Game Notes: BU Huskies Return To NCAA Playoffs vs. Virginia State at Home Saturday

#14 BLOOMSBURG (10-1) vs. #23 VIRGINIA STATE (10-2)
Saturday, November 29, 2014 - 12:00 noon
Danny Hale Field at Redman Stadium

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GAME COVERAGE
Complete Game Notes (PDF): BLOOMSBURG
Live Radio: WHLM (930 AM / 94.7, 104.3 FM / Berwick: 1280 AM / Danville: 105.5 FM)
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NCAA Playoffs Central

RELATED LINKS

• BLOOMSBURG: Roster  |  Schedule  |  Statistics  |  Media Guide
• VIRGINIA STATE: Roster  |  Schedule  |  Statistics  |  Media Guide

SERIES HISTORY
First meeting.

QUICK SIX
- Bloomsburg is making its 11th appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs and third straight.

- Saturday's game will mark the first time since 2006 that Bloomsburg has played a team from outside the PSAC in the NCAA Playoffs. Bloomsburg lost to Northwest Missouri (33-3) in the 2006 National Semifinals after defeating Shepherd (24-21) in the Regional Final that year. BU has played six straight playoff games vs. PSAC teams since.

- The Huskies are seeking their first NCAA Playoff win since a 28-26 first round victory at California (PA) in 2010.

- Bloomsburg has not lost a game to an opponent outside the PSAC since a 24-14 season-opening loss to Ashland on Sept. 4, 2010.

- PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year Justin Shirk (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin) is on the list of nominees for both the Harlon Hill Trophy and the Cliff Harris Small College Defensive Player of the Year.

- Saturday's winner advances to the Super Region One final vs. the Concord/West Chester winner on Saturday, Dec. 6 at the site of the highest remaining seed.

THE GAME
For the Huskies, the NCAA Playoffs are a familiar place – Bloomsburg is in the playoffs for the third straight season and 11th overall after recording 10 wins for the 10th time in school history. Virginia State, however, is an NCAA Playoff newcomer as the Trojans are making their first entry into the national playoffs.

The teams also enter the game on opposite ends of the spectrum in recent history – while the Huskies are looking to erase the sting of a loss in the PSAC Championship Game at Slippery Rock following 10 straight wins to begin the year, Virginia State opened the year with a pair of losses but enter this week on a 10-game winning streak.

Where both teams are similar is in their ball-hawking defenses. Bloomsburg leads the nation in turnovers generated (39) and Virginia State led the CIAA in interceptions (16). Bloomsburg, meanwhile, paced the PSAC in interceptions with 21.

Both the Huskies and Trojans own run-first mentalities offensively – the Huskies rank third in the PSAC in rushing (228.7 yards/game) and 14th in PSAC passing (160.1 yards/game) while Virginia State likewise does much of its damage on the ground, ranking third in the CIAA at 178.9 yards per game on the ground and ranking next-to-last in the CIAA in passing at 176.3 yards per game through the air.

NUMBERS TO KNOW
> 14 - The Huskies had 14 All-PSAC East selections – most of any team in the conference.

> 18 - The 18 fumbles forced by the Huskies defense are the most by any team in Division II.

> 39 - Bloomsburg's defense has generated 39 turnovers this season, most in Division II, or an average of 3.5 turnovers gained per game. Across all divisions, only Castleton and Wesley of Division III have generated more (43, 41).

> 39 - The Huskies and Trojans have combined for 39 interceptions this season.

> 41% - Bloomsburg opponents are scoring touchdowns on just 41% percent of trips to the red zone this year (11-27).

> 113 - Both the Huskies and Trojans have done much of their damage in the second quarter, each scoring 113 points this season during the second period. Bloomsburg has outscored opponents 113-51 during the second while VSU boasts a 113-63 advantage in the second quarter of games this season.

> 113.9 - Running back Eddie Mateo (Bethlehem/Freedom) is averaging 113.9 yards rushing per game in the nine complete games he has played this year. Mateo missed the Nov. 8 game at Lock Haven and was limited to just six carries on Nov. 15 at Slippery Rock due to injury.

> 293 - Quarterback Tim Kelly (Camp Hill/Cedar Cliff) had a career-high 293 yards passing in the PSAC Championship Game, the most by any Huskies passer since Pat Carey had 311 at Mercyhurst on Nov. 13, 2010.

> 1,114 - The Huskies and Trojans have combined for 1,114 wins all-time – Bloomsburg is 569-436-32 all-time while VSU is 545-349-53.

> 1988 - Bloomsburg has not played a CIAA team since 1988, a 14-6 home win over Norfolk State.

> 1995 - Virginia State has not beaten a team from the PSAC since 1995 (an 81-9 win at Cheyney), playing against PSAC opposition just three times since including a Week 1 loss to California (PA), 33-24, this season.

ABOUT VIRGINIA STATE
• Not only is Virginia State adept at creating turnovers, its defense is dangerous with the ball as well – VSU has scored six defensive touchdowns this season, second-most in the nation behind only Sioux Falls (7).

• The Trojans have also done a good job of limiting mistakes – with just four interceptions thrown on the year, VSU ranks second in the nation in that category.

• VSU opened the season with a pair of losses – 33-24 at PSAC member California (PA) in Week 1 and then a 34-6 home defeat at the hands of last year's national runner-up Lenoir-Rhyne. The Trojans have won 10 straight since, however, including a 21-17 win over Winston-Salem State in the CIAA Championship Game in what was most likely a must-win to get into the NCAA Playoffs.

