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Millersville

Millersville vs. East Stroudsburg in PSAC football action at Biemesderfer Stadium in Millersville on Saturday, October 5, 2024. Mark Palczewski Photo.
Mark Palczewski/Millersville Ath

Millersville hosts Shippensburg in PSAC East battle

10/7/2024 9:24:00 AM

By: Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications

COVERAGE LINKS

  • Series: 24-49-2
  • Series Streak: Ship, 1
  • First Meeting: L, 0-16 (1916)
  • Last Meeting: L, 7-13 (2023)
  • Largest Margin of Victory: 29 (1973)
  • Largest Margin of Defeat: 71 (1924)
  • Record at Home: 8-12-1 (since 1968)
  • Most Millersville Points: 56 (1973)
  • Most Ship Points: 71 (1924)

ABOUT THE GAME

  • Millersville and Shippensburg meet on Saturday at Biemesderfer in search of PSAC East win No. 1. Millersville is looking for its second win over Shippensburg in the last three years, and the game features Millersville head coach J.C. