DOYLESTOWN (Pa.) -- The Delaware Valley University football team, ranked inside the top 25 nationally with a 4-1 record, will play its fifth road game of the season on Saturday when it travels to take on the FDU-Florham Devils at 12 p.m.at Robert T. Shields Field in Madison, New Jersey.

The Aggies enter this weekend riding a four-game win-streak and tied atop the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) standings with a perfect 4-0 mark, matched by Lebanon Valley College. 

Fans planning to attend the game on Saturday should read and understand FDU's spectator policy ahead of time: https://fdudevils.com/documents/2023/9/12/Spectator_Policy_-_FDU_Florham_Athletics_.docx

General Admission for the game is $10 while DelVal students with ID, seniors, and children over 12 are $5.

If you cannot make it to the game, you can listen to DelVal's own Gordon Mann on the radio broadcast by clicking here. 

Or, you can watch FDU's live broadcast via MACtv by clicking here: https://gomacsports.tv/fdudevils/

Live stats will be available courtesy of FDU, here: https://fdudevils.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
 

For the third straight week and for the fourth time in six games this season, a familiar variable to the Aggies is expected to rear its head again this weekend as rain is once again in the forecast. DelVal battled through stretches of consistent and heavy rain in week two at Albright, week four at home versus King's, and again last week on the road at Alvernia.

The Aggies were unanimous picks to win the conference for the sixth straight season in the MAC preseason coaches' poll while the Devils were picked tied-fifth with Lebanon Valley. While DelVal has mowed down its first four conference opponents, FDU stands at 1-3. It is worth noting that the Aggies four conference opponents have a combined four wins thus far, while the Devils four conference opponents this season double that number with a combined eight victories. However, in the lone non-conference game this year, DelVal traveled to nationally ranked SUNY-Cortland who is off to a 4-1 start, while FDU played on the road at William Patterson, a 2-3 program at the midpoint of the season. 

Both defenses have identical passing yards per game allowed and each unit has been good enough to rank among the best defenses in Division III, in various categories, this season:

DVU	NCAA RANK	STAT CATEGORY	NCAA RANK	FDU
224.8 ypg against	11th	Total Defense	37th	281.4 ypg against
127.6 ypg against	T-10th	Pass Yds/Game	T-10th	127.6 ypg against
97.8	24th	Pass Eff. Defense	59th	112.46
14 ppg against	28th	Scoring Defense	79th	21.2 ppg against
2.5 ypa against	30th	Rush Yds/Attempt	147th	4.45 ypa against
97.2 ypg against	52nd	Rush Yds/Game	147th	153.8 ypg against
3.6 per game	T-5th	Total Sacks	140th	1.6 per game
.550 opp. pct.	T-13th	Red Zone Defense	3rd	.429 opp. pct.
77	43rd	First Downs Allowed	12th	65

The teams share two common opponents so far through five weeks in Albright and King's. In week two, DelVal defeated Albright on the road, 41-10, and in their lone home game this season the Aggies shutout the Monarchs, 28-0. FDU took on those opponents, both on the road, in the last two weeks and managed just two touchdowns in each game. The Devils snuck by the Lions with a 14-6 win before falling at King's, 17-14.

SCOUTING THE AGGIES

DelVal Football brings its 48-game winning streak against MAC teams with them to this contest. The streak is the longest of its kind in the history of the conference and dates back to October 22, 2016. The Aggies are coming off a 28-12 win at Alvernia a week ago and rank inside the top 25 in both national polls for the 68^th consecutive week. The Aggies are 25^th in the D3football.com top 25 and 24^th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coaches' Poll.

Head Coach Duke Greco '03 and his staff, in their ninth season, are 86-14 (.860) overall and 77-8 (.906) in regular season games.

The defense that fuels the team has allowed just seven points per game and three touchdowns in four conference games this season. One of those scores came on a one play, one yard drive last week against the Golden Wolves after they recovered a fumble on the goal line. Another touchdown came on a 2-yard run after the Aggies committed a pass interference penalty in the end zone while leading 41-3 with six seconds left in the game.

Junior defensive end Jacquez Mabin has 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks as part of his 33 tackles this year. His seven sacks rank fourth in Division III and his two tackles for loss per game is tied 14th. He is joined on the d-line by four other juniors in Shawn Balkcom, Sebastian Montlouis, and Brandon Perot. Balkcom has recorded 22 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

The linebackers are anchored by seniors Nick Chapman and Anthony Puntolillo who each have six tackles for loss to their credit and rank one and two on the team in tackles. Puntolillo had two sacks last week to up his total to 5.5 for the year to go with to forced fumbles and an interception. Junior Ahmad Jones is another linebacker to watch as he had an interception last week and has a forced fumble, three tackles for loss, and a sack this year.

