-2) as the only teams with two losses or less the last two seasons.

• UC’s 22 wins since 2020 are tied for the third-most in the \nation, too.

NATION’S 2ND-LONGEST HOME WINNING STREAK
• Cincinnati has won 27 consecutive games at Nippert Stadium – the second-longest home win streak in the nation, behind only Clemson (34). UC hasn’t lost at home since Nov. 10, 2017.

‘PACE’-ING THE DEFENSE
• Junior Deshawn Pace, a dynamic defensive playmaker, finished sixth in the conference and third on the team with 94 tackles while also adding nine for loss and a team-high four interceptions. His field-goal block at Navy and subsequent return set up a 52-yard field goal as time
expired.

• Pace was named the AAC Defensive Player of the Week after totaling a game-high 10 tackles and making a fourth-quarter interception in the 38-24 win at Indiana. He also had a 27-yard INT at Notre Dame.

TOP 10 SCORING DEFENSE IN 2020, 2021 AND ..
• Cincinnati has had one of the nation’s top 10 scoring defenses each of the last two seasons and three of the last four years, ranking No. 5 in 2021 (16.9) and No. 8 (16.8) in 2020. UC ranked No. 24 (20.6) in 2019 and No. 8 in 2018 (17.2).

TIGHT END TANDEM
• The Bearcats return arguably the nation’s top tight end tandem in seniors Leonard Taylor and Josh Whyle. Whyle, a third-team PFF All-American in 2020 and a Honorable Mention All-AAC selection from La Salle High School in Cincinnati, has 12 career touchdown catches over the last two years. The duo combined for 10 TD receptions in 2021 with Taylor, a former prep quarterback from Springfield, Ohio, hauling in four scores.

PRATER AND BRYANT LOOK TO REPLACE RIDDER
• Redshirt sophomore Evan Prater will compete with transfer Ben Bryant for the starting quarterback job vacated by Desmond Ridder, who won 44 games and was a two-time AAC Offensive Player of the Year. Bryant backed up Ridder four three years before transferring to Eastern Michigan,
while Prater has served as a backup the last two years. In 2021, Prater completed 5-of-11 passes for two touchdowns and an interception to go along with 105 rushing yards and two scores on 12 totes in seven games. Bryant played in 16 games over three seasons with one start for UC from 2018 to 2020. He passed for 553 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions for the Bearcats before passing for more than 3,121 yards and 14 touchdowns at Eastern Michigan in 2021.

THE ‘NICKEL’ IS BACK TO LEAD PASS DEFENSE
• Senior defensive backs Arquon Bush and Ja’Von Hicks return to lead the Cincinnati pass defense. Bush, who started at nickelback last season, has made 23 career starts and tallied 84 tackles, 17 pass breakups and seven interceptions in four seasons. Hicks has started 29 games at safety. He led the AAC with five interceptions in 2019 and he has seven picks in this career. Cincinnati had the nation’s best pass defense in
2021, finishing No. 1 in the country in pass efficiency defense (103.37), No. 2 in passing yards allowed (169.2), No. 3 in interceptions (19) and No. 4 in opponent completion % (54.0).

YES, THAT’S CORRECT HE HAD SIX SACKS IN A GAME
• Senior transfer Ivan Pace, Jr., had six sacks in a single game, to tie an NCAA record, while starring for Miami (Ohio). The 2021 MAC Defensive Player of the Year by PFF College is expected to be a playmaker alongside his brother, junior linebacker Deshawn Pace and the rest their position group. He tied for 10th nationally with 125 total stops a year ago.

TUCKER LOOKS TO LEAD
• Senior wide receiver Tre Tucker has already proven to be one of the nation’s top kick returners after leading the AAC with a 29.9 kick return average en route to all-conference honors in 2020. He has two career kick return touchdowns, running for a score versus USF in 2020 and a momentum shifting 99-yard score at Indiana in 2021. The 5-9, 175-pounder from Akron, Ohio, has 60 career receptions and five touchdown catches.

BRIGGS READY TO BREAK OUT
• Senior nose tackle Jowon Briggs is ready to breakout. The 6-1, 313-pounder is called the strongest player on the team by head football strength coach Brady Collins. He’s also a married father of two, who starred at Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati. A former four-star recruit and Under Armor All-America, he started his career at Virginia before transferring back home last season. He rotated at defensive end in 2021 and finished with 42 tackles, including three sacks. He came on strong at the end of the season recording a sack in each of the final regular season games. He is also an accomplished singer.

THE OTHER HUBER (JOE) READY FOR HIS CHANCE
• Former walk-on right tackle Joe Huber saw significant playing time with the first team offense in the spring and fall camp at right tackle. The redshirt sophomore engineering major is contending to start at the position. The 6-5, 310-pounder starred at Jerome High School in Dublin, Ohio.

Arkansas Razorbacks
Notes

THE RUNDOWN
• The Hogs are opening their season with a top-25 matchup in Fayetteville for the first time in program history. No. 19 Arkansas faces No. 23 Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 3, inside Razorback Stadium to begin the 2022 campaign. Kickoff between the Hogs and Bearcats is set for 2:30 p.m. on ESPN.

• This year marks the first time since 1974 that Arkansas is ranked in the preseason and opening its season against a fellow top-25 team at home. No. 20 Arkansas defeated No. 5 USC, 22-7, in a home game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark., to begin the 1974 campaign, finishing with a 6-4-1 record under legendary head coach Frank Broyles.

• QB KJ Jefferson, one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in all of college football, returns to lead the Razorback offense in 2022. Jefferson threw for 2,676 yards and 21 touchdowns while running for 664 yards with six scores on the ground last season, posting the SEC’s fourth-best passing efficiency (164.7). He is one of two returning FBS quarterbacks (Louisville QB Malik Cunningham) to lead their team in both passing and rushing yards one year ago.

• RB Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2021. The Rockledge, Fla., native earned SEC All-Freshman honors after running for 578 yards and five touchdowns last season, finishing second on the Hogs in rushing yards. Sanders was one of four Razorback ball
carriers to rush for at least 500 yards in 2021 – a feat that had not been accomplished at Arkansas since 1975.

• TE Trey Knox is Arkansas’ most experienced returning pass catcher entering the 2022 campaign. After beginning his collegiate career at wide receiver, the Murfreesboro, Tenn., native, shifted to tight end last season to provide depth at the position. Knox, who has 55 receptions for 596 \yards and four touchdowns in 33 career games, thrived in the role, catching 20 balls for 141 yards and one score while helping block for a ground attack that led the SEC in rushing with an average of 227.8 yards per game.

• LB Bumper Pool led the Razorbacks in total tackles with 125 last season, racking up 7.5 tackles for loss in the process. Pool, an All-America and All-SEC honoree, has posted two consecutive seasons with 100+ total tackles and boasts the second-most total tackles (320) among all FBS defenders since 2019. The Lucas, Texas, native enters 2022 with 349 career tackles – ninth-most all-time at Arkansas

INSIDE THE SERIES
All-Time Record: 0-0
In Fayetteville: 0-0
In Cincinnati: 0-0
Most points scored by Arkansas: N/A
Most points scored by Cincinnati: N/A
Largest margin of victory by Arkansas: N/A
Largest margin of victory by Cincinnati: N/A

SERIES HISTORY
Date UA/Opp Rank Site Result
Sept. 3, 2022* 19/23 Fayetteville, Ark.
*First meeting

RAZORBACK NOTEBOOK
QB1
• Redshirt junior quarterback KJ Jefferson is the unquestioned leader of the Arkansas offense heading into 2022.

• Jefferson helped lead the Razorbacks to a nine-win season in 2021 – their most wins in a year since 2011 – as well as their first New Year’s Day bowl game win since the 2000 Cotton Bowl.

• The Sardis, Miss., native started all 13 games at quarterback, completing 198-of-294 (67.3%) passes for 2,676 yards and 21 touchdowns. Jefferson threw four interceptions on the year and completed 171 consecutive passes without a turnover, the second-longest streak by an Arkansas passer in history.

• At the year’s end, Jefferson ranked third in the SEC in passing yards per completion (13.5) and yards per pass attempt (9.1), fourth in completion percentage (63.7%) and passing efficiency (164.7), and sixth in total offense (256.9).

• Jefferson’s completion percentage (63.7%) currently stands as the highest single-season completion percentage in school history when attempting at least 250 passes.

• Jefferson was one of only five FBS quarterbacks with 20 or more touchdown passes and four or fewer interceptions in 2021: Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker (31 TD/3 INT), Coastal Carolina QB Grayson McCall (27 TD/3 INT), Oklahoma QB Caleb Williams (21 TD/4 INT), Louisiana QB Levi Lewis (20 TD/4 INT)

• Jefferson also ran for a team-leading 664 yards and six scores on 146 carries in 2021, becoming the first Razorback quarterback with multiple games of 2+ rushing touchdowns (2 vs. Rice, 3 vs. Ole Miss) in the same season since 1997.

• Since 2000, Jefferson is one of six SEC quarterbacks to throw for 3+ touchdowns and rushed for 3+ scores in a game: Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel (2012), Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott (2015), Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly (2015), LSU QB Joe Burrow (2018), Ole Miss QB Matt Corral (2021).

• Jefferson finished the 2021 campaign as one of seven FBS quarterbacks with 2,500+ passing yards, 20+ passing touchdowns, 600+ rushing yards and 5+ rushing scores:

RUNNIN’ RAZORBACKS
• Arkansas, armed with a four-headed monster in the backfield a year ago, was the best rushing team in all of Power 5 and boasted the nation’s seventh-best rushing attack last season, averaging 227.8 yards per game on the ground.

• The Razorback offense ran for an SEC-leading 2,961 total yards in 2021 — the program’s most since 2007 when legendary RB Darren McFadden and RB Felix Jones led the Hogs to a school-record 3,725 rushing yards.

• Four Arkansas ball carriers rushed for over 500 yards last season, powered by QB KJ Jefferson’s team-best 664 yards on the ground. RB Trelon Smith (598), RB Raheim Sanders (578) and RB Dominique Johnson (575) also eclipsed the 500-yard mark.

• Arkansas was one of only two teams in the country (Ole Miss) with four ball carriers with 500+ rushing yards in 2021.

• Before 2021, the Hogs last had four 500-yard rushers in a season in 1975 when RB Ike Forte (983 yards), RB Jerry Eckwood (792 yards), RB Rolland Fuchs (618 yards) and QB Scott Bull (533 yards) helped Arkansas total a then-school record 3,523 yards.

• In addition to rushing for 500+ yards, Johnson (7), Jefferson (6), Sanders (5) and Smith (5) each totaled 5+ scores on the ground. Arkansas was the only FBS team with four rushers with 500+ rushing yards and 5+ rushing touchdowns last season.

• The Razorback running game was also explosive in 2021, producing 113 runs of 10+ yards to lead all Power 5 schools and
rank second nationally behind Kent State (126). Of those 113 runs, 27 went for 20+ yards and 12 went for 30+ yards.

• Arkansas was one of two SEC teams (Tennessee) with a league-best eight games of 200+ rushing yards in 2021.

ROCKET MAN
• Sophomore RB Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders is expected to be the Razorbacks’ lead man in the backfield this season after he burst onto the scene as a true freshman one year ago.

• The Rockledge, Fla., native earned SEC All-Freshman honors from the league’s coaches after rushing for 578 yards (5.2 ypc) and five touchdowns in 13 games last season. Sanders ranked second on the team in rushing yards at the year’s end.

• He was one of four Razorbacks rushers to run for at least 500 yards — a feat that had not been accomplished at Arkansas since 1975. QB KJ Jefferson (664), RB Trelon Smith (598) and RB Dominique Johnson (575) also eclipsed the 500-yard mark.

• Sanders finished the season as the first Arkansas freshman ball carrier to run for more than 400 rushing yards in a season since RB Devwah Whaley totaled 602 yards on the ground as a true freshman in 2016.

• Sanders registered one 100-yard rushing performance and posted two games with multiple rushing touchdowns last season.

• He became the first Arkansas freshman to rush for 100+ yards in a game since 2017 (RB Chase Hayden – 120 rushing yards vs. Florida A&M) when he ran wild at Ole Miss, totaling a careerhigh 139 yards on 17 carries. Sanders’ 139 yards currently stand as the seventh-most rushing yards ever by an Arkansas freshman in a single game.

• Sanders’ 139 rushing yards at Ole Miss were the most in a game by an Arkansas rusher last season.

RUN THE DOM BALL
• Junior RB Dominique Johnson emerged as the Razorbacks’ starting running back in 2021 after converting from tight end and beginning last season as the team’s fifth-string rusher.

• Johnson, who played in all 13 games with six starts, finished fourth on the team in rushing yards (575) and totaled a team-best seven rushing touchdowns. He, along with QB KJ Jefferson (664), RB Trelon Smith (598) and RB Raheim Sanders (578), was one of four Razorbacks rushers to run for at least 500 yards — a feat that had not been accomplished at Arkansas since 1975.

• Powered by Johnson’s team-best 5.9 yards per carry, Arkansas finished as the top rushing team in all of Power 5 and boasted the nation’s seventh-best rushing attack last season.

VETERAN PRESENCE UP FRONT
• Arkansas returns four veterans – redshirt senior Dalton Wagner, senior Ricky Stromberg, redshirt junior Brady Latham and redshirt junior Beaux Limmer – on its offensive line in 2022.

• The foursome has combined for 124 career games played with 99 career starts, the second-most combined career starts started among SEC offensive lines entering 2022 (Auburn returns 102 combined career starts on its offensive line).
Player Career Games Played Career Starts
Dalton Wagner 41 28
Ricky Stromberg 34 32
Brady Latham 25 23
Beaux Limmer 24 16
Total 124 99

• Entering 2022, Arkansas is one of three SEC teams (Auburn – 135; Missouri – 125) returning 120 or more career games played among its offensive line starters. Arkansas and Auburn (102) are the only SEC teams returning 90+ career starts.

• Arkansas has five offensive linemen on its roster with at least one career start at the FBS level: Ty’Kieast Crawford, Brady Latham, Beaux Limmer, Ricky Stromberg and Dalton Wagner. Crawford made two starts as a freshman at Charlotte in 2020.

• Wagner boasts the most career games played (41) among Arkansas’ returning offensive line starters. He started all 10 games played in last season, missing three contests due to injury.

• Stromberg, who earned second-team All-SEC praise for the Associated Press last season, anchored the Razorbacks’ offensive line in 2021, starting all 13 games at center and blocking for an offense that led all Power 5 schools in rushing with an average of 227.8 yards per game on the ground. He allowed only three sacks and was penalized just eight times all season.

• Latham started all 13 games at left guard in 2021 and has carded 23 consecutive starts on the offensive line entering the 2022 campaign. The Jenks, Okla., product helped block for an offensive attack that posted three games of 300+ rushing yards and two games of 600+ yards of total offense last season.

• Limmer nabbed All-SEC recognition from Phil Steele last season after playing in all 13 games with starts in the final 11 contests. The Tyler, Texas, native lined up primarily at right guard throughout the year, paving the way for four Razorbacks to rush for 500+ yards — a feat that had not been accomplished at Arkansas since 1975.

HARD KNOX
• Senior TE Trey Knox enters the 2022 campaign as Arkansas’ most experienced returning pass catcher.

• After beginning his college career at wide receiver, Knox shifted to tight end last season to provide depth at the position.

• The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native, who has 55 receptions for 596 yards and four touchdowns in 33 career games, thrived in the new role last season, catching 20 balls for 141 yards and one touchdown.

• Knox also helped block for a ground attack that led the SEC in rushing, averaging 227.8 yards per game on the ground.

• No returning Razorback pass catcher has more career receptions than Knox entering this season:

BUMP IS BACK
• Senior LB Bumper Pool, one of Razorbacks’ top playmakers on the defensive side of the football, made the decision to return for a final season at Arkansas after a sensational 2021 campaign.

• Pool led the Hogs in total tackles with 125 (45 solo) last year, his second consecutive season with 100+ total tackles.

• His 9.6 tackles per game, most among all Razorback defenders, ranked third in the SEC and 15th nationally,

• The Lucas, Texas, product is one of college football’s premier tackling machines, totaling the second-most stops (320) among all FBS defenders since 2019. Pool is second to Troy LB Carlton Martial, who has totaled 367 tackles in that same span.

• Pool enters the 2022 campaign with 349 career tackles to his name, ranking ninth all-time in Arkansas history

IT TAKES THREE TO TACKLE
• LB Bumper Pool was one of three Arkansas linebackers to record at least 100 total tackles last season.

• Pool (125), LB Grant Morgan (101) and LB Hayden Henry (100) combined for 326 stops, accounting for 35.6% of the Hogs’ total tackles (950) in 2021.

• Arkansas finished as the only team in the SEC with three players in the league’s top 10 in tackles per game last season:

RETURN OF THE CAT
• Redshirt junior DB Jalen Catalon enters the 2022 campaign as one of the nation’s top defensive backs despite missing most of the 2021 season due to a shoulder injury.

• The Mansfield, Texas, native was eighth on the team in total tackles (46) with 1.5 tackles for loss in just six games.

• He finished with two interceptions, picking off a career-high two passes in last year’s season opener against Rice.

• His four pass breakups tied for third most on the Hogs.

• In Catalon’s last full season, he was a first-team All-SEC honoree and a Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-American following a breakout 2020 campaign.

• He played in all 10 games with nine starts as a redshirt freshman, logging 99 total tackles with 2.0 tackles for loss, three interceptions, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

• Catalon averaged 9.9 tackles per game in 2020, tied for the FBS freshman lead and fourth among all SEC defenders, and was the only FBS freshman to post 95+ tackles and at least three interceptions on the year.

• Entering the 2022 campaign, Catalon has 151 total tackles and five interceptions in 20 career games played.

NO FLY ZONE
• Since Barry Odom began as defensive coordinator in 2020, the Razorbacks have totaled 26 interceptions in 23 games.

• Arkansas grabbed 13 interceptions in 10 games during the 2020 season and tallied 13 more interceptions in 2021.

• Arkansas’ 26 interceptions since the start of the 2020 campaign are second most in the SEC behind only Alabama (27).

• The Hogs’ ball-hawking prowess has been led by DB Jalen Catalon (5) and redshirt junior DB Hudson Clark (3). Catalon picked off three passes in 2020 and two more in 2021, while all three of Clark’s three career interceptions came in 2020.

• Junior DB Myles Slusher (2), redshirt junior DB Malik Chavis (1) and redshirt junior DL Eric Gregory (1) have each chipped in with interceptions since the 2020 season.

CAM KICKS FOR A CAUSE
• Sophomore K Cam Little turned in one of the best freshman campaigns in program history last season, earning Freshman All-America praise from the Football Writers Association of America.

• In his first year on campus, Little connected on 20-of-24 (83.3%) field goal attempts, was a perfect 46-for-46 on point after attempts and led the Razorbacks with 106 points — just the sixth 100-point season by an Arkansas kicker in history.

• For every field goal he hit last season, Little donated $10 to

Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas.
• In a historic performance in last year’s win against Texas, the Moore, Okla., native became the first Razorback freshman kicker to drill four field goals in a game since K Alex Tejada (2007).

• Little’s stellar freshman campaign etched his name in the Arkansas record books in numerous places, with his 20 made field goals tying K Todd Wright (20 field goals made in 1989) for third most in a single season.

• Little’s field goal percentage (83.3%) was the fifth best in school history and the best by an Arkansas kicker since 2013.

• His career field goal percentage (83.3%) currently ranks first all-time in Arkansas history (min. 20 made field goals).

• His 46 point after attempts made matched the seventh most in a single season in Arkansas history and were the most since K Cole Hedlund’s school-record 58 point after attempts made in 2015.

• Nationally, Little’s 20 made field goals were the second most among all FBS freshman kickers last season.

• His field goal percentage (83.3%) was the best among all FBS freshman kickers with a minimum of 20 field goal attempts.

Sat., Sep. 3 @ 3:00 pm CT
Troy Trojans at Mississippi Rebels

Troy Trojans
Notes

Did You Know?
• Jon Sumrall begins his first season as Troy’s head coach; he is the 23rd head coach in program history

• Jon Sumrall is the third straight Troy head coach who was previously an assistant coach at Troy

— Neal Brown, Chip Lindsey. In fact, including Sumrall, six of Troy’s last seven head coaches (Robert Maddox, Rick Rhoades, Chan Gailey,
Brown, Lindsey, Sumrall) previously served as an assistant for the Trojans; only Larry Blakeney had not

• Kimani Vidal and Austin Stidham were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team … Stidham became Troy’s first-ever Academic All-American in program history in 2020 and the fifth two-time Academic All-American in Troy Athletics history in 2021

• Carlton Martial was one of three finalists for the Burlsworth Trophy last season, which is presented to the nation’s top player who began their career as a walk-on … the other two finalists were UGA QB Stetson Bennett and Arkansas LB Grant Morgan

• Since 2000, Martial is one of just two players at the FBS level to record more than 425 tackles, 45 tackles for loss and five interceptions in their career – he has 442 tackles, 47 tackles for loss and five interceptions

• Troy’s bandit position has produced an All-Sun Belt First Team selection in five of the past seven seasons – Javon Solomon – 2021, Hunter Reese – 2017 & 2018, Rashad Dillard – 2016, Tyler Roberts – 2015

• Troy is 11-10 in season openers at the DI level; the Trojans have won three straight openers but have dropped four of their last five against FBS opponents

• Gunnar Watson became the first quarterback since Brandon Silvers (2014-17) to lead the Trojans in passing yards in consecutive seasons

• Troy is tied for ninth nationally with four starters returning on the offensive line while the Trojans’ combined 105 starts among its O-line is tied for 27th

The Series
• Troy and Ole Miss meet for just the second time, with the last meeting coming in 2013, a 51-21 Ole Miss victory.

• Troy is 3-23 all-time against the current members of the SEC with victories over LSU, Mississippi State and Missouri.

• Troy head coach Jon Sumrall was an assistant coach at Ole Miss in 2018 before leaving for Kentucky after the season.

Points on the Board
• Troy has been shutout just six times since moving to FBS in 2001 with three of those coming during the 2003 season.

• Troy has only been shutout once (North Texas, 2003) by a non-Power Five school — the Trojans have played 190 straight games against non-Power Five schools without being shutout.

• Troy was shutout by Georgia, 66-0, on Sept. 20, 2014, which snapped a streak of 99 straight games without being shutout (Nebraska, 56-0, on Sept. 23, 2006).

• Troy’s current overall streak stands at 94 games.

Troy in Season Opener
• The Trojans are 11-10 in season openers since moving to the FBS in 2001.

• Troy is 54-41-6 all-time in season openers and 19-10 as a NCAA Division I (FCS & FBS) member (1993-present).

Plays Per Game
• Troy’s plays per game have taken a steady decrease each of the last three seasons and that trend will be interesting to follow in 2022 as the Trojans move to a Pro Style offense under OC Joe Craddock.

• Troy ranked 15th nationally in 2019 averaging 73.58 plays per game and had two games in which it ran 92-plus plays.

• Troy slipped to 44th nationally in 2020 averaging 71.27 plays per game. The Trojans ran 93 plays in the season opener and hit the 81 play mark three times.

• The 2021 season saw a dramatic drop as Troy ranked 100th nationally averaging just 65.42 plays per game. The Trojans ran just 40 plays against App State and 49 against Liberty with a season-high 76 coming in the season finale.

• Troy’s 40 plays against App State in 2021 were the fewest run by a Trojan team in the school’s Division I history.

A Troy Win Would …
• Be the first head coaching win in Jon Sumrall’s career.

• Be Troy’s fourth all-time win against the current members of the SEC.

• Be Troy’s first win over Ole Miss.

• Be Troy’s fourth straight season-opening victory and push the Trojans’ record to 12-10 in season openers at the DI level and 55-41-6 all-time.

• Be Troy’s third win over a Power 5 school in its last five games against schools from those conferences.

• Be Troy’s third win over a ranked team (2-28) — Troy defeated No. 19 Missouri in 2004 and No. 22 LSU in 2017. Troy has dropped six straight games against ranked opponents.

Mississippi Rebels
Notes

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
• This game will kick off the 128th season of football at Ole Miss.

• The Rebels are 93-29-5 (.752 winning percentage) in season openers and have taken 20 of the last 25 on the field.

• Lane Kiffin begins his second season at Ole Miss and 11th overall as a head coach … Kiffin is 6-4 in season openers.

• This will mark just the second all-time meeting between Ole Miss and Troy … The Rebels defeated Troy 51-21 in 2013, but the win was vacated due to NCAA ruling.

• This game will be just the second home season opener for the Rebels in the last five years.

• The Rebels are ranked No. 21 in the AP Poll and No. 24 in the AFCA Coaches Poll … It’s the first time since 2016 that Ole Miss has opened the season as a ranked team in back-to-back seasons.

• Ole Miss is 157-92-7 (.627 winning pct.) all-time during the month of September after vacated wins.

• Dating back to Nov. 14, 2020, the Rebels have won nine straight home contests.

• The Rebels return 45 letter-winners from a 2021 team that registered the first 10-win regular season in school history.

• The Rebels ranked top-20 in the FBS in five different offensive categories last season, including total offense (No. 6).

• Eight Rebels have earned their degrees and are eligible for the 2022 season.

• Preseason All-America selection Nick Broeker anchors a Rebel offensive line that blocked for the No. 12 rushing offense (217.6) last year.

• S AJ Finley returns for his senior season after finishing third in total tackles (91) last year.

• Veteran WR Jonathan Mingo has started 26 games in his career and is back this year after battling a foot injury early in the 2021 season.

Last Game against Troy
Nov. 16, 2013 – Ole Miss 51, Troy 21 in Oxford: The Ole Miss offense accumulated a program-record 751 yards of total offense in a 51-21 victory over Troy at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The balanced Rebel offense was on point throughout the game as it accumulated 31 first downs via 382 yards rushing and 369 yards passing. The Rebels’ 751 yards of total offense was the fifth-highest total in Southeastern Conference history. The Ole Miss defense did its part as well, allowing the Trojans to convert on just 4-of-13 third-down attempts and -13 yards rushing

TROJAN SCOUTING REPORT
After going 5-7 in their 2021 campaign, the Trojans welcome back 23 players who started at least one game last season, including nine who started all 12 games. Of those returners are wide receivers Jabre Barber and Tez Johnson both coming off stellar second years. Barber caught 32 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson compiled 67 receptions for 735 yards and four touchdowns. The sophomore finished second in the league with 67 catches on the year and led all Sun Belt receivers (min. 80 targets) with a 72.0 reception percentage. The Trojans’ leading rusher, Kimani Vidal, also returns after a 727 yards and five touchdown year. The team loses quarterback, Taylor Powell, however Gunnar Watson who led the team in passing yards and passing touchdowns will be back. On the defensive side, sophomore Javon Solomon and junior Richard Jibunor are ready to cause chaos in the backfield again this season. The duo combined for 19 sacks, 90 tackles and 3 forced fumbles. The Trojans’ defense was second in sacks in the Sun Belt with 38 and led in interceptions with 16. Jibunor, TJ Harris, KJ Robertson, and Zion Williams led the team with two interceptions each. All four are returning for the 2022 season

OLE MISS IN SEPTEMBER
• Ole Miss is 154-91-7 (.625 winning pct.) all-time during the month of September after vacated wins.

• The Rebels are 46-49-1 (.484 winning pct.) in September SEC games.

SEASON OPENERS
The Rebels are 93-29-5 (.752 winning percentage) in season openers and have taken 20 of the last 25 on the field. This game will be just the second home season opener for the Rebels in the last five years. The Rebels last played a Sun Belt team in a season opener in 2017 (South Alabama).

HOME OPENERS
• Ole Miss is 103-18-5 (.837 winning pct.) in home openers (including home contests played in Memphis and Jackson).
• The Rebels did not play any home games during the 1900 season.
• When playing their home opener in Oxford, the Rebels are 80-11-4 (.863 winning pct.).
• Ole Miss has won nine of their last 10 home openers

NEW FACES IN THE BACKFIELD
The Rebel running back position will look much different for the Rebels in 2022 as they look to replace some of the best to ever carry the football at Ole Miss. Both Jerrion Ealy and Snoop Conner have moved on to the professional game, while the No. 3 back, Henry Parrish Jr., is now at Miami. The trio combined for 1,968 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground a year ago. Despite the losses, the Rebels have plenty of viable candidates to fill the void. TCU transfer Zach Evans seems set for the lead role in the room after running with the ones for the majority of camp. After that, the Rebel coaches will have some decisions to make with several talented runners and only one football to share between them. Ulysses Bentley IV brings more veteran experience to the room after transferring from SMU. True freshman Quinshon Judkins has impressed in fall campus and brings a powerful running attack to the field for the Rebels. Kentrel Bullock, the lone returning scholarship running back remaining from 2021, will also play an important role in the Ole Miss running game.

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
Ole Miss has four players on its roster from outside the U.S., including two Canadian players (Jaden Dicks and Tavius Robinson ). Offensive lineman Tobias Braun (Germany) and punter Fraser Masin (Australia) round out the Rebels who add a little international flavor. Robinson appeared in 11 games last season for the Rebels and registered 28 total tackles, including 3.5 sacks.

THE BIG MEN UP FRONT
Arguably one of the deepest positions for the Rebels in 2022 will be the offensive line. Preseason All-America selection Nick Broeker anchors a line for an Ole Miss offense that finished sixth in the FBS last season in total offense. Broeker played in every single snap for the Rebels and has started 23 straight games. Jeremy James and Caleb Warren also both return after starting 13 and 11 games respectively last season. Eli Acker, redshirt freshman Jayden Williams and WKU transfer Mason Brooks, Hamilton Hall, Cedric Melton and Reece McIntyre will all see time on the experienced o-line for the Rebels.

HEAVY HITTER
Many Rebels are transitioning from high school or life at another university, but Tywone Malone is making a different transition—from baseball back to football. Malone appeared in seven games for the Rebels on the baseball diamond, leading all non-starters with a .444 batting average and two home runs in just nine at-bats. While he wasn’t on the Rebels’ travel roster as they conquered Omaha and brought a national championship back home to Oxford, he certainly showed he has what it takes to compete on the diamond in the SEC, and now he’s back looking to prove the same on the gridiron.

Sat., Sep. 3 @ 7:00 pm ET
Utah Utes at Florida Gators

Utah Utes
Notes

THE GAME
The No. 7 University of Utah Utes (0-0) will kick off the 2022 season in The Swamp, taking on the Florida Gators on Saturday, Sept. 3. The game is set for a 5 p.m. MT/7 p.m. ET kick inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on ESPN.

FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can get behind the scenes views and live updates during all games this season on social media by following the Utes on Twitter (@Utah_Football | @UtahAthletics) and Instagram (@UtahFootball | @UtahAthletics), and by visiting www.UtahUtes.com. Fans can also search #GOUTES and #UBOYZ on social media for conversations about Utah Football.

