Albright College Lions (5-4/3-4) at Stevenson University Mustangs (2-6/1-5)

The Lions will travel to the beautiful new facilities in Owings Mills, Md. to take on the Mustangs of Stevenson University this Saturday, in their final game of the regular season. In the program's inaugural season the Mustangs notched their first overall win against the now 6-2 Christopher Newport Captains and then grabbed their first MAC win last week against FDU-Florham. Last week the Lions' Homecoming hopes were buried in almost seven inches of snow and 60 points from the Pride of Widener University, but will look to use this week's game as a chance to finish on a high note.

When: Saturday, November 5
Where: Mustang Stadium
Start Time: 1 p.m.
Tickets: $7 (To order tickets online click here)

Weather: Sun all day with highs in the low 50's

Gameday Media:

Live Video: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/stevenson.portal#
Webcast (Audio): http://www.teamline.cc/sportpage?teamcode=5466&eventcode=20
Live Stats: http://livestats.prestosports.com/stevenson/

LIONS LAST WEEK:

The Lions suffered one of their most difficult defeats of the season last week at the hands of the Widener Pride. Under seven inches of snow the two teams fumbled a combined 15 times. Despite Scott Pillar's two-touchdown performance it was Pride quarterback Tevin Campbell's five total touchdowns on his way to being named MAC Offensive Player of the Week that allowed Widener to surpass its 59-points per game average. Twice the Lions were able to score and cut the large deficit, but those scores were answered by Widener touchdowns. Poor tackling and a lack of offense from Albright put the Homecoming and Senior Day win out of reach long before the snow stopped falling.  

ALBRIGHT OFFENSE:

Through the first four games of the season Albright averaged 48 points per game and won each contest. Since then the Lions, averaging just 19 points, are 1-4. The inconsistent productivity has left the Lions scratching their heads and looking for one final glimmer of success. After this season the Lions could lose two of their top three rushers and receivers. Seniors Josan Holmes, Marty Reinhardt, Scott Pillar, and Josh Bakala have combined for 25 of Albright's 34 total offensive touchdowns meaning this week they'll need to find the end zone per usual, but as the Lions' look toward next season they'll need to find productivity from some new faces.  

ALBRIGHT DEFENSE:

The unit has allowed opponents to convert just 37 percent of third-down attempts and have limited opponents to less than four yards per carry. Last week the Lions failed to record a sack for the first time this season and allowed the Pride to convert almost 50 percent of their third downs. Additionally they allowed the pass-heavy Widener offense to run for over seven yards per carry. Senior free safety Keith Bruno had a career and team-high nine total tackles last week, adding a forced fumble and recovering another. The Lions will need to shore up the defense and get another strong performance from Bruno and the remainder of the secondary against a Stevenson team that averages more than 13 yards per catch.

START-UP MUSTANGS:                              

Prior to the start of this year's football season the Stevenson University football program had an all-time record of zero wins and zero losses. On September 10 of this year the Mustangs notched their first win in the program's history with a thrilling 46-43 double overtime home triumph against Christopher Newport University. Last week against fellow MAC opponent FDU-Florham, the Mustangs earned their first conference victory as well as their first road win.

STEVENSON OFFENSE:

Last week the Mustangs were forced to play in the same bitter, wintry and gusty conditions the Lions encountered. But amid the chaos emerged a young star for the Mustangs. Freshman fullback Ryan Crawley saw his season totals jump from one carry for one yard to 32 for 106. He added two receptions for 23 yards and reached the end zone twice, once through the air and once on the ground. Junior quarterback C.J. Hopson has led the team in scoring with two rushing and 16 passing touchdowns. Hopson, a division one transfer from Bucknell University, has found a revitalized career at Stevenson where he has become an excellent signal-caller and has averaged over 200-yards per game passing. Widereceivers Jeromie Miller (sophomore)  and Jae DeShields (freshman) are his favored targets; each has seven receiving touchdowns. DeShields is the deep threat averaging 22 yards per catch on about half of the receptions that Miller has accumulated. The speedy but undersized Miller has found his niche as a slot receiver and punt returner.

MUSTANG DEFENSE:

The Stevenson roster is primarily made up of freshmen, which is to be expected of any new program. Adjusting to the speed of the game is one of the most difficult tasks for any freshman football player. Play recognition comes from that adjustment and for a defensive unit as young as this one, it's no wonder that they've had their share of struggles. Just four sacks and three interceptions all year hint that the Mustangs would struggle more with the pass than the run, but it has been just the opposite. Allowing 5.2 yards per rush and 240 yards per game on the ground this year means Josan Holmes should have holes to run through and plenty of yards to gain. Inside the red zone the mustangs have fared no better. When opponents have gotten inside the Stevenson 20-yardline they've scored on 50 of 55 trips, primarily on the ground.

SECOND CHANCES:

Few people would recognize the town of Lusby, Md., where Mustang quarterback C.J. Hopson's story began.

Coming out of Patuxent High School the young quarterback had peaked the interest of NCAA Division-I programs like University of Maryland, University of Connecticut, and  Bucknell University. One ESPN analyst described Hopson as a player you have to respect because of his savvy, toughness, and intangibles. After two years at Bucknell he found himself on the outside looking in.

With a sub-2.0 GPA Hopson was academically ineligible for his junior season and quickly transferred to Fairmont State University to improve his marks in the classroom. Now, he become the leader of an otherwise young team both on the field and off. Hopson almost watched his future slowly spiral down the proverbial drain. Instead, he took the initiative to improve his grades and he was rewarded by first year coach Ed Hottle, who gave him the chance to play the sport he loved again.

 ALBRIGHT'S KEYS TO THE GAME:

1) Success on the ground - The Mustangs are surrendering big plays and big single-game totals to opposing rushers. Josan Holmes and Zach Groff should have productive outings against this defense.

2) Hold on to the football - The Lions have fumbled 14 times this year and have thrown ten interceptions. Giving the Mustang offense extra chances to score will be a huge mistake.

3) Limit the BIG play opportunities - Albright has been susceptible to giving up big plays at inopportune times all season, specifically in the passing game. The Mustangs have some young, talented receivers who have the ability to burn opponents deep down the field, so the Lions will need to limit their chances.

STEVENSON'S KEYS TO THE GAME:

1) Strong first half - Stevenson has been outscored 237-75 in the first half this season. While their second half numbers may be attributed to throw-away time, they'll need to keep it closer in the first half to have a chance.

2) Balanced attack - Hopson is an excellent runner but will need to have success through the air as well. The Lions' defensive weakness is through the air so the Mustangs will want to exploit that and throw the ball a substantial amount

3) Home field advantage - The Mustangs have enjoyed two sellout crowds this season and will likely enjoy the company of a third for this, the final game of the inaugural season. Feeding off the energy and attacking early will help far more than it could ever hurt.