Complete Game Notes (.pdf)
 
Buffalo State University (7-3) at Waynesburg University (8-2)
 
When: Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014
 
Where: Waynesburg, Pennsylvania (John F. Wiley Stadium)
 
Radio: 99.5-FM WCYJ, Webcast can be heard at http://vp.telvue.com/player?id=T01595&video=23812
 
Livestats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/waynesburg/football/
 
Live Video: http://www.waynesburg.edu/live
 
Series Breakdown
All-Time Series: First Meeting
 
Things to Watch For:
Saturday marks Waynesburg's fourth-straight postseason in which it has qualified for an Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) bowl game. The Yellow Jackets competed against another Empire 8 team, Brockport State, in last year's ECAC Northwest Bowl. Waynesburg fell 19-12 to the Eagles. The Jackets last hosted an ECAC bowl game when they defeated Carnegie Mellon 28-24 in the 2012 ECAC Southwest Bowl.
 
Buffalo State's last postseason appearance came in 2000, when it defeated Hartwick 43-20 for the ECAC Northwest Championships.
 
The Bengals made national headlines in 2012, when they defeated the three-time defending national champions from Wisconsin-Whitewater 7-6. The victory snapped the Warhawks' 46-game winning streak. Ironically, the biggest victory in Waynesburg program history came in the 1966 NAIA national title game, in which the Jackets defeated Whitewater 42-21.
 
One of the key matchups to watch on Saturday is the battle between two-time first-team All-PAC quarterback Carter Hill and the Buffalo State pass defense. Hill has thrown for 2,517 yards and 29 touchdowns. The Bengals have been particularly good at picking off opposing passers in 2014. They are currently tied for 14^th in Division III with 18 interceptions, two of which have been run back for scores.
 
Both of Saturday's participants boast a win over a 2014 NCAA Division III tournament participant. The Bengals defeated Empire 8 rival Ithaca 38-27 back on Oct. 11, while the Jackets ended a 10-game losing streak to Washington & Jefferson this past Saturday by an overtime score of 31-28.
 
Speaking of common opponents, Buffalo State has won its last two meetings with Brockport State, including a 55-21 win over the Eagles last week.
 
Both Waynesburg and Buffalo State hold the distinction of having a junior named conference defensive player of the week and a junior kicker named special teams player of the week.  Yellow Jacket junior safety Mike Lopuchovsky was named PAC Defensive Player of the Week, while Scott Lewis was tabbed PAC Special Teams Player of the Week. The Bengals feature junior linebacker Marquis Artis as the current Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week, while junior kicker Marc Montana was lauded as Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week. Lopuchovsky and Lewis were further honored as ECAC Division III Southwest Players of the Week, while Waynesburg's defensive standout was also listed on the D3Football.com Team of the Week. He was joined on the national website's weekly lineup by sophomore punter Jonathan Hager.
 
The Jackets and Bengals both enjoy the luxury of a 1,000-yard back. However, the two young men who reached that milestone feature physical builds that are as different as can be. Waynesburg senior Jake Forsythe (1,111 yards, 10 TD, 5.0 ypc) stands just under 6-0 and weighs in around 235 pounds. Buffalo State senior Rich Pete (1,010 yards, 13 touchdowns, 5.6 ypc) is listed at 5-6, 165 lb.
 
Waynesburg head coach Rick Shepas has a chance to grab a share of the top spot in the Yellow Jackets' all-time coaching victory ranks. A win over Buffalo State would run Shepas' record in Orange and Black to 65-39, which would tie him with all-time great Frank N. Wolf (65-63), for the number-one spot. Should he take the record, Shepas would do so in 25 fewer games than Wolf.