September 25 – The Oberlin College football team faces a pair of firsts this Saturday as they travel out to Allegheny for their first road game of the season as well as their first NCAC battle of the season.

What: Oberlin College Yeomen (0-2, 0-0 NCAC) at Allegheny College Gators (1-1, 0-0 NCAC)

When: Saturday, September 27, 1 p.m.

Where: Frank B. Fuhrer Field, Meadville, Pa.

TV: None

Radio: Am-1320 WOBL

Web Audio: Listen

Live Stats: None

Series: Oberlin trails 18-23-1 all-time

Last time out for the Yeomen: Lost 48-21 to Case Western Reserve (9.20.08)


Series Info …
Oberlin trails 18-23-1 all-time, but snapped a 14-game losing skid to the Gators in last year's season finale with a 27-22 victory … in that game QB Greg Mangan threw for 236 yards and one score, while the departed Cassius Harris caught five balls for 94 yards and a TD … injured linebacker Derrick Dennis also had a 56 yards interception return for a touchdown which helped seal the Oberlin win.

Road Woes …
Oberlin is just 9-25 away from Savage Stadium dating back to the 2001 season … during that stretch the Yeomen's best road record came in 2006 when they went 3-2 away from home.

In the Yeo …
The Yeomen are averaging 322.0 total offense per contest, providing a balanced attack with 101.0 rushing and 221.0 passing yards per game while the offense has scored at least one touchdown in seven of eight quarters so far this season … Reigning NCAC Offensive Player of the Year #R.V. Carroll# leads the ground game, recording 41 carries for 194 yards (3rd - NCAC) and a touchdown … the senior is just 12 points shy of becoming the school's points leader while needing just 260 yards to be Oberlin's all-time rushing leader.

The air attack is just as potent with  senior quarterback Greg Mangan at the helm. An NCAC honorable-mention selection a year ago, Mangan has completed 46-of- 66 attempts to eight different receivers for 442 yards (4th - NCAC) and four touchdowns … Senior Mike Loll, who  has posted 13 receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns, has been Mangan's go-to-guy thus far. Ryan Harvey is another receiving threat for the Yeomen, as the second-year player has seven catches for a team-best 151 yards and a touchdown.

Bringing the D ...
Sophomore linebacker Austin Richards ranks second among conference leaders with his 11.5 tackles per game (23 TT, 3 TFL, 2 Sks). .. Freshman defensive back Drew Mixter also ranks in the conference's top 10 tacklers (T-9th - 18 TT) while Tyler Lewis (14), Ron Rupuard (13) and #A.J. Greene# (12) each have recorded double-digit efforts.

Scouting the Gators …
A year ago, Allegheny College had a promising start as the Gators went 5-2 to open the season. The squad lost by only a touchdown in each of the losses and averaged 27 points per contest. Then things went cold for the offense and the Gators dropped their last three regular season contests, suffering their two lowest point production totals of the year en route to a 5-5 overall record and a 3-4 mark in the NCAC.

Allegheny enters the 2008 campaign returning 32 letterwinners, including five starters each on offense and defense. Just two juniors and three seniors return to the offensive unit. Quarterback T.J. Salopek will need to step up and guide a struggling offense that graduated standout wide receiver Jim Lieb, who finished his Gator career in 2007 ranked second all-time in receptions (150) and third all-time in receiving yards (1,727), while backs Rodney Still, Matt Deivert and Matt Cellini must improve the ground game.

Defensively, Allegheny returns three juniors and two seniors to a unit which finished first in the NCAC in total defense. Despite three all-conference selections among the returnees in Billy Jones, Doug Macik and Craig Lawrence, the Gators will have to replace their top four tackle leaders from a year ago.