Bulldogs, Red Flash meet Saturday at Bulldog Stadium

FULL GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University football team returns to Bulldog Stadium for the second-straight week, welcoming Saint Francis U. for Family and Friends Weekend on Saturday, Oct. 24. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION:
Date: Saturday, Oct. 24
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Listen: WOON 1240 (onworldwide.com)
Watch: NECFrontRow
Stats: Live Stats

Coming off a much-needed victory over Duquesne last Saturday, the Bulldogs (3-3, 1-1 NEC) will face another tough test when the Red Flash (3-2, 1-0) come to Smithfield. Bryant leads the all-time series 5-2 but has won just one of the previous three meetings.

That lone win came last season in Loretto, Pa., as the Black and Gold were able to pull away for a 42-27 victory. Then-sophomore Dalton Easton (Miami, Fla.) completed 16-of-22 passes for 283 yards and a program-record five touchdowns to lead the Bryant offense. One year later, Easton is coming off another outstanding performance in which he threw for a career-high 330 yards. He fell one TD shy of tying his program record, finishing with four scoring passes.

Easton's outing against Duquesne added to what is currently on pace to be the greatest season for a QB in program history. In six games, Easton has thrown for 1,536 yards and 12 touchdowns and is on pace to set single season records for both. His 256 yards per game are the most in the Northeast Conference and he set a program record with his fourth 300-yard game last week.

Bryant's defense stole the show last weekend and showed why it could be one of the top units in the league. Bolstered by the return of junior LB Marquise Watson (Hillside, N.J.), the Bulldogs held the Dukes to just 284 yards of offense and just 86 yards on the ground. Watson posted 10 tackles in his return and the Black and Gold also welcomed back junior DB Charles Wingate (Englewood, N.J.). Wingate helped shutdown the vaunted passing attack that Duquesne brought to Smithfield.

The Bulldogs' defense will have its hands full with one of the best running back combos in the country this weekend. Khairi Dickson, the nation's leading rusher a year ago, was named the NEC Offensive Player of the Year and was an All-American. Marcus Bagley was the NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year a season ago after rushing for 472 yards and seven touchdowns. Both running backs surpassed the century mark last week against Wagner as the Red Flash posted a school-record 628 yards of total offense.

SFU's defense features one of the best players in the entire NEC in Lorenzo Jerome. The junior has posted 35 tackles, two interceptions and is the national leader in kick return yards with over 35 yards per return. Jerome has returned two kicks for touchdowns already this season and posted a 42-yard punt return for a TD last year against the Bulldogs. The Red Flash also ranks sixth in the country in passing yards allowed (152.0).