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READING, Pa. – The No. 24 Albright football team returns to action when it hosts No. 7 Delaware Valley at Shirk Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m. Both teams enter the Homecoming game with identical 5-0 overall records and 4-0 marks in MAC competition. Last week, Albright came back to defeat King's (Pa.), 34-31, while Delaware Valley defeated FDU-Florham, 60-7.

NATIONAL POLL POSITION
Albright received its first entry into a national poll this week when it showed up at No. 24 in the AFCA poll, released on Wednesday. Delaware Valley moved up two slots in that poll from No. 9 to No. 7.

In the latest D3football.com Top 25 rankings, Delaware Valley remained ranked No. 10 in the nation. Albright is receiving 34 votes in the poll. The Lions are receiving the most votes of the team that are not ranked.

IN THE MAC STANDINGS
Albright and Delaware Valley are the two remaining unbeaten teams in the MAC with both sporting identical 5-0 overall records and 4-0 records in conference play. Stevenson and Widener are just behind the conference leaders with 3-1 records in the MAC.

ANOTHER FOURTH QUARTER COMEBACK
Albright maintained its unbeaten record thanks to its third victory after trailing in the fourth quarter this season. The Lions trailed at King's (Pa.), 31-21 in the fourth quarter after falling behind 17-0 and 24-7 in the first half.

The Lions scored 13 straight points in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback victory. Albright also trailed in the fourth quarter in its season-opening overtime win against Salisbury and in its 9-7 victory over Widener in the Pretzel Bowl.

ABOUT DELAWARE VALLEY
Delaware Valley is first in the MAC in both scoring offense and scoring defense, averaging 35.8 points per game on offense while allowing just 10 points per game on defense. That defensive number not only leads the conference, it's ranked seventh in the nation. DelVal is also 13th in the nation in total defense, allowing just 234.6 yards per game.

Quarterback Dashawn Darden ranks second in the MAC in passing efficiency (146.3) and passing touchdowns (12). Running back Devauntay Ellis leads the MAC in rushing yards with 497 so far this season, which ranks 36th nationally. Ellis is also ranked second in the MAC with four rushing touchdowns.

LAST SEASON'S MATCHUP
Albright defeated Delaware Valley, 20-17, in last season's game on Sept. 24. Alec Dickerson returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown for the Lions, and the game went into the fourth quarter tied, 10-10.
 
After Kevin Goetz gave the Lions a 13-10 lead in the third quarter, DelVal took a 17-13 lead on a Devauntay Ellis touchdown with 3:57 to play. Albright came back on the next drive to score the winning touchdown with just six seconds left on a touchdown pass from Alec Vignola to Malik Jackson from 14 yards out.

BAYLOR, GOETZ NAMED PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Defensive end Isaiah Baylor was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week, and kicker/punter Kevin Goetz won MAC Special Teams Player of the Week following the team's win against King's last week. Both players followed that with ECAC Player of the Week awards in their respective categories.

Baylor finished the game with 12 tackles (nine solo), five tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery that he returned 10 yards for a touchdown.

Goetz earns his second MAC weekly award of the season. The junior made two fourth quarter field goals, including the game-winning field goal in the final minute of the game to complete the come-from-behind victory.

LOOKING FOR SECOND 6-0 START IN THREE YEARS
With a victory on Saturday, the Lions will move to 6-0 overall for the second time in three years. In 2015, the Lions defeated FDU-Florham, 51-6, to win its sixth game of the season. Albright lost to Delaware Valley, 28-23, in its bid to move to 7-0 the following week.

HOMECOMING FESTIVITIES SET FOR HALFTIME
Saturday is the annual Homecoming game, and the Homecoming Court was announced earlier this week. Homecoming King and Queen will be announced at halftime.

The following students are part of the Court: Matthew Azzaro, Elena Brown, Thomas Armstrong, Jenna Paiano, Josias De Peña, Alysha Lofton, Jack Duncan, Savannah Peck, Zachary Lahey and Nina Mazzarelli.

HALL OF FAME WEEKEND
The Albright Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2017 will be inducted during a ceremony on Friday night. The four new inductees will also be honored at halftime of tomorrow's game. For more information on the inductees, please click here.