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Falcon Football Notebook (Week 5)

The Matchup
- Fairmont State will travel to northeast Ohio for a showdown with the 4-1 Falcons of Notre Dame College on Saturday at noon. The matchup will once again have huge implications on the MEC and NCAA postseason races, as both teams currently have 4-1 overall records.
- In last year's matchup in Fairmont, both teams were ranked in the top 25 of the NFCA National rankings, as Fairmont State used two defensive stands in the final 4:54 of play to hold off the visiting Falcons. Last season FSU came up with a fumble recovery at midfield with 44 seconds remaining to seal a thrilling 23-19 win over NDC in a game between two nationally-ranked teams.
- NDC comes into the game with a 4-1 overall record with its only loss of the season coming against No. 7 Shepherd in week one. During the first four weeks of the season, NDC put up at least 35 points per game, with three 40-point scoring performances. Last week at West Liberty, NDC survived with a 24-19 victory over West Liberty, despite missing leading rusher DJ Green (567 rushing yards in first four weeks).
- Fairmont State is also riding a four-game winning streak after dropping its week one matchup to non-conference foe East Stroudsburg, 20-16.
- FSU has won both of its road games this season by a combined six points – both wins have been off game-winning field goals by FSU place kicker Sam Keil. However, in the last two home games, FSU has outscored its opponents 69-16.
- Fairmont State enters the game with a 3-1 all-time record over Notre Dame – including victories in each of the last two meetings. Fairmont State has never lost at Notre Dame's Mueller Field, as its only loss in the series came back in 2014 – a 42-35 defeat at Duvall-Rosier Field.
- Notre Dame is receiving votes in this week's AFCA National Poll.
 
Offensive Notebook
- Fairmont's offense has been efficient in the red zone this fall. The Falcons have scored on 17-of-20 possessions inside of the red zone (85 percent), which is fourth in the MEC.
- FSU senior quarterback JuJuan Young-Battle has completed 80-of-145 passes for 1,145 yards and seven touchdowns this season. Young-Battle has thrown just two interceptions.  Young-Battle is currently first in the league in yards per completion (14.3) and third in passing yards (1,145).
- Andre Hall leads the FSU passing game with 22 receptions for 363 yards this season. Hall has yet to cross the goal line.
- Hall also leads the Falcons in all-purpose yards this season with 620 through the first five weeks of the season.
- However, FSU has four receivers with double-figure receptions and over 200 yards receiving this season, including Hall, Laurence King (16-229), Shawn Harris (16-224) and Jeff Iweh (12-234).
- As a team FSU is averaging just 2.5 yards per carry this fall and is next-to-last in the 11-team Mountain East Conference in rushing with an average of just 81.8 yards per contest.
- Fairmont State's 122 rushing yards in Saturday's win over Virginia-Wise were a season-high for the team, but 85 of those yards came in the game's final 12:32 after the Falcons had already built a 27-6 lead.
- Sophomore Rakeem Darden led way with a season-high 73 yards on nine carries in last week's win over UVa-Wise. Darden also scored a touchdown in the win. The 73 yards tied Darden's career-high rushing performance which was set last season in a win over Alderson-Broaddus.
- FSU place kicker Sam Keil currently ranks first in the MEC and sixth in the country in first goals per game (1.60). Keil is also second in the league in field goal percentage (.727).
 
Defensive Notebook
- Fairmont's stingy defense will face its toughest test of the season on Saturday in South Euclid. Notre Dame's offense is second in the MEC in scoring (39.8), first in rushing (285.6), third in total offense (442.0) and ninth in passing (156.4).Four
 - FSU's defense is first in the conference in points allowed (15.2), first in total defense (249.0), tied for first in turnover margin (+7), second in pass defense (150.8) and fourth in rushing defense (98.2).
 - As a team Fairmont State has allowed just 76 points this season, but only 61 of those points have been surrendered by the Falcons' defense. Two came on a safety after blocked punt on special teams against Urbana. Seven came on a kickoff return by West Virginia Wesleyan on special teams and six came on a fumble return for a touchdown by the University of Charleston.
- Fairmont State's defensive currently ranks first in the country in turnovers gained (18), second in defensive touchdowns (4), 13^th in turnover margin (1.40) and 21^st in fumbles recovered (6).
- FSU also ranked seventh in the country in total defense (249.0), 17^th in tackles for loss (8.8) and 24^th in sacks per game (3.0).
- Four-year starting middle linebacker Marcus Porter leads the Falcons in tackles this season with 49, including nine for a loss. Porter is currently 35^th in the country in total tackles (9.8) and 17 in NCAA Division II in tackles for loss (1.8).
- In addition, Jerry Iweh and Michael Porter ranked first in the league and 14^th in the country in interceptions with three apiece.
- On the defensive front, D.J. Adediwura is currently sixth in the league and 23^rd in the country in sacks this season (4.5).
 
Scouting NDC
- Notre Dame's potent rushing attack is led by standouts D.J. Greene and Malik Grove.
- Greene, a 6-foot, 205-pound junior running back, leads the MEC in rushing with 567 yards and six touchdowns on 88 carries. He averages 6.4 yards per carry and 141.8 yards per game. Grove, a 5-11, 200-pound senior quarterback, is fifth in the conference in rushing with 445 yards and six touchdowns on 73 attempts. He averages 6.1 yards per carry and 89.0 yards per game.
- Through the air Grove has completed 71-of-116 passes for 782 yards and nine touchdowns. He's been intercepted just twice.
- NDC is currently fourth nationally in rushing yards per game (285.6).
- Tay Johnson leads all NDC receivers with 15 receptions for 314 yards and four touchdowns on the year. Emmanuel Smith leads the team in total receptions with 32.
- Jeffery Thomas leads the defense with 34 total tackles and is tied for the team lead with one interception.
- Claudy Mathieu has a team-best three sacks while Jalen Ward is first on the team with five pass breakups.