Game Coverage: WATCH LIVE // LISTEN LIVE // LIVE STATS // MEDIA STATS

Media Materials: SHIP Notes (Thurs. PM) // BORO Notes // SHIP 2014 MG

In the Press: Public Opinion Preview // Sentinel Preview // Harman Feature (bennettrank.com)

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. — The Shippensburg University Red Raider football team opens its 2014 home schedule Saturday from SU Student Association Field at Seth Grove Stadium with a noon matchup against the Edinboro Fighting Scots.

Tailgating begins at 9:30 a.m. on the practice fields behind Seth Grove Stadium. The tailgating policy is available here. Directions to Shippensburg and a campus map are available here. 

A variety of live coverage options are available, including a free online webstream courtesy of Shippensburg University Television (SUTV). Links are posted above.  

It is the first meeting between the two teams since the 2009 season, when Shippensburg traveled to nationally-ranked Edinboro in Week 2 and posted a 24-14 victory before ultimately winning the State Game later that year.  

The overall series between Edinboro and Shippensburg is 24-24-1. Save for that 2009 victory, however, the Fighting Scots won the previous four meetings — scoring 135 points in those games. SU last won at home over Edinboro during the 2004 season, a year in which the Red Raiders won the PSAC Western Division.

In fact, the last two years that Shippensburg has defeated Edinboro (2004 and 2009), it went on to win its division and advance to the NCAA Tournament.
 
The home team holds a distinct advantage in the series. The Red Raiders are 15-8 against the Fighting Scots in home games, including an 11-7 mark at Seth Grove Stadium. Edinboro is 16-9-1 in its home games in the series.

The last time these two teams played at Seth Grove Stadium was in the remnants of a hurricane in 2008. In a game that featured 15 combined fumbles, Edinboro emerged from the sloppy grass field at Seth Grove Stadium with a 34-11 victory. 

About the Teams:

The Red Raiders, picked No. 4 in the PSAC Eastern Division Preseason Coaches' Poll, went 7-4 last season. SU lost two of its three games against PSAC West opponents, however, dropping games against Slippery Rock and IUP.

The Fighting Scots, picked No. 6 in the PSAC Western Division Preseason Coaches' Poll, went 5-6 in 2013 -- losing three of their last four games and going 3-4 in league play. Edinboro is looking to avoid three straight losing seasons for the first time since 2002.

Last Week:

Shippensburg ran 103 plays in its 2014 season opener, one shy of the school record for a single game, while producing 713 yards of offense in a 55-30 victory over Seton Hill on a warm, humid Thursday evening at Offutt Field. SU produced 34 first downs and racked up the fourth-most yards in SU single-game history by virtue of a balanced attack that included two 100-yard receivers, a 100-yard runner and two quarterbacks who threw for more than 100 yards.

Edinboro traveled to No. 16-ranked Carson Newman and dropped a 38-24 result to the Eagles. Quarterback Cody Harris threw for 177 yards and three touchdowns. The Fighting Scots held a 14-7 lead during the first quarter.

NCAA Rankings:

After one week of play, Shippensburg's 713 total yards on offense rank third in NCAA Division II behind Texas A&M-Commerce (986) and Ferris State (761). Its 411 passing yards rank eighth, while its 55 points rank ninth. Trevor Harman's 12 receptions paced the PSAC and ranked fourth in Division II, while Sheldon Mayer's 194 receiving yards led the PSAC and ranked seventh in the country.

Edinboro, meanwhile, scored on all four of its trips into the red zone (three touchdowns, one field goal), posted a +3 turnover margin (forcing four fumbles) and committed just five penalties.  

Last Meeting: 

The Red Raiders won the last meeting between the two teams, 24-14, at Edinboro in 2009. In that game, Shippensburg held the No. 15-ranked Fighting Scots scoreless through three quarters of football, forced three turnovers, including two interceptions, and dictated the pace of the game.

Redshirt senior linebacker Josh Simmons, who earned a PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week award the following Monday, had a 59-yard interception return in the third quarter directly set up the first touchdown of the game, and totaled a career-high 13 tackles and a forced fumble.
 
The full game story can be accessed here. 

Records Watch:

Trevor Harman enters Saturday's game needing 21 receiving yards to surpass the school record for a career held by Jamie Ware (3,422 from 1996-99). 

Harman also enters the game with 312 points, 10 shy of John Kuhn's career scoring record (322 from 2001-04). 

More to come.