Bryant football opens NEC play against defending champs Saturday at home

GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University football team opens Northeast Conference play this Saturday at Beirne Stadium against defending league champion Saint Francis U. Kickoff between the Bulldogs and Red Flash is scheduled for 1:00 p.m on Family and Friends Weekend.

The Particulars

Opponent: Saint Francis U (3-2, 1-0 NEC)

Location: Beirne Stadium | Smithfield, R.I.

Kickoff: 1:00 p.m.

Watch Live: NEC FrontRow

Listen Live: WOON 1240 or onworldwide.com

Live Stats: Sidearm

Series History

• Bryant and SFU will be meeting for the 10th time on Saturday.
• The Bulldogs hold a 6-3 lead in the series but the Red Flash have three of the last five meetings.
• SFU earned a 38-3 victory last season in Loretto, holding the Bulldogs to just 158 yards of total offense and -9 rushing yards.
• Bryant is 3-1 against the Red Flash in Smithfield

Bulldog Notes and Notables

• The Bulldogs are 31-25 against NEC opponents since playing a full league schedule in 2009 (eight years).
• Bryant has gone .500-or-better in league games in each of those eight years, including a 4-2 mark last fall.
• The Black and Gold are 5-3 in NEC openers during that span.
• Bryant ranks eighth nationally in total offense (484.3) and 16th nationally in first downs (126).
• The Bulldogs have never ranked inside the top 50 nationally in total offense in their previous nine years at the DI level.
• Redshirt junior Price Wilson (Marietta, Ga.) leads the NEC and ranks third nationally with 354.3 passing yards per game. He also ranks sixth nationally with 340.4 yards of total offense per game.
• Redshirt sophomore Jean Constant (Delray Beach, Fla.) has done a little bit of everything, ranking third nationally with 161.60 all-purpose yards per game. He has recorded over 100 all-purpose yards in all five games, including 200 in the opener vs. Merrimack.
• Junior Thomas Costigan (Stamford, Conn.) ranks third nationally with 1.20 sacks per game this season. He has six total sacks and now ranks eighth all-time at Bryant with 15.0.

A bit about the Red Flash

• Saint Francis U won its first NEC title last fall, earning the league's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.
• The Red Flash earned a monumental win two weeks ago when they defeated Liberty, a team transitioning to the FBS, 13-7.
• SFU lives off of its defense, ranking first in the country in turnover margin (+2.40), third nationally in scoring defense (11.6) and 27th nationally in total defense (316.8).
• Ben Bruni and Sean Orsini lead the team with 37 tackles each, while Da'Jon Lee has three sacks.
• Houston (FBS) transfer Bear Fenimore is the starting QB and has completed 62 percent of his passes for 1,132 yards, 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
• All-American and reigning NEC Offensive Player of the Year Kamron Lewis has 34 catches for 417 yards and five TDs this season. He set an NEC record with 1,478 receiving yards last season.

Canned Food Drive

• Fans are encouraged to bring canned food items to Saturday's game against Saint Francis U.
• All items received will be donated to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.
• Fans will have the ability to donate items at all Bryant athletic home events through November 18th.
• The effort is being run by the Bryant University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).