For the first time in league history, the Presbyterian College football team will open Big South play at home, as the Blue Hose host the VMI Keydets in a 2 p.m. match-up Saturday, Oct. 19. The game will be broadcast for free of the Big South Network, sponsored by State Farm, at BigSouthSports.com. Fans can also tune into the WKRI i91.9-FM.
The Blue Hose return from their second bye week of the season with three straight home contests, the first coming against the Keydets. VMI owns a 4-2 record over PC and took the win in Lexington, Va., last season, 17-7. PC was held to 45 yards of total offense in the first half, but rallied in the fourth quarter with a 23-yard touchdown catch by Jeremiah McKie. PC ran out of time as VMI came away with the eventual win.
The Blue Hose took the 38-6 win the last time the Keydets were in Clinton, back in 2011. The other PC win came in the first meeting, with the Blue Hose coming away with the 45-21 victory.
With an average margin of 15.6 points, no meeting has been particularly close between the schools. The closest game in their short series was last season's 10-point contest.
Offense Notes
Against Wofford ...
Blake Roberts made the most of his second career start against Wofford ... His recorded his first career touchdown, rushed for a career-best 50 yards and his long carry of 23 yards was also a personal best ...
General ...
In his first season at PC LaQua Mayes is already making a name for himself in the league ... In five games he is fourth in the Big South in All-Purpose yardage with 108.0 yards per game ...
Demarcus Rouse starting the year right and leads the team in rushing and is sixth in the league ... He is also tops in scoring with five touchdowns, which puts him third in the conference ... In five games this season, he has increased his production, going from averaging 42.7 yards per game in 2012 to 66.6 this year ... He had nine TDs all of last year, but already has five in 2013 ...
Tobi Antigha, who leads the Blue Hose in receiving, is second in the Big South in receptions per game and fourth in reception yards per game ...
Team Notes
The Blue Hose posted several records in the contest at Furman ... With Kaleb Griffin going 15-for-18, the 83.3 completion % was a PC Division I record ...
The Blue Hose offense produced 352 yards against Charlotte, just 24 yards shy of the previous season-high set against Brevard ...
Despite the loss, the Blue Hose rushed 44 times, caught 25 receptions and recorded 25 passes, all season-highs ...
Defense Notes
Against Wofford ...
With Joaquin Ross' two fumble recoveries against Wofford, he tied PC's Division I record with CeeJay Harris, who recovered two against VMI in 2011, and Mark Williams who recovered two against Gardner Webb the same year ...
DaRon Dickey recorded seven tackles, just one shy of his career-high, and posted his first career sack ... He also had a career-mark 1.0 tackle for a loss of six yards
General ...
Donelle Williams, prior to his season-ending injury, led the team with 23 tackles and was seventh in the league ... Breyon Williams now leads the Blue Hose with 35 tackles, good enough for eighth in the Big South ... Cory White has 30, while Fred Marshall has 29 ... White is 11th in the league, while Marshall is 13th ...
Ugonna Akoh recorded a tackle for a loss of 12 yards against Furman, another one against Charlotte for a loss of two, and two at Wofford, giving him six for the season and putting him fourth in the league with an average of 1.2 per game ...
Kenyon Brown has broken up four passes so far this season to rank tied for ninth in the Big South ...
With two fumble recoveries against Wofford Joaquin Ross is now tied for the lead in the league in that category ...
Team Notes
The Blue Hose have limited opponents to 84 total first downs to put them third in the conference ... In red zone defense, PC is also third, holding opponents to an 80.0 percent success rate (12-of-15) ...
The Blue Hose surrendered a season-high 411 yards on the ground against Wofford, with the 503 total yards just two shy of the season-high Charlotte posted last week (505) ... On the flip side, PC recorded a season-high 99 tackles, 2.0 sacks and tied the season-high with 5.0 TFLs ...
PC has allowed on 753 passing yards for an average of 150.6 per game, good enough for 10th in the country ...
Special Teams Notes
Against Wofford ...
Jeremiah McKie had a career-day on special teams against Wofford, recorded a career-high 135 all-purpose yards, which led the team ... his career-high 118 of those yards came off a career-mark six kick-off returns ... his long was a 26-yarder ...
Stephen Doar kicked a career-high eight punts in the contest at Wofford ... His 323 total yards was also a career-best as well ... Filling for injured Brett Wilson, he connected on his first two PATs against the Terriers ... He earned Big South Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts on the field ...
General ...
LaQua Mayes is second in the Big South in kick returns, averaging 23.7 yards per carry ... Jeremiah McKie is fifth with 19.8 yards per carry ...
Team Notes
So far this season, the Blue Hose have been pretty good in the return game ... PC has totalled 561 yards in kickoff returns for an average of 22.4 yards a carry for second in the Big South ... The Blue Hose lead in punt return average with 22.7 yards ... It is also good enough for second in the nation ...
Kickoff coverage has been solid, as well, with the Blue Hose ranking third in the conference with a 39.1 net average ...
