Henrico Times

Colonial Athletic Association issued the following announcement on Sept. 23

Elon and William & Mary, the only two teams to have not played a conference game this season, go head-to-head in the lone CAA Football matchup this Saturday. The Phoenix rank 2nd in the CAA in passing offense (268.7 ypg), while the Tribe defense has given up just 10 points in the past two weeks.

Five of the seven games on Saturday's scheduled are against FBS foes as Villanova faces #6 Penn State, Richmond goes to Virginia Tech, New Hampshire visits Pitt, Maine meets Northern Illinois and Towson travels to San Diego State. CAA teams are 0-5 vs. the FBS thus far this season. Stony Brook hosts local rival Fordham in the only FCS non-conference contest of the week. 

Here's a preview of the Week 4 schedule.

FOUR CAA TEAMS OFF TO 3-0 STARTS: Four CAA teams - JMU, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Villanova - are off to 3-0 starts this season. No other FCS league has more than two squads (Big Sky) that are 3-0, and the only FBS conferences with at least four 3-0 squads are the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC.

CAA TEAMS GO 5-1 IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY LAST WEEK: CAA Football teams went 5-1 against non-conference foes in Week 3. For the season, the CAA is 16-3 vs. FCS non-conference competition. The 16 wins against FCS foes trails only the MVFC (17-2).

FIVE TEAMS RANKED IN FCS TOP 25 POLLS: Five CAA Football teams are ranked in this week's Stats Perform and AFCA Coaches FCS Top 25 polls. James Madison is #2 in the AFCA poll and #3 in the Stats rankings while Delaware is ranked #8 by Stats and #11 by the AFCA. Villanova moved up to #7 in the AFCA poll and #11 in the Stats poll, Richmond is #21 in the AFCA poll and #24 in the Stats rankings and New Hampshire is ranked #21 by Stats and #22 by the AFCA. Rhode Island was the top team receiving votes in both polls.

RATKE SETS FCS CAREER POINTS AND FIELD GOALS RECORDS: JMU's Ethan Ratke has broken the FCS records for career points by a kicker (430) and career field goals (78) this season. Montana's Dan Carpenter previously held both marks (413 points and 75 FG's). Ratke set the CAA record for FG's in a season with 27 in 2019, and broke the league's career mark of 64 set by Towson's Aidan O'Neill last spring. Ratke, who was 14-for-14 on field goals last spring and is 6-for-6 in 2021, has hit a field goal in 24 straight games.

MAINE'S CARR EARNS NATIONAL HONOR: Maine defensive back Rich Carr was named the National FCS Special Teams Player of the Week by Stats Perform after blocking two extra points that were returned for two points in a win over Merrimack. Carr took the second one back 95 yards as the Black Bears became just the third team in FCS history to tally two defensive extra points in a game. Carr joined UNH's Pop Bush (FCS Defensive Player of the Week - Sept. 6) and JMU's Ethan Ratke (FCS Special Teams Player of the Week - Sept. 13) as national award winners from Stats Perform this season.

UAlbany

•    Dropped a 62-24 decision at ACC member Syracuse last Saturday.

•    Christian Lewis intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for a TD at Syracuse, pulling UAlbany with 14-10 in the first quarter.

•    Reserve QB Joey Carino guided a pair of scoring drives in the 4th quarter at SU with a 2-yard TD run and a 5-yard TD pass to Kristen McAdams.

•    Roy Alexander made 3 receptions for 21 yards at SU. He leads the Great Danes with 11 catches for 188 yards and has made at least 3 receptions in all three games.

•    RB Karl Mofor and QB Jeff Undercuffler were both named to the CFPA National Performer of the Year Watch List for 2021.

•    Jackson Ambush leads UA with 25 tackles over the first three games.

•    Larry Walker, Jr. had eight tackles and his first career interception at Syracuse. He's 2nd on the team with 22 stops this season.

Delaware

•    Fell 45-13 at Big Ten member Rutgers last Saturday.

•    Dejoun Lee ran for a season-high 127 yards on 15 carries at RU, including a 71-yard run that set up the Hens' first touchdown. He leads UD in rushing with 244 yards.

•    Nolan Henderson has passed for 613 yards and 4 TD's with no interceptions this season. He has a TD pass in all three games.

•    Brett Buckman led the Hens with a career-high 4 catches for 57 yards at Rutgers.

•    Ryan Coe matched his career-high with a 53-yard field goal at Rutgers and also made a 41-yard FG. He's a perfect 6-for-6 on field goals this season.

•    The Blue Hens haven't committed a turnover this season while forcing five. UD was a CAA-best +11 in TO margin last spring.

•    Joe Zubillaga recorded eight tackles at Rutgers, doubling his season total. Kedrick Whitehead also made 8 stops at RU.