NON-CONFERENCE NOTE
Utah is 27-3 in regular season non-conference games since joining the Pac-12 in 2011 and is 33-8 since 2011 in non-conference games (including post-season). Utah’s game against Florida on Saturday will be the first time the Utes have faced an SEC opponent since the Utes’ historic Sugar Bowl win over Alabama (31-17) in 2009.

BY THE NUMBERS
• Saturday’s game will be just the second-ever meeting between Utah and Florida.

• Utah Head Coach Kyle Whittingham is 75-54 all-time against current Power Five teams.

• The Utes have five players from the state of Florida with the last time the program playing in the state being their trip to Gainesville in 1977.

• Utah returns 17 starters from the 2021 season.

• Saturday’s game vs. Florida will mark Whittingham’s 215th game at the helm.

NEED TO KNOWS
• Utah is 77-50-1 all-time in season openers with just two season-opening losses in the last 15 seasons.

• Utah ranks No. 7 in the Preseason AP Poll, the highest preseason ranking in program history. The Utes have either been ranked or received votes in the last eight AP preseason polls, also finishing the year ranked or receiving votes in five of those years.

• Utah has eight consecutive years of winning seasons, dating back to 2014. The Utes have finished with a winning season in 15 of Whittingham’s 17 years as head coach.

• Utah was picked to finish first in the Pac-12 in the preseason poll, receiving 26 first-place votes.

• The Utes have won the Pac-12 South Title four times (2021, 2019, 2018, shared title in 2015), including three in the last four seasons, winning the championship game in 2021.

• The Utes had 13 student-athletes earn preseason All-Pac-12, tying for a league-high six first-team selections in Cole Bishop (S), Braeden Daniels (OL), Van Fillinger (DE), Brant Kuithe (TE), Clark Phillips III (CB) and Tavion Thomas (RB).

• Utah finished the 2021 season ranked in the top-three of the Pac-12 in 16 statistical categories, leading the league in first downs, rushing offense and defense, team sacks and tackles for loss and time of possession.

• Utah has sold out Rice-Eccles Stadium in 70 consecutive games, dating back to the 2010 season opener. Utah increased its stadium capacity from 45,807 to 51,444 with the expansion of the Ken Garff Red Zone in 2021.

OFFENSIVE NOTEBOOK
THE MASTERMIND
Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Andy Ludwig is in his fourth year of his second full-time stint on the Utah coaching staff in 2022. In his three seasons as the leader of the Utah offense, the Utes have led the Pac12 in rushing offense twice (2019, 2021) with Utah also leading the league in scoring and total offense in 2021.

• In Pac-12 games only in 2021, Utah led the league in scoring offense (37.2), touchdowns scored (45), total offense (454.89), rushing offense
(240.78) and passing efficiency (145.7).

• Utah finished the 2021 season ranked seventh in the FBS (1st in the Pac-12) in first downs offense (340), 13th in the FBS and first in the Pac12 in rushing offense (216.8), 14th in the FBS in scoring offense (36.1), third in the Pac-12 in passing efficiency (141.95) and first in the league in time of possession (30:49).

• Utah’s 3,035 rushing yards in 2021 ranks second all-time at Utah while its 37 rushing touchdowns broke the program record for single-season
rushing scores.

• Utah has had a 1,000-yard rusher in 11 of head coach Kyle Whittingham’s 17 seasons.

• The Utes were one of just six Power Five programs in 2021 with three different running backs rushing for over 450 yards with Tavion Thomas
(1,108 yards) and Micah Bernard (523 yards) returning in 2022.

• Utah’s offense scored 24 of its 37 rushing touchdowns in the last seven games (65%) of 2021, recording 34 rushing scores during Pac-12 play to lead the league.

• Utah scored over 30 points in 11 of its 14 games in 2021, including 35+ points in eight of its last nine. It was the most 30-point scoring games the Utes have had in a season in program history.

• Of Utah’s 61 offensive touchdowns scored in 2021, 32 came on drives of 70 yards or longer (52%).

• Utah produced 45 points, 36 first downs and 567 yards on its game opening drives last season, scoring on its first drive of the game seven
times.

• 2021 was a season of milestones for the Utes, including scoring their most points in a bowl game (45 vs. Ohio State), the most points against an AP Top 10 opponent in the regular season (38 vs. Oregon), and the most points scored by the Utes in the Coliseum vs. USC (42).

QB1 CONTINUES TO RISE
Junior quarterback Cameron Rising enters the 2022 season as the starter after racking up preseason honors left and right, landing on seven national watch lists. The Ventura, Calif., native has played in 14 career games at Utah with 12 starts, entering his junior season with his name in the Utah record books.

• He earned Pac-12 All-Conference first-team in 2021 after recording 2,493 yards on 204-of-320 passing (5 INT, 20 TDs), adding 74 carries for
499 rushing yards (6.7 ypc) and six rushing touchdowns.

• He ranked fourth in total offensive TDs (18), third in passing yards per game (214.1), third in passing efficiency (145.74) and second in passing yards per completion (12.76) in Pac-12 games in 2021.

• Since the 2020 season, Rising has completed 63.5-percent (207-for326) of his passes, the sixth-best mark in Utah program history.

• During the 2021 season, Rising threw for 20 touchdowns, the 10th-most in a single season at Utah, and was also the most by a Utah quarterback since 2008 (Brian Johnson, 27).

• He finished the 2021 season as the highest-rated Pac-12 QB in ESPN’s QBR Rating (84.2), also ranking sixth overall.

• Rising returns in 2022 after he recorded five games with over 200 passing yards, including his career-high 306 at USC in 2021.

• His 499 rushing yards last season was the most by a Utah quarterback in a season since 2017 (Tyler Huntley, 537), becoming the sixth Ute QB
to rush for over 400 yards since at least 1996.

• Rising’s 6.7 yards per carry in 2021 ranked first among Power Five quarterbacks with 70 or more carries.

TIGHT END U
The tight end tandem that is Brant Kuithe and Dalton Kincaid are unmatched nationally after the Utes finished the 2021 season as the only Pac-12 team with two active tight ends with over 1,000 career receiving yards.

• Kincaid ranks sixth among active tight ends in the FBS with 1,733 career receiving yards while Kuithe sits right behind him at seventh with 1,676.

• The duo combined for 14 touchdowns, 86 receptions, and 1,121 receiving yards during the 2021 season with Kuithe producing 50 catches for 611 yards (6 TDs) and Kincaid adding 36 receptions for 510 yards (8 TDs).

• Kuithe and Kincaid combined to score 14 of Utah’s 24 receiving touchdowns in 2021 (58%).

• In 2021, the Utes were the first Pac-12 team to have two tight ends record 6+ touchdowns in a season since 2011 (Stanford).

• The Utes were the only team in the FBS with two tight ends with six-or-more touchdowns in 2021.

THE HYBRID
Senior tight end Brant Kuithe is one of the most dynamic weapons for the Utes this year. Besides catching passes and throwing blocks on the line of scrimmage, he is not afraid to line up as a running back as well.

• Kuithe is a three-time All-Pac-12 tight end with 47 games and 23 starts under his belt at Utah.

• Heading into 2022, he is ranked in Pro Football Network’s Top 100 College Players in 2022, sitting at No. 70 as one of just five tight ends
on the list.

• He has 129 career receptions, which is the most by a Utah tight end since at least 1996 and is the most by an active Pac-12 tight end in
2022.

• His 129 career catches ranks 10th all-time at Utah and is just seven away from moving into ninth (Travis LaTendresse, 135).

• Kuithe is 167 yards away from joining the Utah top-10 for career receiving yards.

Utah Career Receiving Yards (Rankings 7-10)

7. Paris Warren 1,885 yards 2003-04
8. James Teahan 1,872 yards 1978-81
9. Cliff Russell 1,862 yards 1998-01
10. Jereme Brooks 1843 yards 2007-10
11. Brant Kuithe 1,676 yards 2018-Present

• Kuithe’s 13 career receiving touchdowns is the most by a Utah tight end since at least 1996 while his 17 total touchdowns (13 rec., 4 rush)
is the most by a Pac-12 tight end since 2013 (Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington, 2011-13, 21 TDs).

• He is four touchdowns away from cracking the top-10 all-time at Utah in career receiving scores with Paris Warren ranking 10th with 16.

• He has 17 career carries for 162 yards (9.53 ypc) and four rushing touchdowns. His four rushing scores is the third-most by active FBS
tight ends in 2022.

• Over the last three seasons for the Utes, Kuithe has tallied at least one reception in 28 straight games, the fourth-best mark by an FBS player, with the Katy, Texas, native being the only tight end in the top 16 of the list.

DALTON DELIVERS
Senior tight end Dalton Kincaid is no stranger when it comes to finding the end zone, scoring 27 receiving touchdowns through 43 career games in Division I football (24 games at San Diego, 19 games at Utah).

• His 27 career touchdowns leads all returning FBS tight ends this season.

• He scored eight receiving touchdowns in 2021, leading all Pac-12 tight ends, also ranking fifth nationally.

• The Las Vegas, Nev., native ranks 10th all-time at Utah in single-season receiving scores with his eight in 2021.

• He had 36 receptions in 2021 with 21 counting for first downs (58%).

• Kincaid’s 14.2 yards per receptions ranked third among Pac-12 tight ends last season.

• He is averaging 16.5 yards per catch in his career (105 receptions, 1733 yards), leading all active tight ends in 2022.

THOMAS THE TANK
The Utah touchdown machine that is Tavion Thomas returns to the Utes this season after producing a school record 21 rushing touchdowns in 2021. Thomas was named to 12 award watch lists entering the 2022 season after earning All-Pac-12 first-team last year.

• He led the Utes in 2021 with 204 carries, 1,108 rushing yards (85.2 per game) and rushing touchdowns (21).

• Thomas scored at least one touchdown in the last nine games he appeared in last season, putting in 15 of his 21 touchdowns in the final six games of the season (70%).

• He ranked third in the FBS and first in the Pac-12 in total rushing touchdowns (21), which tied for the sixth-most rushing scores by a Pac-12 running back since 1996.

• Thomas was one of just six student-athletes in the FBS with 20+ rushing touchdowns in 2021 with only three of those players returning in 2022.

• In his first year as a Ute, Thomas had two contests (vs. UCLA and at Stanford) where he rushed for four touchdowns, which tied for the most rushing touchdowns in a single game at Utah.

• He has played in 27 career games in FBS football (14 at Cincinnati, 13 at Utah) with 1,797 career rushing yards (28 TDs).

• His 28 career rushing touchdowns is the most by an active Pac-12 player in 2022.

• Thomas has seven career 100-yard rushing games (2 at Cincinnati, 5 at Utah).

• In his 100-yard rushing games in 2021, he averaged 7.2 yards per carry and scored 12 of his 21 rushing touchdowns. The Utes also went 5-0 in those games.

IN THE TRENCHES
The offensive line room will return six student-athletes who started at least three games last season, including Braeden Daniels and Sataoa Laumea, who started all 14 games. The offensive line ranked fourth nationally last season as they only allowed 0.93 sacks per game.

• Utah will be experienced up front with offensive lineman playing 89 games and having 60 starts between the returners.

• With the O-Line creating holes for the running backs last season, Utah went 10-1 when outrushing their opponents.

• Daniels, who has played in 36 career games and 29 starts (18 at LG, 11 at RT), was named to Outland Trophy (best interior lineman) and the Rotary Lombardi Award (best offensive or defensive lineman). He was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection last season.

• The Utes return 11 letter winners to the offensive line from last season, including Keaton Bills, Jaren Kump, Johnny Maea, Paul Maile, and Falcon Kaumatule, all of who have played in 10 or more games in their careers.

BIG GAME VELE
After starting his career at Utah in 2019 as a walk-on, sophomore wide receiver Devaughn Vele has turned into one of the most dangerous weapons in the Pac-12.

• He played in all 14 games in 2021, starting seven with 23 receptions for 389 yards (16.9 ypc) and a touchdown.

• His 16.9 yards per reception last season was the most on the team.

• Out of his 23 receptions in 2021, 15 were for 15 or more yards.

DEFENSIVE NOTEBOOK
R.S.N.B
The 2022 season will be Utah alum Morgan Scalley’s 15th year overall on the coaching staff and his seventh year as defensive coordinator. Called one of the brightest minds in the business, Scalley has developed the defensive identity that is known as R.S.N.B. – standing for relentless, smart, nasty, ballhawks – which gives the Utes the reputation as one of the grittiest groups in the nation.

• In five of Scalley’s seven years as defensive coordinator, the Utes have ranked in the top-three in the Pac-12 in both total defense and scoring defense.

• The Utes have led the Pac-12 in rushing defense five times (2016, ’18, ’19 ’20 and ’21), also ranking third in the nation in 2019 and fifth in 2018.

• In six games in 2021, Utah opponents were held to under 315 total yards, including three matchups against teams in the final CFP rankings (San Diego State and both games vs. Oregon). The marks were even better in Pac-12 Conference play, as the Utes’ nine-game league slate saw teams put up just 332 yards on average—the fewest in the league.

• Opponents averaged 20.2 points per game against the Utes in 2021, which ranked as the second-lowest in the Pac-12.

• Since 2016, the Utes allowed just 111.8 rushing yards per game and have only allowed 68 touchdowns. Both are the best marks in the Pac-12 during that six-year span, ranking fifth and seventh, respectively, among all Power 5 programs.

Fewest Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game (Power 5, since 2016)

1. Alabama 101.7
2. Wisconsin 102.5
3. Georgia 106
4. Clemson 111.3
5. Utah 111.8

• Throughout 2021, teams struggled on the ground against Utah’s Pac-12-leading rushing defense, mustering just 119.4 yards per game.

• Utah was 7-0 in games during the 2021 season when allowing under 100 yards rushing.

• Dating back to 2016, the Utes have posted 36 performances allowing 100 yards or less on the ground. It is the most in the Pac-12 and is tied with Clemson for fifth-most in the Power 5. Utah owns a 29-7 record since 2016 when allowing 100 rushing yards or less in a game.

SACK LAKE CITY
Utah’s defensive line has become known for its physicality and production of NFL talent with the motto “next man up” always coming into play as the line has one of the largest groups of returners on the team in 2022. Headlined by starters Van Fillinger (DE) and Junior Tafuna (DT) with the addition of veteran Gabe Reid (DE), who transferred to Utah following a four-year career at Stanford, the Utes are primed for another exciting season in Sack Lake City.

• The Utes have finished in the top-three in the Pac-12 in sacks and tackles for loss three times under Morgan Scalley, leading the league in both in 2021 (97 TFL, 42 sacks) and 2016 (101 TFL, 43 sacks).

• Returners on the defensive line accounted for 15 sacks during the 2021 season (DE Van Fillinger 5.5; DT Junior Tafuna 4.5; DT Aliki Vimahi 2.0; three Utes with one each).

• Tafuna had a breakout freshman campaign in 2021, culminating with taking home Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and AP Pac-12 All-Conference Second Team. Called upon at left tackle in Week 3 after a season-ending injury to Viane Moala, Tafuna started the final 11 games of the season.

• Tafuna’s 4.5 sacks were third-most among freshmen in the Pac-12 in 2021, complemented by one pass breakup and one fumble recovery.

• Fillinger made huge strides forward in 2021 after a pandemic-shortened 2020 season, starting 13 of 14 games at defensive end last year.

• Fillinger led all freshmen in the Pac-12 in sacks (5.5) in 2021, bursting on the scene with a three-sack outing in Utah’s win over Washington State – becoming the first freshman in Utah history to have 3.0 sacks in a game.

• Reid, the older brother of Utah linebacker Karene Reid, played in 42 games with 24 starts at Stanford from 2018-21. Gabe Reid led the Cardinal with 10.0 TFLs during his final season, adding an assisted sack, eight QB hurries and his first career interception.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
For the first time in three seasons, the Utes will look to replace another set of NFL linebackers with a completely new starting lineup. The group will look to returning part-time starter Karene Reid and Florida transfer Mohamoud Diabate to carry on the tradition that linebackers coach Colton Swan has instilled at Utah, adding in a crop of talented newcomers to the mix.

• Reid made the jump onto the scene vs. Washington State during Homecoming last year, growing his rover linebacker role as the season progressed. Reid appeared in 10 games including the Rose Bowl, starting six contests on the year and tallying 44 tackles (two TFL).

• He went off for 15 tackles in that WSU game – with his tackle count in that game being the most by a true freshman at Utah since at least 2005. Since 2012, only four freshmen nationally have produced 15-plus stops in their first career game with a tackle.

• Diabate played in 37 games with 17 starts during his Florida career (2019-21), recording 176 total tackles (14.0 TFL, 6.0 sacks), three forced fumbles, two pass breakups and an interception.

• While he may be a newcomer to the linebacker room, freshman Lander Barton is familiar with the Utah way. His brothers Cody (Seattle Seahawks) and Jackson (Las Vegas Raiders) are each entering their fourth NFL season in 2022 after standout careers at Utah. His sister, Dani, was a four-time All-American for Utah Volleyball while his mother, Mikki, was a two-sport All-American at Utah in basketball and volleyball as a Crimson Club Hall of Fame inductee. His father, Paul, also played football and baseball at the U.

• Barton was a four-star recruit out of Brighton HS and ranked as the No. 7 linebacker in the nation by 247Sports.

FAMILIAR FOE
Despite being limited in Spring due to injury, Florida transfer Mohamoud Diabate returned for Fall camp full-steam-ahead and will be set to play in Utah’s season opener.

• Of all transfers during the 2021-22 offseason, Diabate is the only player in the Pac-12 to open the ’22 campaign against his former team.

Name Class Position Current Team Former Team
Mohamoud Diabate Sr. LB Utah Florida
Taisun Phommachanh R-So. QB Georgia Tech Clemson
Paul Tchio So. OL Georgia Tech Clemson
Bralyn Oliver R-Fr. DB Syracuse Louisville
Mark Perry Jr. S TCU Colorado
Peace Addo R-Jr. OL Temple Duke

PICK-SIX STREAK
The Utah defense is looking to extend a streak of 18 straight seasons with an interception returned for a touchdown. It dates back to 2004, the senior year of current
defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley’s playing career as a safety.

• This run of annual interceptions returned for a touchdown is the longest active streak in FBS football, and is the second-longest such streaks since at least 1996. Only Arizona State (2000-19) has had a longer run in that time.

• The Utes tallied three pick-sixes during the 2021 season, tied for most in the Pac-12 and sharing fourth-most of all Power 5 programs.

• Clark Phillips III had the first for the Utes last year, sealing the Homecoming win over Washington State. First round NFL Draft pick Devin Lloyd added a pair of pick-sixes against Stanford and in the Pac-12 Championship vs. Oregon.

• Jonathan Fanene and Steve Fifita scored Utah’s pick-sixes in 2004 to begin the streak.

YEAR 3 FOR CP3
One of the most lauded cornerbacks in the Pac-12 and nationally, Clark Phillips III has become a mainstay at the position, starting all 19 games since he came to campus in 2020. Phillips, whom Pro Football Network ranked the No. 25 collegiate player and No. 3 cornerback for the 2022 season, has been placed on three preseason watch lists and six preseason All-America squads.

• He tallied 63 tackles during the 2021 season—second-most in Utah’s secondary—to go with a Pac-12-leading 15 passes defended. It included 13 breakups, tied for fifth-most at Utah in a single season.

• Phillips notched another Pac-12 best, tallying 11 passes defended during conference play between 10 pass breakups and a pick-six.

• For his efforts during the season, Phillips was named All-Conference Second Team by both the Associated Press and the Pac-12.

• He sealed the 2021 victory over Washington State with a 54-yard interception return for a touchdown. Two of Phillips’ three interceptions as a Ute have come against WSU, both pick-sixes, and both in the last three minutes of regulation.

IT TAKES TWO
Clark Phillips III along with safety Cole Bishop emerged as two leaders of the secondary down the stretch of 2021 after injuries tested the depth of the group. Both earned spots on the Jim Thorpe Award preseason watch list.

• Of the 338 tackles the secondary produced in 2021, Phillips and Bishop combined for 117 of them (35%) with a combined 20 passes defended.

• Bishop led all true freshmen on the team in 2021 with 54 tackles (9.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks), adding five pass breakups. He had no less than seven tackles in the last five games, capped with a career-high eight stops in both the Pac-12 Championship and the Rose Bowl Game.

• Bishop’s three TFL at Arizona were the most by a true freshman at Utah since 2007. He also earned his first career blocked field goal in the regular season tilt with Oregon.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTEBOOK
Utah historically has a tradition of outstanding special teams, and a mix of veterans and newcomers look to return the Utes to that standard in ’22. Jadon Redding and Jordan Noyes are both back at the placekicker and kickoff positions, JT Greep enters year two at long snapper, and returning punter Michael Williams will be aided by Michigan State transfer Jack Bouwmeester.

• Redding, a Pac-12 All-Conference first-team pick in 2020, holds career marks of 114-of-116 on PATs and 28-of35 on field goals, with his PAT percentage (.982) tied for fifth-best in program history.

• He was 41-of-43 last season on PATs and converted 10 of his 14 field goal attempts.

• His career-long field goal of 50 yards came during last year’s Pac-12 Championship Game.

• Noyes, who walked on in 2020, handled 69 of Utah’s 88 kickoffs last year. He was also called upon occasionally for PATs (21-of-21) and field goals (2-of-4).

• Noyes, who is 30 years old, is the oldest known kicker in FBS football in 2022. The year he was born, head coach Kyle Whittingham was the defensive coordinator at Idaho State.

• Williams, who was also Utah’s primary holder in 2021, shared punt responsibilities down the stretch of 2021. He booted eight punts on the year, twice resetting his career-long during the Pac-12 Championship Game with punts of 53 yards and, later, 54 yards.

• He’ll battle for playing time with Bouwmeester, an Australia native and member of the Michigan State \program from 2019-20. Bouwmeester was rated the No. 6 punting prospect by 247Sports before joining the Spartans.

• Greep transitioned to the starting snapper role midway through 2021, contributing 71 snaps (16 punt, 10 FG, 45 PAT) during the last nine games of the season.

Florida Gators
Notes

THE STORYLINE
• This is the second-ever meeting between Florida and Utah and the first since UF’s 38-29 home victory on Nov. 19, 1977.

• While new UF HC Billy Napier will be making his Gators coaching debut, Utah HC Kyle Whittingham is entering his
18th season with 214 games under his belt with the Utes.

Napier is looking to become the first UF HC to beat a ranked team in his first game as head coach.

Whittingham is the longest-tenured HC in the Pac-12 and the second-longest at the same school in the FBS.

• Napier coached against Whittingham as the OC at Arizona State in 2017, when ASU defeated Utah on the road, 30-10.

• Since 1978, UF has never been an underdog in a home opener. UF has been an underdog 28 total times in The

Swamp in that span.
• The last time Florida was an underdog in a season opener in The Swamp was on Sept. 20, 1969 vs. No. 7 Houston.

Unranked Florida won that contest in convincing fashion, 59-34, and went on to finish 9-1-1 with a Gator Bowl victory over SEC Champion Tennessee.

• This is the third time in program history that Florida is opening the season in The Swamp against a ranked opponent.

No. 7 Utah is tied for Florida’s highest-ranked opening-week opponent ever (1969: No. 7 Houston).

Florida has won both of its previous season openers against ranked opponents in The Swamp.

Florida 59, No. 7 Houston 34 (Sept. 20, 1969); No. 16 Florida 17, No. 15 Miami 14 (Sept. 4, 1982)

• UF owns the longest-active home-opener win streak in the FBS with 32-straight wins (last loss, 1989: 24-19 vs. Ole
Miss), losing just one season opener (2017 – No. 11 Michigan 33, No. 17 Florida 17 – Arlington, Tex.) since 1990.

This is UF’s fourth time playing a ranked opponent in a HOME opener (1982, 1969 & 1953 – Florida 0, No. 3 Georgia Tech 0)

• Florida boasts a 350-111-13 (.752) all-time record at The Swamp, holding the second-highest home winning percent- age in the nation since 1990 with a 169-32 (.841) record.

The Gators have outscored opponents, 7,603 to 3,204 in 201 games inside The Swamp, putting the average outcome at 37.8 to 15.9 (21.9 points)

• Florida’s 2022 opponents went a combined 87-68 (.561) last year, which is .99 points higher than one year ago, when Florida’s 2021 schedule posted a .462 winning percentage the year prior.

This is despite having two 2022 opponents that went 2-10 in 2021 in USF and Vanderbilt.

UF has four opponents coming off 10-win seasons (Utah, Kentucky, EWU, Georgia) while nine went bowling.

• Florida averaged 5.5 yards per rush attempt in 2021, which was the fourth-highest mark in program history.

• The Gators finished the 2021 season with 462.8 yards per game, which ranked sixth in school history.

• UF concluded the campaign with 208.7 rushing yards per game, which was the 11th-highest mark in program history.

• The Gators ranked fourth in the FBS with 5.5 rushing yards per carry last season.

• The 2021 Gasparilla Bowl represented Florida’s 47th all-time bowl appearance and fourth in as many seasons, as well as the program’s seventh bowl berth in the last-eight campaigns.

• Florida has scored in 423-consecutive games dating back to 1988 — an NCAA record and 56 games longer than any other college football team in the history of the sport.

AN OFFENSE ON THE RISE
• Florida out-gained its opponent in 11 of 13 games in 2021 (South Carolina, UCF).

• Florida wrapped up the 2021 season with 11 100-plus yard rushing games, six 200-plus yard rushing games, four 290-plus yard passing games, 12 350-plus total yardage games, seven 400-plus total yardage games, four 500-plus total yardage games and two 600-plus yardage games.

• Over the last-four seasons, the Gators rank eighth in the Power Five with 456.5 scrimmage yards per game and ninth in the Power Five with 34.6 points per game.

Those totals rank third and fourth in the SEC, respectively.

• Since 2018, UF ranks fourth in the P5 in passing efficiency (156.7) and 10th in TD-INT ratio (3.05).

• Florida accumulated 400-plus total yards in 17 of its last 23 games and in 30 of its last 42 contests.

• Florida amassed 400-plus total yards 32 times in its last 51 games – seven more than the program’s total of 25 400-yard outings from the 88 games comprising the 2011-17 seasons.

• The Gators have had 500-plus yards in 12 of their last 26 games.

• UF has 18 games of 500-plus total yards in its last 51 games – four more games than the team’s combined total of 14 games from the 115 games comprising the 2009-17 seasons.

• Week 11 vs. Samford was the 22nd time Florida has reached 300 passing yards since 2018, two more than its total from the 168 games comprising its 2005-17 seasons.

• Florida rushed for 200-plus yards 19 times in its last 51 games including six times in 2021.

• The Gators also rushed for 100-plus yards in 40 of the team’s last 51 games including 11 games in 2021.

• Week 11 vs. Samford was the sixth time since 2018 that UF scored 50 points, which is one more 50-point game than the program totaled in 101 games during the 2010-17 seasons (five).

• Florida scored 40 points in four games in 2021 and 19 times total since 2018, which is seven more 40-point games than the Gators accumulated from the 2010-17 seasons combined (101 games).

• The Gators scored 30-plus points 32 times in 51 games since 2018, including scoring 30-plus in 19 of the team’s last 27 games.

2021 OFFENSIVE SNAPSHOT
• The Gators posted two of the top-six single-game performances in terms of total yardage in program history in 2021, erupting for 717 yards vs. Samford on Nov. 13 (second all-time) and 666 yards at USF on Sept. 11 (sixth all-time).

• In the season opener vs. FAU, Florida rushed for a season-high 400 yards, which ranks third all-time in school history and set a program record for season openers.

• In Week 11 vs. Samford, Florida scored its most points (70) since Nov. 22, 2008 vs. Citadel (70), while the combined total of 122 points in the game was the most in the history of The Swamp and second-most all-time in a UF football game (Florida 144, Florida Southern 0 – Oct. 6, 1913).

• Florida was one of seven teams in the FBS and one of four Power Five schools to average over 460 YPG
and 200 rushing YPG.

• UF ranked 15th in the FBS with 462.8 scrimmage YPG and 23rd in the FBS with 208.7 rush YPG.
» The Gators ranked fourth in the SEC in total scrimmage YPG and rushing YPG.

• Florida’s 208.7 rushing YPG represented an increase of 77.4 rushing YPG from 2020’s mark of 131.3 YPG.

• UF ranked ninth in the Power Five in scrimmage YPG and 13th in the Power Five in rushing YPG.

• The Florida offensive line surrendered just 14 sacks all year, which tied for the fifth fewest in the FBS and ranked first in the SEC — earning the UF OL a spot on the Joe Moore Award Mid-Season Honor Roll for the first time.

Offensive linemen Kingsley Eguakun, Richard Gouraige, Ethan White and Josh Braun all return in 2022 having started a combined 39 games last season.

That group is joined by Louisiana transfer O’Cyrus Torrence, who started 35 games for the Cajuns from 2019-21.

2021 DEFENSIVE SNAPSHOT
• Florida’s defense demonstrated improvement in certain areas throughout the 2021 season. Returning starters
heading into 2022 include BUCK Brenton Cox Jr. (13 starts), S Rashad Torrence II (13 starts), S Trey Dean III (12
starts), DL Gervon Dexter Sr. (9 starts), CB Jason Marshall Jr. (7 starts) and STAR Tre’Vez Johnson(7 starts).

• LB Ventrell Miller (2 starts) is also back after missing the final 11 games of 2021, while DL Princely Umanmielen (1 start), DL Jalen Lee (1 start), ILBAmari Burney (2 starts), ILB Derek Wingo (1 start) and S Jadarrius Perkins (1 start) all return with at least one start under their belts from last season.

• In comparison to the 2020 season, Florida held its 2021 opponents to an average of367.8 yards (428.0 in 2020), 260 total first downs (274 in 2020) 203.9 passing yards per game (257.5 in 2020) and 163.9 rushing yards per game (170.5 in 2020).

• Florida ranked tied-for-fourth in the SEC in third-down conversions allowed (62), fifth in fourth-down conversions allowed (nine), fourth in passing defense (203.9 YPG) and sixth in sacks (37).

GATORS DEFENSE (2021 vs. 2020)
Stat [Allowed] 2021 2020
Points per Game 26.7 30.8
1st Downs (total) 260 274
3rd Down Pct. 35.6 41.1
4th Down Pct. 45.0 65.2
Rush. Yds. 163.9 170.5
Pass. Yds. 203.9 257.5
Total Yds. 367.8 428.0

• Florida ranks second in the SEC and fourth nationally in sacks since the 2018 season with 157 – trailing only Clem- son (189), Pittsburgh (183) and Alabama (168).

• UF’s 37.0 sacks (2.85 per game) last season ranked sixth in the SEC and tied-for-30th in the FBS.

• Florida out-sacked its opponents by a plus-23 margin over the course of the 2021 season.

• Florida’s defense has produced 78 turnovers since 2018, which ranks tied-for-third in the conference and tied-for-26th in the FBS.

• With just 331 yards of total offense allowed in Week 3, Florida held No. 1 Alabama to its lowest total yardage in a single game since November, 10, 2018 vs. Mississippi State (305 yards). It marked Alabama’s fewest total yards in their last 34 games. Additionally, Florida held the Crimson Tide to 91 rushing yards, the fewest since South Carolina held them to 76 in 2019. *as of Sept. 20, 2021

• Florida’s 88 rushing yards allowed vs. Vanderbilt was the team’s lowest total of the season and the Gators’ third game holding an opponent under 100 yards rushing on the year.

• Florida has allowed 14 or fewer points 15 times since 2018, including three times during the 2021 season. (Week 1 vs. FAU, Week 4 vs. Tennessee & Week 6 vs. Vanderbilt).

SPECIAL TEAMS
Florida returns longsnapper Marco Ortiz and 2021 Freshman All-SEC punter Jeremy Crawshaw, whose 44.1 yards per punt ranked second in the FBS among freshman punters last season.

• Crawshaw punted 52 times in 2021, including a long punt of 69 yards, 20 50-plus yard punts and 20 punts placed inside the opposing 20-yard line.

• The Gators will again attempt to capture freshman lightning in a bottle on special teams in 2022, as Trey Smack and Adam Mihalek are projected to handle primary kicking duties for the Orange & Blue.

Sat., Sep. 3 @ 6:00 pm CT
Mercer Bears at Auburn Tigers

Mercer Bears
Notes
No Notes Available

Auburn Tigers
Notes

FOOTBALL OPENS 2022 CAMPAIGN HOSTING MERCER
Auburn opens the 2022 football campaign, its 130th season of college football, hosting the Mercer Bears on Saturday, September 3, at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. ESPN Plus/SEC Network Plus will televise the 6:00 p.m. CT non-conference matchup. Fans are asked to wear white to the season opener; the winner of the 2021 Cliff Hare Award, men’s tennis All-American Tad Maclean, will be recognized during pregame ceremonies.

SERIES HISTORY
Auburn leads the all-time series with Mercer, which was first played in 1896, by a 12-0 advantage. Auburn leads 7-0 in games played at Auburn, 4-0 in games played at Macon, and also posted a victory in a game played at Columbus, Ga. Nine of the victories in the series have been shutout wins; the Tigers have outscored the Bears 530-22 (44.2-1.8) all-time.

The Tigers won the last matchup by a 24-10 score at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2017; prior to that,
the last matchup was in 1922, a 50-7 Tiger win at Auburn.

Auburn holds a 73-1-1 all-time record against teams currently in the Southern Conference: Chattanooga (21-0), The Citadel (1-0), East Tennessee State (1-0), Furman (4-0), Mercer (12-0), Samford (28-0-1), Western Carolina (3-0) and Wofford (3-1).

IN SEPTEMBER
Auburn is 181-59-5 (.749) all-time in the month of September; the Tigers are 115-22-1 (.837) all-time at home in September, and 66-37-4 (.632) away from Auburn in that month. Since 1970, the Tigers have had a winning record in the month of September in 45 of 52 seasons. The Tigers are 2-3 all-time in games played on September 3.

KICKOFF COVERAGE
Auburn’s 2021 campaign will be its 130th season of college football. The Tigers have 788 wins all-time, 13th-most among FBS schools ›› Auburn and Arkansas are the only teams to have five AP preseason Top 25 teams on the 2022 schedule. The Tigers will face Georgia (3), Ole Miss (21), Arkansas (19), Texas A&M (6) and Alabama (1)

Auburn opens with five consecutive home games at Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time since the 2016 season

Preseason all-SEC Tigers as selected by the league’s coaches include Derick Hall and Tank Bigsby (first team), Colby Wooden and Oscar Chapman (second team) and Anders Carlson (third team)

Team captains for the 2022 season are defensive lineman Derick Hall, linebacker Owen Pappoe and tight end John Samuel Shenker. An additional game captain per game will also be selected. Pappoe, also a 2021 captain, is just the fourth two-time captain in Auburn annals, along with Reese Dismukes (2013-14), Gusty Yearout (1966-67) and Curtis Kuykendall (1944-45)

Auburn has won 15 straight home games against non-conference opponents dating back to the 2016 season.

Auburn is 100-27-2 (.783) all-time in season openers. The Tigers have won 14 of their past 16 openers dating back to the 2006 season ›› The Tigers are 103-16-3 (.857) all-time in home openers; no games were played in Auburn in 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1937 and 1938

IN SEASON OPENERS
Auburn is 100-27-2 (.783) all-time in season openers. The Tigers have won 14 of their past 16 openers dating back to the 2006 season; last
season, Auburn defeated Akron 60-10 in the season opener at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn is 54-8-1 (.865) in season openers at home, 16-5-1 (.750) in openers on the road and 30-14 (.682) in openers at neutral-site locations. Auburn’s total of 100 season-opening victories is behind only Alabama (102) and tied with Arkansas (100) for the most among current SEC schools.

The Tigers are 103-16-3 (.857) all-time in home openers; there were no games played in Auburn in 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1937 and 1938. Although Jordan-Hare Stadium opened in 1939, the Tigers did not open a season there until 1951; since then, Auburn is 68-12-2 at the stadium in home openers. The Tigers have won 14 of their last 15 home openers, the only loss coming to eventual national champion Clemson in 2016 by a 19-13 score.

Auburn is 56-15 (.789) in 71 season openers against non-conference opponents since the inception of the SEC in 1933.

Coach Bryan Harsin is 8-1 in season openers (1-0 at Auburn, 6-1 at Boise State, 1-0 at Arkansas State).

TOTAL OFFENSE
Auburn has scored in 117 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in school history. The Tigers are averaging 31.9 ppg (3,729 total points) during that stretch. Auburn was last shut out by No. 2 Alabama 49-0 in Tuscaloosa in 2012.

Games Dates
149 10/4/1980-11/14/1992
117 8/31/2013-Current
The duo of Jarquez Hunter and Tank Bigsby averaged 130.2 rushing yards per game last season (1,692 total yards) and totaled 13 TD on the ground. Hunter ranked 21st among all FBS players and eighth among freshman averaging 6.67 yards per carry, 11th on Auburn’s single-season
yards per carry list. Bigsby had five 100-yard games in 2021, while Hunter had two.

Current players’ 100-yard rushing games:
Tank Bigsby (9): 192, Mississippi St, 2020
164, South Carolina, 2021
146, Arkansas, 2020
140, Ole Miss, 2021
129, Ole Miss, 2020
122, Alabama St, 2021
119, Akron, 2021
111, South Carolina, 2020
102, Penn State, 2021
Jarquez Hunter (2): 147, Alabama St, 2021 110, Akron, 2021

With 1,099 yards last season, Tank Bigsby became Auburn’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Kerryon Johnson in 2017. Bigsby rushed for 100 yards+ in the first three games of the 2021 campaign; that gave him four consecutive 100-yard rushing games back through last season, the first Auburn RB to do so since Kerryon Johnson in 2017. The 48th player in Auburn history to rush for more than 1,000 career yards, he ranks 20th
with 1,933 career yards and 15 career scores. He ranks third among Auburn rushers in yards gained through their sophomore season:
Michael Dyer (2,355/2010-11);
Bo Jackson (2,042/1982-83);
Tank Bigsby (1,933/2020-21).

In 2020, Bigsby, the SEC Freshman of the Year, was eighth in the SEC in all-purpose average (122.4/gm, third among FBS freshmen) and his 834 rushing yards ranked second among all FBS freshmen. Bigsby was the first Auburn player to average 6.0 yards per carry since James Bostic in 1993.

Jarquez Hunter ranked ninth among Auburn freshman rushers for a season with 597 yards as a true freshman during 2021. Hunter rushed for 147 yards on just eight carries against Alabama State, the highlight being a 94-yard touchdown run, the longest run in Auburn history; the previous long was 92 yards by Ralph O’Gwynn vs. Loyola in 1936. That record-setting run tied for seventh longest in the nation this season.
Hunter was SEC freshman of the week for his 65 yards rushing with the game-winning touchdown against LSU.

Against Akron, Hunter rushed for 110 yards and a nine-yard touchdown. He was the first Auburn freshman to rush for 100 yards in a season opener since Onterio McCalebb (148 yds vs. Louisiana Tech in 2009). The last Auburn freshman to rush for 100 yards in a season opener before McCalebb? It was Bo Jackson vs. Wake Forest in 1982. McCalebb was also the last freshman to pen the season with back-to-back 100-yard games at Auburn (148, La Tech and 114, Miss St) in 2009.

Tight end John Samuel Shenker’s 33 catches during the 2021 campaign set an Auburn record for receptions by a tight end in a season. His 413 receiving yards also set an Auburn season record for tight ends.

In the Birmingham Bowl, Shenker also moved up the list in career numbers. Shenker is seventh in career catches by an Auburn tight
end with 48, and he is fifth in career tight end receiving yardage at 571.

Shenker’s 102-yard production on five catches at LSU was the first 100-yard game by an Auburn tight end since 1994 (Andy Fuller, 115 yards vs. Florida). Shenker had five catches in a game four times last season (vs. Akron for 38 yards, at Penn State for 62 yards, vs. Houston in Birmingham Bowl for 54 yards). He had four receptions for 50 yards at Texas A&M.

FOR THE DEFENSE
Auburn is 63-27 when it forces a turnover since the start of the 2013 season and 38-10 when it forces multiple turnovers over that span, compared to just 11-15 when it fails to force a turnover.

The Tigers lost only 11 turnovers last season in 898 plays: seven fumbles and four interceptions. That tied for 10th nationally. Auburn’s total of four interceptions thrown last season tied for sixth among all FBS teams.

Auburn was fourth in the SEC and ranked 17th nationally in tackles for a loss, recording 96 last season (7.39/gm). Derick Hall (12.5), Eku Leota (10.0), Smoke Monday (9.0), Colby Wooden (8.5), Zakoby McClain (8.0), T.D. Moultry (7.5) and Marcus Harris (6.0) led the Tigers individually; 23 different Auburn defenders had a hand in at least one TFL last season.

Current players with 100 career tackles at Auburn; Morris Joseph Jr. had 117 total tackles in three seasons at Memphis:
Owen Pappoe (165)
Colby Wooden (107)

Career double-figure tackle games:
Owen Pappoe (5)
Zion Puckett, Colby Wooden (1)

Senior Derick Hall has 12.5 career sacks, all in his last 19 games dating back to the middle of the 2020 season. Hall’s 12.5 sacks the last two seasons are tied for fourth in the SEC over that period. Hall and Eku Leota, who registered 7.0 sacks in 2021, join Alabama’s Will Anderson and Dallas Turner as the only returning SEC teammates after each recorded at least 7.0 sacks in 2021.

The number of career games current players have led the team in tackles: Owen Pappoe (5) Nehemiah Pritchett, Zion Puckett, Colby Wooden (1)

Auburn is fifth among FBS teams allowing just 61 rushing TD since the start of the 2016 season; the Tigers have allowed only 173 total TD during that 78-game span (2.22 per game).

Auburn’s defense has allowed only 23 first-quarter touchdowns in its last 66 games.

The Tigers had nine interceptions for the 2021 season as a team. Career interceptions by current Auburn players: Nehemiah Pritchett (2) Donovan Kaufman, Owen Pappoe, Jaylin Simpson (1)

Auburn did not allow a fourth-quarter point in any of its three SEC wins (at LSU, at Arkansas, vs. Ole Miss). In those three SEC wins, Auburn outscored its opponent 27-0 in the fourth quarter.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Senior preseason All-America kicker Anders Carlson returns to action after suffering a season-ending knee injury at the end of the 2021 Mississippi State game.

Carlson, a 2020 Lou Groza Award semifinalist, ranks third in Auburn career scoring with 352 points. He ranked ninth in the SEC in scoring at 7.7 points per game last season and was fifth in the league with 1.40 field goals made per game. A 2020 second team All-American, Carlson is fourth in career PAT made (151) at Auburn and is second in career field goals made (67). He was 14-21 on field goal attempts and 35-36 on PAT in 2021. Carlson has made 36 of his last 39 field goal attempts dating back to late in 2019, including a career-long string of 16 consecutive
FG makes to start the 2021 season.

Sat., Sep. 3 @ 7:00 pm ET
Miami RedHawks at Kentucky Wildcats

Miami RedHawks
Notes
REDHAWKS OPEN SEASON WITH TRIP TO KENTUCKY
The Miami University football team opens the 2022 season on Saturday, Sept.
3 versus No. 20 Kentucky. Opening kick is slated for 7 p.m.

FIRST AND TEN
• Miami football ranks first all-time in the Mid-American Conference in wins (707), conference wins (306), MAC Championships (16) and bowl wins (8). The RedHawks also captured the 2019 MAC Championship with a 26-21 win over Central Michigan.

• Although Miami was 4-18 in Coach Martin’s first 22 Mid-American Conference games, the RedHawks are 30-12 in the last 42 games versus schools from the MAC, the best record in the conference during that span.

• The RedHawks clinched the MAC East Division Championship with a 6-2 record in 2019, went 2-1 in 2020 and 5-3 in 2021. Miami has now had a winning conference record in five of the past six years.

• Martin, in his ninth year leading the RedHawks, has a new-look coaching staff in 2021. Offensive Coordinator Eric Koehler returns for his ninth year calling plays, while Bill Brechin begins year one as the Defensive Coordinator (ninth year at Miami). Special Teams Coordinator Jacob Bronowski is in his first year with the Red and White.

• Miami is 9-4 in one-score games, dating back to the 2018 campaign. The RedHawks were 5-0 in one-score games in 2019, including a 26-21 victory over Central Michigan in the MAC Championship Game.

• In its last 38 contests, Miami has had a lead at some point in 33 of those games. The only five setbacks were a 42-10 loss at Buffalo in 2020 and four different losses in 2021.

• Miami competed in the 2021 Frisco Football Classic (W, 27-14) and the RedHawks have now been bowl eligible five of the last six seasons. From 2006-15, Miami was bowl eligible just twice

ABOUT KENTUCKY
Kentucky posted its second 10-win season in the last four years, starting the 2021 campaign with six consecutive wins and then finishing with four straight victories. The Wildcats defeated Iowa 20-17 in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day to end the season at 10-3, good for No. 18 in the final AP poll. Quarterback Will Levis is expected to be a top NFL draft pick next spring, with some mock drafts projecting him as high as No. 1 overall. Levis threw for 2,827 yards and rushed for 376 yards in 2021 after transferring from Penn State. He completed 66% of his passes and threw 24 touchdowns, rushing for nine more scores.

SERIES VS. WILDCATS
Kentucky leads the all-time series 8-4-1, with the first recorded meeting coming in 1894. The Wildcats have captured the last three meetings, and Miami will seek its first victory in Lexington since 1979.

LAST MEETING
The Wildcats defeated the RedHawks 41-7 in the second week of the 2013 season. Chris Wade returned a fumble for a six-yard touchdown for
Miami’s only points. UK’s Mark Stoops earned his first career victory as head coach; he enters the 2022 season with a 59-53 overall record at Kentucky.

TOUGH BEGINNINGS
For the third time in the last four years, the RedHawks will open the season versus a ranked opponent. Cincinnati was ranked No. 8 in 2021
and Iowa began the 2019 campaign at No. 20.

A RECAP OF THE 2021 SEASON
• After beginning the season 1-3, the RedHawks went 5-3 in MAC play and were a two-point overtime conversion away in a 48-47 loss at Kent State from advancing to their second MAC Championship Game in the past three years.

• Miami lost its three MAC games by a combined four points last season.

• The RedHawks averaged 29.1 points per game in 2021, the highest single-season scoring average since the 2004 RedHawks averaged 31.3 points/game.

• Defensively, Miami allowed a MAC-best 22.9 points per game. The last time the RedHawks had a defense that strong was back in 2011 when the RedHawks allowed 22.9 points per contest.

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
Miami’s offense found its rhythm in the last five games of the 2021 season, led mainly by the passing attack. A few highlights:

• Averaging 37.2 points the past five games.

• Brett Gabbert threw for 1,705 (341.0/game) yards and 17 touchdowns.

• As a team, Miami is averaging 486.6 yards of offense the last five contests.

HOME COOKING
Miami finished a perfect 5-0 at home during the 2019 and 2021 season (1-0 in 2020) and has won 14 straight at Yager Stadium. Miami’s last home loss was on Sept. 29, 2018. In all, when Miami hosts Robert Morris on Sept. 10, 2022 it will be 1,442 days since Miami’s last loss at home.

BOUNCE BACK
Since early in the 2016 season Miami has lost back-to-back MAC games just once in that span. In fact, Miami is now 10-1 following a MAC loss under Martin, dating back to Oct. 15, 2016.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT NO. 5 BRETT GABBERT
• Younger brother of NFL quarterback, Blaine Gabbert.

• Gabbert was named the 2019 MAC Freshman of the Year, joining Ben Roethlisberger (2001) and Deland McCullough (1992) as the only other RedHawks to capture this award.

• When Miami opened the 2019 season at Iowa, Gabbert became the first true freshman quarterback to open the season as the starter in Miami football history.

• Is responsible for 45 touchdowns (41 passing, 4 rushing) in his Miami career.

• Ranks seventh in program history with 5,443 passing yards, completion percentage (.579) and passing touchdowns (41).

TRENCH WARFARE
Miami’s offensive line is by far the most experienced unit for the RedHawks in 2022, returning four starters from last season’s squad. In all, Miami’s offensive line has started 72 combined games. Rusty Feth (22), Reid Holskey (13) and Sam Vaughan (13) started all 13 games for the RedHawks last season and Caleb Shaffer (24) is Miami’s most experienced offensive lineman (missed one game last year due to injury).

MAC ATTACK
Senior Mac Hippenhammer set career bests last season in catches (48), yards (786) and touchdowns (5). The Penn State transfer posted season-highs in catches (8) and yards (170) in a win over Central Michigan last season, all while averaging 16.3 yards per catch a year ago.

Kentucky Wildcats
Notes
KENTUCKY SET FOR ANTICIPATED 2022 SEASON
No.20/21 Kentucky opens one of the most anticipated seasons in school history with an emerging offense and defense and two 10-win campaigns in the past four seasons. The 2022 opener will be the first time since 2016 that the season opener has been played under the lights. Coach Mark Stoops is on the doorstep of becoming the winningest coach in program history as he looks to continue the Wildcats’ ascension. He’ll bank on quarterback Will Levis fulfilling the lofty praise he has received and experienced defenders DeAndre Square, J.J. Weaver, Jordan Wright and
Jacquez Jones. Also in the spotlight is running back Chris Rodriguez Jr., who with a big season could surpass Benny Snell Jr. as the program’s all-time leading rusher.

QUICK NOTES
• Kentucky earned four first-place votes and was picked to finish second behind defending national champion Georgia in the SEC East in a vote at Preseason SEC Media Days.

• Last season, Kentucky finished 10-3 and won the Vrbo Citrus Bowl for the second time in the past four seasons, defeating No. 15 Iowa, 20-17, on Jan. 1, 2022.

• It is the second 10-win season in the past four campaigns after having only two in school history prior to that (11 in 1950; 10 in 1977).

• For the first time in school history, Kentucky is ranked in both national preseason polls, coming in at 20 in the Associated Press poll and 21 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.

• When the Wildcats begin the 2022 season, it will be Stoops’ 10th year at UK, longer than any coach in school history. He is 59-53 overall, ranking second in school history in victories behind Paul “Bear” Bryant (60).

• Stoops is the second-longest tenured active coach in the SEC (behind Alabama’s Nick Saban) and the 11th-longest nationally.

• He recently inked a contract extension that will keep him in Lexington through June 2028 with amended financial terms.

• Stoops started his tenure 12-26 but has gone an impressive 47-27 (.635) since that time, moving over .500 for the first time in his term as head coach.

• Three new assistant coaches were hired following the 2021 season. Mike Stoops, brother of head coach Mark Stoops, was hired in January as the inside linebackers coach to replace Jon Sumrall, now the head coach at Troy University. UK named San Francisco 49ers quarterback coach Rich Scangarello the program’s new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in February following the departure of Liam Coen for Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. Zach Yenser also was hired away from the 49ers in February to lead the Big Blue Wall.

• In all, 41 letter winners and 13 starters from last year return. The Cats’ roster is also bolstered this season with the addition of 10 newcomers from the transfer portal.

• Offensive starters returning are QB Will Levis, RB Chris Rodriguez Jr., TE Brenden Bates and offensive linemen Eli Cox and Kenneth Horsey. Defensively, DBs Tyrell Ajian and Carrington Valentine return, along with inside linebackers Jacquez Jones, DeAndre Square and outside linebackers J.J. Weaver and Jordan Wright. Kicker Matt Ruffolo and punter Colin Goodfellow return for their final seasons in the Blue and White.

• The Wildcats have won 11 of their past 15 season openers, including four of their last five.

• UK has won 16 straight non-conference games, dating back to the 2017 Music City Bowl loss to Northwestern. It is the longest such active streak in FBS.

• UK’s 33 victories since the start of the 2018 season rank sixth-most in the SEC … Those 33 wins rank 12th among Power Five programs.

• Kentucky finished 5-3 in the SEC for second place in the SEC Eastern Division. It marks the first time since the league split into divisions in 1992 that UK ends the season in sole possession of second place of the East. UK also has finished in a tie for second in the division on two other occasions, 2016 and 2018.

• All three second-place East finishes have been in the last six seasons under Mark Stoops.

• UK’s 5-3 record in 2021 was the second time since 1977 that UK posted a winning record in league play (also in 2018).

• UK has multiple wins vs. ranked teams in three of the past four seasons. The Cats had one season (2007) with multiple wins over ranked foes in the previous 40 years.

• The Wildcats have the third-most wins among SEC East schools from 2016-21 (47). Only Georgia (66) and Florida (48) have more.

• Kentucky has 11 players in school history who have rushed for at least 1,900 career yards. Four of those have come during Stoops’ tenure: Benny Snell Jr. (3,873), Chris Rodriguez Jr. (2,740), Stanley “Boom” Williams (2,511) and A.J. Rose (1,971).

• Guided by defensive coordinator Brad White, UK has had four top-20 ranked defenses.

• UK has allowed 30 or fewer points in 44 of the past 51 games and held its final four opponents to 21 or less.

• During Stoops’ tenure, the Wildcats have had nine different starting quarterbacks win a game in Jalen Whitlow, Maxwell Smith, Patrick Towles, Drew Barker, Stephen Johnson, Luke Wright, Lynn Bowden Jr., Terry Wilson and Will Levis.

• Since 2016, UK is 20-8 (.714) in games decided by seven points or less.

• The Wildcats signed their highest-rated recruiting class in school history in 2022.

SERIES RECORD VS. MIAMI (OHIO)
• Kentucky leads the all-time series against Miami (Ohio) 8-4-1, including a 6-3-1 mark in Lexington.

• The Wildcats have won three straight over the Redhawks, including the last matchup in Lexington in 2013, 41-7.

• Kentucky won the first five meetings in the series before Miami (Ohio) won four of the next five meetings with the two teams tying in 1917. The series is tied 1-1 in games played in Oxford, Ohio, and UK lead 1-0 in games played in Cincinnati.

• Kentucky is 33-7-1 vs. teams from Miami’s Mid-American Conference. The Cats have not lost to a MAC team since falling to Ohio, 28-16, on Oct. 2, 2004 in Lexington. UK is also slated to play MAC opponent Northern Illinois on Saturday, Sept. 24.

• Biggest UK win: 47 (47-0) in 1903 in Lexington … Biggest Miami (Ohio) win: 14 (14-0) in 1920 in Oxford.

• Games decided by 7 points or less: Miami (Ohio) leads 3-2

• Current streak: UK has won three consecutive

2022 GAME NOTES
• Kentucky ended the 2021 season ranked No. 15 in the USA Today Coaches poll and No. 18 in the Associated Press poll.

• It marked just the second Ɵ me since 1984 the Cats were ranked in the AP’s final poll of the season. In 2018, the Cats finished 11th.

• The Cats spent nine weeks in the Coaches Poll and eight in the AP Poll in 2021.

• Kentucky entered the AP Top 25 on Oct. 3, coming in at No. 16, advancing to No. 11 after the win over LSU … It marked he highest AP ranking for UK since Oct. 28, 2018, when the Cats were No. 11 after a 7-1 start. The Cats also have been as high as No. 11 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, their highest ranking since ending the 2018 season at No. 11.

LET’S GO KROGER-ING
• Overall, Kentucky is 177-138-4 (.561) all-time in Kroger Field, including 41-22 (.651) under
Mark Stoops.

• Kentucky has won eight of its past nine games at Kroger Field.

• UK is 13-3 in its last 16 home night games.

• Since the beginning of 2018, the Cats have home wins over No. 10 Florida (2021) and No. 14 Mississippi State (2018).

“BIG BLUE WALL”
• The Kentucky offensive line was one of four units named as a finalist for the Joe Moore Award in 2021, recognizing the Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in college football.

• It’s the fourth consecutive season that the Kentucky offensive line, known as the “Big Blue Wall,” has been recognized by the award for its work in the trenches.

• Behind Kentucky’s talented “Big Blue Wall,” running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. ranked second in the SEC and 12th nationally at 106.1 rushing yards per game. He totaled 1,379 yards and set a school record with nine 100-yard rushing games this season.

• Although it lost key members C Luke Fortner, LT Darian Kinnard to the NFL DraŌ and RT Dare Rosenthal as well, the unit looks strong again in 2022 with returners OG and All-SEC selection Kenneth Horsey and Outland Trophy Watch Lister Eli Cox.

WILL POWERED
• Quarterback Will Levis earned the starting spot early in fall camp after transferring from Penn State in 2021, took the role his role and ran with it.

• In his UK debut, he passed for 367 yards and four scores. List of QBs since 2000 to have at least 350 passing yards with at least 4 passing TDs and at least a 65% completion percentage in a victory in his fi rst career start at an SEC school: J.T. Daniels, Georgia vs. Miss. St. (2020) and Will Levis, vs. ULM (2021).

• Over the summer he was one of the few collegiate passers to participate in the elite Manning Passing Academy camp.

• He has earned publicity as being a potential top 10 overall selection for the 2023 Nayional Football League Draft.

• He was named to the 2022 Davey O’Brien Award and Manning Award watch lists.

• He has three career 300-yard passing games and is tied for the single-game school record for rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns with four.

HOT C-ROD
• Junior RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. had 1,379 rushing yards last season and is one of the nation’s top running backs. The total ranks fifth on UK’s single-season rushing list.

• By surpassing 1,000 rushing yards in 2021 he becomes the 10th Wildcat to have a 1,000- yard season. It has only been accomplished 14 times in total in the history of UK Football.

• He was second in the SEC and 12th nationally with 106.1 yards per game and seventh in the SEC in all-purpose yards (110.8).

• He is the leading returning rusher in the SEC.

• His nine 100-yard rushing games in 2021 is a single-season school record.

• He currently has rushed for 100 yards or more in five consecutive games, the second-longest streak in school history

• He has 2,740 career rushing yards, sixth place in school history and is the 10th player in school history to reach 2,000 career yards. He needs 1,134 to pass Benny Snell Jr. (3,873) and become UK’s all-Ɵ me leading rusher.

• He has 26 career rushing touchdowns, tied for second-most in school history with Moe Williams and Sonny Collins.

• His 29 total touchdowns rank fourth-most.

• He ranks third in yards per carry for his career (min. 200) at 6.57.

• He has 15 career 100-yard rushing games, third-most in school history.

• He has had only 13 of his 417 career carries go for negative yardage, a staggering testament to his ability to hit the hole and grind out yards.

Sat., Sep. 3 @ 6:00 pm CT
Elon Phoenix at Vanderbilt Commodores

Elon Phoenix
Notes
SETTING THE SCENE
• Elon opens the 2022 season Saturday with high expectations. The Phoenix will play at Vanderbilt at 7:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. CT) in Nashville. Elon received votes in both of the two major FCS preseason polls and the Phoenix garnered a No. 25 ranking by Athlon Sports during the preseason.

• For those not in attendance, the game can be seen on SEC Network+/ESPN+ and the audio broadcast begins at 6:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. CT) with Taylor Durham and Gray Aust. The audio broadcast is available for free via The Varsity Network app.

• In the only other meeting between Elon and a school currently playing in the Southeastern Conference, Vanderbilt earned a 45-14 win in Nashville on the same date (Sept. 3) in 2011. That contest was tied 7-7 midway through the second quarter and was just 21-14 after a Phoenix third-quarter score. But Vanderbilt closed the contest with four consecutive touchdowns.

• Elon was quite successful on the road a year ago, going 4-2 away from Rhodes Stadium. Vanderbilt was 1-6 at home in 2021 and is just 1-11 in the past two seasons combined.

AN ELON WIN WOULD…
• be the program’s first against an FBS program

• be the team’s first season-opening win since defeating Davidson to open the 2021
spring season

• be the team’s second consecutive season winning its road opener

• be the team’s first non-conference win outside of the state of North Carolina since beating Charleston Southern 31-22 in 2018

HISTORY VS. VANDERBILT
• Elon and Vanderbilt have played just one time \previous, with the Commodores earning a 49-14 victory.

• A Dontay Taylor one-yard plunge with 11:00 \remaining in the second quarter pulled Elon even 7-7.

• Hall of Famer Aaron Mellette scored on a 32-yard reception with 12:21 to play in the third quarter to draw the Phoenix within a score at
21-14.

• Vanderbilt led 24-14 heading to the fourth and added three touchdowns in a five-minute stretch to pull away.

• Mellette finished with 11 catches for 180 yards in the contest as Elon outgained Vanderbilt 323-309. Turnovers played a crucial role as the Commodores were +2 on the day and scored on an interception return.

HIGH FIVE
• Discounting the abbreviated 2021 spring campaign, Elon has recorded at least five overall wins and four conference wins in four consecutive fall seasons.

• With four straight fall seasons of at least five overall wins and four conference wins, it equals the longest such streak the program has had in FCS. Elon also accomplished that feat from 2007-10.

ELON VS. THE POWER FIVE
• Although Elon is yet to upset an FBS school since moving to the FCS for the 1999 season, the Phoenix do have a win and two ties against
teams currently playing in a “Power Five” conference.

• Elon’s record is 1-29-2 against schools from the P5, but the Phoenix did record a win over Miami (Fla.) way back in 1928, earning a 21-18
victory.

• Seven years prior to that victory over Miami (Fla.), Elon picked up a scoreless tie against Trinity on Oct. 29, 1921. Three years later, the
school would be renamed Duke University.

• Elon recorded another scoreless tie against a current Power Five school in the 1920s, doing so against Wake Forest on Oct. 1, 1927.

• In total, Elon has played a total of eight schools currently in the Power Five — Clemson (0-1), Duke (0-8-1), Georgia Tech (0-1), Miami (1-2), North Carolina (0-1), North Carolina State (0-4), Vanderbilt (0-1) and Wake Forest (0-11-1).

• Elon’s most recent contest against a Power Five school was a 49-7 Wake Forest victory on Sept. 21, 2019.

SECOND-HALF DEFENSE
• Elon’s defense is expected to be a strength in 2022 and, if 2021 is any indication, that defense just gets stronger and stronger as the game
wears on.

• The Phoenix defense allowed just 11 second-half touchdowns in 10 FCS games during the fall of 2021.

• In the team’s ten FCS games, Elon allowed 152 first-half points and just 91 second-half points.

THREE … THAT’S THE MAGIC NUMBER
• Following the completion of Davis Cheek’s fantastic career at Elon following the 2021 season, Head Coach Tony Trisciani has a decision to make at quarterback. But he does have three quarterbacks on the roster with experience as a starter.

• Redshirt junior Joey Baughman started Elon’s first two games at quarterback in the spring of 2021 before a season-ending injury cost him
the remainder of the year and the 2021 fall campaign. But Baughman led Elon to a win over Davidson by going 18-of-22 passing for 173 yards and a touchdown in his abbreviated time.

• Redshirt senior Matthew McKay is a transfer from Montana State, where he led the Bobcats to a 12-3 record and an FCS playoff bid. McKay also played in 11 games at NC State in 2018 and 2019, throwing for almost 1,000 yards and starting five times.

• Not to be overlooked, redshirt sophomore Justin Allen started two games in the spring of 2021 after Baughman’s injury, going 29-of-51 for 290 yards and two touchdowns.

THE ‘SKY’LER IS THE LIMIT
• Senior kicker Skyler Davis has been one of the most consistent and reliable kickers in FCS football since starting his career at Elon in 2018. He is a candidate for All-American status heading into the 2022 season.

• Davis was made 17-of-22 field goals a year ago, connecting on his final nine attempts of the year. He tied the Elon school record with a 52-yarder at Towson, becoming the first Phoenix kicker to make a pair of 50-yarders in the same game, doing so in that contest.

• Davis made 11-of-14 field goals from at least 40 yards, including 9-of-10 from 40-49 yards out.

• Pro Football Focus ranked Davis as the No. 16 kicker in the country (including both FBS and FCS kickers) a year ago and No. 4 among FCS kickers.

• For his career, Davis has made 51-of-68 field goals and 102-of-104 extra points. • With 255 career points scored, Davis ranks fifth in Elon’s FCS history in scoring. He is also first among all returning FCS kickers in career points scored.

THE SAFETY NET
• Senior safety Cole Coleman has been a consistent performer since stepping foot on the Elon campus in 2018. He was named to the 2022 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-American Team on the third team.

• Coleman played in 11 games in 2018, 2019 and 2021, adding two more games in the abbreviated 2020 (spring 2021) season.

• Coleman has 246 career tackles, 7.0 for loss, and a pair of interceptions.

• In 2021, Coleman had 71 tackles, just shy of his career best 84 in 2019. Coleman also recorded three forced fumbles in 2021.

ACTION JACKSON
• Senior wide receiver Jackson Parham had a breakout season in 2021, ranking No. 31 nationally in receiving yards and No. 43 in receptions per game.

• Parham had 57 catches for 820 yards in 2021, more than double his career totals entering the season. From 2018-20, Parham had 28 catches for 344 yards for the Phoenix.

• Parham had a career-best 10 receptions against William & Mary in the CAA opener, posting his first 100-yard receiving game with 106 yards.

• Three weeks later, Parham added his second century game with 122 yards in a win over New Hampshire.

• Parham’s 820 yards receiving in 2021 were the most in a single season for an Elon pass catcher since Elon Hall of Famer Aaron Mellette had 1,398 in 2012.

Vanderbilt Commodores
Notes
• Vanderbilt is set to welcome Elon this Saturday for its 2022 home opener after earning a dominant 63-10 win at Hawai’i to open the season Week 0. The victory marked Vandy’s first season-opening win since 2018.

• The Commodores’ 63 points against the Rainbow Warriors marked the most for the program since Vanderbilt defeated Davidson, 63-8, in 1969. The 53-point win was the program’s largest since a 58-0 win over Presbyterian on Sept. 17, 2012.

• The Vandy offense totaled more than 600 yards for just the fifth time since 1996. The Commodores finished with 601 yards of offense in the season opener, including 404 rushing and 197 passing.

• The offensive effort was led by junior quarterback Mike Wright, who totaled four touchdowns — two passing and two rushing. With the performance, Wright was named Maxwell Award Player of the Week on Tuesday.

• The Dores picked up a pair of defensive touchdowns, returning two fumbles for scores. It marked the first time that Vanderbilt has had multiple defensive scores since the Commodore defense scored twice against LSU on Sept. 21, 2019.

• Senior linebacker Anfernee Orji registered his first career touchdown with a 28-yard fumble return. Orji was named Reese’s Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week for his performance.

• Vanderbilt chose eight team captains for the 2022 campaign: Ethan Barr, Ben Bresnahan, Daevion Davis, Jaylen Mahoney, Elijah McAllister, Anfernee Orji, Gavin Schoenwald and Mike Wright. The captains were chosen by a vote of players and staff. Davis and McAllister will serve as captains for the second consecutive year.

• Vanderbilt boasted one of its highest recruiting classes with the 2022 signing class. The class, Lea’s first full signing class, was the highest-rated Vanderbilt class per 247 sports (No. 23) and the second-highest rated Vanderbilt class ever per 247Sports (No. 23). Per Rivals, it was the second-highest rated class in Vanderbilt history (No. 33) and the third-best by average star ranking (2.96).

• Lea welcomed five new assistants to his coaching staff this season.

• Nick Howell took over as defensive coordinator and is joined by fellow newcomers Dan Jackson (defensive backs), Nick Lezynski (linebackers) and Larry Black (defensive line) who join Jovan Haye (defensive ends) on the defensive side of the ball.

• Alex Bailey (wide receivers) is the new face on the offensive staff under the direction of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Joey Lynch. Norval McKenzie (run game coordinator and running backs), AJ Blazek (offensive line) and Justin Lustig (associate head coach, special teams coordinator and tight ends) all return for a second season on Lea’s staff.

Commodore Countdown
1 – Vanderbilt enters the week ranked first in the nation in scoring offense after its 63-point performance against Hawai’i.

2 – The Commodores picked up a pair of defensive touchdowns in the season-opener, returning two fumbles for scores. It marked the first time that Vanderbilt has had multiple defensive scores since the Commodore defense scored twice against LSU on Sept. 21, 2019.

3 – Vanderbilt is the only team in FBS with three straight games against teams who reached their conference championship game last season. The Commodores face Wake Forest (ACC), Northern Illinois (MAC) and Alabama (SEC) in consecutive weeks in September.

5 – The Vanderbilt rushing attacked found the end zone five times in the season-opener against Hawai’i. It marked just the ninth time since at least 1996 that the Commodores have had at least five rushing touchdowns, and first since Sept. 10, 2016, against Middle Tennessee.

7 – Seven different Commodores scored at least one touchdown against Hawai’i last Saturday.

13 The Vanderbilt football roster includes 13 players who are currently pursuing graduate work.

23 – National rank of Vanderbilt’s 2022 freshman class by 247Sports, the highest ranking in school history.

100 – Vanderbilt celebrates the 100th anniversary of Vanderbilt Stadium this fall. The facility opened as Dudley Field on Oct. 14, 1922, with a 0-0 tie against Michigan. The South’s first dedicated college football stadium, the stadium grew sporadically until a full renovation in 1981 established the current footprint. Following the season, the stadium will undergo two years of major renovations as part of the Vandy United campaign.

Series History vs. Elon (Vanderbilt leads 1-0)
• Saturday will mark the second-ever meeting between Vanderbilt and Elon.

• In the previous meeting between the two sides, the Commodores earned a 45-24 win over the Phoenix in 2011 in Nashville.

• In the 2011 meeting, current San Francisco 49er Jordan Matthews was the Commodores’ leading receiver (3 catches – 58 yards), while current
Atlanta Falcons cornerback Casey Hayward had an interception.

• The Dores are 8-0 against teams that currently make up the Colonial Athletic Conference.

• The matchup with Elon will mark the first time Vanderbilt faces a program from the state of North Carolina since falling to NC State in the 2016 Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana

TEAM NOTES
Starting 1-0
• Vanderbilt picked up its first season-opening victory since the 2018 season, when the Commodores defeated Middle Tennessee at home, 35-7.

• Vandy started the season with a road win for the first time since the 2017 campaign, when the Dores picked up a win at Middle Tennessee, 28-6.

• The Commodores last began a season 2-0 in 2018.

Maximizing the Margin
• Vanderbilt’s 63-10 win over Hawai’i marked the largest margin of victory for the Commodores since earning a 58-0 win against Presbyterian during the 2012 season.

• Vandy has earned six wins by 50 or more points, dating to 1952:

Margin Date Opponent Score (Result)
60 points Nov. 1, 1952 vs. Washington & Lee 67-7 (W)
58 points Oct. 9, 1999 vs. The Citadel 58-0 (W)
58 points Sept. 17, 2012 vs. Presbyterian 58-0 (W)
55 points Nov. 22, 1969 vs. Davidson 63-8 (W)
53 points Aug. 27, 2022 at Hawai’i 63-10 (W)
52 points Sept. 19, 1970 vs. The Citadel 52-0 (W)

Win the Response
• Vanderbilt battled back from an early seven-point deficit last Saturday after Hawai’i scored a touchdown on its opening drive.

• The Commodores went on to outscore the Rainbow Warriors 63-3, including 49 unanswered points across the final three quarters to earn the win.

• Vandy allowed eight opening drive touchdowns last season and trailed after the first quarter in 11 of its 12 games across the 2021 campaign.

• The Dores held a 14-7 lead after one quarter of play against the Rainbow Warriors, which marked their first time having a lead after the first quarter since the season-opening matchup against East Tennessee State last season.

Early Impact for Commodore Newcomers
• Several Vanderbilt newcomers saw success in the season-opening matchup, as a total of 15 freshmen and transfers saw action against Hawai’i.

• Freshman Jayden McGowan earned his first career start, while accounting for 56 yards of total offense — 29 rushing and 27 receiving.

• Freshman Chase Gillespie totaled 67 yards on the ground in his collegiate debut, including a long rush of 37 yards.

• Transfer Cooper Lutz recorded his first Vanderbilt touchdown with a seven-yard rushing score in the fourth quarter.

• On the defensive side of the ball, freshman Ja’Dais Richard registered his first career sack for a loss of nine yards, while transfer Kane Patterson picked up a tackle for loss in his Vanderbilt debut.

Football in August
• Vanderbilt was just one of six Power 5 programs that opened its season during Week 0.

• Prior to the matchup with Hawai’i, the Commodores had played nine games during the month of August, dating to 1997. Vandy owned a record of 2-7 in those matchups, and picked up its third win during the month of August with the victory over the Rainbow Warriors.

• Vandy’s season opener at Hawaii marked the earliest on-record start for the program:

Date Opponent Score (Result)
Aug. 27, 2022 at Hawai’i 63-10 (W)
Aug. 28, 2008 at Miami (Ohio) 34-13 (W)
Aug. 28, 2014 vs. Temple 7-37 (L)
Aug. 29, 2013 vs. Ole Miss 35-39 (L)
Aug. 30, 1997 vs. North Texas 29-12 (W)
Aug. 30, 2001 vs. Middle Tennessee 28-37 (L)
Aug. 30, 2003 vs. Ole Miss 21-24 (L)
Aug. 30, 2012 vs. #9 South Carolina 13-17 (L)
Aug. 31, 2002 at Georgia Tech 3-45 (L)
Aug. 31, 2019 vs. #3 Georgia 6-30 (L)

Nonconference Wins
• In the last 33 nonconference regular season contests, since the start of the 2013 season, Vanderbilt is 24-9. When including only non-Power 5 regular season contests, the Commodores own a 22-5 record.

• Vanderbilt has won 16 of its last 18 games against non-Power 5 opponents.

Vandy vs. Hawai’i
• Vanderbilt football became the third Vandy sports team to travel to Hawai’i across the last nine months.

• The Commodores improved to a perfect 6-0 against the Rainbow Warriors with Saturday’s win.

• The Vandy men’s basketball team defeated Hawai’i 68-54 in December in Honolulu and the baseball team swept a four-game series in March (9-2, 12-1, 13-1 and 2-1, respectively) in Honolulu.

The Longest Road Traveled
• Despite Nebraska playing in another country to open the season, Vanderbilt’s trip to Hawai’i marked the furthest distance traveled for a Week 0 opener.

• The Commodores traveled 4,331 miles to Honolulu, edging out the Huskers’ trip to Dublin, Ireland, of 4,047 miles.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
Offensive Explosion in Game 1
• The Vanderbilt offense posted a historic outing in the season opener with 63 points against Hawai’i.

• The 63-point performance marked the most points that Vanderbilt has scored since earning a 63-0 victory against Davidson during the 1969 season.

• The contest also marked the most points that the Commodores have scored in a season opener since picking up a 69-0 win over Middle Tennessee to begin the 1926 campaign.

• Vandy has surpassed the 60-point mark seven times dating to the 1926 season:

Gaining on the Ground
• The Vandy offense was highlighted by a strong rushing attack against the Rainbow Warriors.

• The Dores registered 404 yards on the ground, paced by a career-high 163 rushing yards from junior quarterback Mike Wright.

• Four different Commodores tallied 60 or more rushing yards, including the running back trio of Ray Davis (87 yards), Rocko Griffin (63 yards) and Chase Gillespie (63 yards).

• Vanderbilt also had four different student-athletes record a rushing touchdown. Wright registered two rushing scores, while Davis, Griffin and Cooper Lutz added one touchdown apiece.

• The Commodores surpassed the 400-yard rushing mark for just the third time since 1996:

Wright Shines in Season Debut
• Quarterback Mike Wright had an impressive day against Hawai’i. Wright finished the day 13-of-21 for 146 passing yards with a pair of passing touchdowns, while adding a career-high 163 yards on the ground with two rushing scores.

• With the performance, Wright was named the Maxwell Award Player of the Week, announced Tuesday by the Maxwell Football Club.

• Wright became the fourth Vanderbilt quarterback to record multiple passing touchdowns and multiple rushing touchdowns since 1996:

Finding Big Plays
• Vanderbilt started to find big plays in the back half of the 2021 season, and continued its big play success in the season opener.

• The Commodore offense registered five plays of at least 30 yards against Hawai’i, while averaging 8.3 yards per play.

• Four different Commodores recorded a rush of 30 yards or more, highlighted an 87-yard touchdown run from Mike Wright.

• Freshman quarterback AJ Swann also connected with receiver Devin Boddie Jr. for a 38-yard pass.

• Wright’s 87-yard rush marked the second-longest rush in Vanderbilt history:

The Rock(o) is Cooking
• Junior running back Rocko Griffin picked up where he left off in the season opener after seeing success across the final two games in 2021.

• Griffin averaged 107.5 yards per game in the last two matchups of the 2021 season, while adding a rushing touchdown in each contest.

• The Rincon, Georgia, native extended his touchdown streak to three games after finding the end zone with a 10-yard rushing score against Hawai’i. He finished the game with 63 yards on five rushes, averaging a team-high 12.6 yards per carry.

• Griffin led the Commodore rushing attack last fall with a team-high 511 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. He surpassed the 100-yard mark twice with 107 yards against Stanford and 117 yards at Ole Miss.

Next Step for Shep
• Junior wide receiver Will Sheppard looks to continue his success this season after having an elevated impact for the Vanderbilt offense in his second year last fall.

• Sheppard hauled in a pair of touchdown grabs against Hawai’i, marking his second career game with multiple receiving touchdowns. He also contributed in the run game, and made a key block on Mike Wright’s 87-yard touchdown run.

• The Mandeville, Louisiana, native had a breakout performance in the win over UConn last season, hauling in eight catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

• Sheppard then had three catches for a career-high 120 yards and a touchdown at South Carolina.

• He closed the season with an 81-yard performance on three catches in the final matchup at Tennessee, while picking up his fourth receiving touchdown.

• Sheppard’s four receiving touchdowns tied him for first on the team, while he ranked second in both receptions (41) and receiving yards (560).

Offensive Returners
• The Commodores returned the bulk of their offensive production from 2021, including a pair of quarterbacks who started at least five games last season in Mike Wright and Ken Seals.

• Vandy returned its top three running backs with Ray Davis, Rocko Griffin and Patrick Smith. The trio totaled 1,080 yards on the ground last season, accounting for over 70 percent of the Commodores’ rushing yards in 2021.

• Vanderbilt also returned its second-leading receiver from a year ago in Will Sheppard, and three starting offensive linemen in Julian Hernandez, Xavier Castillo and Bradley Ashmore.

Wright Named QB1
• Junior quarterback Mike Wright entered this fall as the starting quarterback for the Commodores after starting five of the final six games in 2021.

• Wright threw for 1,042 yards in 10 games of action in 2021, while registering a team-high eight passing touchdowns and running for another score.

• The Atlanta, Georgia, native ranked second on the team in rushing yards with 370 on 89 carries, including a career-high 152 yards on the ground in the matchup at Missouri.

Davis Back in the Mix
• Senior running back Ray Davis returns to the mix this season after suffering a season-ending injury in Week 3 last year.

• Davis made three starts last season, averaging 70.3 rushing yards across his three games of action.

• He totaled a season-high 93 yards in the win at Colorado State, while scoring his first touchdown as a Commodore against Stanford.

New Addition to the Offensive Staff
• Alex Bailey will be the new face on the offensive staff this season, and will serve as the Commodores’ wide receivers coach.

• Bailey comes to Nashville after a one-year stop at Colorado State preceded by six seasons at Ball State. He coached receivers and served as recruiting coordinator for the Cardinals.

• Bailey and offensive coordinator Joey Lynch are reunited after spending 2015-19 together at Ball State

DEFENSIVE NOTES
Howell Takes Over on Defense
• Nick Howell begins his first season as the defensive coordinator for the Commodores.

• Howell comes to Nashville from Virginia, where he served as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for the Cavaliers from 2016 to 2021.

• He helped lead Virginia to the 2019 Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, the Orange Bowl and a College Football Playoff ranking of 24th.

• His 2018 Virginia defense was among the top 20 nationally in team passing efficiency, passing yards allowed, team defense and scoring defense.

Scoop and Dore
• The Vanderbilt defense recorded two scores in the matchup at Hawai’i, returning a pair of fumbles for touchdowns against the Rainbow Warriors.

• Junior Anfernee Orji notched his first career touchdown with a 28-yard fumble return in the first quarter, while sophomore CJ Taylor returned a fumble 14 yards in the third quarter for his first career score.

• The performance marked the first time the Commodore defense scored two touchdowns since scoring twice against LSU on Sept. 21, 2019.

• Prior to Saturday’s season opener, Vanderbilt had not returned a fumble for a touchdown since Allan George’s 67-yard fumble return against Kentucky on Nov. 16, 2019.

• Saturday’s contest also marked the first time that the Commodores returned multiple fumbles for touchdowns in a game since at least 1996.
Party in the Backfield

• The Commodore pass rushers found success at Hawai’i, totaling 3.0 sacks against the Rainbow Warriors for a loss of 22 yards.

• The duo of BJ Anderson (1.0-7 yards) and Ja’Dais Richard (1.0-9 yards) each recorded their first career sacks, while transfer Myles Cecil (1.0-6 yards) picked up his first sack at Vanderbilt.

• Vanderbilt had only one game with three or more sacks during the 2021 season, registering 3.0 sacks for a loss of 25 yards against Mississippi State.

Settling In
• After allowing a touchdown on the opening drive of the game, the Vandy defense held Hawai’i in check for the remainder of the contest.

• The Commodores limited Hawai’i to just three points across the final three quarters, while holding the Rainbow Warriors scoreless in the second half.

• Vandy also forced six punts and four turnover on downs, while holding Hawai’i to four three-and-outs.

• The 10 points allowed marked the fewest points that Vanderbilt has given up across the last two seasons, and the fewest points allowed since the Commodores held East Tennessee State scoreless on Nov. 23, 2019.

Defensive Returners
• The Vanderbilt defense returned its four leading tacklers from a year ago with the foursome of Anfernee Orji, Ethan Barr, Jaylen Mahoney and Maxwell Worship.

• The Commodore defense also return 82.6 percent of its tackles for loss from the 2021 season, including its top three producers in Orji, Michael Owusu and Mahoney.

Orji Expected to Lead
• Senior linebacker Anfernee Orji looks to lead the way for the Vanderbilt defense once again this fall after serving as the Commodores’ leading tackler in each of the last two seasons.

• Orji recorded 93 tackles last season after posting a team-leading 66 stops as a sophomore during the 2021 campaign.

• The Rockwall, Texas, native led the team in tackles in seven games last season, recording 13 at Colorado State, six against Stanford, seven at No. 20 Florida, nine at South Carolina, 11 versus Missouri, nine at 10thranked Ole Miss and 11 in the finale at Tennessee.

• Orji was named to both the Butkus Award watch list and the Bednarik Award watch list prior to the start of this season.

Raising the Barr
• Junior linebacker Ethan Barr looks to carry momentum into his third season after experiencing a breakout year as a sophomore in 2021.

• Barr registered at least five tackles in 11 of 12 games last season, including a career-best 11 stops in the first two games of the year against East Tennessee State and Colorado State.

• He closed the year with 85 tackles, which ranked second on the Commodore defense.

• The Flower Mound, Texas, native, led all SEC linebackers with three interceptions a season ago. His three interceptions tied him for the team lead.

Securing the Picks
• For the first time since 2011, Vanderbilt’s defense produced multiple interceptions in consecutive games.

• The Commodore defense registered multiple picks against UConn, Florida, South Carolina and Mississippi State, registering two interceptions in each matchup.

• Vandy totaled eight interceptions across the span, including picks from Jaylen Mahoney, Ethan Barr, Elijah McAllister and Maxwell Worship.

• Prior to last season, the last time Vanderbilt recorded multiple interceptions in four straight games was 2011 against Elon, UConn, Ole Miss and South Carolina.

• Vandy also recorded an interception in eight consecutive games last season prior to the finale at Tennessee. The Dores matched the best such streak of interceptions since 1996 (eight games from the 1997 season finale and the first seven games of the 1998 season).

• Three of the four Commodores with multiple interceptions last season are back in 2022:

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
Big Leg Joe
• Fifth-year kicker Joseph Bulovas earned SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice last season after making a pair of game-winning field goals in each of Vanderbilt’s wins.

• Bulovas connected from 31 yards out as time expired to secure a 30-28 win over UConn. It was Vandy’s first walk-off field goal since 1996 against Duke.

• His game-winning kick against the Huskies capped a 3-for-3 field goal performance in the game, making Bulovas the first Commodore kicker with three field goals in a game since 2016.

• Bulovas also converted the game-winning from 38 yards out to help Vanderbilt pick up its first win under Clark Lea in the matchup at Colorado State.

• He became the sixth Vanderbilt player to win multiple weekly conference honors in the same season, and first since 2016 Commodore standout Zach Cunningham earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week twice.

Player Season Honor
Jay Cutler 2005 SEC Offensive Player of the Week
Patrick Benoist 2008 SEC Defensive Player of the Week
Brett Upson 2008 SEC Special Teams Player of the Week
Carey Spear 2012 SEC Special Teams Player of the Week
Zach Cunningham 2016 SEC Defensive Player of the Week
Joseph Bulovas 2021 SEC Special Teams Player of the Week

Hayball Added to the Mix
• Vanderbilt picked up a key addition to its special teams unit with transfer punter Matthew Hayball from Florida Atlantic.

• Hayball spent three seasons at FAU prior to joining the Commodore football program this fall.

• Last season for the Owls, he recorded 61 punts of 2,875 yards. Hayball averaged 45.7 yards per punt, which ranked him second in Conference USA and 18th in the nation.

• He landed 28 of his punts inside the 20-yard line, while 17 punts traveled over 50 yards.

• Hayball made a career-high nine punts for a total of 465 yards against UTEP last season, including a long of 62 yards.

• He concluded the season by receiving Conference USA Honorable Mention honors, while also being named to the 2021 Conference USA All-Academic Team.

• The fifth-year transfer was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list prior to this season.

• Hayball is among the top 10 returning FBS punters this season:

Returning Punter (School) Punts Punt Yds Avg

1. Kyle Ostendorp (Arizona) 58 2,852 49.2
2. Bryce Baringer (Michigan State) 59 2,857 48.4
3. Andy Vujnovich (Wisconsin) 49 2,274 46.4
4. Rhys Byrns (Louisiana) 57 2,639 46.3
5. Tory Taylor (Iowa) 80 3,688 46.1
6. Adam Korsak (Rutgers) 72 3,299 45.8
7. Nik Constantinou (Texas A&M) 52 2,377 45.7
8. Lachlan Wilson (Tulsa) 61 2,787 45.7
9. Matthew Hayball (Vanderbilt) 61 2,785 45.7
10. Lou Hedley (Miami) 46 2,069 45.0

Sat., Sep. 3 @ 6:30 pm CT
Utah State Aggies at Alabama Crimson Tide

Utah State Aggies
Notes
KICKOFF COVERAGE
• Utah State (1-0) plays at No. 1 Alabama (0-0) on Saturday, Sept. 3, at 5:30 p.m. (MT), in a game that will be televised on the SEC Network (Xfinity Ch. 268, DirecTV Ch. 611, DISH Ch. 404) with Tom Hart (play-by-play), Jordan Rodgers (analyst) and Cole Cubelic (sidelines) on the call.

• Utah State has won each of its last two games against Power 5 opponents with a 26-23 win at Washington State and a 24-13 win against Oregon State in the 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. Furthermore, USU head coach Blake Anderson has won each of his last three games against Power 5 opponents, which includes a 35-31 win at Kansas State in 2020 while at Arkansas State.

• Utah State is 0-2 all-time against the top-ranked team in the nation as it lost at No. 1 BYU, 38-13, on Nov. 24, 1984, and lost at No. 1 Nebraska, 42-6, on Oct. 2, 1971.

• Utah State is 6-63 all-time against Associated Press-ranked teams, but has won five of its last 14 meetings, including its 46-13 win at No. 19 San Diego State last year in the Mountain West Championship game. USU’s other wins against nationally ranked opponents includes a 52-26 home win against No. 21 Boise State in 2015; a 35-20 win at No. 18 BYU in 2014, as the Cougars are the highest-ranked AP team the Aggies have ever defeated; a 21-14 win against No. 24 Northern Illinois in the 2013 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl; a 48-41 overtime win at No. 19 Louisiana Tech in 2012; and, a 20-19 home win against No. 25 Fresno State in 1991.

• Utah State head coach Blake Anderson is 2-5 all-time versus AP-ranked teams, which includes a 1-1 record at USU. His two victories are a 35-3 road win at No. 25 Troy during the 2016 season and USU’s win against No. 19 San Diego State last year.

• Utah State has won its last eight away games (7 road, 1 neutral site), which is the longest active streak in the nation. USU’s seven-game road winning streak is also tied with Georgia (7), and trails Notre Dame (10) and Cincinnati (8), for the third-longest active streak in the nation.

• Utah State will play a Heisman Trophy Winner for the second time in program history this weekend in Alabama sophomore QB Bryce Young. During the 1991 season, USU played at BYU, which returned senior QB Ty Detmer, the Heisman Trophy winner from the previous season. In 2019, USU played at LSU, as senior QB Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy that season.

• Utah State’s last game in Alabama was on Sept. 3, 2011, when it played at No. 19 Auburn, the defending national champions. USU led 38-28 with 3:38 remaining before losing 42-38. • Utah State is 12-2 (.857) in its last 14 games played in September.

THE ALABAMA GAME
SCOUTING ALABAMA
• Alabama, which is ranked No. 1 in the nation heading into the 2022 season, returns 12 starters (O-5, D-7) and 51 letter-winners (O-23, D-24, S-4) from last year’s team that went 13-2 overall, including a 7-1 record in the SEC, and lost to Georgia, 33-18, in the CFP National Championship. Two of those returning starters are sophomore QB Bryce Young, the reigning Heisman Trophy Winner, and junior LB Will Anderson Jr., the reigning Bronko Nagurski Winner, given annually to the nation’s top defensive player. Alabama also returns senior DB Jordan Battle, who was named a first-team All-American, and senior LB Henry To’oto’o, who was named second-team all-SEC last year. In 2021, Alabama averaged 39.9 points and 488.2 yards of total offense per game (338.2 passing, 150.0 rushing) and allowed 20.1 points and 304.1 yards of total offense (218.0 passing, 86.1 rushing). Nick Saban is 183-25 in 15 years as Alabama’s head coach and 274-67-1 in 26 years as a collegiate head coach.

AGGIES AND CRIMSON TIDE SERIES HISTORY
• Utah State and Alabama will play one another for the third time this weekend as the Crimson Tide won the first meeting, 48-17, on Sept. 4, 2004, and the second meeting, 35-3, on Oct. 29, 2005, with both games being played in Tuscaloosa.

UTAH STATE vs. THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
• Utah State is 1-17 all-time against teams from the SEC as it posted a 35-6 road win against Kentucky in 1970. Overall, USU is 1-2 vs. the Wildcats, 0-4 vs. Missouri, 0-3 vs. Arkansas and LSU, 0-2 vs. Alabama, and 0-1 vs. Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas A&M. The last time USU played a team from the SEC was on Oct. 5, 2019, when it lost at No. 5 LSU, 42-6.

BLAKE ANDERSON vs. THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
• Utah State’s Blake Anderson will be facing a team from the SEC for the sixth time as a collegiate head coach. As the head coach at Arkansas state, his teams played at Tennessee in 2014 (L, 19-34), hosted Missouri in 2015 (L, 20-27), played at Auburn in 2016 (L, 14-51), played at Alabama in 2018 (L, 7-57) and played at Georgia in 2019 (L, 0-55).

LAST MEETING vs. ALABAMA
• Freshman RB Ryan Bohm rushed for a career-high 94 yards, while sophomore QB Leon Jackson III passed for 147 yards, but the Alabama defense was too much for Utah State (2-5) as the fifth-ranked Crimson Tide (8-0) defeated USU 35-3 inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2005. Alabama scored on each of its first two possessions and appeared to be on a roll. However the Aggie defense kept the Tide out of the end zone again until the 4:41 mark of the second quarter. Alabama took a 21-0 lead into halftime. USU responded by scoring on the first possession of the second half, marching 65 yards before junior PK Justin Hamblin kicked a 24-yard field goal. The points were the first of the season scored in the third quarter against Alabama. On the Aggies’ next possession, USU drove from its own 20-yard line to the Alabama 24. A Hamblin 41-yard field goal attempt was wide right. Alabama responded by scoring its fourth touchdown of the game to go up 28-3. The Tide than added a fourth-quarter touchdown to complete the scoring. Bohm gained 94 yards on 17 carries, while Jackson hit 11 of 28 passes for 147 yards with one late interception. Defensively, freshman LB Jake Hutton posted a game-high tying eight tackles. Sophomore S Antonio Taylor recorded seven stops, while senior S Andre Bala added six tackles. Senior DE John Chick recorded a sack to give him 6.5 on the year.

