The Series: Shippensburg leads the all-time series, 36-19-2. It will be the 57th meeting in program history. The two teams met first in 1926 in a 7-0 Shippensburg win at SU. The two teams have met every season since 2008, with Shippensburg moving to the PSAC East.
Last Time against the Raiders: Last season at Seth Grove Stadium, ESU extended its lead to 23-16 late following two field goals from Devin Bartholomew in the fourth quarter. Shippensburg drove possession down the field with just 2:22 to go. With the ball on the ESU 10-yd line, Jacob Keane forced a fumble that was recovered by Deshawn McCarthy, as ESU escaped SU with its first win over the Raiders since 2014. Jake Cirillo and Tahir Mills each scored rushing touchdowns, while Bartholomew converted a 25-yd, 42-yd and 21-yd field goal attempts. The defensive battle featured just over 500 total yards, with ESU leading 259-251 in total offense.
Last Time Out: The Warriors defeated Bloomsburg for the third consecutive season to improve to 7-1 for the first time since 2004 in a 21-16 win for ESU at Eiler-Martin Stadium. The Warriors were able to maintain possession with long drives, rushing for 202 yards on 47 rushes and held possession for 36 minutes compared to just 24 minutes for Bloomsburg. of game clock. ESU QB Sean McTaggart (63 yards), Tahir Mills (63 yards) and Tyriq Lewis (44 yards) combined for 170 yards on the ground. ESU outgained BU, 399-268, had 27 more offensive plays than the Huskies and punted just three times on the afternoon. Both teams' offenses played well on 3rd down, with ESU converting 11-of-18 chances, with Bloomsburg successful on 7-12 attempts.
NCAA Regional Rankings: The NCAA announced on Monday afternoon that ESU was featured in the first NCAA Super Region 1 rankings, which lists 10 teams in alphabetical order. ESU is seeking its fifth overall NCAA Tournament bid and its first since 2009. The regional rankings will be updated each of the next two weeks. All four regions will have seven representatives in the final field of 28 teams, with the top-seed in each region receiving a first-round bye. Other PSAC teams listed in Super Region 1 include California (Pa.), Kutztown, Shepherd and Slippery Rock.
A Look at the Raiders: Shippensburg enters the contest with a 2-6 record, earning a pair of PSAC East wins against Bloomsburg (7-0) and Millersville (13-7). The Raiders rank sixth in the PSAC in scoring defense, but the offense’s 15.5 points per game ranks 15th in the league. Wide receiver Redd Douglas ranks seventh in the PSAC in receiving yards per contest as SU’s top offensive threat.
Recipe for Success: It’s not hard to tell why ESU is off to a 7-1 start this season. ESU has taken a lead first in all eight games this season. The Warriors have been able to maintain long drives, ranking 11th in the nation and second in the PSAC in 3rd down conversion percentage and 16th in the country and first in 4th down conversion percentage (64.3%). ESU’s efficient quarterback room has combined to rank eight hin the country in completion percentage. The Warriors rarely turnover the ball, having lost just one fumble this season and have thrown 22 touchdowns, compared to four interceptions. ESU’s five turnovers ranks fourth in the nation. ESU defense has also caused turnovers at a high rate, ranking 23rd in turnovers gained and fourth in turnover margin. The Warrior rushing defense has been elite, ranking ninth in the country and leads the PSAC, while the rushing offense also paces the country (198.1 yards per game) which ranks 25th in the country.
Best Start Since: The Warriors (7-1) look to start the season with eight wins during the first nine weeks for the first time since 1992, when the Warriors began the season 8-1 before suffering a 3-0 loss to West Chester to close the season with an 8-2 record. ESU also put together an 8-1 season in 1982, before falling to Lehigh 25-7. ESU earned a 24-22 win over Edinboro in the PSAC Championship game the following week. The 1979 season also started with an 8-1 record, closing the season with nine consecutive wins including a dominant 49-4 win over Clarion in the PSAC Championship. ESU’s 7-1 start is its best start through eight weeks since 2004.
Party Like It’s 1991: Over the last two weeks, ESU has defeated West Chester and Bloomsburg, which has not happened in the same season since 1991. Since 1992, Bloomsburg and West Chester have combined for a 46-14 record against ESU
Team | Overall DII Record | In-Region Record |
| Assumption | 5-2 | 5-1 |
| California (Pennsylvania) | 5-2 | 5-2 |
| Charleston (West Virginia) | 6-1 | 6-1 |
| East Stroudsburg | 7-1 | 7-1 |
| Fairmont State | 6-2 | 6-2 |
| Frostburg State | 6-1 | 6-1 |
| Kutztown | 6-2 | 6-2 |
| Shepherd | 7-1 | 7-1 |
| Slippery Rock | 8-0 | 7-0 |
| Tiffin | 8-0 | 8-0 |
Up Next: After facing the Raiders, ESU will head to Shepherd in an important PSAC East clash with potential NCAA postseason implications on the line. ESU and Shepherd will kickoff at Noon in Shepherdstown, W.Va.
