University of New Hampshire Athletics
Senior captain Isiah Perkins and the defense will be put to the test at JMU.
Photo by: Helene Bartsch
11/7/2019 4:34:00 PM | Football, UNH Insider
DURHAM, N.H. – The University of New Hampshire football team regrouped and rallied to earn itself one huge win last weekend.
Now the Wildcats go looking for an even tastier triumph.
Interim head coach Ricky Santos leads his group into Harrisonburg, Va., on Saturday to take on James Madison University, one of the hottest teams in the country and a team that has solidly clung to the No. 2 spot in the STAS FCS poll behind only powerful North Dakota State since day one of the season.
The Dukes are 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association. UNH is 5-3 overall and 4-1 in the league and moved back into the rankings at No. 23 this week after a 28-20 win at home over No. 11 Villanova.
Much is at stake come 3:30 Saturday afternoon in Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Va.
"With a situation like this, you've just got to tell them to focus on this game," senior captain and cornerback Isiah Perkins said when asked his message to the younger players on the team. "Everyone knows what's on the line this game. You don't have to harp on it too much."
With three games remaining in the regular season the Wildcats have put themselves squarely in the hunt for a berth in the FCS tournament with five wins in their last six games.
After JMU, they play at the University at Albany on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. and then return home to close out the regular season against Maine on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. in Wildcat Stadium.
The team will celebrate Senior Day and the Battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket against Maine. The Border Battle contest against the Black Bears is presented by Buffalo Wild Wings. Group tickets, with an option featuring all-you-can-eat barbecue seating in the Touchdown Tents adjacent to the south end zone, and individual tickets are available for the Maine game. Group tickets start at $9. Tickets are available by CLICKING HERE or by calling 603-862-4000.
Seedings and the bracket for the 24-team FCS playoffs will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 12:30 on ESPNU.
Eight teams receive seeds and byes for the first round of the tournament that starts Saturday, Nov. 30.
"For JMU, obviously, they have the eight wins," Perkins said. "They're looking at it like maybe we could secure our seed for sure. Us, we're trying to get into the playoffs with three games left. You've just got to tell (our guys) don't look at the websites, don't look at anything, any of the predictions. Just worry about this game and this moment right here because really it's in our hands to compete for it."
The task is formidable.
James Madison leads the Colonial Athletic Association and is among national leaders in numerous statistical categories including scoring average (38.9 points per game), points allowed (16.1), rushing offense (238 yards per game), rushing defense (67.3 yards allowed) and both total offense (463.1 yards per game) and defense (289.9 yards allowed).
"Where do you begin?" Santos said. "They don't really have a weakness. I think first and foremost both sides of the line are really good for them. They're a big, physical imposing offensive line. They run the football well. Their game-plan is going to be to control the clock. They've won the time of possession in almost every game they've played. We've got to stop the run against them first and foremost. Then their defensive line is very dynamic. Their two defensive ends, are one and two in the conference in tackles for loss."
UNH's offensive line will need to give freshman quarterback Max Brosmer time and space to work.
The Wildcats were down 20-7 at halftime against Villanova last week and they got rolling in the second half. The defense pitched a shutout the rest of the way and Brosmer was 10-for-10 passing in the half with a pair of TD throws to redshirt freshman running back Dylan Laube out of the backfield.
For the game, Brosmer had a career high 25 completions (on 32 attempts) for a career-best 276 yards and career-best three touchdowns.
"JMU is going to play a lot of man-to-man," Santos said. "They're going to pressure us. Max will have to do a great job getting the ball out of his hand and understanding where the pressure's coming from."
Last year, the Dukes came to Durham on Nov. 3 as the No. 3 team in the country and piled up lots of yardage and played good defense.
But the UNH defense came up with six turnovers and a pair of defensive touchdowns – one a 75-yard return of an interception by Evan Horn, now a junior safety – and pulled off a 38-24 upset. It was JMU's last regular season loss to an FCS opponent.
Last year, the Wildcats had a 2-6 overall record and were 1-4 in the league when they took on the Dukes.
This time, they're gunning for a CAA title and to get back into the FCS playoffs.
"In the beginning, a lot of people didn't know what we were going to be, how we were going to be," Perkins said. "A slow start and we slowly got our momentum back. We feel like we still haven't had a complete game yet and we're looking forward to going down there and trying to get that first complete game that we know we're capable of. You saw a glimpse of it in the second half against 'Nova."
HOME AGAIN
WILDCAT NOTES
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
Now the Wildcats go looking for an even tastier triumph.
Interim head coach Ricky Santos leads his group into Harrisonburg, Va., on Saturday to take on James Madison University, one of the hottest teams in the country and a team that has solidly clung to the No. 2 spot in the STAS FCS poll behind only powerful North Dakota State since day one of the season.
The Dukes are 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association. UNH is 5-3 overall and 4-1 in the league and moved back into the rankings at No. 23 this week after a 28-20 win at home over No. 11 Villanova.
Much is at stake come 3:30 Saturday afternoon in Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Va.
"With a situation like this, you've just got to tell them to focus on this game," senior captain and cornerback Isiah Perkins said when asked his message to the younger players on the team. "Everyone knows what's on the line this game. You don't have to harp on it too much."
With three games remaining in the regular season the Wildcats have put themselves squarely in the hunt for a berth in the FCS tournament with five wins in their last six games.
After JMU, they play at the University at Albany on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. and then return home to close out the regular season against Maine on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. in Wildcat Stadium.