TEAM NOTABLES
UTAH STATE IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
• Utah State is receiving votes in both national polls to start the 2022 season as the Aggies garnered 12 votes in the Coaches’ poll to rank tied for 38th and two votes in The Associated Press poll to rank tied for 43rd. This is the first time USU has garnered preseason recognition since the 2019 campaign, when it received 32 votes in the coaches’ poll and eight votes in the AP poll.

UTAH STATE WINS SEASON-OPENER FOR SECOND-STRAIGHT YEAR
• Utah State is 1-0 for the second-consecutive year following its 31-20 home win against UConn last weekend. Overall, it is just the fourth time in the last 47 years, dating back to 1976, that USU has won its season opener in back-to-back seasons (2021-22, 2015-16, 1996-97, 1977-78).

UTAH STATE RALLIES FROM DOUBLE-DIGIT DEFICITS AGAIN
• For the seventh time under head coach Blake Anderson, Utah State rallied from a double-digit deficit to win as it trailed UConn 14-0 after the first quarter, but outscored the Huskies 31-6 from that point on, including a 24-0 spurt in the second quarter as the Aggies scored 17 points in the final 3:42 of the period. Those 24 second-quarter points by USU were its most since scoring 24 second-quarter points at San José State last season, after trailing 14-0 early on in that game.

• UConn had 180 yards of offense and eight first downs in the first quarter on its way to 14 points, but amassed just 184 yards, 13 first downs and six points on a pair of field goals over the final three quarters as the Aggies improved to 7-3 under Anderson when trailing after the first quarter.

UTAH STATE PRODUCES 542 YARDS OF TOTAL OFFENSE
• Utah State produced 542 yards in its season-opening win against UConn, as it had 261 yards rushing on 54 attempts and 281 yards passing. It was the fourth time under head coach Blake Anderson that USU has gained 500-plus yards in a game.

• Utah State has now won 45 of its last 51 games when rushing at least 40 times and 63 of its last 68 games when scoring at least 30 points. USU also improved to 39-9 over its last 48 games when it has a player rush for at least 100 yards as graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. had a career-high 161 yards on a career-best 33 attempts.

UTAH STATE FORCES THREE TURNOVERS IN SEASON OPENER
• For the third time under head coach Blake Anderson, Utah State forced three turnovers in a game as it had two interceptions and a fumble recovery against UConn. USU also forced three turnovers against Hawai’i and against San José State in 2021. Dating back to last season, USU has now forced multiple turnovers in four-straight games and in eight of its last 10 games overall.

UTAH STATE’S DEFENSE HAS 11 TACKLES FOR LOSS IN SEASON OPENER
• After finishing the 2021 season with 114.0 tackles for loss, which tied for the second-most in the nation, Utah State’s defense began the 2022 campaign with 11.0 tackles for loss against UConn. Overall, it is the fifth time under head coach Blake Anderson that USU has posted double-digit tackles for loss. Those 114.0 tackles for loss tied the 2014 team for the second-most in school history and was one shy of the school record of 115.0 set in 1999. • During its last eight games dating back to the 2021 season, Utah State has recorded 23.0 sacks and 78.0 tackles for loss. During the first seven games of the 2021 season, USU notched 9.0 sacks and 47.0 tackles for loss.

SEVEN AGGIES MAKE FIRST-CAREER START IN UCONN GAME
• Utah State had seven players make their first-career start this past weekend against UConn in graduate senior OL Wade Meacham (79), graduate senior DT Phillip Paea (90), senior CB Ajani Carter (12), graduate junior DE Daniel Grzesiak (9), junior ILB MJ Tafisi (2), junior WR Kyle Van Leeuwen (9) and freshman OL Weylin Lapuaho (61).

• Lapuaho is the first true freshman to start for Utah State since CB Jalen Davis in 2014, and the first true freshman to start on the offensive line since Derek Hoke in 2005.

TWENTY-ONE PLAYERS MAKE AGGIE DEBUT IN UCONN GAME
• Utah State had 21 players make their Aggie debut this past weekend against UConn in graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs (8), graduate senior S Gurvan Hall Jr. (6), graduate junior DE Daniel Grzesiak (9), graduate junior TE Ron Tiavaasue (11),graduate junior WR Xavier Williams (3), junior OLB Omari Okeke (5), junior ILB MJ Tafisi (2), junior WR Terrell Vaughn (0), junior RB Jordan Wilmore (23), sophomore DT Tavian Coleman (94), sophomore WR Jalen Royals (17), sophomore DE John Ward (42), sophomore QB Levi Williams (16), redshirt freshman WR NyNy Davis (6), redshirt freshman ILB Cole Joyce (20), redshirt freshman OL Elia Migao (73), redshirt freshman DE Enoka Migao (45), redshirt freshman ILB Sione Moa (40), freshman ILB Max Alford (33), freshman RB Robert Briggs (22) and freshman OL Weylin Lapuaho (61).

OTHER NOTABLES FROM THE UCONN GAME
• Utah State improved to 13-1 in its last 14 home openers and has now won nine of its last 11 non-conference home games. USU is now 21-5 in its last 26 non-conference home games and improved to 44-17 in its last 61 home games overall.

OFFENSIVE NOTABLES
BRIGGS NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
• Utah State RB Robert Briggs was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week after setting the school record for rushing yards by a true freshman in their first-ever game, as he gained 85 yards on 10 carries, including a 23-yard touchdown, against UConn. The previous record was set by QB Kent Myers, who rushed for 28 yards on three carries against UNLV in 2014, in his USU debut as a true freshman.

TYLER JR. HAS CAREER DAY AGAINST UCONN
• Graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. had a career day this past weekend against UConn as he rushed for a career-high 161 yards on a career-best 33 attempts for his fifth-career 100-yard rushing game. Overall, it was the most rushing yards and attempts by an Aggie since Gerold Bright rushed for 179 yards on 36 attempts against Colorado State in 2019. It was also the most rushing yards by an Aggie in a season-opener since Devante Mays gained 208 yards on 18 carries against Weber State in 2016.

• In his last two games dating back to 2021, Tyler has recorded back-to-back 100-yard rushing games as he carried the ball a then-career high 26 times for 120 yards and one touchdown against Oregon State. In his last two games, Tyler has rushed for 281 yards (140.5 ypg) on 59 carries (4.8 ypc) and one touchdown. Tyler also had consecutive 100-yard rushing games in 2021 as he gained 132 yards on 19 carries at Air Force and 126 yards on 20 carries the following weekend against Boise State.

TYLER JR. SURPASSES 1,000 YARDS RUSHING IN AGGIE CAREER
• With his career-high 161 rushing yards against UConn, graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. has now rushed for 1,045 yards on 229 attempts (4.6 ypc) and seven touchdowns in his Utah State career, which ranks 32nd all-time in school history. Overall, Tyler is one of 33 Aggies to rush for 1,000 yards in a career.

• During his collegiate career, which includes four years at Oregon State, Tyler has now rushed for 1,169 yards on 259 carries (4.5 ypc) and nine touchdowns.

BONNER THROWS THREE TOUCHDOWNS AGAINST UCONN
• Graduate senior QB Logan Bonner was 20-of-29 passing for 281 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions against UConn. It was the seventh time in his USU career and the 12th time in his collegiate career, that he has thrown at least three touchdown passes in a game.

• With his three touchdown passes against UConn, Bonner has now thrown 39 touchdowns in his Utah State career and 69 in his collegiate career, which included five seasons at Arkansas State. Those 39 touchdown passes at USU are tied with Kent Myers (2014-17) and Brent Snyder (1987-88) for the fifth-most in school history.

BONNER’S NUMBERS DURING HIS LAST EIGHT GAMES
• If you look at the numbers, its safe to say that graduate senior QB Logan Bonner is getting more and more comfortable with Utah State’s offense. During his first seven games at Utah State, Bonner was 129-of-220 (.586) passing for 1,766 yards (252.3 ypg) with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. During his last eight games, Bonner is 154-of-239 (.644) passing for 2,137 (267.1 ypg) with 26 touchdowns and just four interceptions, and that includes the 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, where he got hurt in the first quarter and did not return.

BONNER IN SEVENTH AND FINAL YEAR OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL
• Graduate senior QB Logan Bonner is one of just 23 players at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level, and the only player from the Mountain West, that is in their seventh year of collegiate football. Bonner spent five seasons (2016-20) at Arkansas State and is in his second year at Utah State. At ASU, he redshirted in 2016 and received a medical redshirt in 2019,

INSIDE THE NUMBERS WITH BONNER
• Graduate senior QB Logan Bonner has started 30 games in his collegiate career (15 at Utah State and 15 at Arkansas State), which is tied for the 13th-most starts by an active quarterback at the FBS level and the most by any quarterback in the Mountain West.

• Bonner threw 19 touchdown passes last season when being blitzed, which ranked as the third-most in the nation behind Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett (20) and Alabama’s Bryce Young (20).

• Bonner completed 29 passes of 30-plus yards last year to lead the Mountain West and rank fifth in the nation, and 18 passes of at least 40 yards to also lead the MW and rank fifth in the nation.

COBBS HAS CAREER GAME AGAINST UCONN
• Utah State graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs had a career game against UConn as he caught a career-high eight passes for a career-best 108 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown, which is the third of his career. Overall, it was his first-career 100-yard receiving game.

McGRIFF AND VAN LEEUWEN BOTH CATCH TOUCHDOWNS AGAINST UCONN
• Two other Aggie wide receivers caught touchdowns against UConn, as junior WR Kyle Van Leeuwen had a career-high 54 receiving yards on a career-high-tying three receptions, including an 11-yard touchdown, which was the first of his career. And, senior WR Justin McGriff caught three passes for 53 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown, which was the ninth of his career.

DEFENSIVE NOTABLES
TAFISI POSTS CAREER HIGHS IN AGGIE DEBUT
• Junior ILB MJ Tafisi had a career day this past weekend against UConn as he had a career-high 10 tackles for his first-career double-digit tackle outing, and a career-best 2.0 tackles for loss. His previous career high was five tackles against both California and Eastern Washington, and 1.0 tackles for loss against Arizona, while at Washington. The last Aggie to record double-digit tackles in his USU debut was junior college transfer Troy Lefeged Jr., who had 10 stops at Wake Forest to begin the 2019 season.

CARTER TIES CAREER HIGH IN TACKLES FOR THIRD TIME
• Senior CB Ajani Carter had a career-high-tying seven tackles, to go along with his second-career forced fumble, against UConn this past weekend. Overall, it was his third-straight game dating back to last season, where he has had seven tackles in a game.

NEVES HAS CAREER GAME IN SECOND-CAREER START
• Junior OLB Kaleo Neves had a career-high seven tackles, which included a career-best 1.5 tackles for loss, against UConn in his second-career start. Prior to the UConn game, he had seven career tackles, and no tackles for loss, in 23 career outings.

AGGIE SAFETIES INTERCEPT TWO PASSES AGAINST UCONN
• Utah State had a pair of safeties notch interceptions this past weekend against UConn in graduate senior Hunter Reynolds and redshirt freshman Ike Larsen. For Reynolds, it was his second-career interception, including his second in as many games, as he picked off his first-career pass against Oregon State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. And, for Larsen, he added a tackle for loss and a pass breakup against the Huskies. Larsen entered the UConn game with no stats in two previous outings.

OTHER DEFENSIVE NOTABLES FROM UCONN GAME
• Graduate junior DE Daniel Grzesiak recovered his second-career fumble. Redshirt freshman DT Seni Tuiaki had 1.0 tackles for loss, the first of his career, as part of his career-best two tackles. He also had his first-career pass breakup. Graduate senior S Gurvan Hall Jr. had 0.5 tackles for loss to give him 6.5 TFLs in his career. Senior ILB AJ Vongphachanh had 1.0 tackles for loss to give him 11.5 TFLs in his career. Junior DE Byron Vaughns had 1.0 tackles for loss to give him 11.5 TFLs in his career. Senior DT Hale Motu’apuaka had 0.5 tackles for loss to give him 9.0 TFLs in his career. Junior DE Patrick Joyner Jr. had 0.5 tackles for loss to give him 10.5 TFLs in his career. Graduate senior DT Phillip Paea had his first-career pass breakup. Senior CB Michael Anyanwu had one pass breakup to give him three in his career.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTABLES
COLES IN THE UTAH STATE RECORD BOOKS
• Graduate senior PK Connor Coles made a 45 yard field goal and was 4-for-4 on extra points against UConn, and is now 7-of-12 on field goals from 40-49 yards in his career. For his career, Coles is now 24-of-33 (.727) on field goals and ranks fifth all-time in career field goal percentage. Coles, who is 10th all-time in school history in field goals made, is 66-of-69 (.957) all-time in extra points and that percentage ranks as the ninth-best all-time in school history. He also ranks 10th all-time in school history in both extra points made and attempted.

• During the 2021 season, was 20-of-29 (.690) on field goals and 52-of-54 on extra points as he scored a team-best 112 points. He also set the school record for field goals attempted (29), was third in extra points made (52) and attempted (54), and fourth in points scored (112) and
field goals made (20).

• For his career, Coles has been named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week twice, against New Mexico in 2020 and against Washington State in 2021.

KOTSANLEE RANKS SEVENTH ALL-TIME AT UTAH STATE IN PUNTING
• Junior P Stephen Kotsanlee has punted 95 times in his career for an average of 42.1 yards per punt, which is tied with Steve Mullins (1999-02) for the fifth-best punting average in school history. Last season, Kotsanlee punted 53 times for an average of 42.5 yards per punt, which is the ninth-best single-season punting average in school history.

• Against UConn, Kotsanlee had one punt downed inside the 20-yard line to give him 37 punts in his career downed inside the 20-yard line. He also had two 50-yard punts (55, 59) to give him 15 punts in his career of 50-plus yards.

Alabama Crimson Tide
Notes
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: Third meeting (Alabama leads, 2-0)
In Tuscaloosa: Alabama leads, 2-0
Current Streak: Alabama, Won 2
Last Meeting: Oct. 29, 2005 (W, 35-3)
Series Notes: Alabama and Utah State will meet for the third time in series history and third time in Tuscaloosa when the two teams square off on Saturday evening at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide currently holds a 2-0 advantage in the series with the last meeting coming on Oct. 29, 2005 in Tuscaloosa, a 35-3 win for UA.

HOME SWEET HOME OPENERS: The Crimson Tide owns an 81-11-2 (.872) all-time record across 94 total home-opening games. Alabama is currently riding a 20-game winning streak in the team’s first game at BryantDenny Stadium. Under head coach Nick Saban, the Tide sports a perfect 15-0 record in home openers.

SABAN IN HOME OPENERS: Nick Saban is 24-2 (.923) all-time in home openers across his four stops as a head coach. He currently has a 21-game winning streak in the first game at his home stadium, with the last loss coming in 1998 when Michigan State fell to Colorado State, 23-16. In home openers, Saban’s teams are outscoring the opposition 1,032-313 (39.7-12.0 ppg) . For his career, he owns a 1-0 record at Toledo, 3-2 mark at Michigan State, and perfect records of 5-0 and 15-0 at LSU and Alabama, respectively.

OPENING DAY SUCCESS UNDER SABAN: Alabama has been dominant in season openers during head coach Nick Saban’s tenure. The Tide is a perfect 15-0 under Saban and has won in impressive fashion. Alabama has outscored its opponents 610-176 in those games and has outgained the opposition, 6,658-3,273. The Tide has averaged 40.7 points per opening contest under Saban and given up just 11.7 points per game. UA has also amassed 443.9 total yards per opener and surrendered just 218.2 yards in those matchups.

SABAN’S HOME RECORD: Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 154-20 (.885) in home games during his collegiate head coaching career. He owns an advantage at every stop he has made as a college head coach, including a 96-8 (.923) mark while at UA. Following the Crimson Tide’s 42-35 win over Arkansas on Nov. 20, Saban has won 65 of his last 68 contests at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

SABAN vs. NON-CONFERENCE FOES: Alabama head coach Nick Saban owns an impressive 97-20 (.829) career mark against non-conference opponents in the regular season across his four stops as a collegiate head coach. While at Alabama, Saban has only two losses to non-conference opponents during the regular season, both of which came in 2007 (14-21 vs. Florida State (Jacksonville) and 14-21 vs. ULM). His record against nonconference opponents in both the regular and postseason at the Capstone is 68-8 (.895).

ALABAMA IN THE AP POLL: Alabama’s No. 1 ranking in the preseason release of the Associated Press Poll marked the 230th consecutive week that the Crimson Tide has appeared in the poll. That streak is the longest active streak in college football. The 230 weeks more than triples second-place Georgia with the Bulldogs appearing in the poll for 83 consecutive weeks. Alabama’s 230 straight weeks tops the Crimson Tide’s previous program-long streak of 71 consecutive weeks under head coach Gene Stallings in the mid-1990s.

ALABAMA IN THE AP SINCE 2008: Alabama began the 2008 season at No. 24 in the Associated Press Preseason Poll. The Crimson Tide opened the year with a dominant 34-10 win over then-No. 9 Clemson in Atlanta, and since that win over the Tigers, UA has not been ranked lower than No. 17 in 229 polls that have followed. According to College Poll Archive, the Tide has now spent 96.5 percent of the 14-plus years ranked in the top 10. A whopping 87.8 percent of that time Alabama has been ranked in the top five. The Crimson Tide has also been ranked No. 1 a total of 107 times since 2008. Only 13 other teams have earned the No. 1 ranking over that time, with the second-most appearances coming from Clemson at 23.

NON-OFFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS IN THE SABAN ERA: Alabama recorded its 86th non-offensive touchdown in the Nick Saban era on Dec. 4 when Jordan Battle returned an interception 42 yards for a score against then-No. 1/1/1 Georgia in the 2021 SEC Championship Game. It marked his second touchdown of the season and the third pick-six of his career. Battle’s pick-six was also the Crimson Tide’s sixth non-offensive touchdown of the season, moving past last season’s total of five across 13 games. Since Saban’s arrival in 2007, no team in college football has totaled more non-offensive scores than the Crimson Tide. During Saban’s tenure, Alabama recorded a single-season record 15 in 2016, which led the Football Bowl Subdivision and was the most in a season by any FBS team in the last 20 years. The Crimson Tide also scored a non-offensive
touchdown in 10 consecutive games dating from to the CFP Semifinal against Michigan State on Dec. 31, 2015 to the Texas A&M game on Oct. 22, 2016 for 14 non-offensive touchdowns in that span – four interceptions, four punt returns, five fumble recoveries and a kickoff return.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
RETURNING HEISMAN: Crimson Tide signal-caller Bryce Young returns for his junior season after capturing the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore in 2021. Of Alabama’s four Heisman winners, Young is the second to return to the Tide after winning the coveted award, joining Mark Ingram II, who won the 2009 Heisman. Young threw for 4,872 yards, 47 touchdowns and set school records for attempts (547) and completions (366).

RETURNING STARTERS: Alabama returns five starters on the offensive side of the ball in 2022, led by quarterback Bryce Young. The Tide has three starters back on the offensive line with center Darrian Dalcourt and guards Emil Ekiyor Jr. and Javion Cohen, while tight end Cameron Latu rounds out the group of starters.

OFFENSIVE PORTAL: The transfer portal has become a big part of college football and Alabama used it to find wide receiver Jameson Williams there a year ago. With Williams becoming a first round pick of the Detroit Lions this past offseason, Alabama has welcomed in four transfers on the offensive side of the football for 2022. The group includes receivers Jermaine Burton (Georgia) and Tyler Harrell (Louisville) along with offensive tackle Tyler Steen (Vanderbilt) and running back Jahmyr Gibbs (Georgia Tech).

FIRST-HALF 100s: Crimson Tide wideouts totaled 100-plus yards in the first half on 18 occasions in UA’s last 41 games, including four times during the 2021 campaign.

30-OR-MORE IN 34 STRAIGHT: Alabama set the all-time FBS record for scoring at least 30 points in consecutive games with 34 following the Tide’s 52-24 win against Tennessee on Oct. 23. The streak started with a 42-3 triumph over Duke on Aug. 31, 2019 and ended with a 20-14 win against LSU on Nov. 6, 2021. UCF previously held the record of scoring 30-or-more points in 31 straight games from 2017-19. UA has scored 30-ormore points in 49 of 56 games, dating back to the start of the 2018 season.

OPENING DRIVE TOUCHDOWNS: The Crimson Tide has won 48 of its last 49 games when scoring a touchdown on the first offensive possession of the game, thanks to Slade Bolden’s eight-yard touchdown reception against then-No. 4/4/4 Cincinnati on Dec. 31. The Tide’s lone loss when scoring a touchdown on the opening drive during that stretch came at Texas A&M on Oct. 9.

SCORING STREAK CONTINUES: Alabama extended its school record for consecutive games with a score to 283 against then-No. 3/3/3 Georgia on Jan. 10, thanks to Will Reichard’s 37-yard field goal on the first possession of the CFP National Championship Game. The Tide was last held off the scoreboard in a 9-0 loss to Auburn on Nov. 18, 2000. Alabama owns a 226-57 (.799) record over the course of the current streak.

BALL PROTECTION: In the last 194 games (dating back to the start of the 2008 season), Alabama has turned the ball over only 206 times (112 fumbles, 94 interceptions) for 1.06 turnovers per game. Since 2009, the Tide has turned the ball over only 188 times in 181 games (1.04/game). The 188 turnovers since 2009 includes 76 interceptions in 4,833 attempts (1 INT every 63.5 attempts) by UA starting quarterbacks and 31 lost fumbles in 4,862 carries (one fumble lost every 156.8 carries) by the Tide’s top two running backs.

15 STARTS AT QB: Bryce Young took over the reins at quarterback for the Crimson Tide in 2021 and excelled from day one. Young completed 66.9 percent of his passes (366-547) for 4,872 yards with 47 touchdowns compared to just seven interceptions. He finished the season second nationally in passing touchdowns (47), points responsible for (308) and passing yards (4,872), while he concluded the season ranked seventh in passing efficiency (167.5). Through the first 15 starts of his career, his numbers rank right alongside the Tide’s past three signal-callers in their first 15 starts for the Crimson Tide. All three are now starting in the NFL.

BRYCE AGAINST THE BEST: Quarterback Bryce Young elevated his game each time a ranked team appeared on the Crimson Tide’s schedule a season ago. In six games against teams ranked in the final iteration of the College Football Playoff Top 25, Young posted an NCAA passer rating of 157.56 with an NFL rating of 107.36. He threw for 2,140 yards in those six games, which averaged out to 356.7 yards per game, with 17 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Young averaged 8.8 yards per attempt in those six games while completing 64.6 percent of his passes (157-243).

BRYCE AGAINST THE BEST DEFENSES: In 2021, Bryce Young’s passing numbers came against some of the best pass defenses in the nation. In seven games against the nation’s top 50 pass defenses (then-No. 1 Georgia, then-No. 2 Georgia, then-No. 4 Cincinnati, then-No. 9 Texas A&M, then-No. 39 Florida, then-No. 40 Ole Miss, then-No. 50 Tennessee), Young accounted for 2,192 yards (313.1 ypg), 17 touchdowns, just five interceptions and a completion percentage of 63.7.

THE TRANSITION TO TIGHT END: Cameron Latu transitioned from defensive end to tight end after his redshirt season at the Capstone and worked his way into the Crimson Tide’s starting tight end spot in 2021. In 15 games, including 14 starts last season, Latu had 26 receptions for 410 yards, an average of 15.8 yards per catch, and tied for second on UA with eight receiving touchdowns. His patience in transition paid off in the final game of the season against then-No. 3/3/3 Georgia in the CFP National Championship Game on Jan. 10. The Salt Lake City, Utah, native, set the record for the most receiving touchdowns by a tight end in a single season in school history (8), after he hauled in a three-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Bryce Young in the fourth quarter. He trumped tight end Irv Smith Jr.’s seven touchdown receptions in 2018.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
SEVEN STARTERS RETURN ON DEFENSE: Alabama returns seven starters on the defensive side of the football in 2022. Junior linebacker Will Anderson Jr. headlines the group after taking home the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defender and registering 34.5 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks as a sophomore. The Tide’s defensive front welcomes back linemen DJ Dale and Byron Young while the linebacker corps
returns mike linebacker Henry To’oTo’o (113 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks). The secondary sees safety Jordan Battle back for his senior year after leading the team with three interceptions while recording 86 tackles and three pass breakups. Fellow senior safety DeMarcco Hellams is also back and joins the versatile Brian Branch in the Tide’s veteran defensive backfield.

DEFENSIVE PORTAL: The transfer portal has become a part of college football and Alabama found linebacker Henry To’oTo’o. The Tennessee transfer called the Tide defense and led them in tackles with 113. Alabama added one player from the portal to the defense in 2022, welcoming former LSU cornerback Eli Ricks, who was a freshman All-American in 2020.

DON’T CROSS THE LINE: The Alabama defense picked up steam ahead of the 2021 postseason, recording double-digit tackles for loss in three of its final six games of the campaign to push the team total to 121.0 (-549 yards) on the season. Alabama ranked fourth nationally and first in the SEC in tackles for loss per game with 8.1. The Tide produced 12.0 tackles for loss (-44 yards) against New Mexico State on Nov. 13 and followed that up a week later with 10.0 TFLs (-41 yards) against then-No. 25/21/22 Arkansas. In the Iron Bowl matchup at Auburn on Nov. 27, Alabama logged a season-high 15.0 tackles for loss (-70 yards), the most in a single game in program history dating back to at least 1998. The next closest was when the Crimson Tide recorded 14.0 tackles for loss against Ole Miss on Oct. 15, 2011. Since 2007, the Crimson Tide defense has produced five seasons that featured at least three games with double-digit tackles for loss, including 2011 (four times), 2015 (three times), 2016 (three times), 2018 (five times) and the 2021 campaign (three times).

TURNOVERS, TURNOVERS, TURNOVERS: Alabama has forced at least one turnover in 92 of the last 100 contests (dating back to the start of the 2015 season). During the current run, Alabama has forced 163 turnovers (106 interceptions, 57 fumbles) and returned 38 of those miscues for touchdowns.

HOLDING OPPONENTS UNDER 200: Auburn’s 159 yards of total offense on Nov. 27 of last season marked the 55th time in the last 194 games under Nick Saban (since the start of the 2008 season) that the Crimson Tide defense has held the opposition to fewer than 200 yards of total offense.

Fewest Total Yards Allowed under Nick Saban
Yards Allowed Opponent Date
78 at Vanderbilt Sept. 23, 2017
84 Chattanooga Nov. 21, 2009
90 Kent State Sept. 3, 2011
92 ULM Sept. 26, 2015
92 LSU Jan. 9, 2012
108 Tennessee Oct. 21, 2017

HARD TO FIND THE END ZONE AGAINST THE TIDE: Since the start of the 2009 season, no team has allowed fewer touchdowns than the Crimson Tide. Alabama has surrendered only 309 touchdowns over the last 181 games. That is 52 fewer than the second most in the nation (Wisconsin with 361) at the conclusion of the 2021 season.

Fewest TDs Allowed since 2009
Team Touchdowns

1. ALABAMA 309
2. Wisconsin 361
3. Iowa 379
4. Florida 395
5. LSU 396

SHUTOUTS SINCE 2007: Since head coach Nick Saban arrived in 2007, Alabama has recorded 24 shutouts, including 12 in Southeastern Conference play. With its 41-0 win over Mississippi State on Halloween night of the 2020 season, the Crimson Tide defense has 10 more shutouts than its nearest competitor over that span. Ranking second in shutouts during that time is Ohio State with 14.

TOUGH SLEDDING ON THE GROUND: Alabama’s defense has been a force in the run game since head coach Nick Saban’s arrival on campus. More recently, the Crimson Tide gave up just 65 rushing scores in the last 100 games (dating to the start of the 2015 season). The Crimson Tide allowed 11 rushing touchdowns in 2018 after giving up only nine rushing touchdowns in 2017. The Tide defense led the nation in 2016 with fi ve rushing touchdowns allowed, one year after giving up just seven rushing scores through 15 games in 2015, the second-lowest total in the country. Since Saban arrived in 2007, the Crimson Tide has allowed the fewest rushing touchdowns in the nation at 123, a total that is 45 fewer than second-place Iowa.

Fewest Rushing Touchdowns Allowed (FBS teams since 2007)

1. ALABAMA 123
2. Iowa 168
3. Utah 180
4. Ohio State 185
5. TCU 213

RUSHING DEFENSE: UA has surrendered only 29 individual 100-yard rushing performances dating back to the 2005 season, a mark that is the fewest in the nation. Since head coach Nick Saban’s arrival in 2007, the Tide has allowed 24 players to rush for more than 100 yards in a game.

1. ALABAMA 29
2. Ohio State 40
3. Boston College 56
4. Boise State 58
5. Penn State 68

10 POINTS OR LESS: Alabama’s trademark has been its defense ever since head coach Nick Saban’s arrival on campus. Since that first season in Tuscaloosa, Saban-coached defenses have held the Crimson Tide’s opponents to 10 points or less on 97 occasions. Dating back to the start of the 2015 season, UA’s defense has limited the opposition to 10 or fewer points 41 times across 100 total contests.

THE TERMINATOR: Will Anderson Jr. led the nation in 2021 with 17.5 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss (an NCAA record since 2000). Those impressive numbers placed Anderson Jr. second on Alabama’s single-season tackles for loss list behind only Derrick Thomas (1988 – 39.0) while he was third on UA’s single-season sacks list, trailing Thomas once again (1988 – 27.0 and 1987 – 18.0). Those numbers, paired with
his 10.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks from 2020, moved him into the top five of both career lists for the Crimson Tide. Below is a look at where reigning Nagurski Trophy winner ranks to begin the 2022 campaign.

