Eagle Football Faces F&M in Road Conference Game
HUNTINGDON, Pa. - The Juniata College football team is 3-0 heading into its third Centennial Conference matchup of the year. The Eagles travel to Lancaster, Pa. on Saturday, Sept. 28 to take on Franklin & Marshall College (F&M) at 1 p.m. Juniata is 2-0 against league opponents and is currently 1-0 away from home. They have defeated teams by an average of 22 points due to the Eagle defense holding competition to under 17 points per game while the offense is averaging over 38.
By: Jennifer Jones
Director of Sports Information
jonesj@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: JD Cavrich
HUNTINGDON, Pa. - The Juniata College football team is 3-0 heading into its third Centennial Conference matchup of the year. The Eagles travel to Lancaster, Pa. on Saturday, Sept. 28 to take on Franklin & Marshall College (F&M) at 1 p.m. Juniata is 2-0 against league opponents and is currently 1-0 away from home. They have defeated teams by an average of 22 points due to the Eagle defense holding competition to under 17 points per game while the offense is averaging over 38.
"F&M is a very well coached football team," said Eagle head coach Tim Launtz. "They present numerous challenges for us because they do some things that people don't do and they do them well. I hope that we continue to be about big team little me and that everyone understands that their role is vital in the continued success that we have had."
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's matchup will be the 10th meeting between the two schools, with the Diplomats holding an 8-1 advantage in the series. F&M has won the last six meetings, including last year's 45-38 holdout. Juniata's lone win over the Diplomats came in 1986, when the Blue and Gold notched a 27-11 triumph.
The 2011 season marked only the second time in history that Juniata scored on Sponaugle-Williamson Field. A hot Eagle offense will attempt turn the page on that history and write a new chapter. Under head coach Tim Launtz, the Eagles went from a 26 point deficit (in 2011) to a seven point deficit (in 2012) against F&M and are looking to continue the progress.
LAST MEETING
Franklin & Marshall 45 – Juniata 38
September 22, 2012 • Huntingdon, Pa. • 1 p.m.
Juniata College football made a sensational comeback against Franklin & Marshall (F&M) Saturday afternoon on Goodman Field at Knox Stadium, but fell short 45-38 as the Eagles dropped to 1-3 (0-3 Centennial) on the year.
Zach McCaulley (Bellwood, Pa./Bellwood-Antis) accounted for two of the Eagles five touchdowns in 450 yards of total offense. The defense stepped up its play, forcing its first fumble of the year and picking up 66 tackles, eight of which totaled for a loss of 40 yards for F&M.
Juniata stayed aggressive on both sides of the ball throughout the game. The offense pounded out over 230 yards rushing and were led by Deonte Alston (Bel Air, Md./Patterson Mill) who finished with a game and career-high 182 yards on the ground. David Weiss (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) and Ethan Wilt (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) led the defense with seven tackles each.
LAST TIME OUT
Juniata 38 – Gettysburg 16
September 21, 2013 • Huntingdon, Pa. • 1 p.m.
The Juniata College football team remained undefeated on the year (3-0) after upsetting Gettysburg College 38-16 at home on Goodman Field Saturday afternoon in its Centennial Conference home opener. The win marked the first time since 1976 that Juniata had defeated the Bullets in Huntingdon. They are now 2-0 against Centennial opponents. Gettysburg dropped to 1-2 on the year, 0-2 in the Centennial.
RAKIN' IN THE HONORS
For the first time in program history, Juniata football swept offensive and defensive Centennial Conference Player of the Week honors. Junior Ward Udinski (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) threw for a career-high four touchdowns in the upset of Gettysburg to earn his second offensive player of the week nod. Senior Brandon Felus (Columbia, Pa./Columbia) blocked a PAT, forced a fumble and recorded five tackles including two sacks and one for a loss of eight yards to garner the second defensive player of the week honor of his career.
GETTING NOTICED
Juniata football is getting noticed on the national level. For the first time in several years, the Eagles received votes in the first American Football Coaches Association Division III coaches poll. Juniata is one of three Centennial teams in the poll, with Ursinus receiving votes and Johns Hopkins ranking No. 13.
Follow Your Eagles! Stay up-to-date on your Juniata College Eagles by logging onto www.juniatasports.net. And don't forget to follow us on twitter (@JuniataEagles) and on Facebook (Juniata Eagles).