• Quarterback Tarian Ayres was suspended for the CIAA Championship Game, but returned for last week's NCAA First Round win over LIU Post. Ayers helped the Trojans to a 28-17 home victory, finishing 9-of-21 for 151 yards and one interception. Ayers, who has thrown for 1,978 yards with 14 touchdowns and only four interceptions, also is a threat to run with 305 yards and seven rushing touchdowns on the year. Freshman Niko Johnson named MVP of the CIAA Championship Game replacing Ayers, completing 12-of-19 attempts for 125 yards with 76 yards rushing.

• Like Bloomsburg, VSU has multiple options out of the backfield, though Kavon Bellamy has seen the lion's share of work with 922 yards on 229 carries with 12 touchdowns. Earl Hughes averages 5.4 yards per carry with 491 yards and five touchdowns on 91 attempts while Louis Johnson has carried 77 times for 348 yards and three scores.

•  Kicker Matt Hillquist is 5-for-11 on field goal attempts this season, but has not made a field goal longer than 26 yards. Hillquist has also not attempted a field goal since Nov. 1 vs. Chowan, making both attempts that day.

• VSU has scored touchdowns on 69% of its trips to the red zone this season (35-51).

• This year's conference championship is the first for VSU since 1996.

HUSKIES NCAA PLAYOFF HISTORY
The Huskies are making their 11th appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs including a school-record third straight trip. The Huskies all-time playoff record is 8-10; 5-3 at home and 3-7 on the road.

Bloomsburg is looking for its first NCAA Playoff victory since 2010 at California (PA), a 28-26 win. The Huskies are seeking to snap what is a three-game playoff losing skid.

BACK TO THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
With their 11th entry into the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs, only two PSAC schools have reached the national tournament more - IUP (15, 18-15 record) and West Chester (13, 9-10 record).

MAKING THEIR MARK
This year's senior class has been tremendously successful, recording a 39-7 record over the past four seasons with three NCAA Playoff berths and a PSAC championship to their credit thus far. Already the group is among the winningest in school history - the Class of 2008 posted a  41-8 record from 2005-08 and the Class of 2013 went 39-9 from 2010-13. This year's seniors are also 20-3 at Redman Stadium.

PASSING GAME SHINES AT SRU
Quarterback Tim Kelly (Camp Hill/Cedar Cliff) set career highs in in completions (21), attempts (42) and passing yards (293) in the PSAC Championship Game loss at Slippery Rock on Nov. 15.

It was the first time a Huskies quarterback has had more than 20 completions in a game since Pat Carey did so with 22 at Mercyhurst on Nov. 13, 2010. The 42 pass attempts were also the most by any Huskies quarterback since Eric Miller had 43 at UC Davis on Dec. 2, 2000.

A pair of Kelly's targets also had career days receiving - Lawrence Elliott Jr. (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor) set career bests for receptions (five) and receiving yards (102) while Chad Hoffman (Drums/Hazleton) did likewise with six catches for 84 yards. In the past two games, Hoffman has 11 catches for 165 yards - in the previous nine games, he had 11 receptions for 91 yards.

GREENE BREAKS THE TREND
Slippery Rock running back Shamar Greene became just the second player to rush for over 100 yards against the Huskies this season. Greene's 116 yards on the ground in the PSAC Championship Game were the most by any opponent this year (Brandon Brown-Dukes of Mercyhurst had 102) and the most since Rondell White recorded 211 yards for West Chester on Nov. 3, 2012.

BIG PLAY THREAT
Lawrence Elliott's career receiving day at Slippery Rock was just a continuation of his strong season. Elliott brings a big play ability each time he touches the ball - the true sophomore leads the Huskies with 22 plays of over 30 yards this season.

GROUND AND POUND
The Huskies have had at least 30 rushing attempts in 59 straight games, dating back to Oct. 31, 2009 - a record that nearly was broken in Week 9 of 2013 when Bloomsburg ran exactly 30 times vs. Shippensburg and again in Week 3 of 2014 when the Huskies once again rushed exactly 30 times at Mercyhurst, a 38-22 win.

IN ELITE COMPANY
The run of success for the Huskies over the past 15+ years is nearly unparalleled in college football. Bloomsburg has won seven or more games in 16 consecutive seasons – a streak that is impressive at any level. Only four schools in the divisions of NCAA (FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III) have a longer streak of seven or more victories – Florida State and Virginia Tech in the FBS; Northwest Missouri in Division II and Mount Union in Division III. The 16-year streak is also a PSAC record, surpassing the previous mark of 13 straight years set by IUP from 1984-1996.

RUNNING TO DAYLIGHT
Entering this week's game, Bloomsburg has an on-going streak of 42 straight games with at least one rushing touchdown – the last time the Huskies failed to run for a score came on Sept. 15, 2011 at IUP.

CONTINUITY UP FRONT
This year's offensive line has continued a long tradition of Huskies excellence up front. Four members of the line were named All-PSAC East - Christian Whiteside(Broomall/Marple Newtown) to the first team and Ryan Geiger (Southampton/La Salle),Dakota Hoagland (Shoemakersville/Hamburg) and John Garland (Hatfield/North Penn)to the second team. The starting five has not missed a start all season.

COURTESY BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY HUSKIES SPORTS INFORMATION