Alabama Career Sacks List
Rank Player Years Total Sacks (Yards)

1. Derrick Thomas 1985-88 52.0 (-408 yards)
2. Jonathan Allen 2013-16 28.5 (-205 yards)
3. Kindal Moorehead 1998-2002 25.0 (-196 yards)
4. WILL ANDERSON JR. 2020-PRESENT 24.5 (-147 YARDS)
5. Jarret Johnson 1999-2002 23.0 (-194 yards)

Alabama Career Tackles for Loss List
Rank Player Years Total TFL (Yards)

1. Derrick Thomas 1985-88 68.0 (-465 yards)
2. Wallace Gilberry 2004-07 60.5 (-223 yards)
3. Kindal Moorehead 1998-2002 48.5 (-279 yards)
4. Jonathan Allen 2013-16 45.0 (-241 yards)
5. WILL ANDERSON JR. 2020-PRESENT 45.0 (-200 YARDS)

ANDERSON JR. IN 2021: Linebacker Will Anderson Jr. recorded at least one tackle for loss in 13-of-15 games in 2021, while posting a career-high 4.0 (-35 yards) at Mississippi State on Oct. 16 and against LSU (-13 yards) on Nov. 6. He recorded sacks in 11 of the Tide’s 15 games last season and had at least 1.5 sacks in four straight contests starting with the Mississippi State matchup on Oct. 16 and ending with the New Mexico State contest on Nov. 6. His four sacks at Mississippi State on Oct. 16 matched Derrick Thomas for the second-most in a game in school history (Thomas also had a five-sack game).

HISTORIC PACE FOR ANDERSON JR.: Will Anderson Jr. not only led the country in tackles for loss and sacks in 2021 but put himself on a historic pace compared to past Alabama greats. Derrick Thomas’ career sack numbers have always seemed unreachable in today’s game of football, but Anderson Jr. is doing his best to keep pace. In 28 career games, Anderson Jr. has 24.5 sacks, which averages out to .88 sacks per game. Thomas finished his Alabama career with 52 sacks in 49 career games, a ratio of 1.06 sacks per game. For comparison, Jonathan Allen and Kindal Moorehead rank second and third in career sacks, respectively. Their sacks-per-game ratio were .50 for Allen and .52 for Moorehead. Anderson Jr. is actually averaging more tackles per loss per game (1.61 or 45 in 28 games) than Thomas did (1.39 or 68 in 49 games).

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
PATs FOR REICHARD: Senior Will Reichard enters the 2022 season with 176 made point after touchdowns (178 attempts) for his career to rank second on the Alabama all-time list. He trails only Adam Griffith (2013-16) who recorded 186 career made PATs on 186 attempts.

REICHARD MOVING UP THE CAREER LISTS: Placekicker Will Reichard has been a consistent presence in the kicking game for Alabama during his time at the Capstone. Reichard has made 40 field goals for his career and has totaled 296 kicking points. Both numbers have placed Reichard on the top-10 lists for Crimson Tide kickers. Below is a look at where Reichard currently ranks.

Sat., Sep. 3 @ 6:30 pm CT
Memphis Tigers at Mississippi State Bulldogs

Memphis Tigers
Notes

SERIES HISTORY
SERIES HISTORY: MISSISSIPPI STATE LEADS, 34-11 RECORD IN STARKVILLE: MISSISSIPPI STATE LEADS, 15-4
LAST MEETING: MEMPHIS WON, 31-29 (9/18/21) FIRST MEETING: MISSISSIPPI STATE WON, 27-20 (11/10/51)

SETTING THE SCENE
• The University of Memphis will open the 2022 season on the road against SEC rival Mississippi State on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 6:30 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.

• Memphis posted a record of 6-6 last season, earning the program’s eighth-straight bowl appearance.

• The Tigers were named the EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl Champions after Hawai’i was unable to participate.

• The eight-consecutive bowls streak is tied for the eighth-best in the nation and is the best among all non-Power 5 programs.

• Individually, true freshman quarterback Seth Henigan had a record-breaking season in 2021, earning FWAA Freshman All-America honors. The Denton, Texas native completed 235-of-393 passes for 3,322 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

• On the defensive side of the ball, defensive back Quindell Johnson returns after earning All-AAC Second-Team honors for the second-straight season.

• Johnson ranked 12th in the NCAA in solo tackles (5.5) and 27th in total tackles (8.8)

SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
• In 2021, Mississippi State ended the season with an overall record of 7-6, earning a berth to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, losing to Texas Tech, 34-7.

• MSU was the only school in the country that faced six teams ranked in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 and was one of four teams with three wins against teams ranked in the final poll.

• Head coach Mike Leach became the first MSU head coach, at least in the modern era, to beat three teams in one season who finished ranked in a final poll.

• In 2021, quarterback Will Rogers – at only 20 years old – became the first MSU quarterback to lead the SEC in passing yards per game (364.5).

• His 4,739 passing yards are the third most in SEC single-season history.

INSIDE THE SERIES
• The meeting between Memphis and Mississippi State on Saturday will mark the 46th game between the two programs dating back to 1951.

• The Bulldogs hold a record of 34-11 over the Tigers, including a mark of 15-4 in Starkville.

• Last year, Memphis snapped MSU’s 12-game winning streak in the series with a 31-29 win at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

• The Tigers came back from a 17-7 halftime deficit to win the contest, thanks in part to wide receiver Calvin Austin III, who had nine receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns.

• He also returned a punt 94 yards for a score in the fourth quarter, the longest return for a Tiger since 1975.

GAME NOTES
ONE OF THE ELITE PROGRAMS IN THE NATION
• Memphis has posted 71 victories since 2014, giving the Tigers the 12th-most wins in the nation during that stretch along with Oklahoma State and San Diego State.

• The 71 wins are the most among American Athletic Conference schools during that stretch.

• The Tigers also rank 14th in the country in winning percentage dating back to 2014 with their 71-32 (.689) mark.

RARE ROAD OPENER
• Memphis will start the season on the road for the first time since the 2010 season on Saturday.

• The last time the Tigers opened a year away from Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium was on Sept. 4, 2010 – a 49-7 loss at Mississippi State.

• The road opener snaps an 11-year streak of opening seasons at home for Memphis.

• The Tigers are 43-60-3 all-time in season-opening contests.

YOUTH IS SERVED
• Nine redshirt-sophomores or younger are currently listed as starters on the Memphis offensive and defensive depth charts.

• Of the 62 players listed on the depth chart, a total of 32 (51.6%) are redshirt-sophomores or younger.

• Memphis ranks 12th in the nation in percentage of underclassmen on the roster at 70.5%.

• Of the 119 student-athletes on the team, 84 (43 freshmen, 41 sophomores) are underclassmen, which is tied for 16th-most in the country.

• In 2021, Memphis played a total of 27 redshirt or true freshmen. Of that total, 12 were true freshmen.

SIVLERFIELD’S START
• Ryan Silverfield is tied for the second most wins (14) in his first two seasons as head coach in program history.

• Silverfield is also tied for fifth nationally in most wins among coaches entering their third seasons in 2022.

STANDOUT SOPHOMORE
• Quarterback Seth Henigan posted one of the best seasons in program history in 2021 and he did it as a true freshman.

• In 2021, Henigan earned FWAA Freshman All-America honors after starting all 11 games in which he played for the Tigers.

• The Denton, Texas native completed 235-of-393 passes for 3,322 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

• His 3,322 passing yards shattered the school’s freshman record previously held by Paxton Lynch in 2013 (2056) and rank sixth overall on the program’s single-season list. His 25 touchdowns are tied for the seventh-most in school history.

• Henigan also became the first true freshman quarterback to start a season opener in school history.

EIGHT-STRAIGHT BOWLS
• Memphis’ appearance in the 2021 EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl marked the eighth-straight season that the Tigers have made a bowl game.

• The 2021 EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl was canceled due to Hawai’i being unable to participate.

• The eight-straight bowl game streak is tied for the eighth-best in the nation and is the best among all non-Power 5 programs.

JOHNSON EARNS SPOTS ON NUMEROUS WATCHLISTS
• After a standout season in 2021, defensive back Quindell Johnson was named to numerous preseason watchlists prior to the year.

• Johnson was named to the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist, the Bednarik Award Preseason Watchlist, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watchlist, the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watchlist and the Wuerffel Trophy Watchlist.

• A preseason First-Team All-AAC choice by Phil Steele this year, Johnson was named second-team All-AAC for the second-straight season in 2021 after ranking second in the conference in total tackles(104) and solo tackles (66).

• He also ranked third in the league in tackles per game (8.7) and sixth in pass breakups (11). Johnson also had 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception on the year.

TIGERS PICKED FIFTH IN PRESEASON AAC POLL
• Prior to the season, Memphis was picked to finish fifth in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) preseason media poll.

• The Tigers (162 points) were picked fifth behind Houston (243), Cincinnati (242), UCF (225) and SMU (187).

• Memphis won the AAC Championship in 2019, 29-24, over No. 24-ranked Cincinnati.

BEST AGAINST THE BEST
• Since 2012, Memphis has posted a record of 8-13 (.381) against top-25 ranked opponents.

• The .381 winning percentage ranks the Tigers 19th overall in the nation among teams with at least 20 games against top-25 foes.

• The winning percentage is also the best mark for any non-Power 5 team in the country.

STERLING START
• Head coach Ryan Silverfield had a tremendous first season at the helm of the Tiger Football program in 2020, leading the team to an 8-3 record and a win in the Montgomery Bowl, the first for the Tigers since 2014.

• With that victory over Florida Atlantic in the Montgomery Bowl, Silverfield became the first head coach in school history to win a bowl game in his first year.

• Silverfield set the program record for winning percentage (.727) by a first-year head coach, while also matching the school mark for most wins in a debut year (Mike Norvell, 2016).

• For his efforts, he was named the 2020 Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Coach of the Year.

• Prior to be naming named head coach in 2019 before the team’s appearance in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas, Silverfield served as deputy head coach and offensive line coach during the 2019 season as the Tigers won their first outright conference title in 50 years.

• Silverfield also was part of Memphis staffs that led the program to three-straight American Athletic Conference West Division crowns from 2017-19 and four-straight bowl appearances from 2016-19.

• Behind Silverfield’s contributions, Memphis won 38 games during those four seasons, including going 10-3 in 2017 and 12-1 in 2019. He isthe only member of the staff to be part of both 10-plus win seasons.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
• Memphis has had a great home field advantage at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, posting a record of 36-5 (.878) since head coach Ryan Silverfield joined the coaching staff in 2016.

• As a head coach, Silverfield is 11-2 (.846) at the Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

NON-SATURDAY SUCCESS
• Since the start of 2014, Memphis is 22-5 (.815) in non-Saturday games.

• Memphis is 14-3 (.824) in games on Friday since 2014.

• The Tigers are 6-0 in Thursday night games and 10-0 at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in non-Saturday games.

• Memphis will host Houston on Friday, Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m. and Tulsa on Thursday, Nov. 10 this season.

MADE IN MEMPHIS
• Since 2015, 13 Memphis players have been drafted by the National Football League.

• OL Dylan Parham was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, while WR Calvin Austin III was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round.

• With the selections, Memphis has had at least one player selected in nine-straight NFL Drafts, with 15 players being taken over that span.

• On current NFL rosters, five former Tigers are listed at running back (Antonio Gibson, Darrell Henderson, Tony Pollard, Kenneth Gainwell and Patrick Taylor Jr.).

• Currently, 16 Tigers are on NFL rosters – RB Tony Pollard (Dallas), PK Riley Patterson (Detroit Lions), RB Patrick Taylor Jr. (Green Bay), DB Jacobi Francis (Houston), RB Darrell Henderson Jr. (Los Angeles Rams), OL Dylan Parham (Las Vegas), DL Bryce Huff (New York Jets), K Jake Elliott (Philadelphia), RB Kenneth Gainwell (Philadelphia), WR Calvin Austin III (Pittsburgh), CB Arthur Maulet (Pittsburgh), WR Anthony Miller (Pittsburgh), LB Genard Avery (Tampa Bay), LB JJ Russell (Tampa Bay), RB Antonio Gibson (Washington) and DB Bobby McCain (Washington).

MEMPHIS IN OVERTIME GAMES
• Memphis has been involved in nine overtime games (2-7). The Tigers have played a total of four multi-overtime affairs and have a 2-2 record in those games.

• The Tigers came up just short in the 2017 American Athletic Conference Championship game in double-OT at UCF, 62-55. The Tigers and Knights combined to score 117 points, the highest total in a conference title game in FBS history.

• Memphis ended the 2014 season with the first overtime game in five seasons, defeating BYU 55-48 in double-OT at the Miami Beach Bowl.

Mississippi State Bulldogs
Notes

TALKING POINTS
MSU will be one of the most-experienced teams in college football this spring, with a total of 16 starters returning on offense and defense.

The Bulldogs host Memphis for the return trip in a home-and-home series that began last year. That meeting was the first between the two programs in 10 years.

Last fall, MSU was the only school in the country that faced six teams ranked in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 and was one of four teams with three wins against teams ranked in the final poll.

Mike Leach became the first MSU head coach, at least in the modern era, to beat three teams in one season who finished ranked in a final poll.

Over the last five seasons, Mike Leach’s teams have defeated nine opponents ranked inside the AP Top 25. Only two current SEC head coaches have more such wins in that span.

The Bulldogs were one of four teams to rank inside the top 25 nationally in both total offense and total defense during the 2021 regular season, joining Alabama, Michigan and Coastal Carolina.

State passed for 4,918 yards in 2021, marking the 20th consecutive season that Mike Leach’s offense has eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark. That’s every season of his head coaching career.

Following the 2021 regular season, MSU was the third most improved scoring offense in the SEC and 10th most improved nationally at +9.5 from 2020 (21.4 ppg to 30.9 ppg).

According to ESPN’s FPI, MSU will play the second-toughest schedule in the nation in 2022.

Mississippi State returns 72.2 percent of its receptions from a year ago, which trails only LSU (72.5 percent) in the SEC.

Entering 2022, WRs Jaden Walley (33) and Austin Williams (35) are the SEC’s returning leaders in receptions for a first down from a year ago. Both are among the top five active SEC players in career first-down receptions.

Williams owns the lowest drop rate of any SEC wide receiver since 2019 (0.9 percent). His 92.3 hands grade from PFF ranked second in the FBS in 2021 and was the highest among players returning for 2022.

Under Mike Leach, the Bulldogs are 7-0 when scoring at least 30 points and 8-2 when scoring first.

WR Rara Thomas has caught five touchdown passes across his last five games.

In 2021, QB Will Rogers became the first MSU quarterback to lead the SEC in passing yards per game (364.5). His 4,739 passing yards are the third most in SEC single-season history, and the two quarterbacks ahead of Rogers played in two more games than he did during their respective seasons.

Rogers joined 2019 Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow of LSU as the only QBs in college football over the last 22 seasons to throw for 4,700+ yards and 35+ touchdowns while completing at least 73 percent of their passes.

Rogers broke 25 records during his sophomore season one year after rewriting nearly every passing mark in MSU history as a freshman in 2020. Last season, Rogers broke Dak Prescott’s records for single-season total offense, passing yards and passing touchdowns that Prescott set as a fourth-year junior and fifth-year senior.

Mississippi State has ranked among the top five Power Five teams in the nation in yards after catch in back-to-back seasons under head coach Mike Leach. The Bulldogs led the nation in yards after catch in 2021, and State ranked second in the SEC and third nationally in 2020.

WR Lideatrick Griffin finished the 2021 season averaging 32.8 yards per kickoff return which tied Eric Moulds’ mark in 1994 for the highest single-season average in school history and was third in the FBS last year.

State returns its 2021 leaders in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks, quarterback hurries, interceptions and pass breakups.

LB Jett Johnson ranks third among returning linebackers in the FBS with a 74.7 overall defensive grade from PFF. He is the SEC’s returning leader.

MSU returns 79.1 percent of its defensive snaps from 2021. Of the 22 players on the defensive side of the two-deep, 17 have been playing for the past two years under defensive coordinator Zach Arnett. Three more have at least played a season in Arnett’s system.

Against SEC teams, Arnett’s defense ranked third in total defense (352.3) in 2021 and fourth in total defense (380.3) in 2020 after ranking 11th (419.3) in 2019 before his arrival at MSU.

Since 2020, MSU has allowed fewer than 150 rushing yards in 15 games, which trails only Alabama (26) and Georgia (24) in the SEC
during that span. MSU is holding its opponents to just 124.5 rushing yards per game.

State led the SEC in fewest first downs allowed in 2021 (219), and the Bulldogs were one of the best in the league at getting off the
field as they allowed the second fewest total plays on the year (807).

CB Emmanuel Forbes is the FBS active career leader in interception return touchdowns with three, which is tied for the most in
school history and also has him ranked second nationally in overall defensive touchdowns entering 2022.

RIVALING THE RANKINGS
Last fall, MSU was the only school in the country that faced six teams ranked in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 and was one of four teams with three wins against teams ranked in the final poll. Mike Leach became the first MSU head coach, at least in the modern era, to beat three teams in one season who finished ranked in a final poll.

Over the last five seasons, Leach’s teams have defeated nine opponents ranked inside the AP Top 25. Only two current SEC head coaches have more such wins in that span. Leach is tied for seventh in the nation since 2020 in wins over AP Top 15 opponents (3).

Under Leach, State has already defeated four AP-ranked opponents in road or neutral site contests with wins at then-No. 6 LSU (2020), vs. then-No. 22 Tulsa (2020), at then-No. 15 Texas A&M (2021) and at No. 16 Auburn (2021).

Leach’s five total ranked wins are the most of any Bulldog head coach in his first two years, and his four away from Starkville are tied for
the most by an MSU head coach in program history.

Leach is tied for seventh in the nation since 2020 in wins over AP Top 15 opponents (3).

MATCHING UP WITH MEMPHIS
Memphis entered last year’s matchup as the nation’s leader in total offense (633.5 yards per game), but State held the Tigers to just 246 total yards. MSU allowed just 12 first downs in the 2021 meeting, which was then tied for the seventh-fewest allowed by any Mike Leach-coached team.

The Bulldogs meanwhile completed an MSU and SEC single-game record 50 passes on 67 attempts, which ranks second in school history. The 50 completions are tied for sixth-most by any Leach-coached team.

The game started strong for State, which outgained Memphis, 241-89, in total offense in the first half alone. The Bulldogs ran 43 plays in the first half, while holding Memphis to just 20 snaps.

CHUNK PLAYS
The Bulldogs were second in the SEC with 101 passes of 15 or more yards last year. 29 of those went for 25 yards or more.

Defensively, MSU allowed just 48 runs to go for more than 10 yards, which was tied for second in the SEC. The Bulldogs allowed 84 rushing first downs, which was tied for 15th in the FBS.

50 BURGER
With its 55-10 victory against Tennessee State on Nov. 20, 2021, Mississippi State has now scored 50+ points in at least one game in 11 consecutive seasons. The 55 points were MSU’s most in a game since a 56-10victory against Louisiana on Sept. 15, 2018.

State has put up 50+ points six times since 2018, with three of those games coming against SEC opponents. MSU has scored 50+ points 19 times over the last 16 seasons and is 19-0 in those games.

ON THE LINE
MSU’s offensive line has shuffled this year, with multiple linemen playing new positions.

C LaQuinston Sharp is the only lineman returning to the same position he played in 2021. Sharp snapped the ball 1,002 times last year, and is the most-veteran of the group with 1,699 snaps across the line in his career.

Last season, Sharp, who was named to the Rimington Trophy watch list, earned a career-best 83.8 percent pass blocking grade from PFF. He surrendered only two sacks in 786 passing snaps.

The offensive line enters 2022 with 5,175 career snaps, but only 1,893 (36.6 percent) of those have been taken at their current positions.

Head coach Mike Leach and offensive line tutor Mason Miller are no strangers to development on the line, however. In fact, with the first-round selection of OT Charles Cross in the 2022 NFL Draft, Leach and Miller are one of just three coaching tandems with a first-round offensive lineman in two of the last four Drafts.

There have been 15 games of 400-plus passing yards in Mississippi State history. Eight of those performances occurred in the first 24 games of the Mike Leach era.

MSU had thrown for 400-plus yards just seven total times in the previous 1,193 games prior to Leach’s arrival in Starkville.

The Bulldogs were second in the nation with six 400-yard passing games and one of 18 schools nationally and three SEC teams with multiple such games in 2021. State was one of five teams nationally with 11 300-yard passing games.

State’s most recent 400-plus passing yard performance came against Tennessee State on Nov. 20, 2021. QBs Will Rogers and Chance Lovertich completed 36 of 46 passes for 493 yards and five touchdowns in that game.

Rogers is the eighth SEC quarterback to ever record a 4,000-yard passing season, ranks third

AIRING IT OUT
B Will Rogers completed a school-record and SEC-record 50 passes at Memphis last year Rogers holds eight of the top nine single-game marks in program history, including each of the top five.

Rogers became the 12th passer nationwide with 50 completions in a game since 2000, and Mike Leach has coached five of the 12. The 50 completions at Memphis are tied for the sixth-most by any team under Mike Leach in his 20-year career.

MSU passed for 493 yards against Tennessee State (Nov. 20), which ranks third in program history and is the second-highest Bulldog total under Leach.

State’s 67 passing attempts against Memphis last year trail only its 70 attempts at Kentucky in 2020 and LSU’s 69 attempts against Auburn in 1999 for the most in a single game in SEC history.

WALLEY WATCH
WR Jaden Walley caught 55 passes for 628 yards and six touchdowns in 2021. He’s the top returning MSU wide receiver in all three of those categories.

Walley had a touchdown catch in six different games last season. His eight games with a touchdown reception are tied for second among active players in the SEC since 2020.

Caught a season-high seven passes for a season-high 87 yards at No. 17 Auburn (Nov. 13, 2021) with four receptions for first downs.

MAKING HIS MARKS
RB Jo’quavious Marks was named to the watch list for the Paul Hornung Award, which recognizes the most-versatile player in college football. He has not only proven he can pick up yardage by carrying the football but can also be an effective option in the passing game as both a blocker and receiver out of the backfield.

Marks was second on the team with 83 receptions, which led all FBS running backs and broke his own MSU record for the most catches in a season by a running back. He totaled 502 yards through the air.

Marks’ 106 rushes and six touchdowns on the ground were both team highs for the Bulldogs in 2021. He has rushed 176 times for 728 yards and nine touchdowns in his career.

His 143 career receptions are fifth in MSU history, and he holds the MSU career record for receptions by a running back.

BALL HOGS
Thanks in large part to its stout defense, Mississippi State dominated time of possession last year. The Bulldogs led the SEC and ranked 10th in the FBS at 33:12 of possession per game.

MSU’s defense allowed the fewest first downs in the SEC and played the second-fewest snaps in the conference. State’s offense ran 975 total plays which was third in the SEC and 13th nationally. The Bulldogs average +6:53 in time of possession differential and 12.9 more plays per game than their opponent in 2021.

DAWG DEFENSE QUICK HITS
Mississippi State returns its 2021 leaders in tackles (LB Jett Johnson), tackles for loss and sacks (LB Tyrus Wheat), quarterback hurries (DT Jaden Crumedy and DT Randy Charlton) and interceptions and pass breakups (CB Emmanuel Forbes).

State led the SEC in fewest first downs allowed in 2021 (219), and the Bulldogs were one of the best in the league at getting off the field as they allowed the second fewest total plays on the year (807).

In 2021, MSU held the following opponents to season lows: No. 12 Kentucky (216 yards of total offense), NC State (337 yards of total offense and 34 yards rushing), No. 15 Texas A&M (135 yards passing), Vanderbilt (9 yards rushing).

State was third in the SEC and 12th in the nation in rushing defense (113.4).

State allowed 148 plays of 10+ yards from scrimmage last season, which ranked second in the SEC.

CB Emmanuel Forbes was tied for 13th in the SEC with eight pass defenses and S Jalen Green was tied for second among SEC safeties with six pass defenses in 2021.

The Bulldog defense held consecutive SEC opponents to fewer than 50 total plays against Vanderbilt and Kentucky in 2021, marking just the third time since 2000 that an SEC team has held conference opponents to fewer than 50 plays in consecutive weeks. Kentucky did so in 2019 against Tennessee (Nov. 9) and at Vanderbilt (Nov. 16), and LSU did so in 2011 against Florida (Oct. 8) and at Tennessee (Oct. 15).

Three Bulldogs posted career highs with double-digit tackles against No. 5 Alabama. It was one of two games last season that saw State have multiple players record 10 or more tackles in a game. The second came when four Bulldogs posted double-digit tackles against No. 9 Ole Miss (Nov. 25).

ANALYZING ARNETT’S DEFENSE
Since his arrival in 2020, defensive coordinator Zach Arnett’s defense has been one of the best in the country. In both 2020 and 2021 with Arnett at the helm of the defense, State finished inside the top five in the SEC in total defense, fewest first downs allowed, takeaways, rushing defense and yards allowed per rush.

Against SEC teams, Arnett’s defense ranked third in total defense (352.3) in 2021 and fourth in total defense (380.3) in 2020 after ranking 11th (419.3) in 2019 before his arrival at MSU.

Since 2020, MSU has allowed fewer than 150 rushing yards in 15 games, which trails only Alabama (26) and Georgia (24) in the SEC during that span. MSU is holding its opponents to just 124.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks third in the SEC during that span.

The Bulldogs are tied for fourth in the SEC in turnovers forced (34) since the start of 2020.

DAWG DEFENSE ONE OF THE MOST-EXPERIENCED
MSU returns 79.1 percent of its defensive snaps from 2021. The Bulldogs played 807 snaps with 11 players on the field for a total of 8,877 snaps. Bulldog returners combined for 7,020 snaps last year.

Of the 22 players on defensive side of the two-deep, 17 have been playing for the past two years under defensive coordinator Zach Arnett. Three more have at least played a season in Arnett’s system.

Only one projected starter was not on the roster last year, and nine of the 11 projected starters have been in the system since 2020.

STATE HAS A TAKEAWAY IN 44 OF ITS LAST 53 GAMES
The Bulldogs have collected at least one takeaway in 44 of their last 53 games dating back to the 2017 season at Arkansas on Nov. 18. State has compiled 83 takeaways over the 53-game stretch and forced three or more turnovers 11 times in that span.

In that span, the Bulldogs had a takeaway streak of 22 straight games (Nov. 18, 2017-Oct. 12, 2019) and a streak of nine games (Nov. 23, 2019-Nov. 7, 2020).

MSU has forced multiple turnovers in 16 games since the start of 2019, going 12-4 when doing so.

MSU HAS AN INTERCEPTION IN 32 OF ITS LAST 49 GAMES
State has collected an interception in 32 of its last 49 games dating back to Sept. 1, 2018 and has 46 total interceptions during that stretch. Six active players have collected 15 total interceptions in their careers.

MSU has 11 multi-interception games since the start of 2018 going 10-1 in those.

HOLDING TEAMS TO FEWER THAN 200 YARDS RUSHING
Since the start of the 2018 season, MSU has held 43 of its 50 opponents below the 200-yard rushing mark, which is the third-most in the SEC and tied for 11th in the nation during that stretch. 32 of those 43 games holding teams below 200 yards have been SEC games.

In 2021, MSU held six opponents to fewer than 100 yards on the ground. MSU held opponents to 113.4 rushing yards per game, which was third in the SEC. Just 48 of opponents’ 406 rushing attempts went for 10 or more yards in 2021.

Only two teams rushed for 200+ yards on the Bulldogs in 2021 – Arkansas (202) and Texas Tech (260).

SEC LEADERS HOLDING TEAMS BELOW 200 YARDS RUSHING (SINCE 2018)
Rank School Opp. Below 200+ Rushing Record When

1. Alabama 52 47-5
   Georgia 52 45-7
2. Mississippi State 43 25-18
3. Texas A&M 41 29-12
4. Florida 40 32-8

HOLDING TEAMS TO FEWER THAN
100 YARDS RUSHING
The Bulldogs have held 10 opponents to less than 100 rushing yards in 24 games under defensive coordinator Zach Arnett, which is the fourth-most games in the SEC and tied for 15th in the FBS.

MSU held Vanderbilt (2021) to just six yards rushing, marking the lowest total under Arnett, surpassing an eight-yard performance at then-No. 13 Georgia (2020).

State held six opponents, including three SEC teams, to fewer than 100 yards on the ground in 2021, and allowed just 101 yards in the season opener against Louisiana Tech.

Since 1976, MSU has held opponents under 100 yards rushing in at least three straight games on five occasions. Prior to Arnett’s arrival State had held three straight opponents under 100 yards rushing just three times – with the last coming in 2000 – and the Bulldogs have already done so twice under his leadership.

MSU RECORD BOOK: GAMES HOLDING OPPONENTS BELOW 100 RUSHING YARDS IN A SEASON (SINCE 2000)
Rank Games Year Opponents

1. 7 2018 Stephen F. Austin, Louisiana, Auburn, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Iowa
2. 6 2021 NC State, Memphis, LSU, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Tennessee State
   6 2009 Jackson State, Vanderbilt, LSU, Middle Tennessee, Arkansas, Ole Miss
   6 2000 Memphis, BYU, South Carolina, Florida, Auburn, Alabama
3. 5 2010 Memphis, Houston, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Michigan

SAFETY STRENGTH
State’s safeties are flooded with experience. Seniors Shawn Preston Jr. and Collin Duncan bring 63 games and 27 starts to the table along with a combined 213 tackles, seven stops for loss, three interceptions, 18 pass breakups and a forced fumble during their careers.

S Jalen Green began his career as a cornerback at Texas, but started 10 games at safety last fall. He finished as one of three Bulldogs with multiple interceptions last year.

Green allowed a reception on just 51.4 percent of his targets in coverage which ranked 13th among SEC safeties and corners with at least 300 coverage snaps. He was third among such players in passer rating allowed (48.9).

NO FLY FORBES
CB Emmanuel Forbes enters his third season at MSU as the FBS active career leader in interceptions returned for a touchdown with three, which are tied for the most in school history and also has him ranked second nationally in overall defensive touchdowns entering 2022.

He has eight total picks in his two years in maroon and white – a total that also puts him among the active career interceptions leaders in the SEC.

Forbes has racked up 104 tackles across his two seasons including 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, eight interceptions and 19 pass breakups.

He started every contest last fall and stacked up 60 tackles – 46 of which were solo stops. He also added a career-best five tackles behind the line of scrimmage to go with one sack, eight pass breakups and a forced fumble. He led the team with three interceptions.

SEC’s active career leader with eight interceptions, which is tied for fifth in the FBS. Eight interceptions is fourth-most in the FBS since the start of the 2020 season. Fifth in the FBS in career interception return yards (216).

Was named a Freshman All-American in 2020 after leading the nation in interception touchdowns (3) and leading the SEC in total interceptions (5). His five interceptions led all true freshmen nationally and were tied for third overall. He was also tied for third among FBS freshmen with 11 total pass defenses in 2020 and was 12th overall.