The team will celebrate Senior Day and the Battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket against Maine. The Border Battle contest against the Black Bears is presented by Buffalo Wild Wings. Group tickets, with an option featuring all-you-can-eat barbecue seating in the Touchdown Tents adjacent to the south end zone, and individual tickets are available for the Maine game. Group tickets start at $9. Tickets are available by CLICKING HERE or by calling 603-862-4000.
Seedings and the bracket for the 24-team FCS playoffs will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 12:30 on ESPNU.
Eight teams receive seeds and byes for the first round of the tournament that starts Saturday, Nov. 30.
"For JMU, obviously, they have the eight wins," Perkins said. "They're looking at it like maybe we could secure our seed for sure. Us, we're trying to get into the playoffs with three games left. You've just got to tell (our guys) don't look at the websites, don't look at anything, any of the predictions. Just worry about this game and this moment right here because really it's in our hands to compete for it."
The task is formidable.
James Madison leads the Colonial Athletic Association and is among national leaders in numerous statistical categories including scoring average (38.9 points per game), points allowed (16.1), rushing offense (238 yards per game), rushing defense (67.3 yards allowed) and both total offense (463.1 yards per game) and defense (289.9 yards allowed).
"Where do you begin?" Santos said. "They don't really have a weakness. I think first and foremost both sides of the line are really good for them. They're a big, physical imposing offensive line. They run the football well. Their game-plan is going to be to control the clock. They've won the time of possession in almost every game they've played. We've got to stop the run against them first and foremost. Then their defensive line is very dynamic. Their two defensive ends, are one and two in the conference in tackles for loss."
UNH's offensive line will need to give freshman quarterback Max Brosmer time and space to work.
The Wildcats were down 20-7 at halftime against Villanova last week and they got rolling in the second half. The defense pitched a shutout the rest of the way and Brosmer was 10-for-10 passing in the half with a pair of TD throws to redshirt freshman running back Dylan Laube out of the backfield.
For the game, Brosmer had a career high 25 completions (on 32 attempts) for a career-best 276 yards and career-best three touchdowns.
"JMU is going to play a lot of man-to-man," Santos said. "They're going to pressure us. Max will have to do a great job getting the ball out of his hand and understanding where the pressure's coming from."
Last year, the Dukes came to Durham on Nov. 3 as the No. 3 team in the country and piled up lots of yardage and played good defense.
But the UNH defense came up with six turnovers and a pair of defensive touchdowns – one a 75-yard return of an interception by Evan Horn, now a junior safety – and pulled off a 38-24 upset. It was JMU's last regular season loss to an FCS opponent.
Last year, the Wildcats had a 2-6 overall record and were 1-4 in the league when they took on the Dukes.
This time, they're gunning for a CAA title and to get back into the FCS playoffs.
"In the beginning, a lot of people didn't know what we were going to be, how we were going to be," Perkins said. "A slow start and we slowly got our momentum back. We feel like we still haven't had a complete game yet and we're looking forward to going down there and trying to get that first complete game that we know we're capable of. You saw a glimpse of it in the second half against 'Nova."
HOME AGAIN
- UNH plays its final game of the regular season at home against Maine on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m.
- Group tickets, including all-you-can-eat barbecue end zone seating in the Touchdown Tents, and individual tickets for the Maine are available by calling 603-862-4000 or at www.unhwildcats.com.
- Group tickets start at $9.
- The Maine game is also Senior Day and the battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket.
- The Border Battle games of UNH vs. Maine are presented this year by Buffalo Wild Wings.
- Buffalo Wild Wings steps up to make sure Wildcat fans have the ultimate place to watch the games, eat wings, and get rewarded at select New Hampshire restaurants when the Wildcats win.
- Visit UNHWildcats.com/borderbattle for details and participating locations.
WILDCAT NOTES
- James Madison is coming off a bye week.
- The Dukes have the best record in the CAA at 5-0.
- UNH and Richmond are each 4-1 in the league.
- Albany is 3-2 in league play.
- Villanova and Elon are 3-3 in the CAA.
- Stony Brook, Towson, Delaware and Maine are all 2-3 in the league.
- JMU senior Ben DiNucci has completed 149 of his 220 passes (67.7 percent) for 1,951 yards.
- He has passed for 15 touchdowns and been intercepted four times.
- JMU defensive end Ron'Dell Carter leads the CAA with 17.5 tackles for a loss.
- Fellow DE John Daka is second with 16 tackles for a loss, including nine sacks.
- Brosmer has completed 128 of his 224 passes (57.1 percent) for 1,483 yards.
- He has 10 touchdown passes with nine interceptions.
- Sophomore wide recover Brian Espanet has five of UNH's 10 touchdown catches.
- Laube has three.
- Sophomore Carlos Washington Jr. has three of UNH's six rushing TDs.
- Junior Jason Hughes has converted 12 of his 15 field attempts.
- UNH has six receivers with 15 or more catches.
- Senior Malik Love leads the group with 29 catches for 326 yards.
- Horn leads the defense with 51 tackles and sophomore defensive back Pop Bush has 50.
- Horn leads the team with four interceptions.
- Senior cornerback Prince Smith Jr. has three.
- Santos was named interim head coach Aug. 26 when Sean McDonnell took a leave of absence to deal with health issues.
- Santos was the quarterbacks coach at Columbia the last three seasons.
- A former UNH assistant coach, he rejoined the Wildcats last winter as associate head coach and quarterbacks coach.
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
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