Albright College Lions (3-2, 2-2) vs. Wilkes University Colonels (2-3, 1-3)

The Albright College football team hosts Wilkes University on Homecoming weekend.

When: Saturday, October 19
Where: Shirk Stadium
Start Time: 1 p.m.

Gameday Media:
Live Video: http://albright.ezstream.com
Live Audio: http://player.streamtheworld.com/liveplayer.php?callsign=WILKES
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/albright/football/

Albright Stats
Albright Roster
Albright Depth Chart
Wilkes Stats
Wilkes Roster
Wilkes Depth Chart

HOMECOMING WEEKEND:

This weekend is Homecoming on Albright's campus, and an exciting day is planned. Athletic events include a cross country meet at Daniel Boone Homestead in Exeter, and an evening soccer doubleheader against Commonwealth Conference rival Lebanon Valley. The Homecoming court will be announced at halftime of the football game, and the Homecoming parade will be held in the morning on 13th street near the stadium.

MIC FRANCZAK TRIBUTE:

Prior to kickoff, Albright will honor Mic Franczak. Franczak was a 1982 graduate of Albright, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. He was a first team All-ECAC and first team All-MAC selection as a kicker in 1980. His 42-yard field goal against Juniata in 1980 was a school record at the time, and he still ranks fourth at Albright with 26 career field goals and 37 attempts. Mic battled disease for many years, passing away in April at the age of 52. A large group of family, friends and former teammates will be in attendance.

LAST TIME OUT:

The Lions came within a fourth quarter special teams touchdown of shutting out FDU-Florham for the second straight year, finishing off a 52-7 decision over the Devils on October 5.

Senior Drew Peterson intercepted two passes and returned one for a touchdown. It was his second multi-interception game of the season, fourth of his career, and the third straight year he has returned a pick-six. Quarterback TJ Luddy was efficient for the second straight week, completing 17-of-23 passes for 212 yards, 2 TDs and no interceptions. Senior Daniel McNair (8 catches, 81 yards, TD) was the Red and White's top receiver once again.

PREVIOUS MEETING:

A pair of big fourth down conversions set the tone in each half as the Albright College football team held off Wilkes for a 27-13 victory, last September in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

With two minutes left in the first quarter of a scoreless game, quarterback/punter TJ Luddy faked the kick and hit senior Scott Pillar in stride for 32 yards. Albright rode the momentum and Luddy soon found Pillar in the end zone on the first play of the second quarter. On 4th-and-13 in the third quarter the Lions went for it, and Luddy found Caleb Shilko in the end zone for a 36-yard score that made it 20-0 Albright.

Luddy was excellent in multiple phases of the game, completing 21-of-31 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns. He also punted four times for an average of 45.5 yards, pinning the Colonels on their own three-yard line and hitting a 52 yarder, both in the fourth quarter as Albright tried to hold on. Pillar caught 14 balls for 156 yards and two touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, junior Drew Peterson intercepted two passes and made a game-high seven solo tackles. Peterson was named a BSN National Defensive Player of the Week and to the D3football.com Team of the Week.

NATIONAL WEEKLY HONORS:

After a week one victory over Kean University, Albright kicker Daniel Sobolewski (three FGs, 3-3 PATs, 2 touchbacks) was named a BSN National Special Teams Player of the Week, the USA College Football National Special Teams Player of the Week, and was listed on the D3football.com Team of the Week. Safety Drew Peterson (two interceptions) was also named to the D3football.com Team of the Week, and earned honorable mention honors from USA College Football.

Chris Stephens earned an honorable mention USA College Football nod last week after blocking a punt and recovering in the end zone vs. King's.

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS:

The Lions were well-represented on 2013 Preseason All-American teams, with three players receiving a total of six selections. Senior safety Drew Peterson was a first team USA College Football, second team D3 Senior Classic and third team BSN Preseason All-American. Fifth-year senior Matt Pattison earned second team USA College Football and honorable mention D3 Senior Classic honors, and senior tight end Eric Wade was a fourth team USA College Football selection.

SERIES:

Albright leads the all-time series 21-16, including a 27-13 victory in Wilkes-Barre last season.

HEAD COACHES:

John Marzka, in his seventh season at Albright, holds a career mark of 48-24. Frank Sheptock is in his 18th season with the Colonels, and has a record of 105-78. Each has led their respective team to one MAC championship during their tenures.

ALBRIGHT OFFENSE:

The Lions ran off 52 points against FDU-Florham on October 5. Quarterback TJ Luddy is 41-of-57 for 515 yards, 5 TDs and zero interceptions over the last two games, both wins for the Lions. Albright is averaging 33.0 points and 408.0 yards per contest. Fifth-year senior Ty Hughes is tied for 18th nationally with eight rushing touchdowns.

