Football faces Wagner on Saturday

BULLDOG FOOTBALL HEADS TO STATEN ISLAND TO FACE WAGNER

GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Winless over its first four games of the season, the Bryant University football team will return to the site of its first-ever Division I victory on Saturday, Sept. 29, to try and turn things around. The Bulldogs will head to Staten Island, N.Y., to face Wagner at 1:00 p.m. this weekend.

THE GAME

The Bulldogs (0-4, 0-2 NEC) and the Seahawks (1-3, 1-1 NEC) will meet for the fifth time on Saturday. Bryant leads the all-time series 3-1, picking up a 30-28 victory last season on Homecoming and Reunion Weekend. Saturday's game will take place at recently named Walt Hameline Field at Wagner College Stadium after longtime head coach and athletic director Walt Hameline.

THE SERIES

Bryant has won three of the four meetings between the two teams, including a 24-14 victory in 2008 that marked the first victory over a Division I school in program history. The Bulldogs have also posted 6-2 and 30-28 victories over Wagner. The Seahawks downed the Black and Gold 29-21 during the 2010 season.

WAGNER TIES

Bryant has two ties to the Wagner College football program, athletic director Bill Smith and associate head football coach Greg Gigantino. Smith was as an assistant coach under Hameline from 1990-92, working with the defense. Gigantino, on the other hand, graduated from Wagner in 1977 and was a member of the Seahawk football team.

SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS

Wagner is coming off an impressive 31-13 victory over Central Connecticut last weekend on national TV. The Seahawks are led by senior quarterback Nick Doscher and junior running back Dominique Williams. Williams rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns against the Blue Devils. Two of Wagner's three losses have come by four points or less.

BULLDOG BITES

Bryant hasn't lost five consecutive games since the 2009 season.

Jordan Brown (Glastonbury, Conn.) just became Bryant's all-time leading rusher last weekend and needs just one rushing touchdown to break the program record in that category.

A freshman has led the Bulldogs in tackles each of the last two weeks; Aaron Dixon (Danbury, Conn.) and Charles Wingate (Englewood, N.J.). That hadn't happened in the Division I era.

The Bulldogs are currently -6 in turnover margin, throwing seven interceptions and losing three fumbles. They have collected one interception and recovered three fumbles.

Bryant leads the NEC in kickoff coverage, posting a net yardage of 43.2. Freshman kicker Dom Kozlowski (Westford, Mass.) leads the league with six touchbacks.

UP NEXT

The Bulldogs will return home next weekend to host preseason favorite Albany. The game will be broadcast live on Fox College Sports, ESPN3, Cox (RI) and Time Warner Cable (Albany). Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.