Elon

•    Suffered a 44-10 setback at Appalachian State last Saturday.

•    Davis Cheek passed for 225 yards at ASU and is one of seven FCS QB's to throw for at least 225 yards in all three games this season. He's 3rd in career pass yards (6,430) and TD passes (38) at Elon.

•    Jackson Parham made a team-high 5 catches for 83 yards at ASU. Parham, Chandler Brayboy and Kortez Weeks all have at least 14 receptions for over 150 yards in 2021.

•    Marcus Hillman forced a pair of fumbles at ASU, one near the end zone that took away a TD and the other on a strip sack.

•    Shamari Wingard broke up three passes at ASU and ranks 2nd in the CAA with 1.7 PBU's per game.

•    Jeff Yurk averaged 40.5 yards on 8 punts at ASU, and placed four inside the 20.

•    Skyler Davis kicked a 46-yard FG, which was his 3rd FG of 40+ yards this season. His 38 career FG's rank 4th at EU.

James Madison

•    Stayed undefeated after a 37-24 victory at 9th-ranked Weber State.

•    Cole Johnson passed for 166 yards and 2 TD's and also ran for a score at WSU. He ranks 2nd in FCS in pass efficiency.

•    Antwane Wells, Jr. caught 8 passes for 76 yards and 2 TD's at WSU. He leads the CAA in receptions and receiving yards and is 2nd in FCS with five receiving TD's.

•    JMU ranks 2nd in FCS in scoring (53.3 ppg) and 7th in total offense (519.3 ypg).

•    JMU's defense is allowing just 36.7 ypg on the ground. The Dukes held Morehead State to -57 yards rushing in the opener.

•    Ethan Ratke owns the FCS career record for points by a kicker (430) and FG's in a career (78). He hit three FG's from 40+ yds at WSU and has made a FG in 24 straight games.

•    JMU ranks 9th in FCS in total defense (238.7 ypg) and 13th in scoring defense (13.7 ppg).

•    Josh Sarratt returned a fumble 88 yards for a TD in the win over Weber State.

Maine

•    Edged Merrimack, 31-26, to earn their first win of the season last week.

•    QB Derek Robertson passed for 141 yards and a TD in his first career start vs. MC.

•    Elijah Barnwell rushed for a career-high 78 yards on 17 carries vs. MC and scored the first touchdown of his career.

•    Devin Young averaged 27.6 yards on 5 kick returns vs. MC and also caught 2 passes. He leads Maine with 12 receptions.

•    Rich Carr blocked two extra points vs. MC and returned one of them 95 yards for a defensive extra point.

•    DB Fofie Bazzie recorded a career-high 13 tackles vs. MC and has made 23 stops in the past two games.

•    Maine's defense forced four turnovers vs. MC, including interceptions by Ray Miller and Abdul Stewart.

•    The Black Bears were just the 3rd team in FCS history to record two defensive extra points in a game vs. Merrimack.

New Hampshire

•    Improved to 3-0 with a 19-13 triumph at Lafayette last Saturday.

•    Bret Edwards was 22-of-37 passing for 249 yards and 2 TD's at LC. He ranks 19th in FCS in pass efficiency, has completed 67% of his passes and has 7 TD's with 0 interceptions.

•    Brian Espanet had 6 catches for 57 yards and 2 TD's at Lafayette. He has a team-high four TD receptions in three games.

•    Dylan Laube had 222 all-purpose yards vs. LC, including a team-high 79 yards and a TD rushing. He ranks third in FCS in all-purpose yardage (169.3 ypg).

•    Gunner Gibson recorded 1.5 sacks at LC and ranks 2nd in the CAA with 3.5 sacks.

•    UNH held LC to 233 total yards, with just 41 coming on the ground. The Wildcats rank among the top 31 in FCS in rush defense, scoring defense and total defense.

•    Head coach Sean McDonnell earned his 100th regular-season win in conference play vs. Towson, which ranks 3rd all-time.

Rhode Island

•    Off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2005 after beating rival Brown, 45-24.

•    Kasim Hill was 13-of-19 passing for 320 yards and 3 TD's and also ran for a TD vs. Brown. He ranks 8th in FCS in passing efficiency and 20th in total offense.

•    Justice Antrum had one TD rushing and one receiving vs. Brown. He leads URI with 227 rushing yards and has 5 total TD's in 2021.

•    TE Caleb Warren set career-high with 5 catches for 105 yards and a TD vs. Brown.

•    URI ranks 21st in FCS in scoring offense (35.7 ppg) and 33rd in total offense.

•    C.J. Carrick has 225 career points, which is the most by a kicker in school history.

•    Jordan Jones intercepted a pass and returned it 100 yards for a TD vs. Brown.

•    Evan Stewart had a career-high 12 tackles vs. Brown, while Andre Blackett had six stops and an interception. Stewart (24) and Blackett (19) lead URI in tackles for the year.

