Reading, Pa. (Nov. 11, 2022) - Alvernia University will close out its 2022 season on Saturday as the Golden Wolves host FDU Florham at 1:00 PM.
The Golden Wolves are coming off their third win of the season as Alvernia defeated Albright College 21-14 last weekend at Albright. FDU Florham is coming off a 42-7 loss to #8/14 Delaware Valley on the road last weekend.
Alvernia is 3-6 overall and 2-5 in MAC play, but the Golden Wolves are still looking to pick up their first win at home this season. The 5-4 Devils are 3-4 in MAC play and are 2-2 on the road.
Inside the Series:
Alvernia is 0-3 against the Devils and 0-1 to them at home. The last meeting, which was at FDU in game nine of the year last season, saw the Devils defeat Alvernia 34-14. The Golden Wolves trailed by just seven at the half, but FDU held Alvernia scoreless in the second half while adding 13 more points for a 34-14 win.
Scouting the Golden Wolves:
Alvernia is averaging 18.6 points per game and sits in eighth in the MAC in average scoring. The Alvernia offense is sixth in the MAC with an average of 303 yards of offense a game. The Golden Wolves rush for an average of 121.3 yards per game, and pass for an average of 181.7 yards per game.
Alvernia's defense is allowing 384.4 yards of offense a game. The Golden Wolves give up, on average, 173.2 yards of rushing per game and 211 yards of passing per game.
Alvernia Players to Watch:
Neeko Scurlock - Wide Receiver: Scurlock has five touchdowns on the season, including a big catch under interference last week at Albright. Scurlock is averaging just over three receptions a game and 40.7 yards per game.
Joseph Perkins - Wide Receiver: Perkins made some clutch receptions last week against the Lions. He is able to make plays without much room to work. Perkins is averaging 2.9 catches per game and 31.8 yards per game.
Tajon Whiten - Linebacker: With a five tackle performance last week, Whiten surpassed 50 tackles on the season for the third time in his career. Whiten is a playmaker and leader for the Alvernia defense, and will look to close out his Alvernia career with a bang on Saturday.
Antonio Lazar - Linebacker: The running back turned linebacker for Alvernia is having a fantastic season. He is second to Whiten in total tackles with 48 on the season. He was a menace for the Lions last week and will look to continue that momentum into Saturday.
Alvernia Keys to the Game
Disrupt Thomas: FDU quarterback Ryon Thomas has a MAC leading 64% completion percentage. While Thomas does not average big numbers, he's accurate and effective with the ball to keep the Devils moving downfield. He is also a threat to scramble, averaging 34 yards of rushing a game.
Protect the Backfield: The Devils are not a very high scoring team, and they do not need to be. The Devil defense is one of the most effective in the MAC, and that's thanks largely to their defensive line. FDU is leading the MAC in sacks with 31 for 220 yards, and the Devils also have a total of 72 tackles for a loss. Alvernia's offensive line will need to slow the rush down to get the rest of the offense established.
Limit Time of Possession: FDU leads the MAC with an average of 33 minutes of possession per game, while Alvernia averages a MAC low 27 minutes per game. Alvernia will need to upping its time in order to keep Thomas and the Devils off the field.
Scouting the Devils
FDU is averaging just eight points a game over its last three games. The Devils were held to one touchdown a game in its game against Stevenson and Delaware Valley, and scored just ten points against Albright. Over the season, FDU is averaging 18.2 points per game and 296.9 yards of offense per game. The Devils average 115 yards on the ground and 182 yards per game in the air.
What the FDU offense lacks in big numbers, the defense makes up for in power and effectiveness. The Devils allow just 18.6 points per game and 276 yards of total offense a game. FDU has brought the quarterback down a MAC leading 31 times.
Devils to Watch
Ryon Thomas - Quarterback: Thomas doesn't put up crazy numbers, but he is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the MAC. Thomas comes into Saturday boasting a MAC leading 64% completion percentage. He averages 123.1 yards of passing per game with nine touchdowns on the year.
Connor Perez - Wide Receiver: Perez is Thomas' top target. Perez has 37 catches on the season and averages nearly 17 yards a catch. He has scored six touchdowns and averages just about 70 yards a game.
Kenny Hands - Defensive Tackle: Hands is one of the top defensive lineman in the MAC. He is quick to the backfield with 19.5 tackles for a loss and seven sacks - numbers that rank him seventh in the nation in Division III. He has 47 total tackles with two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Tyrell Pereira - Linebacker: Pereira is FDU's leading tackler. He has 63 on the season, including six for a loss. Periera's stat line coming into Saturday also includes two forced fumbles and one pass breakup.
Game Information:
Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM at Alvernia's Turf Field. Prior to kickoff, Alvernia will honors its graduating senior class. Tickets will be available for purchase in between the Physical Education Center and Campus Commons. Students are $4 and adults are $6. Live options are available at auwolves.com/live.
