Players to watch: AU — Tyler Johnson, FR, QB; Austin Dwyer, SR, TB; Josh Phillips, SR, WR; Isiah Young, SO, TE; Jonathan Ruffin, SR, WR; Mike Berardi, SO, SS; Seiji Hinton, SR, DB; Zach Brinkley, SO, DT; Corry Wallace, SO, MLB; Justin Collen, SR, DE

Frostburg State — Ken Emmons, JR, QB; Mike Fourth, JR, TB; Haydan Roberts, SO, WR; Myles Bergess, SO, WR; Antonio Wood, JR, WR; Rowan Pinkett, SO, ILB; Keith Smith, JR, DB, Salaman Riddell, SO, DB; Marcus Moody, SO, DB; J.R. Lowery, FR, DE.


Key matchups: Alfred's pass defense, anchored by end Justin Collen and cornerback Calvin Bain, against a Frostburg passing game, led by QB Ken Emmons, that averages 251 yards per contest through the air. Alfred allows 220 yards passing per game, but has been effective at forcing turnovers: in last weekend's win over Hartwick, AU had two interceptions and forced a fumble on a sack. For the season, the Saxons have picked off opponents' passes 12 times…AU will face a Bobcat offense that also averages 193 rushing yards per game. The Saxon defense gives up 135 yards on the ground per game and last weekend allowed only 48 to Hartwick…Alfred's offense against a Frostburg defense that allows nearly 500 yards per game. As potent as the Bobcats' offense has been, their opponents have matched them yard-for-yard. Frostburg allows 484 yards per contest (282 passing). AU will try to to replicate its offensive explosion of last weekend, when the Saxons produced 462 yards, including 283 passing by freshman quarterback Tyler Johnson, and 179 rushing. AU senior tailbacks Austin Dwyer and Tyler DeRosa will look to exploit a Frostburg defense that allows 202 yards rushing per contest…Alfred scored TDs on seven of 12 drives against Hartwick and will be facing a Frostburg team that gives up nearly 47 points per game.


Game Notes: Today's game marks the fourth meeting between the Alfred University Saxons and Frostburg State Bobcats, with AU leading the all-time series, 2-1. The last time AU played Frostburg, in 2012 in Alfred, AU won 40-14. The last time the two teams met in Frostburg, the Bobcats came away with a wild 54-53 double-overtime win.


About the Bobcats: Frostburg is 1-5 overall after last weekend's 60-28 loss at Buffalo State, which dropped the Bobcats' Empire 8 Conference record to 0-3.

Frostburg averages 444 yards (251 passing, 193 rushing) of offense and 29.7 points per game. Junior quarterback Ken Emmons lead the Bobcat offense, completing 77 of 151 passes for 1,164 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. Emmons has a trio of productive wide receivers to target, led by junior Antonio Wood, a three-year starter who has 22 catches for 472 yards and five TDs. Sophomore Haydan Roberts has 26 receptions for 413 yards and a score, while sophomore Myles Burgess has 17 catches for 316 yards and four touchdowns.

Junior tailback Mike Fourth leads the team in rushing, with 475 yards on 107 carries with six touchdowns. Emmons (371 yards, three TDs) is the team's second-leading rusher. Fourth's backup, freshman Janai Billips, has run for 208 yards and a pair of scores.

The Bobcat defense has allows close to 500 yard per game (282 passing, 202 rushing). Sophomore inside linebacker Rowan Pinkett leads the team in tackles with 72 (four for loss, 1 ½ sacks), while junior safety Keith Smith has 61 (three for loss). Sophomore cornerback Salaman Riddell has 51 stops to go with an interception and three pass breakups; sophomore safety Marcus Moody has 60 tackles (four for loss) with two pass breakups; and freshman end J.R. Lowery leads the team in tackles for loss (six) and sacks (two).

Sophomore Percy Haskins averages 20.4 yards on kick returns and Roberts 4.7 yards on punt returns. Freshman kicker Isaac Robinson has made his only field goal try and 12 of 16 extra point attempts. Junior Zach Tuckmantel averages 39.3 yards per punt.


About the Saxons: Alfred is 4-2 overall and 2-1 in Empire 8 Conference play after last weekend's 49-28 whipping of visiting Hartwick.

The Saxon offense played well last weekend, churning out 462 yards and scoring touchdowns on seven of 12 drives. To date, AU has produced 377 yards of offense per game (230 passing, 147 rushing).

Freshman quarterback Tyler Johnson has been solid under center since taking over the starting job midway through a Week 3 win at Brockport. He has completed 73 of 124 passes for 937 yards and seven touchdowns (six interceptions). Johnson was efficient against Hartwick, completing 18 of 24 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns. He is also the Saxons' leading rusher, with 293 yards and three touchdowns.

Johnson has no shortage of targets, as four receivers come into Saturday's game with at least a dozen catches and five with at least one TD reception. Senior wide receiver Josh Phillips has 28 catches for 442 yards and three TDs (all team-high marks), while senior wideout Jonathan Ruffin has 19 catches for 363 yards and two scores. Ruffin has been hot of late, combining for 13 catches for 258 yards the last two games. Senior wide receiver David Lee Tack has 12 catches for 143 yards and a TD; sophomore tight end Isiah Young has 15 catches for 174 yards; and senior fullback Chuck Beckwith has two touchdown receptions.

Senior tailback Austin Dwyer (292 yards rushing) leads the team with 10 rushing touchdowns, while senior tailback Tyler DeRosa has 199 yards and one touchdown on the ground.

The Saxon defense allows 355 yards per game (220 passing, 135 rushing). Sophomore middle linebacker Corry Wallace has been outstanding all year, and leads the team in tackles with 70 (four for loss, one sack) while tying for the team lead in interceptions with two. Senior outside linebacker D.J. Welch has 40 tackles and an INT.

Senior end Justin Collen gathered his team-leading third sack last weekend against Hartwick and has 17 tackles on the season. Sophomore tackle Zach Brinkley has 37 tackles; sophomore strong safety Michael Berardi has 30 stops and a fumble recovery; senior safety Seiji Hinton has 28 tackles (5 ½ for loss), an interception and a forced fumble; and sophomore cornerback Calvin Bain has two interceptions and four pass breakups.

Bain averages 23.2 yards on kickoff returns and Ruffin 6.9 yards on punt returns. Freshman kicker Thomas Gioia made all seven PATs last weekend and is 16 of 21 on the season. He has converted two of four field goal tries. Freshman Ryan McDonnell averages 38.7 yards per punt.