No. 25 Bulldogs tussle with No. 24 Flames Saturday (7p)

FULL GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The No. 25 Bryant University football team travels to Lynchburg, Va., on Saturday to take on No. 24 Liberty at Williams Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 20
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Listen: WOON 1240 (onworldwide.com)
Watch: ESPN3
Stats: Live Stats 

LAST TIME OUT: BULLDOGS STUN 20th-RANKED MAINE
Dalton Easton connected with Chad Ward for a 14-yard touchdown with just 2:04 left to give Bryant a 13-10 victory over the 20th-ranked Black Bears. Easton found Ward for 41 yards to start the drive and then hit him again and Ward made a man miss before diving into the corner of the endzone. Easton finished 23-of-46 for 301 yards and a touchdown, while Ward caught eight passes for 123 yards and a score. The Bulldogs defense held Maine to just 13 first downs and only 277 yards of total offense. It was Bryant's first win over Maine in four tries and their first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 25 Robert Morris in 2010.

SCOUTING THE FLAMES
The reigning co-champs of the Big South, Liberty will be one of the best teams the Bulldogs have played in Division I history. The Flames enter Saturday's contest with a 2-1 record and a No. 24 ranking in the Sports Network FCS poll. Their only loss came in week one to FBS member North Carolina, a game in which the Flames led 22-21 in the third quarter. Last week, Liberty cruised past Brevard, 56-31, in its home opener.

Offensively, the Flames shredded Brevard's defense last week to the tune of 298 rushing yards and 625 yards of total offense. QB Josh Woodrum finished the night 14-of-16 for 327 yards and four scores, while D.J. Abnar rushed for 161 yards on just 13 carries. Through three games, the Flames are averaging 34 points per game, 175 yards on the ground and 241 yards through the air. Woodrum has thrown for 724 yards and five touchdowns, while Abnar is averaging 86 yards per game on the ground. Darrin Peterson leads the team with 14 catches for 347 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Flames are allowing 29 points per game and have already pitched a shutout, a 17-0 blanking of Norfolk St. in week two. Opponents are averaging 253 yards on the ground and 108 yards through the air. Dylan Lewellyn leads the team with 30 tackles, while Dominique Davis and Chima Uzowihe are both tied for the team lead with 3.5 tackles for a loss. Uzowihe leads the team with 2.5 sacks. Liberty has sacked the QB seven times in the first three games and has posted four interceptions.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Tonight's game between Bryant and Liberty will be the first between the two programs. It will be the second time that the Bulldogs and Flames meet in athletics after the baseball programs played a mid-week non-conference game in 2012.

BULLDOGS EARN FIRST NATIONAL RANKING
History was made on Monday afternoon as the Bryant football program entered the national rankings for the first time at the Division I level. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 25 in the FCS Coach's Poll and just missed entering the Sports Network Top 25. The last time Bryant was ranked in football came in 2007 when it started its final DII season with a 7-0 record.

WARD NAMED NEC/ECAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
After tying a career-high in receptions, setting a career-high in receiving yards and scoring the game-winning touchdown on Saturday against Maine, junior Chad Ward has been named the NEC and ECAC Offensive Player of the Week. Ward caught eight passes for 123 yards and a touchdown to earn the first weekly awards of his career. His 14-yard catch with 2:04 left in the game was the difference for the Bulldogs.

DIXON NEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior Aaron Dixon was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Week after making five tackles and two sacks in Bryant's victory over Maine. His second sack of the game helped the Bulldogs get the ball back and start their game-winning drive.

BATTLE OF TOP 25 TEAMS
Tonight's meeting will be a matchup of top 25 teams. Liberty is ranked No. 24 in the most recent Sports Network poll. It is the second-straight week the Bulldogs will face a ranked opponent.