First Bulldog with five or more interceptions in a season since Mark McLaurin tied the school record with six in 2017, and he is tied for eighth in MSU single-season history

SERIES NOTABLES
MSU and Memphis meet for the 46th time with the Bulldogs claiming more than 70 percent of the meetings (33-12) … State holds a 16-5 advantage in Starkville … Memphis won the previous meeting in 2020, but MSU has won 15 of the last 20 matchups … Prior to the current home-and-home series, the teams last met in the 2011 season opener … MSU won that meeting, 59-14, in what stands as its fifth-largest margin of victory in a road game … State’s offense totaled a then-school-record 645 yards in that matchup, which still stands as the third-highest total offense output in program history … Memphis entered last year’s matchup as the nation’s leader in total offense (633.5 yards per game), but State held the Tigers to just 246 total yards … MSU allowed just 12 first downs in the 2021 meeting, which was then tied for the seventh-fewest allowed by any Mike Leach-coached team … The Bulldogs, meanwhile, completed an MSU and SEC single-game record 50 passes on 67 attempts, which ranks second in school history. The 50 completions are tied for sixth-most by any Leach-coached team … 162 miles separate the two campuses.

Sat., Sep. 3 @ 7:30 pm ET
Georgia State Panthers at South Carolina Gamecocks

Georgia State Panthers
Notes
THE KICKOFF: Coming off back-to-back bowl victories and a school-record eight wins in 2021, Georgia State opens its 13th season of football at South Carolina as head coach Shawn Elliott plays in his hometown and against the program where he spent seven seasons before taking over the
Panthers.

The Panthers have won four straight games and seven of their last eight, with the only loss in that stretch a 21-17 defeat at No. 24 Louisiana on Nov. 4, 2021 in which GSU led until the final three minutes. Four of the seven wins were away from home.

Elliott’s squad has played in three straight bowl games, including back-to-back wins in the 2020 LendingTree Bowl and 2021 TaxAct Camellia Bowl. The Panthers have played in bowl games in four of Elliott’s five seasons.

Georgia State returns 18 starters, including eight Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selections.

The Panthers return their top three rushers in All-Sun Belt Conference running backs Tucker Gregg (953 yds, 9 TD) and Jamyest Williams (859 yds, 9 TD), who combined for 1,812 yards and 18 touchdowns, and quarterback Darren Grainger, who led all Sun Belt signal callers with 660 yards.

Grainger passed for 1,715 yards and 19 touchdowns with four interceptions to complement a rushing attack that ranked No. 8 in FBS in rushing, averaging 226.4 ypg, the second highest figure in program history.

The Georgia State defense, which returns eight starters, set school records with 38 sacks and 92 tackles for loss while forcing 21 turnovers.

Top defensive returnee Antavious Lane is a first-team Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selection and a member of the preseason watch lists for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. He is Georgia State’s career leader with nine interceptions.

Super senior center Malik Sumter, senior quarterback Darren Grainger, super senior inside linebacker Blake Carroll and junior outside linebacker Jamil Muhammad were elected 2022 team captains.

PANTHERS VS. POWER 5: Georgia State is facing South Carolina for the first time but this is GSU’s 14th game against an opponent from the Power Five and sixth vs. the SEC. The Panthers have also faced foes from the ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac 12.

One of the biggest moments in GSU athletics history was the Panthers’ 38-30 victory at Tennessee in the 2019 season opener, the program’s first win over a Power Five team.

In that Tennessee win, Georgia State trailed 17-14 at the half but outscored the Vols 24-13 in the second half. Tra Barnett’s 19-yard run gave GSU a 28-23 lead, and then quarterback Dan Ellington sealed the win with a 22-yard touchdown run with five minutes left. Now Georgia State’s tight ends coach, Ellington also threw two TD passes in the game, and the GSU defense held Tennessee to 98 yards rushing.

Last season, the Panthers had a close call at Auburn. Georgia State led until the final minute but the Tigers scored the go-ahead touchdown on a fourth-down pass with 45 seconds left and went on to win 34-24. SACK THAT: Georgia State has broken its season sack record each of the last two years with 35 in 2020 and then 38 in 2021.

With 73 sacks over the last two seasons combined, Georgia State leads the Group of 5 and ranks sixth overall in FBS

NO ROOM TO RUN: Over the last two seasons, Georgia State has held opponents to an average of 139.3 rushing yards per game.

The Panthers allowed 136.7 yards per game in 2020, followed by 141.4 ypg in 2021, the second and third-best season averages in program history.

Over the last three games of 2021, the Panthers allowed a total of 129 yards rushing. The Panthers set a school record by holding Arkansas State to minus-3 yards rushing, and then held Troy to 57 yards and Ball State to 74 yards.

SEASON OPENERS: Georgia State is 5-7 in season openers.

The Panthers are opening the season on a Saturday for the fourth year in row after playing their first nine opening games on a weeknight. GSU has played four Thursday openers, four Friday openers and one Wednesday opener.

Georgia State is opening the season on the road for just the second time in its 13 seasons of football. The Panthers’ only other season opener away from home was their 2019 victory at Tennessee.

SUPER-DUPER SENIOR: The Georgia State roster includes 10 “super” seniors who are utilizing the extra season of eligibility granted after the pandemic. Of those 10, five also redshirted and are in their sixth year of college and four are in their fifth year. But tight end Aubry Payne is actually a seventh-year senior who started his college career in 2016 at Western Carolina. Payne, who is married and will turn 25 in October, is just five days younger than his position coach, Dan Ellington.

HIT STICK: Junior safety Antavious Lane is a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection and Georgia State’s career leader with nine interceptions.

Entering the 2022 season, only two active FBS players (Purdue’s Chris Jefferson and Iowa’s Riley Moss) have more career interceptions than Lane’s nine.

Lane also owns the GSU season record with picks in 2021. He finished the season with picks in the each of the final three games, including a pick six in the bowl game victory over Ball State.

Nicknamed Hit Stick, Lane is first-team Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selection and a member of the preseason watch lists for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

SCHEDULE NOTES: Georgia State’s 2022 schedule includes eight opponents who reached post-season play in 2021 (seven bowl teams plus FCS semifinalist James Madison), including two Power 5 opponents for the second straight year.

Georgia State is one of only four non-Power 5 programs in the nation not playing an FCS team this season, along with Old Dominion, Houston and UTEP.

Georgia State is one of only eight non-Power 5 programs that will play back-to-back games against Power 5 opponents. Only GSU, App State and Kent State open the season against back-to-back Power 5 teams.

GSU is playing two Power Five foes in a season for the second straight year and the fourth time in its history, along with 2013 (West Virginia and Alabama), 2014 (Washington and Clemson) and 2021 (North Carolina and Auburn).

EXPERIENCED O-LINE: Georgia State returns four of its five starters on the offensive line, led by sixth-year seniors Malik Sumter at center and Pat Bartlett at right guard.

Sumter (41 starts), Bartlett (42), left tackle Travis Glover (36) and right tackle Johnathan Bass (22) have combined for 141 career starts.

The trio of Sumter, Bartlett and Glover have started every game since the start of the 2019 season (36 straight), helping the Panthers average 223 yards rushing per game over that stretch.

RUN IT BACK: Georgia State’s success at running the football has been a key factor in the Panthers three straight winning seasons and bowl berths under head coach Shawn Elliott.

The last three years have been the three best rushing season in program history, including a school-record 3,141 yards (241.6 pg) in 2019.

Last season, GSU ranked No. 8 in FBS in rushing offense with 226.4 rushing yards per game, the second-best season average in program history.

Over the last three seasons (2019-21), the Panthers have averaged 223 yards per game.

TUCKER THE TRUCKER: Senior running back Tucker Gregg, known for his hardnosed style, has trucked his way to 1,506 career rushing yards to rank No. 3 in GSU history.

The former walk-on and Burlsworth Trophy nominee is third in the Sun Belt with 899 yards this season and fourth with nine rushing touchdowns. His 899 yards represent the No. 2 season total in GSU history.

Gregg had seven fourth-down conversion runs last season.

He tied the GSU record with three rushing touchdowns, along with 67 yards, in the win at No. 22/21 Coastal Carolina.

Gregg rushed for a career-high 150 yards on 12 carries at No. 23 Auburn. He had a career-long 57-yard run to set up a score in the first quarter, and then a 50-yard TD run to put GSU ahead 24-10 late in the second quarter. He is the first Panther to have two runs of 50 or more yards in the same game.

South Carolina Gamecocks
Notes
Openers and Storylines
The South Carolina Gamecocks (0-0, 0-0 SEC) begin the second year of the Shane Beamer Era when they host the Georgia State Panthers (0-0, 0-0 Sun Belt) on Saturday, Sept. 3, at Williams-Brice Stadium (77,559) in Columbia. This is the first gridiron meeting between the two schools.

The game will be streamed on ESPN+/SECN+ with Courtney Lyle handling the play-by-play. She will be joined in the booth by Chris Doering. Tamara Brown will handle the sideline duties.

2022 marks the 129th season of intercollegiate football at the University of South Carolina, dating back to 1892. It is the 116th-consecutive year in which South Carolina has competed on the gridiron. The University did not field a team in either 1893 or 1906. Carolina owns an all-time record of 621-601-44, a .508 winning percentage.

The two head coaches – South Carolina’s Shane Beamer and Georgia State’s Shawn Elliott – were both assistant coaches at South Carolina under head coach Steve Spurrier and worked together on the 2010 staff that captured the SEC Eastern Division title. Beamer worked as the outside linebackers/co-special teams coordinator in 2007; cornerbacks coach in 2008, and Spurs/strong safeties/special teams coordinator/recruiting coordinator in both 2009 and 2010. Elliott was the offensive line coach from 2010-16. He also served as Carolina’s interim head coach in the second half of the 2015 season, posting a 1-5 mark. He was the lone holdover from Coach Spurrier’s final staff to Will Muschamp’s first staff in 2016.

CAROLINA VS. GEORGIA STATE: This is the first time that South Carolina and Georgia State have met on the gridiron.

WHO ARE THESE GUYS?: Georgia State University is located in Atlanta. It was founded in 1913 and has an enrollment of 52,000. The Panthers first season of FBS football came in 2010. They joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2013 and gained full FBS eligibility in 2014.

ALL-TIME WITH GSU: The Panthers own an all-time record of 50-92 in 11 years of competition. They have appeared in five bowl games, winning three.

THE PANTHERS IN 2021: Georgia State posted an 8-5 record overall, including a 6-2 mark in the Sun Belt, good for second in the Eastern Division, during the 2021 campaign. They defeated Ball State, 51-20, in the TaxAct Camellia Bowl.

FUN IN THE SUN BELT: The Gamecocks own an 18-2 all-time record against teams that currently comprise the Sun Belt Conference, with all 20 contests held in Columbia. The Gamecocks are 8-2 against Appalachian State (most recently 2019), 4-0 vs. Troy (2004, ‘05, ‘10, ‘21), 2-0 against Coastal Carolina (2013, ‘18) and Louisiana (2003, ‘07), and 1-0 vs. South Alabama (2014) and Southern Miss (2010).

THE HEAD COACH: Panther head coach Shawn Elliott is in his sixth season in Atlanta. The 1996 Appalachian State grad has compiled a 30-30 mark
since taking over the Georgia State program. Elliott is very familiar with Columbia and the Gamecocks. He is originally from nearby Camden, S.C. and his family still resides in Columbia. He was a Gamecock assistant coach under Steve Spurrier (2010- 15) and Will Muschamp (2016). He served as the Gamecocks’ interim head coach for the final six games of the 2015 season, posting a 1-5 mark.

CIRCLE THE DATE: University of South Carolina “Super Senior“ Jordan Strachan probably has had this game circled for a while. Strachan began his career at GSU in 2017 as a walk-on safety. He moved to outside linebacker during that redshirt freshman season and worked his way up to where he tied for first in the country with a school-record 10.5 sacks in the 2020 season. He transferred to South Carolina in January of 2021.

JAM FEST: Former Gamecock Jamyest Williams returns to Columbia this week. Williams spent three seasons playing in the secondary for the Gamecocks before transferring to GSU in January 2020, where he was moved to the offensive side of the ball. While a Gamecock, he logged three career interceptions and 70 tackles in 19 games and was named to the 2017 SEC All-Freshman Team. Jam’s best moment was an interception that set up the go-ahead touchdown against Missouri in his first career start.

THE PEOPLES CHOICE: Georgia State assistant coach Cory Peoples lettered for two years (2003-04) at South Carolina, before earning his bachelor’s degree in retail management from in 2005.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS: The Gamecocks are 36-12 in their last 48 non-conference games, a .750 winning percentage, with seven of the 12 losses in that stretch coming against Clemson. The Gamecocks went 4-1 against non-conference foes in 2021, posting wins over Eastern Illinois, East Carolina, Troy and North Carolina and losing to Clemson.

PROTECT THIS HOUSE: Carolina has won 33 of its last 39 home games against non-conference foes. The Gamecocks had won a school-record 22-straight home games against non-conference teams before dropping the final two games of the 2015 regular season to The Citadel and Clemson.
The Gamecocks were 2-1 in home non-conference games in 2021, defeating Eastern Illinois and Troy and falling to Clemson.

THE POWER OF FIVE: Since the turn of the century, the Gamecocks have a 49-4 mark against teams not currently in a Power-5 conference. The only
four losses in that stretch came to UConn in the 2010 Papajohns.com Bowl, to The Citadel in 2015, to USF in the 2016 Birmingham Bowl and to Appalachian State in 2019. It should be noted that UConn was in the Big East, which was a BCS automatic qualifier during the 2009 season.

A South Carolina win over Georgia State would…
Improve the Gamecocks’ record in season openers to 86-39-4, including a 73-20-4 mark when opening the season at home.

Improve the Gamecocks to 37-12 in their last 49 contests against teams outside of the SEC.

Improve the Gamecocks to 50-4 against non-Power 5 schools since the turn of the century.

Improve the Gamecocks to 34-6 in its last 40 home games against non-conference foes.

Improve the Gamecocks to 19-2 all-time against teams that currently make up the Sun Belt Conference.

JADEVEON’S JERSEY: Jadeveon Clowney, a two-time first-team All-American and All-SEC selection and the 2012 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, will have his jersey retired in ceremonies at halftime of this week’s game. Clowney was the first selection of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans and is currently playing for the Cleveland Browns. The Rock Hill, SC, native came to South Carolina as the nation’s top high school recruit in 2011 from South Pointe High School and immediately made an impact for the Gamecocks. As a true freshman in 2011, he was named SEC Freshman of the Year and second-team All-SEC. He was named to multiple Freshman All-America teams after being credited with 36 total tackles, 12 for losses, including eight sacks and five forced fumbles.

His sophomore season in 2012 was his greatest year as a Gamecock. He tallied 54 total tackles, a school single-season record 23.5 for losses, including 13 sacks (school-record) and three forced fumbles. Clowney became South Carolina’s second unanimous All-American in school history and first since George Rogers in 1980. He was the recipient of the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation’s top defensive end. Additionally, he was a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Lombardi Award, and finished sixth overall in the 2012 Heisman Trophy voting.

Following his sophomore season, Clowney was voted by the fans as the 2012 AT&T All-America Player of the Year on January 7. Clowney’s tackle, forced fumble and fumble recovery against Michigan in the 2013 Outback Bowl is regarded as one of the most iconic moments in recent college football history. In his junior and final campaign as a Gamecock,

Clowney registered 39 total tackles, 11.5 for losses, including three sacks and a forced fumble on his way to a second-straight first-team All-American season. The Gamecocks were a combined 33-6 overall and 18-6 in SEC play during his three seasons wearing the Garnet and Black. Carolina finished each of the three seasons with bowl victories – 2011 vs. Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl, 2012 vs. Michigan in the Outback Bowl and 2013 vs. Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl. Carolina finished in the Top 10 in each of his three seasons and was ranked in the AP Top 25 every week of Clowney’s career. Carolina finished the 2013 season ranked 4th in the final AP poll, its best final ranking ever.

FOR OPENERS: The Gamecocks have compiled an 85-39-4 record in season openers, a winning percentage of .680, through 128 years of intercollegiate football. In the 96 seasons in which the Gamecocks have opened at home, the record is a very impressive 72-20-4. That translates into a .771 winning mark.

PANTHER POWER: The Gamecocks are opening the season for the second year in a row against an opponent whose nickname is the Panthers. Last
year it was Eastern Illinois as the opening day opponent. Things didn’t turn out well that day for the Panthers from Charleston, Ill., as they left Columbia with a 46-0 setback.

THEY’RE BACK: The Gamecocks welcome 49 returning letter-winners to begin the 2022 fall camp. The lettermen consist of 21 offensive players, 23
on defense and five special teams players.

RETURNING STARTERS: The Gamecocks list 13 returning starters of a possible 24 (offense, defense, punter, placekicker) from the 2021 squad, even on offense, five on defense and one specialist. The returning offensive starters are WR Jalen Brooks, OC Eric Douglas, RG Jovaughn Gwyn, WR Dakereon Joyner, LG Vershon Lee, WR Josh Vann and RT Tyshawn Wannamaker. The returning defensive starters are LB Brad Johnson, DT Zacch Pickens, S RJ. Roderick, CB Darius Rush, and CB Cam Smith. The specialist is P Kai Kroeger.

EVERY TIME OUT: The Gamecocks had eight players start all 13 games in 2021 including OC Eric Douglas, RG Jovaughn Gwyn and TE Nick Muse on offense, and DT Jabari Ellis, S Jaylan Foster, LB Brad Johnson, DT Zacch Pickens and DE Aaron Sterling on defense. Gwyn (34-consecutive starts), Douglas (23), Pickens (19) and Johnson (13) return in 2022.

Offense
SATT ATTACK: The Gamecock offense is in it’s second year under the direction of Marcus Satterfield. In his first season, Satt was somehow able
to cobble seven wins together while having four different quarterbacks start and win games, something virtually unheard of. Prior to his arrival in Columbia, Satterfield most recently was part of Matt Rhule’s staff with the Carolina Panthers. He and Coach Beamer first knew each other as graduate assistants at Tennessee.

QB BOWL WINS: South Carolina is one of only two schools in the country, along with Utah State, that has two players on its 2022 roster that have won a bowl game as a starting quarterback. South Carolina features Spencer Rattler (2020 Cotton Bowl) and Dakereon Joyner (2021 Duke’s Mayo Bowl).

NEW QB1: Oklahoma transfer Spencer Rattler takes over the reins as the Gamecocks’ top signal-caller in 2021. Rattler, who joined the team in the spring and was the Joe Morrison Player of the Spring for the offense, has appeared in 23 games during his career. He is 15-2 as a starter. He has completed over 70 percent of his passes for 4,595 yards with 40 touchdowns.

DOTY IN THE BULLPEN: Junior Luke Doty was the projected starter at quarterback during preseason camp a year ago, but foot injuries derailed his season. The Myrtle Beach, S.C. product is fully healthy and has improved his game since that time. He is without question the No. 2 QB entering the season. Doty has completed over 60 percent of his passes in 13 career games. He is 2-4 as a starting quarterback.

BACKFIELD IN MOTION: Running backs coach Montario Hardesty lost two running backs off last year’s squad who are now in the NFL – Kevin Harris
with New England and ZaQuandre White with Miami – but has re-loaded and has a deep unit.

MarShawn Lloyd appears ready to be the player he was projected after a standout high school career. He has regained his confidence following
an ACL injury that wiped out his 2020 season.

Juju McDowell was a Freshman All-SEC performer a year ago as an all-purpose back and return specialist and, despite his diminutive size, is tough as nails and elusive in space.

Christian Beal-Smith joins the unit as a grad transfer from Wake Forest. He has rushed for 1,871 yards over the last four seasons, but has been nicked up in preseason camp.

Lavasea Carroll joined the backfield room after transferring from Georgia, where he played defensive back on the national championship squad.

Dante Miller is speedy graduate transfer from the Ivy League’s Columbia University who has earned the nickname “Lil Turbo.”

Rashad Amos has been in the program for a few years now and is a capable backup.

STEPP’S BROTHERS: The wide receiver room, under the tutelage of Justin Stepp, has been completely overhauled since the Pelion, S.C. product
returned to his roots. What was a huge question mark entering the 2021 season, is now an older group with many more options from which to
choose. All seven players listed on the two-deep at the wide receiver position are either juniors or seniors.

Josh Vann is the Gamecocks’ top returning receiver. He had a breakout season a year ago and now ranks tied for 25th in school history with 90
career receptions.

Jalen Brooks returns after missing the last half of the 2021 season for personal reasons.

Dakereon Joyner is back at wide receiver after earning MVP honors in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl win over North Carolina as a quarterback.

Ahmarean Brown had his best game as a Gamecock in the bowl game, and looks to be the deep threat that he was at Georgia Tech, where he began his career.

Xavier Legette continues to impress the coaches and is looking for a breakout season. He will also handle kick returns.

Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. has been impressive since his arrival from James Madison, where he rewrote the school’s record books.

Corey Rucker is in his first season after transferring from Arkansas State. He has been sidelined for much of preseason camp with a foot injury.

GET THE BALL TO THE TIGHT END: Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield will no doubt make it a priority to get the tight ends involved in the
offense this year. Despite the loss of Chad Terrell, who suffered his third ACL injury in the preseason, Jody Wright’s room is deep and talented. Jaheim Bell and Austin Stogner are both on the preseason Mackey Award Watch List.

Jaheim Bell is a do-it-all player who exploded in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Bell owns the top-two receiving games by a tight end in school history, a 136-yard effort against Vanderbilt and a 159-yard performance against North Carolina in the aforementioned bowl game.

Austin Stogner joined the squad this summer after graduating from Oklahoma, where he caught 47 passes over the past three seasons, most of
them from Spencer Rattler

Nate Adkins, the son of offensive line coach Greg Adkins, joined the team after graduating from East Tennessee State. Regarded as a tough,
hard-nosed blocker, Adkins has also shown good hands and has a great understanding of the game. Adkins is a candidate to play fullback when the Gamecocks’ line up in a two-back set.

Traveon Kenion is another versatile performer at tight end who can help in both the running game and in the passing game.

THE O-LINE IS O-KAY: Offensive line coach Greg Adkins has one of the most experienced offensive lines in the country and has a group that will play with a chip on its shoulder. The group has combined for 129 career starts.

LT Jaylen Nichols started seven games a year ago and has 11 career starts under his belt. He was the co-Most Improved Player of the Spring on the offensive side of the ball.

LG Vershon Lee is an intelligent player who is expected to make the next step this year. He has started 10 games in his career, including nine last season.

OC Eric Douglas makes the calls for the O-line. Douglas, a sixth-year player, has made 24 starts, including the last 23 in a row.

RG Jovaughn Gwyn is the most experienced player on the squad with 34-consecutive starts. A player who leads by example, Gwyn was named a permanent team captain in 2021.

RT Dylan Wonnum was not officially considered a returning starter as a back injury sidelined him for the final seven games of the 2021 season,
but he returns healthy and has 30 career starts under his belt. His brother, D.J., was a standout defensive end for Carolina and now plays for the Minnesota Vikings.

OT Jakai Moore (11 starts), OG/OT Tyshawn Wannamaker (7 starts) and OC Hank Manos (2 starts) all have gained valuable experience and are
capable backups pushing for playing time. Wannamaker is listed as a returning starter at right tackle after making seven starts at that position in 2021.

CLAYTON’S CREW: Defensive coordinator Clayton White brought a 4-2-5 scheme to Columbia and the results were impressive in his first season. A
four-time nominee for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach, White’s first foray in the SEC had Carolina allowing 24.0 points per game, down from 36.0 in 2020. The Gamecocks were especially strong in the secondary, ranking seventh in the country in pass defense while forcing 24 turnovers overall, including 15 picks.

WHAT’S MY LINE: The Gamecocks have placed an emphasis on improving their run defense this year and that starts up front.

The interior of the defensive line is led by All-SEC candidate Zacch Pickens. Pickens was the 2022 Rex Enright co-Player of the Spring for the
defense. The senior has appeared in all 35 games over the past three seasons, making 20 starts. He was on the SEC All-Freshman team in 2019.

Another player who earned SEC All-Freshman honors is Alex Huntley, who was named to the 2021 unit by the league’s coaches. Huntley is known by the nickname “Boogie.”

Tonka Hemingway is in his third season with the program. Hemingway has great bloodlines, as his brother, Junior, played at Michigan and professionally for the Kansas City Chiefs.

The veteran of the group is sixth-year player M.J. Webb. Webb, who garnered the Gamecocks’ Toughness Award in the spring, has seen his game
and his playing time increase each year.

JORDAN TIMES TWO: The Gamecocks feature a pair of EDGE rushers in Jordan Burch and Jordan Strachan. Burch, who was a high school teammate of Gamecock defensive tackle Alex Huntley, was the second-highest rated player to sign with Gamecocks, behind only Jadeveon Clowney. Strachan, a sixth-year player who has had this game circled on his calendar for some time, began his career with Georgia State as a walk-on and led the country in sacks in 2020 before transferring to South Carolina prior to the 2021 campaign.

SACK ATTACK: The two Jordans, Jordan Burch and Jordan Strachan, figure to be the Gamecocks’ top pass rushers. Last season, Carolina recorded 26 sacks, an average of 2.0 per game. Here are the sack number for the 2022 Gamecocks:

SACKS 2021 CAREER
Jordan Strachan 3.0 13.5
Brad Johnson 2.5 6.0
Zacch Pickens 4.0 5.0
Jordan Burch 1.0 1.0
Devonni Reed 1.0 1.0
R.J. Roderick 1.0 1.0
Darius Rush 1.0 1.0
Hot Rod Fitten 0.0 0.5
Sherrod Greene 0.0 0.5

GREENE IS GOOD: Senior Sherrod Greene returns to bolster the Carolina linebacking corps. Greene started 22 games for the Gamecocks in 2018 and
2019, and was the starter entering the 2020 season, but suffered a fracture in his hip in the opener against Tennessee and missed the remainder of the season. He was the starter again in 2021, but suffered a right ankle injury in game three at Georgia and missed the remainder of the season. He has logged 138 career tackles including 10.5 tackles for loss and owns 28 career starts, but has just eight tackles in four games over the past two seasons combined.

BRAD’S BACK: Brad Johnson returns for his sixth year and his second at linebacker after transitioning from defensive end. Johnson was named a
permanent team captain after the 2020 season. He has appeared in 47 contests with 16 starts.

MO KABA: Expect to see more of Mohamed Kaba at linebacker this season. Kaba was named the 2022 Most Improved Player of the Spring for the defense. He was a member of the 2020 SEC Coaches’ All-Freshman team.

ON SECOND THOUGHT: The defensive backfield lost a good one in All-American safety Jaylan Foster, but secondary coach Torrian Gray likes the first five he can put on the field. Depth is a concern, as the preseason depth chart lists five true freshmen (Nick Emmanwori, Emory Floyd, Kennan Nelson Jr., DQ Smith and Kajuan Banks) on it, and all five reside in the secondary.

ALL-EVERYTHING: Redshirt junior Cam Smith has seen his name appear on nearly every All-America and All-SEC preseason team and several watch
lists. Smith is penciled in at the nickel position to start the year, but can also play corner. He has five career interceptions and broke up 11 passes a year ago while allowing multiple catches in just two of 11 games.

RUSH TO JUDGMENT: It’s taken a little time, but Darius Rush has become the cornerback the coaches hoped he would be when he transitioned from wide receiver earlier in his career. At 6-2 and 200 pounds, Rush possesses the size and length that make him an intriguing prospect.

HE’S NUMBER ONE: Fifth-year Super Senior, four-year letter-winner and three-year starter R.J. Roderick returns for his final campaign. Roderick, who wore number 10, now dons No. 1. The veteran of the group, Roderick has appeared in 43 games, making 33 starts.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: The Gamecocks added safety Devonni Reed from Central Michigan via the transfer portal. Reed is expected to fill the role
vacated by the graduation of Jaylan Foster. Reed was a second-team All-MAC performer a year ago after interception two passes with six breakup
while recording 74 tackles for the Chippewas.

PICK THIS: The Gamecocks intercepted 15 passes in 13 games a year ago. Here are the numbers for the 2022 Gamecocks.

INTERCEPTIONS 2021 CAREER
Cam Smith 3 5
Devonni Reed 2 3
R.J. Roderick 0 2
Jordan Burch 1 1
Sherrod Greene 0 1
Brad Johnson 1 1
Darius Rush 1 1
David Spaulding 1 2
Jordan Strachan 1 1

368 TO 2: That’s the difference in the number of points from Parker White, who holds the school’s all-time record for points scored in a career, to the number of points scored in their career by the kickers on the 2022 roster entering the season. Mitch Jeter is the only kicker on the roster who has scored in a collegiate game, successfully converting both of his extra point attempts in the 2021 season opener against Eastern Illinois. Jeter and Alex Herrera were locked in a competitive battle for the No. 1 duties during preseason camp.

KAI KROEGER CAN KICK: Junior Kai Kroeger returns to handle the punting chores for the Gamecocks this season. The third-year punter was named to the SEC Coaches’ all-Freshman team in 2020. He is averaging 43.1 yards per punt with a long of 73 yards in his career. Of his 98 career
punts, 21 have traveled 50 or more yards with 31 inside the 20 and just four touchbacks. Kroeger also handles the holder duties on placements.
Kroeger enters the 2022 season ranked third on the school’s all-time punting average list, trailing only Joseph Charlton and Sean Kelly.

PUNTING AVERAGE (Min. 75 Punts)

1. Joseph Charlton (2015-19)…45.5 (171 for 7,786)
2. Sean Kelly (2015-16)……………..43.3 (127 for 5,496)
3. Kai Kroeger (2020-21)………………43.1 (98 for 4,224)
4. Spencer Lanning (2007-10)…42.6 (171 for 7,292)
5. Ryan Succop (2005-08)………….42.3 (85 for 3,597)

OH SNAP: The Gamecocks have a pair of solid snappers who share those duties. Look for Hunter Rogers to handle the long snapping duties when
the Gamecocks are in punt formation, and Matthew Bailey to trot onto the field when Carolina lines up for extra point or field goal opportunities. They both handled those respective duties a year ago

Sun., Sep. 4 @ 6:30 pm CT
Florida State Seminoles at LSU Tigers

Florida State Seminoles
Notes
NOTES TO KNOW
Florida State travels to New Orleans to face LSU in the Allstate Louisiana Kickoff on Sunday night after opening its season with a 47-7 victory over Duquesne in Week 0. The 40-point victory was FSU’s largest margin in a season opener since defeating Texas State 59-16 in 2015.

The Seminoles are 15-4 (.789) all-time in the state of Louisiana. That record includes an 8-2 (.800) mark in New Orleans, where FSU won its 1999 national championship with a 46-29 win over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl.

Florida State produced three 100-yard rushers in the same game for the first time in program history vs. Duquesne. Treshaun Ward paced the group with a career-high 127 yards and a career-best two touchdowns, while Trey Benson rushed for a career-high 105 yards and one touchdown and Lawrance Toafili posted 101 yards and one score for the second 100-yard game of his career.

FSU is the first ACC school to have three 100-yard rushers in the same game since Clemson reached that mark on Nov. 3, 2018, vs. Louisville.

