DAYTON -- The University of Dayton football team, 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the Pioneer Football League, takes to the road Sautrday to visit Jacksonville. JU is 2-2 and 1-0 in the PFL. Game time is 12 noon ET.
Dayton is coming off an impressive 51-27 win over Morehead State last week. UD nearly had three players rush for more than MSU did as a team.
Tucker Yinger ran for 193 yards, Jared Ruffin had 186 net with three TD's, and
Alex Jeske added 83. The Dayton D held the Eagles to 106 yards.
RS senior kicker
William Will was named FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week after setting two UD records, tying the PFL career field goal mark and matching his career long 49-yard field goal.
UD's 22–man senior class includes 15 fifth-year players. Captains Chris Beaschler,
Ian Palin and
Shane Toub are all redshirt seniors.
GOOD NEWS WORTH REPEATING
The Flyers entered the season with the 4th-best winning percentage (.757, 134-43) in FCS football since 2000 AND have produced the most football Academic All-Americans (23) at any level of competition in the same time frame. The top five are Harvard (.805), Montana (.766), North Dakota State (.761), Dayton (.757) and San Diego (.705).
STREAKING
UD has not been shut out in a school-record 449 straight games, the best such active string in all of college football. The last team to shut out the Flyers was Marshall, 9-0, on Oct. 16, 1976. That is also the all-time FCS record.
PFL POWER
• The Pioneer Football League is in its 24th season. The original (and now the only) Division I strictly need-based football league began with charter members Butler, Dayton, Drake, Evansville, San Diego and Valparaiso.
• In this year's preseason coaches poll, UD was predicted to finish second in the PFL in a tight race that separated Dayton and San Diego by one point. (95-94). However, UD received six first-place votes, while the USD had five.
• UD's 105-33 record is the best in PFL history.
TUCKER'S TOUCHES
• Despite starting only five games after
Connor Kacsor's career-ending injury last year,
Tucker Yinger led UD in rushing yardage (731 yards) and yards per carry (6.1).
• He was also fourth in the PFL and the only freshman in the top 10.
• He had 237 yards on against Marist.
• Yinger started the season opener, but was injured in the first half. He missed the Robert Morris and Duquesne games (injury), and came off the bench for nine carries and 35 yards at USD.
• in the last two game, the only two this season he has started and finished, he has run for 172 yards (Drake) and 193 yards (MSU).
• If Yinger had enough games to qualify, he would be second in the PFL in rushing (113.2).
• In league games only, he leads the PFL by 10 yards (133.3).
RUFFING READY
• RS sophomore
Jared Ruffing exploded for a career high 186 yards (20 carries, 3 TD) in the Morehead State win.
• After moving back to running back from receiver three games ago due to Injuries, Ruffing had a total of 59 yards going into MSU.
• His five touchdowns lead the team (tied with
Alex Jeske).
HITTING THE SLOPES
• True freshman
Ryan Skibinski has 19 catches already this season, the Flyer single-season freshman record.
• Skibinski's three catches for 23 yards in his debut were the most catches in a true freshman's first game
• Skibinski had another five receptions (for 71 yards) in the RMU win.
• He led UD with seven catches for 72 yards at Duquesne.
• Skibinski was injured early in the San Diego game and did not play vs. Drake, but came back with three for 55 vs. Morehead State.
• His 19 receptions lead UD this year.
MAJOR FACTOR
• Of the 112 players on the UD football team, 57 are enrolled in the School of Business. 30 major in Engineering, and another six are pre-med majors.
UP NEXT
• Dayton remains on the road next week.
• UD is at Butler on Saturday, Oct. 22. Game time is 1 p.m. ET.
• The Flyers' next home game is Oct. 29 when Stetson visits Welcome Stadium for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff.