ALBRIGHT DEFENSE:

Senior Drew Peterson intercepted two passes in the Lions' last game against FDU-Florham, returning one for a touchdown. It was his second multi-interception game of the year, fourth of his career, and the third straight season he has returned an INT for a score. Peterson is tied for first in the nation with five picks this season. Overall, the Lions are holding opponents to 18.8 points per game. Levi Myers leads the squad with 39 tackles and fifth-year senior Don Gould has 3.5 sacks.

ALBRIGHT SPECIAL TEAMS:

Albright sophomore Daniel Sobolewski was one of four Division III kickers named to the Mitchell Award September Honorees list. The Mitchell Award is given to the nation's top collegiate place-kicker among more than 750 FCS, Division II, III, NAIA and NJCAA football teams. Sobolewski is 6-of-10 on field goals this year, with a school-record 51 yarder against Stevenson.

WILKES OFFENSE:

The Colonels' last two starting quarterbacks are both on the roster but neither is expected under center this weekend. Tyler Bernsten (six passing TDs, five rushing TDs in 2012) is injured, while Alex George (12 TDs, 3 INTs in 2011) is now playing tight end. Freshman Taylor Young is listed as the starter for the week; he has completed 26-of-54 passes for 308 yards so far this season.

WILKES DEFENSE:

Senior Tate Moore-Jacobs is a tackling machine for Wilkes, totaling 66 hits in five games this season (8.5 for loss). For his career the D3 Senior Classic Preseason All-American has a whopping 411 tackles, including 145 (79 solo) as a freshman.

WILKES SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Colonels use two different kickers, as Jordan Fredo handles field goals and extra points and Frank Bobo takes kickoffs and long FGs. Bobo tried from 52 yards against Morrisville State but missed.

ECAC SOUTH-EAST CHAMPIONS:

In a crazy first minute of the fourth quarter, Albright erased a 14-point deficit in 14 seconds and went on to win the 2012 ECAC South-East Bowl, 38-34 over Franklin & Marshall.

After F&M punched it in for a 28-14 lead on the opening play of the fourth quarter, junior Daniel McNair took the ensuing kickoff back 88 yards for the touchdown. The Diplomats then fumbled Albright's kickoff on their own four-yard line, where it was recovered by Sean Cunningham on the one. Ty Hughes carried it in on the next play, giving the Lions two touchdowns in 14 seconds (and a combined three touchdowns for the two squads in a 28-second span).

The action was far from over, as F&M's Paul McGann got behind the Lion defense on the next play from scrimmage but was stripped. Cunningham came up with the ball for his second fumble recovery in a span of 18 seconds. Albright quarterback TJ Luddy completed a tough third down pass to Caleb Shilko to the four-yard line, and then snuck it in with 8:33 left to put the Lions ahead 35-28.

JT HARDING HONORED BY NFF/NCSA:

Albright fifth-year senior JT Harding has been selected as a national semifinalist for the National Football Foundation Campbell Trophy, the most pretigious Scholar-Athlete award in college football. Selected as the best and brightest from the college gridiron, The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced this week the 170 semifinalists for the 2013 William V. Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best scholar-athlete in the nation.

This is actually the second straight year Harding was selected as a national semifinalist. By the time he was chosen in 2012, he had already taken a medical redshirt following a serious injury in the Lions' second game of the season. Albright then withdrew him from consideration, since candidates must be in their final year of eligibility.

This summer, Harding was also the only NCAA football player named to the Inaugural NCSA Athleader All-American team. A business and marketing major, Harding has maintained a 3.75 GPA at Albright. He was also named to the Dean's List five times and had a perfect 4.0 GPA in the spring 2012 and spring 2013 semesters. He is a two-time team captain, starts on the defensive line, and is considered one of the top Division III long snappers in the nation.

MAC STANDINGS:

Lebanon Valley's 14-7 over Lycoming last weekend threw the conference standings into chaos, as those two squads join Delaware Valley and Widener at the top with one loss each. As noted by D3football.com's Gordan Mann: "All of the four teams near the top can win the conference title but none can win the AQ without help. 
- If Lebanon Valley wins out, they need Widener to lose to get the AQ.
- If Lycoming wins out, they need Leb Val to lose to get the AQ.
- If Widener wins out, they need Lycoming to lose to get the AQ.
- If Del Val wins out, they need Lycoming to lose to get the AQ."

With two MAC losses and games remaining against three of those four teams, Albright is very much alive in the conference championship race if the Lions can find a way to win each week.