Cornerbacks Micah Bootman and Rafael Torres have nine pass breakups combined and Bootman has two interceptions and a blocked kick. The safetys, Darius Nichols and Dame Smith combine for 40 tackles with two pass breakups apiece. Nichols has two fumble recoveries.

Opponents have converted just 22-of-71 (31%) of third downs and 5-of-14 (35.7%) of fourth downs against DelVal.

Offensively, the Aggies have run the ball 204 times and have 85 pass attempts on the year. The offensive line with senior Matt Christoff, juniors Justin Roman and Will Brandes, and sophomores Dave Casas and A.J. Snowden have paved the way to four-straight 200-yard rushing performances and an average of 203.8 yards per game. Last week, sophomore Jack Fallon ran for a season-high 109 yards and two touchdowns and quarterback Louie Barrios IV got loose for 55 yards. Luan Avdijaj and Kyle Powell are also featured in the ground attack and each found pay dirt last week. All four of those rushers are averaging over four yards per carry, while the team as a whole goes for five yards per carry.

In the passing game, 11 different players have a reception led by senior Ryan Loughlin with 10 catches for 156 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Jasiah Davis has six for 110 yards and a score and Avdijaj has four receptions for 43 yards. First-year Shawn Cullen had his first three collegiate receptions in last week's win at Alvernia.

In the kicking game, first-year Mike Bartley is 1-for-1 on field goals with a make from 38 yards and he is 9-for-9 on PAT kicks. Nick Arcaroli has taken the lead punting duties and averages 36.6 yards per boot while pinning opponents inside their own 20-yard line on 5-of-15 attempts.

 SCOUTING THE DEVILS

Second-year head coach Anthony Van Curen leads the FDU-Florham football program after serving in various roles with the team from 2014-16 and from 2019-22 before being elevated to head coach. In his first season at the helm, he led the team to a 6-5 overall mark and a 4-4 record against the MAC.

This season, the Devils are off to a 2-3 start with a 1-3 mark in league play. They opened conference play against Widener (3-2, 2-2 MAC) where they dropped a 30-20 decision on the road. In week three they hosted Stevenson (4-1, 3-1 MAC) and took a 21-17 lead in the fourth quarter but could not hold on late as the Mustangs added a touchdown for the three-point victory. The last two games saw FDU defeat Albright on the road, 14-6, before surrendering 15 unanswered points on the road at King's and falling, 17-14.

The Devils began last week's game with a pair of impressive first quarter field goals as they connected from 30 and 45 yards to take a 6-0 lead into the second. A nine yard touchdown run by Ryon Thomas gave FDU a 14-0 lead at halftime. However, the Monarchs kept the Devils off the board in the second half and posted a safety and two touchdowns to earn the win.

Through five games, FDU football is averaging 20.4 points per contest and allowing 21.2. The offense takes a run first approach and averages 141.2 yards per game and 3.4 yards per attempt. Sophomore Kwanir Edwards has double the carries of anyone else on the team and averages 112.6 yards per game and 5.4 yards per attempt with six touchdowns. He leads the conference in total rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and has two games this year over 100 yards including a 176-yard performance against Albright. Quarterback Ryon Thomas has been sacked 17 times this year for a total loss of 121 yards. He can be a threat to run as he has a long scamper of 57 yards this year and two rushing touchdowns.

Through the air, Thomas has completed 77-of-114 passes for 158.4 yards per game with four touchdowns and four interceptions. His 67.5-percent completion percentage leads the MAC. Edwards will also be a threat in the passing game as he has 15 receptions out of the backfield for 32.2 yards per game. Junior wideout Aidan Clowry is the leading receiver with 17 catches for 48.4 yards per game and two touchdowns. Anthony Bilotta is a 5-foot-11 junior wide receiver who also has two touchdowns this season and averages 22.8 yards per game on 10 receptions.

Defensively, the Devils surrender 154 yards per game, seventh in the MAC, and will be tasked with shutting down the league's top ground attack this week against DelVal. They have given up over 140 yards on the ground each of the last four weeks and have surrendered five rushing touchdowns in that time. After allowing 188, 199, and 196 yards in three weeks, the unit allowed King's to go for 146 yards and two touchdowns on 42 carries last week.  Against the pass, FDU is allowing 127.6 yards per game with five touchdowns against and they have picked off five passes. 

Sophomore linebacker Ginika Ozurumba leads the team with 32 tackles this season and has 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and two forced fumbles. Sophomore defensive lineman Matt Heineman follows with 29 tackles to go with 4.5 TFL, a sack, an interception and four quarterback hurries. As a team, the Devils only have eight sacks through five games, but they have six interceptions from six different players. 

FDU uses two different place kickers that have combined to go 5-for-7 with two field goals over 40 yards and a long of 45 yards. They have had one kick blocked. As a team, the Devils average 38 yards per punt with five boots over 50 yards and seven landing inside the opponent's 20.