Concord Faces Nationally-Ranked Shepherd

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ATHENS, W.Va. - The Concord University football team travels to Shepherd 12:00 p.m. Saturday to take on the third-ranked and undefeated Rams in a Mountain East Conference clash.

LIVE COVERAGE
Audio: Matt Miller, Vic Holmes and Jason Colerick will have live audio coverage on Talk Radio WRNR out of Martinsburg. The game can be heard at this link. 
Stats: The Shepherd University Sports Information Department will have live in-game statistics of the contest.
Video: The SU Sports Information Department will also have live streaming video.

To view the live links, follow above or at the top of the page.

MOUNTAIN LION NOTES
After not being able to hold off Notre Dame last week, Concord fell to 2-5 overall and 2-5 in the MEC while Shepherd is 6-0 overall and in the league.

Of CU's five losses, the average margin of defeat in four of those contests is 8.5 points.

Additionally, in three of the five defeats the Mountain Lions held a fourth-quarter lead.

Against NDC, senior wide receiver Davon McGill had a career day as he hauled in seven reception for 123 yards, both single-game personal bests.

In fact, McGill nearly doubled his whole season output in one game.

Heading into the contest versus Notre Dame, McGill had 14 catches for 128 yards through six games.

Sophomore linebacker Zach Malone continued his stellar play by notching his third straight game wtih 10 or more tackles.

Last week, the Charleston, West Virginia native tallied 11 tackles while also forcing and recovering a first-quarter fumble.

At his current rate, Malone is on pace to finish the season with 102 tackles as he is averging just over nine tackles per game in 2016.

If Malone does finish with 100 or more stop this year, he would be the first Mountain Lion to accomplish the feat since Jake Lilly had 116 tackles in 2013.

Malone and senior defensive lineman Darryl Johnson are one of three pairs of teammates in the MEC ranked in the top 10 in tackles.

Malone is tied for third in the league with 66 tackles while Johnson is tied for seventh with 60.

Senior quarterback Brian Novak completed 20 passes verus the Falcons as the CU signal caller was successful on 20 or more passes for the fifth time this season.

In the three previous years as starter, Novak only completed 20 or more passes in a game seven times.

Besides the seven completions to McGill, Novak found redshirt freshman wide receiver Brandon Plyler three times including a 35-yard reception that set up junior running back Nick Loftin's four-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

For Plyler, the reception was a career long.

The Concord special teams had another solid week as junior punter Garrett Lee averaged 43.8 yards per punt and touched three boots down inside the 20 against NDC to tie a season-high.

Lee is third in Division II in punting, averaging 45.5 yards per punt.

Junior defensive back Chaudlier Shepherd only had one chance to return a kickoff versus Notre Dame, but was able to gain 26 yards on the return.

Concord is first in the MEC in kickoff return average (26.0).

Shepherd along with senior defensive back Akil Bordelon, junior defensive backs Jeremiah Johnson  Dominic Wilson, Kevin Stephenson, Aszaun Whiley and freshman defensive back Ke'Shawn Hall have done a solid job of limiting opponents' passing game.

The secondary ranks second in the MEC in passing yards allowed (188.7)

Before the NDC contest, the Mountain Lions had a four-game streak of holding opponents under 150 yards through the air.

Furthermore, CU has forced the fourth-most intercpetions in the league (8).

In last week's game, the Maroon and Gray held Notre Dame to nearly 25 points under their season average in points.

Entering the game, the Falcons were  accustomed to scoring 38 point per game, but Concord limited them to 14.

CU will be tasked with a similar job this week.

Shepherd possesses the highest-scoring offense in the league, averaging 45.8 points per contest.

Each of the last three games between Concord and SU has been decided by one possession.

Furthermore, the road team has won each contest.

Last year, Shepherd won in Athens 35-28, two years ago CU won 29-20 on a blocked field in overtime in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle and in 2013 Shepherd won 41-33 as a comeback by CU fell short.

Last season, Novak tossed for three touchdowns and 284 yars.

Senior wide receiver Jermeil  Douse hauled in 10 receptions for 164 yards  against the Rams.

In three starts against Shepherd, Novak has thrown for 754 yards and seven touchdowns.

J. Johnson made nine tackles in last year's game.

Saturday's contest could be the first of two ranked opponents for the Mountain Lions to finish the 2016 season.

In addition to SU being third in Division II, UNC-Pembroke, who CU finishes the regular season against, is 20th in the rankings.

SCOUTING SHEPHERD
Shepherd remained unbeaten by setting an MEC record for points scored in a game with 70 as the Rams rolled to a 70-24 win over West Virginia State.

The Rams are one of 10 teams left nationally that is unbeaten.

SU possesses the league's best passing offense, averaging 378 yards through the air.

Quarterback Jeff Ziemba has thrown for 14 touchdowns and two interceptions, but did not play in Shepherd's win at WVSU.

Instead, backup Connor Jessop was named MEC Offensive Player of the Week for his work against West Virginia State as he passed for 480 yards and five touchdowns.

The 804 yards of offense Shepherd amassed against West Virginia State was a single-game high for any Division II teams this season.

A CONCORD WIN WOULD...
A Concord win would give CU a second straight win at Shepherd after CU won 29-20 in 2014.

A Concord win would snap a three-game losing streak.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
0- Despite being undefeated, Shepherd's turnover margin is 0.

40.9-  Concord and SU are tied for first in the MEC in net punting at 40.9.

135- Number of combined touchdowns thrown by Novak (66) and Ziemba (69) in their career.