Richmond

•    Fell 34-27 at Villanova in their CAA opener last week.

•    Joe Mancuso passed for 244 yards and 2 TD's at VU. He's completing 62% of his throws and has two TD passes in all 3 games this season and 6 of his last 7 contests.

•    Aaron Dykes returned the 2nd-half kickoff 98 yards for a TD at VU and tied the UR career mark for KOR TD's (3). He's also the Spiders leading rusher with 166 yards.

•    Isaac Brown caught a 28-yard TD pass at VU. He leads the Spiders wth 12 catches for 193 yards and 2 TD's.

•    Tyler Dressler topped UR with 11 tackles at VU and has a team-high 25 stops for the season.

•    VMI transfer A.J. Smith tallied 10 tackles and a TFL at VU, which were his most stops as a Spider.

•    Jake Larson made a pair of FG's at VU and is 4-of-5 on the season. His 25 career FG's rank 6th all-time at UR.

Stony Brook

•    Dropped a 48-7 decision at Pac 12 power Oregon last week.

•    Ty Son Lawton rushed for a team-high 53 yards on 15 carries at Oregon, including a 5-yard TD run that pulled SBU within 10-7. He tops SBU with 229 rush yards and 3 TD's.

•    Tyquell Fields passed for 131 yards at Oregon. He's averaging 203.3 yards of total offense through three games.

•    Stony Brook ranks 3rd in the CAA and 36th in FCS in rushing offense with 178.0 ypg after tallying 140 yards at Oregon.

•    LB Tyler King recorded a career-high 12 tackles, 3.0 TFL's and a sack at Oregon. He's 2nd on the team in tackles (23) and tied for first in TFL's (4.5) for the season.

•    The Seawolves are allowing just 117.0 ypg on the ground and held Colgate to 52 yards in a road victory.

•    Carthell Flowers had nine tackles at Oregon. He's tied for the team lead in TFL's (4.5) and sacks (1.5) and has 22 total stops.

Towson

•    Lost 35-7 to FCS power North Dakota State in their home opener.

•    Jerry Howard, Jr. ran for a team-high 45 yards and a TD vs. NDSU and also caught 4 passes for 27 yards. He leads the Tigers with 187 rushing yards for the season.

•    D'Ago Hunter made a team-best 5 receptions for 36 yards vs. NDSU and added another 96 yards on returns. He leads the CAA in punt return average (11.8).

•    Towson had nine different players with a reception vs. NDSU. Chris Ferguson passed for 165 yards with no interceptions.

•    Safety SJ Brown recorded a career-high 16 tackles and an interception vs. the Bison. He ranks 2nd in the CAA with 29 stops.

•    LB Christian Dixon added 9 tackles against NDSU and is second on the team with 16 stops for the season.

•    Towson had its second-highest crowd (9,109) since 2015 vs. NDSU.

Villanova

•    Scored 21 points in the final 5:01 to rally past Richmond, 34-27, last week.

•    Dan Smith threw for 350 yards and 2 TD's and also ran for 2 TD's vs. UR. He's 12th in FCS in pass efficiency (168.0) and is 2nd in the CAA with 8 TD passes.

•    Justin Covington ran for 92 yards against UR. He leads the CAA and is 11th in FCS in rushing (102.5 ypg).

•    VU has generated at least 334 yards of total offense in its past 23 games. VU is 19th in FCS in total offense and 8th in scoring.

•    Jaaron Hayek made a career-high 8 catches for 127 yards vs. UR, including a game-tying 44-yard TD catch with 2:02 remaining.

•    VU ranks 3rd in FCS in rush defense (29.3 ypg), 8th in scoring defense (11.0 ppg) and 2nd in total defense (184.7 ypg).

•    The Wildcats have forced 11 turnovers this season, including 8 interceptions, and lead the league in TO margin (+8). Christian Benford tops the CAA with 4 interceptions.

William & Mary

•    Defeated Colgate 27-7 on the road last week for their second straight victory.

•    W&M's defense held Colgate scoreless for three quarters and has only allowed 10 points over the past two games.

•    W&M has limited opponents to 259.0 ypg over the past two weeks. The Tribe ranks 3rd in FCS with 13 sacks.

•    Gage Herdman intercepted two passes at Colgate and has 3 int. in the last 2 games.

•    W&M rushed for 331 yards at Colgate, which was its 2nd-highest total in a game since 2009.

•    Donavyn Lester ran for a career-high 117 yards on only 12 carries at Colgate, including a 74-yard TD run.

•    Freshman QB Darius Wilson passed for 125 yards and ran for 59 yards and a TD at CU.

•    W&M has won 37 of its last 39 games against non-conference FCS opponents during the regular season.

Original source can be found here.