The Seminoles rushed for 406 yards and passed for 232 yards in the win over Duquesne, only the fifth 400-200 game in program history and the first since Oct. 14, 1995, vs. Wake Forest. In records dating back to 2000 via Sports Reference, it was the eighth time an ACC team rushed for at least 400 yards and passed for at least 200 yards in the same game and the first since Dec. 12, 2020, when North Carolina eclipsed those benchmarks at Miami.

FSU gained 638 yards of total offense with 33 first down vs. Duquesne, the program’s most in a game since gaining 654 total yards and earning 33 first downs in a 45-14 win at Syracuse on Nov. 19, 2016.

Florida State extended its streak to 39 consecutive successful Red Zone trips, the longest active streak in the nation, with a perfect 7-for-7 in the Red Zone vs. Duquesne. The streak stretches back to Sept. 25, 2021, vs. Louisville.

FSU’s Red Zone streak is the 2nd-longest in the ACC in records dating back to 2004, trailing only Florida State’s 2013 national championship team that had 48 straight conversions. Among ACC teams since 2004 with at least 31 straight conversions, Florida State’s average of 6.0 points per Red Zone trip during the streak trails only the 2013 FSU team that averaged 6.3 points per Red Zone trip.

Florida State held Duquesne to 164 yards of total offense, the lowest total by an opponent since Nov. 11, 2016, when the Seminoles held Boston College to 146 total yards. FSU outgained Duquesne by 474 yards, the highest margin in a game for the Seminoles since Sept. 15, 2012, when they outgained Wake Forest 612-126.

SERIES HISTORY
Florida State leads the all-time series with LSU 7-2 and has won four straight in the series.

NOLES HEAD TO SUPERDOME TO FACE LSU
For the 10th time in history, Florida State and LSU will meet on the gridiron. It is the first meeting between the teams in over 30 years, when the Noles beat the Tigers 27-16 in Baton Rouge.

Florida State is 7-2 all-time against the Tigers. The teams will play Sunday in the Caesar’s Superdome and in 2023 in Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

FSU is 15-4 all-time in the state of Louisiana, including a 46-29 win in the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech to claim the 1999 National Championship. FSU is 6-1 against LSU in the state, with all seven games taking place in Baton Rouge.

LAST WEEK AGAINST DUQUESNE
Florida State opened the 2022 season with a 47-7 win over Duquesne, highlighted by an offensive output not seen in nearly three decades.

Running backs Treshaun Ward (127), Trey Benson (105) and Lawrance Toafili (101) all broke the 100-yard rushing barrier, the first time in FSU history that three players ran for over 100 yards in the same game.

FSU ran for 406 yards and passed for 232, the first 400-200 game for the Seminoles since 1995 against Wake Forest. FSU’s 406 rushing yards were the most since 2016 against USF (478); the 638 total yards and 33 first downs were FSU’s most since facing Syracuse in 2016 (654 and 33); and the defense held Duquesne to just 164 yards of total offense, the fewest for an opponent since Boston College had 146 in 2016.

Ward (2), Benson, Toafili, freshman running back Rodney Hill and quarterback Jordan Travis also scored on the ground against the Dukes.

With the win, FSU improved to 12-1 (.923) all-time in the month of August and 19-5 (.792) since 1975 when opening the season at Doak Campbell Stadium.

RED ZONE SCORING STREAK
After scoring on all seven Red Zone chances against Duquesne, FSU has converted 39 consecutive Red Zone trips into points, the longest active streak in the country.

FSU’s 39 consecutive Red Zone conversions is the longest streak by the Seminoles since scoring on 48 straight tries in 2013. The Noles now have the two longest streaks – and five of top eight – in the ACC since the 2004 season.

Over the current streak of 39 Red Zone drives, the Seminoles have scored 235 points. Last season, FSU was 38-for-42 in the Red Zone, with touchdowns on 31 of those 35 scores (.738, best in the ACC).

During the current streak, FSU is averaging 6.03 points per Red Zone trip, with 30 touchdowns and nine field goals.

TRAVIS SOLIDIFIED AS QB1
Against Duquesne, redshirt junior Jordan Travis started his 14th career game at quarterback (and 15th total), passing for 207 yards on 11-of-15 passing. He added a five-yard rushing touchdown, FSU’s first score of the 2022 season.

Travis has played 23 games at FSU and is 211-for-351 passing for 2,881 yards and 21 touchdowns while adding 1,328 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns on 258 carries.

His 18 rushing touchdowns rank 15th in FSU history, tied with Lonnie Pryor (2009-12), and are the most for any quarterback. Travis also has the most career rushing yards for any FSU QB.

Travis connected with Johnny Wilson for a 51-yard completion in the first quarter against Duquesne, FSU’s longest play of the 2022 season.

Last season, he seized the spotlight in one of the fiercest rivalries in the history of college football, accounting for a career-high 336 yards of total offense behind a career-best 274 passing yards and 62 rushing yards with a career-high-tying two rushing scores in Florida State’s 31-28 victory over Miami.

In the win over Miami, Travis scored the game-winning touchdown and added a two-point conversion with 26 seconds left for the final margin. He began the game-winning drive with a 59-yard completion on the first play and then had a 24-yard completion on 4th-and-14 with 50 seconds remaining that set FSU up on the 1-yard line. The 4th-and-14 completion was the most yards-to-go on a successful 4th-down conversion for the Seminoles since 2003.

In Florida State’s 35-25 victory at North Carolina, Travis was 11-for-13 passing for 145 yards and a career-best three touchdowns while rushing for a career-high 121 yards and career-high-tying two touchdowns on 14 carries.

His performance at UNC made him the first player in Florida State history with three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a game and the first FSU player to account for five touchdowns since 2013 when Jameis Winston threw for five scores vs. Maryland.

RB TRIO MAKES FSU HISTORY
The running back trio of Treshaun Ward, Trey Benson and Lawrance Toafili made history against Duquesne, becoming the first trio of FSU players to all rush for 100 yards in the same game.

Ward – making his first career start – needed just 14 carries to rush for a career-best 127 yards and two touchdowns, also a career high. He averaged 9.1 yards per carry after rushing for 6.36 yards per carry in 2021, the highest average in the ACC for players that averaged four carries per game.

Benson – making his first appearance as a Seminole after transferring from Oregon – averaged 9.5 yards per rush, with 105 yards on 11 carries and a career-long 43 yard touchdown run.

Toafili ran for 101 yards on 13 carries and also had a touchdown. It was Toafili’s second career 100-yard rushing game after he ran for 117 yards as a true freshman against Duke.

Freshman Rodney Hill ran nine times for 55 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown. In total, FSU ran for 406 yards and six touchdowns, the most rushing yards since a 478-yard outburst against USF in 2016. None of the four running backs were tackled for a loss in the game.

Last year, Toafili became the 5th player in Florida State history with a receiving and rushing touchdown of at least 70 yards. After scoring on a 73-yard run vs. Duke his freshman season, he caught a 75-yard touchdown at Clemson in 2021:

EXPERIENCED OFFENSIVE LINE SHOWS OUT
Offensive line coach Alex Atkins – now in his third season on the Florida State staff – was promoted to offensive coordinator in the offseason. His offensive line was a large part of FSU’s success against Duquesne, rushing for 406 yards and passing for 232 more.

FSU’s five starting offensive linemen against the Dukes have combined for 87 career starts, led by right guard D’Mitri Emmanuel.

Dillan Gibbons – an All-ACC honorable mention last year – was joined on the line by Bless Harris, Darius Washington and Robert Scott Jr. Washington made his 21st career start against Duquesne but it was his first at center.

FSU’s 406 rushing yards were the most for the Seminoles since 2016 against USF, and the 638 total yards of offense and 33 first downs were the most since 2016 against Syracuse.

Against Duquesne, the line blocked for three players – Treshaun Ward, Trey Benson and Lawrance Toafili – that ran for over 100 yards, the first time in school history FSU had three players run for at least 100 yards in the same game.

Under Atkins, FSU’s offensive line has blocked for 11 games of at least 200 rushing yards and 10 games with at least 400 yards of total offense, including four with more than 500 yards.

In FSU’s victory against Duquesne, freshman offensive linemen Julian Armella – a Seminole legacy whose dad Enzo was a nose guard on FSU’s 1993 national championship team – Kanaya Charlton and Daughtry Richardson saw their first collegiate action.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Kentron Poitier led FSU with four catches and 84 yards against Duquesne, both career bests. He hauled in a 48-yard catch on FSU’s opening drive of the second half, also a career best.

Poitier entered the game with eight career catches for 61 yards over 17 games in his first two seasons at Florida State.

Mycah Pittman and Deuce Spann – both transfers playing in their first game at Florida State – were the only other Seminoles with multiple catches against the Dukes. Pittman caught four balls for 44 yards, while Spann had a career-high three catches for 40 yards.

FSU’s longest play of the young season was a 51-yard catch by Johnny Wilson, the longest of his career. Wilson was also playing his first game at FSU after transferring from Arizona State.

Tight end Markeston Douglas earned his first career start.

BETHUNE, DELOACH LEAD LB CORP
Tatum Bethune started his first game at Florida State against Duquesne, and was one of six Noles to lead the team with four tackles. Bethune also had one of the Noles six tackles for loss and one of five pass breakups.

Bethune, who transferred from UCF for the 2022 season, has started 10 straight games overall.

Linebackers DJ Lundy, Amari Gainer and Omar Graham Jr. also had four tackles against the Dukes. Gainer is FSU’s active career leading tackler with 197, while the freshman Graham was playing in his first game as a Seminole.

Last season, Kalen DeLoach recorded 69 tackles, with 6.5 for loss and 1.0 sack. He had three QB hurries, two pass breakups, an interception at Florida and a safety at Boston College. Against Duquesne, DeLoach started his 13th career game and finished with three tackles.

Lundy also had 69 tackles – 2nd-most on the team – in 2021, with 5.0 TFL and 1.0 sack. He added two pass breakups, one QB hurry and one forced fumble. His career-best 11 tackles came at Clemson.

Gainer is FSU’s active leader in career tackles (197), tackles for loss (17.5), sacks (5.0), forced fumbles (4) and fumble recoveries (3).

VETERANS LEAD DEFENSIVE LINE
Three of Florida State’s four game captains against Duquesne were defensive linemen, showing the depth of leadership on the defensive front.

Redshirt senior Robert Cooper, redshirt junior Fabien Lovett and redshirt junior Dennis Briggs Jr. joined offensive lineman
Dillan Gibbons as game captains. Lovett and Cooper have now combined for 54 career starts.

Defensive end Jared Verse tallied FSU’s lone sack against the Dukes and led FSU with 1.5 tackles for loss. The Albany transfer – one of the top newcomers of the 2022 class – has now started 13 consecutive games. Derrick McLendon II made his first career start at defensive end.

As a team, FSU held Duquesne to just 164 total yards, the fewest by an FSU opponent since Boston College’s 146 in 2016. The Dukes averaged just 3.1 yards per rush and had four rushing first downs.

ALL-ACC SAFETY ROBINSON LEADS DBs Florida State’s defensive backfield returns every starter from 2021 and 12 of 14 interceptions, led by first-team All-ACC performer Jammie Robinson who recorded a team-high 85 tackles, including 7.0 for loss, and a team-best four interceptions with three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Against Duquesne, Robinson was one of six Seminoles with a game-high four tackles. He also tied a career high with two pass breakups. Robinson entered 2022 as a preseason second-team All-American and on watch lists for the Bednarik, Nagurski and Thorpe Awards.

Akeem Dent joined Robinson as a starting safety against Duquesne, the 18th of his career. Last season, Dent made eight starts and grabbed his first collegiate interception to end Boston College’s final drive and clinch FSU’s 26-23 victory. He made a career-best nine tackles at Clemson as part of a 44-tackle season.

Renardo Green and Jarrian Jones were the starting cornerbacks against Duquesne and have combined for 19 career starts. The pair combined for four tackles and a pass breakup against the Dukes.

Freshmen Sam McCall and Azareye’h Thomas played significant minutes in FSU’s win vs. Duquesne. McCall was also the lead kick returner in the season opener.

Omarion Cooper started three games in 2021, including his first career start in FSU’s 31-28 win over Miami, where he had an interception and four pass breakups, the first true freshman nationally with those numbers since 2013. At Clemson, he became the first FSU freshman to make an interception since 2018.

SPECIALISTS
Redshirt sophomore Ryan Fitzgerald tied a career high with 11 points against Duquesne, connecting on both field goal tries and all five PATs. He also scored 11 points in 2021 against Miami and UMass.

Punter Alex Mastromanno was needed just once in the opener, booming a 52-yard kick that pushed his career average to 43.1 yards per punt. He has now gone 94 consecutive punts without a touchback, a streak that extends back to the 2020 season opener, his first collegiate game.

Florida State has not allowed a kickoff return touchdown since Sept. 25, 2004, the longest active streak in the country (229 games).

LSU Tigers
Notes
A New Era for LSU Football Begins In New Orleans Against Florida State LSU opens the Brian Kelly era on Sunday, Sept. 4 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans when the Tigers (0-0) face Florida State (1-0) at 6:30 p.m. on ABC. It’s the first meeting between LSU and Florida State since 1991 when the then-No.1 Seminoles posted a 27-16 win in Tiger Stadium. Since that game in 1991, LSU and Florida State have combined to win six national titles (LSU – 2003, 2007, 2019; Florida State – 1993, 1999, 2013). LSU is 2-7 all-time against the Seminoles with the victories coming in the 1968 Peach Bowl (31-27) and 1982 (55-21) in Tiger Stadium. Florida State has won four-straight over LSU dating back to a 40-35 win in Tiger Stadium in 1983.

Brian Kelly: Most Accomplished Hire in LSU History
First-year LSU coach Brian Kelly joined the program as the most accomplished hire in school history, coming to Baton Rouge with 284 career victories and three national Coach of the Year honors. In 12 years at Notre Dame, Kelly guided the Irish to seven 10-win seasons, 10 bowl appearances, including two College Football Playoff games and the BCS National Championship Game in 2012. Kelly’s overall coaching record stands at 284-97-2, which ranks his first among all active FBS head coaches in wins. He went 113-40 at Notre Dame (12 years), 34-6 at Cincinnati (4 years), 19-16 at Central Michigan (3 years) and 118-35-2 at Grand Valley State (13 years). Kelly enters the Florida State game having won five straight and nine of his last 10 season-openers. In 2021, Kelly’s Notre Dame team opened the season with a 41-38 OT win over Florida State in Tallahassee. Kelly is 3-2 all-time against Florida State.

QUICK NOTES
LSU opens the Brian Kelly era coming off a 6-7 season a year ago. It marked the first losing record for the Tigers since 1999 when LSU went 3-8. LSU won at least eight games in each season from 2000-2019, at the time the longest streak in college football.

First-year LSU coaches are 6-5-1 in their opening game as head coach of the Tigers – a stretch that goes back to the beginning of the SEC era.
LSU’s last three head coaches all won their first game with the Tigers (Nick Saban def. Western Carolina, 58-0, in 2000; Les Miles def. Arizona State, 35-31, in 2005; and Ed Orgeron def. Missouri, 42-7, in 2016).

The Florida State contest will mark LSU’s fifth Sunday game in school history and the first since a 33-17 win over Miami (Fla.) in the 2018 season-opener in Arlington, Texas. LSU is 3-1 all-time in Sunday games with the lone loss coming at Virginia Tech in the 2002 season-opener.
LSU will make its first trip to the Superdome since beating Clemson, 42-25, in the national championship game in January of 2020. LSU is 14-5 all-time in games played in the Superdome, which also includes a 10-2 mark in regular-season games. LSU’s last regular-season game in the Superdome came in the 2017 season-opener, a 27-0 win over BYU. That game was originally scheduled for Houston, but was moved to New Orleans the week of the game due to severe flooding in southeast Texas.

LSU’s roster features 45 returning letter-winners (24 offense, 21 defense) along with 16 transfers who started at their previous school.
LSU’s roster also includes 28 players who have started at least one game in their career with the Tigers. LB Micah Baskerville (21), DE Ali Gaye (14) and DE BJ Ojulari (13) have the most LSU starts among players on the roster. LSU will feature a new starting quarterback for the third straight year. Myles Brennan started the 2020 season-opener against Mississippi State, while Max Johnson opened at the position last
year against UCLA. Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow was the last LSU QB to start back-to-back season-openers for the Tigers (2018-19).

`Junior WR Kayshon Boutte, a preseason All-America selection, returns to the lineup after missing the final seven games last year with an
injury. In 16 career games (11 starts), Boutte has caught 83 passes for 1,244 yards and 14 TDs. Boutte set the SEC record for receiving yards in a game with 308 on 14 receptions as a freshman against Ole Miss in 2020. Boutte ranks No. 4 in LSU history in receiving yards per game with
77.8 a contest.

Season Opener Success
LSU is 92-31-5 in season openers entering the 2022 season opener against Florida State. The Tigers have won 22 of their past 26 season openers. The only four losses during that stretch have come at Virginia Tech in 2002, against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in 2016, in Tiger Stadium against Mississippi State in 2021 and at UCLA in 2022. Head Coach Brian Kelly enters his first season with the Tigers carrying a record of 13-5 in season openers from previous stops at Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Notre Dame.

Neutral Site Season Openers
Since 2010, LSU has played seven of twelve season openers at a neutral site, and the Tigers own a 6-1 record in those games.

Year Opponent Score Top Moment
2010 #18 North Carolina (Atlanta, Ga.) W, 30-24 Russell Shepard 50-yd TD Run
2011 #3 Oregon (Arlington, Texas) W, 40-27 Tyrann Mathieu Strip and TD
2013 #20 TCU (Arlington, Texas) W, 37-27 Odell Beckham Jr. 75-yd KO Return
2014 #14 Wisconsin (Houston, Texas) W, 28-24 Overcame a 21-point defect
2016 Wisconsin (Green Bay, Wisc.) L, 16-14
2017 BYU (New Orleans, La.) W, 27-0 Defense allowed -5 rushing yards
2018 Miami (Arlington, Texas) W, 33-10 Nick Brossette 50-yd TD run

Sunday Night Football Rare for the Tigers
When LSU and Florida State meet on Sunday night, it will be just the fifth Sunday game in program history. LSU is 3-1 in Sunday games dating back to the program’s first against Notre Dame on Dec. 28, 1997, a 27-9 win in the Independence Bowl. LSU lost to No. 16 Virginia Tech, 26-8, on Sunday afternoon in Blacksburg to open the 2002 season. The third Sunday game was against No. 3 Oklahoma in the New Orleans Superdome to win the BCS National Championship Game. The Tigers won the program’s second national championship with a 21-14 win over the Sooners in 2004. The last Sunday game was the 2018 season opener against Miami at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas where the Tigers won 33-10.

Day Opponent Result
12/28/1997 Notre Dame (Independence Bowl) W, 27-9
9/1/2002 at #16 Virginia Tech (Season Opener) L, 26-8
1/4/2004 #3 Oklahoma (BCS National Championship Game) W, 21-14
9/2/2018 #8 Miami (Season Opener) W, 33-10
9/4/2022 Florida State (Season Opener)

The Superdome – LSU’s Home Away From Home
LSU will travel to its home away from home for the first time since the 2020 CFP National Championship Game, where the Tigers defeated Clemson, 42-25. LSU is 14-5 all-time in games played in the Superdome, which includes a 4-3 record in bowl games. Since 2000, LSU is 7-1 in the Superdome. The following is a look at LSU’s history in the Superdome:

SEASON EVENT/BOWL (OPPONENT) RESULTS
1975 Regular Season game (Tulane) W, 42-6
1977 Regular Season game (Tulane) W, 20-17
1979 Regular Season game (#18 Tulane) L, 24-13
1981 Regular Season game (Tulane) L, 48-7
1983 Regular Season game (Tulane) W, 20-7
1984 Sugar Bowl (#5 Nebraska) L, 28-10
1985 Regular Season game (Tulane) W, 31-19
1986 Sugar Bowl (#6 Nebraska) L, 30-15
1987 Regular Season game (Tulane) W, 41-36
1989 Regular Season game (Tulane) W, 27-7
1991 Regular Season game (Tulane) W, 39-20
1994 Regular Season game (Tulane) W, 49-25
2001 Sugar Bowl (#7 Illinois) W, 47-34
2003 Sugar Bowl/BCS National Championship (#3 Oklahoma) W, 21-14
2006 Sugar Bowl (#11 Notre Dame) W, 41-14
2007 Regular Season game (Tulane) W, 34-9
2007 BCS National Championship (#1 Ohio State) W, 38-24
2011 BCS National Championship (#2 Alabama) L, 21-0
2017 Regular Season game (BYU) W, 27-0
2020 CFP National Championship (#3 Clemson) W, 42-25
2022 Regular Season game (Florida State)

LSU In Domed Venues
LSU will be making its 41st appearance in a domed stadium against Florida State. The Tigers are 34-9 all-time in games played in a domed stadium, which includes 14-5 in Ceasars Superdome. LSU’s last game in a domed stadium came in the 2022 in the TaxAct Texas Bowl when the Tigers lost to Kansas State, 42-20. LSU’s record in other domed venues include: a 4-0 record in AT&T Stadium (Dallas), a 9-2 record at the Georgia Dome, a 2-1 mark in NRG Stadium (Houston), a 1-0 record in the Carrier Dome (Syracuse), and a 0-1 mark at the Astrodome.

LSU Is 84-11 vs. Non-Conference Teams Dating Back to 2001
Dating back to the 2001 season when LSU captured its first outright SEC title since 1986, the Tigers have done quite well against non-conference opponents, going 84-11 against non-SEC foes during that span. Of the 84 wins, 21 have come against top-25 teams. Of the 11 losses, only four have come during the regular season (2002 at Virginia Tech, 2016 vs. Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, 2017 vs. Troy and 2021 at UCLA). The other seven losses came in bowl games (2003 Cotton Bowl vs. Texas; 2005 Capital One Bowl vs. Iowa; 2009 Capital One Bowl vs. Penn State; 2012 Chick-Fil-A Bowl vs. Clemson; 2014 Music City Bowl vs. Notre Dame; 2018 Citrus Bowl vs. Notre Dame; 2022 TaxAct Texas Bowl vs. Kansas State).

LSU making 58th Appearance on ABC
The Tigers, who are 21-33-3 on ABC, will be making their 58th appearance on the network since their first game on 10/29/1960 at #2 Ole Miss. LSU has won six of the past eight on ABC since 2010 including season-opening wins in 2010 (30-24 over No. 18 North Carolina in Atlanta, Ga.), 2011 (40-27 over No. 3 Oregon in Arlington, Texas) and 2018 (33-18 over No. 8 Miami in Arlington, Texas).

LSU vs. the ACC
LSU is 39-27 all-time against current Atlantic Coast Conference member institutions in program history. The Tigers are familiar with the conference after having played Louisville, Syracuse, Clemson, Miami and North Carolina in recent history. The Tigers have played Georgia Tech the most at 19 times since 1915. The last meeting against an ACC team came in the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship game as LSU defeated Clemson, 42-25.

A Look At The Offense
Quarterback
Transfer Jayden Daniels is the most seasoned of LSU’s quarterbacks with 29 career starts at Arizona State. Daniels threw for over 6,000 yards and 32 TDs and added 1,288 rushing yards and 13 scores during his three years at Arizona State. Redshirt freshman Garrett Nussmeier appeared in 4 games last year, throwing for 329 yards and 2 TDs. His most extensive action came vs. Arkansas (18-of-31, 179 yards, TD) when he took over two series into game. True freshman Walker Howard, the son of former LSU QB Jamie Howard, adds depth to the position.

Running Back
Penn State transfer Noah Cain along is LSU’s most experienced running back with 790 yards and 12 TDs in three seasons with the Nittany Lions. Cain started 8 games at Penn State. John Emery returns to action after sitting out the 2021 season. He has 566 rushing yards and 7 TDs in 19 appearances. Josh Williams, a former walk-on, will see action and has proven to be a dependable when it comes to blocking or carrying the ball. He has 195 rushing yards during his 23-game career. Armoni Goodwin rounds out the running back rotation. He rushed for 65 yards in 6 games as a true freshman in 2021.

Wide Receiver
One of the deepest and most talented groups in college football led by All-America candidate Kayshon Boutte. Back at full strength after missing final 7 games a year ago, Boutte has 83 career receptions for 1,244 yards and 14 TDs. He’s caught at least one pass in every game he’s played (16) and has accounted for 13 TD receptions in the 11 games he’s started.

Senior Jaray Jenkins is the veteran among the group with 13 career starts and 30 games played. Jenkins has 62 career receptions for 966 yard and 8 TDs, including 3 in last year’s win over Florida and the game-winner in 4Q vs. Texas A&M.

Sophomore Malik Nabers is in position for a breakout season after earning Freshman All-SEC honors in 2021. Nabers has 28 receptions for 417 yards and 4 TDs for his career.

Jack Bech led the Tigers in receptions (43) as a true freshman in 2021. He added 489 yards and 3 TDs while splitting time between tight end wide receiver. He’s now a full-time wide receiver.

Brian Thomas started 9 games as a true freshman last year with 28 receptions for 359 yards and 2 TDs. He’s among the fastest players on the team, clocked at over 22 mph during practice.

Chris Hilton appeared in 4 games in 2021, scoring on an 81-yard reception as time expired in the Texas Bowl.

Kyren Lacy joined LSU after spending 2 seasons at UL-Lafayette, where he played in 25 games, starting 7 times. He comes to LSU with 50 career receptions for 668 yards and 10 TDs.

Tight End
Kole Taylor and Jack Mashburn are returning starters at tight end, but freshman Mason Taylor, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, emerged from camp as a player who will contribute in 2022. Kole Taylor has 12 career receptions for 104 yards and a TD. The other tight end expected to see action is former LSU baseball pitcher Nick Storz. Storz sat out last season after appearing in 10 games with 1 start in 2020.

Offensive Line
The Tigers return 8 players on the line who have combined for 28 starts led by RT Cam Wire (10 starts). OG Anthony Bradford has 5 career starts and gives the Tigers a versatile player who can play either guard or tackle.

C Garrett Dellinger started 4 times last year (3 LT, 1 LG) as a true freshman but has made the move to center and will handle that position in 2022.

Other returning players will LSU starts to their credit include OL Marlon Martinez (3 starts), OL Xavier Hill (2), OG Kardell Thomas (2), C Charles Turner (1), and OT Marcus Dumervil (1).

True freshman Will Campbell went through spring practice and emerged as LSU’s starter at LT. Another true freshman Emory Jones is among a group of players who will add depth to the line.

Transfer OG Miles Frazier, a freshman All-America at Florida International, and transfer OG Tre’Mond Shorts, a FCS All-America at East Tennessee State in 2021, are expected to make an immediate impact in 2022.

A Look At The Defense
Defensive Line
LSU features perhaps the nation’s best front in returning starters Ali Gaye, BJ Ojulari, Maason Smith, and Jaquelin Roy. That group has combined for 43.5 tackles for loss and 23 sacks. Ojulari, who plays the hybrid “Jack” position on the Tiger defense, is a preseason All-America selection and leads the group with 16.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in his two years at LSU. Roy and Gaye are both preseason All-SEC selections.

Smith, one of the most imposing players in college football, has positioned himself for a breakout season after appearing in 9 games (4 starts) as a true freshman (5.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks).

Missouri transfer Mekhi Wingo is coming off a freshman All-SEC season a year ago and will be in the rotation on the defensive line.

Other players to watch on the defensive front include Desmond Little at the Jack position, along with DT/NG Jacobian Guillory, and DE Sai’vion Jone.

Linebackers
Mike Jones Jr. and Greg Penn III lead LSU’s group of linebackers. Jones joined the Tigers in 2021 after transferring from Clemson and capped last year playing his best football since joining the team. He’s a versatile linebacker who has a knack for finding the football.

Penn started LSU’s game against Kansas State in the Texas Bowl and recorded 7 tackles in what was his most extensive action of the year. He continued that solid play through the spring and into camp.

Micah Baskerville is LSU’s top returning tackler with 171 tackles, 18.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks in four years. He started all 12 regular-season games last year and ranked second on the team with 83 tackles.

Harold Perkins, a highly-touted freshman, made a quick impression during camp and will be in the rotation at linebacker as well as seeing action on special teams.

Other LBs to watch included Virginia transfer West Weeks, Jared Small, and South Carolina transfer Kolbe Fields.

Secondary
LSU’s secondary features returning starters Jay Ward (14 career starts) and Major Burns (5 career starts) along with transfers who started at their previous school: Arkansas (Joe Foucha and Greg Brooks), Ohio State (Sevyn Banks), Oklahoma State (Jarrick Bernard-Converse), McNeese (Colby Richardson) and Louisiana-Lafayette (Mekhi Garner). What once a question mark heading into camp, this group jelled in August and could be a strength for the Tigers.

The cornerback position features four players who come to LSU with meaningful starts at their previous schools – Bernard-Converse (47 starts at Oklahoma State), Garner (19 starts at UL-Lafayette), Richardson (21 starts at McNeese), and Banks (14 starts at Ohio State).

LSU’s nickel position will be manned by Brooks, who started 31 games at Arkansas over the past 3 years, and Sage Ryan, an athletic defensive back who was starting in the secondary last year before an injury ended his season.

Joining Ward and Burns at safety will be Brooks, Ryan along with Foucha, another Arkansas transfer. Foucha started 33 games at Arkansas and racked up 231 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss. Ward enters his third season as a starter and has made big plays throughout his career. Ward has 104 career tackles, 5 interceptions and has blocked two field goals.

Burns started the first 5 games a year ago and was among LSU’s best defenders (25 tackles, 1 int.), before an injury sidelined him for remainder of season.

A Look At Special Teams
LSU’s special teams will feature all new faces this year as there’s not a player on the roster who has punted or kicked in an LSU uniform.

Jay Bramblett will handle the punting duties, joining the Tigers after a standout career at Notre Dame where he averaged 41.6 yards on 164 punts in three years with the Irish.

A trio of players have battled for placekicking duties, a group that includes redshirt freshman Damian Ramos, true freshman Nathan Dibert and Northwestern transfer Trey Finison. None of LSU’s field goal kickers have attempted a collegiate field goal.

East Carolina transfer Slade Roy will handle long snapping for the Tigers, while Bramblett will be LSU’s holder.

LSU’s return game is expected to include Sage Ryan, Malik Nabers, Armoni Goodwin and Sevyn Banks.

A Different Season-Opening QB For The Tigers
When either it’s Jayden Daniels or Garrett Nussmeier taking the field as LSU’s starter in week one, it will mark the 19th time in the last 25 seasons that LSU will have a different starting quarterback for the season opener. Only Matt Mauck in 2002 and 2003, JaMarcus Russell in 2004 and 2005, Jordan Jefferson in 2009 and 2010, Zach Mettenberger in 2012 and 2013, Brandon Harris in 2015 and 2016 and Joe Burrow in 2018 and 2019 have started consecutive openers for LSU.