SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. — The Shippensburg University football team looks to maintain its position among the top teams in the PSAC Eastern Division at 1 p.m. Saturday from SU Student Association Field at Seth Grove Stadium in a crucial matchup with West Chester. The Golden Rams have won six of the last seven meetings between the two teams.
Tickets for the game are $8 for adults and $3 for senior citizens and non-SU students. Shippensburg students and PSAC students are admitted free with their student ID. Children ages five and under also receive free admission.
Live video coverage of the game will be provided by Shippensburg University's student television station (SUTV) and can be accessed online at www.ship.edu/goraiders. The game will also be shown on local cable television on Comcast community access channel 21 and campus channel 82. Student broadcasters Jon Bloch and Trey Kemble will call the action.
A student-radio broadcast of the game will be available on 88.7 FM in Shippensburg and can be accessed online at www.wsyc.org. Student broadcasters Sean Gallagher and Chris Field will call the action on the radio.
Shippensburg has scored 191 points through the first five games of the season — which ranks as the third most to start a season in school history. The 2009 team scored 197 points, while the 1999 team scored 194 in the same span. Through five games, the 1991 team scored 187 points, the 2004 team scored 181 points and the 1952 team scored 171 points.
The Red Raiders set a school record in its Week 3 win over Clarion with 33 first downs – 15 by rushing, 13 by passing and five by penalty. Shippensburg ran the ball on 34 of its 44 first-down plays and totaled an incredible 272 yards on first-down runs. Only four first-down rushes ended with negative yards.
SU is running a ton of plays: 390 through the first five games. The Red Raiders ran 91 plays in the Week 2 victory over Gannon and in the Week 5 victory over No. 12 Kutztown — the third most in SU single-game history and the most since Nov. 12, 1983 against James Madison.
After being held without a sack in the season opener at Shepherd, Shippensburg has totaled 19 sacks in the last four games. SU is currently tied with Gannon for the second-most sacks in the PSAC. The Red Raiders had seven sacks in its Week 3 win over Clarion – its most in one contest since recording eight against Lock Haven on Sept. 30, 2000.
Sophomore
Zach Zulli and junior
Cody Fleming were named the PSAC Eastern Division Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week on Sunday afternoon after the Shippensburg University football team recorded a 49-7 victory over No. 12 Kutztown.
Zulli was named the Shippensburg VFW Offensive MVP on Homecoming after completing 21-of-30 passes for 215 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 55 yards and scored a touchdown on the ground. Most importantly, Zulli did not commit a turnover and was efficient in running the Red Raider offense.
As a team, Shippensburg now ranks second in the PSAC for scoring offense (38.6 points per game), third in total offense (454.6 yards per game) and third in passing efficiency (147.6).
Fleming was named the Shippensburg VFW Defensive MVP on Homecoming after leading the Red Raiders with 13 tackles. Included in that total were 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Overall, Fleming now has 11 tackles for loss this season — which ties him for the most in the PSAC. He ranks third in the conference with 4.5 sacks. Overall, Fleming has totaled 37 tackles, which ranks 19th in the conference.
As a team, Shippensburg is tied for second in interceptions (9) and sacks (19) and has the PSAC's third-best turnover margin (+4) while leading the conference in opponent fourth-down conversions (2-of-11) and red zone defense (11-of-21, 52 percent).
West Chester dropped a 34-23 decision last week at C.W. Post. The Golden Rams remain winless on the road at 0-3. West Chester has, however, gained at least 450 yards of total offense for two straight weeks, totaling 1,015 yards over that span.
Shippensburg was picked sixth in the PSAC Eastern Division coaches poll. West Chester was picked third in the same poll.
SERIES HISTORY: RED RAIDERS VS. GOLDEN RAMS
West Chester holds a 21-9-1 lead in the series history. Until earning a victory the 2009 season on Homecoming, Shippensburg had lost five-in-a-row and 11 out of 15 against the Golden Rams.
West Chester has ridden the strength of its offensive attack. The Golden Rams have scored 19 or more points in the last 11 games against Shippensburg.
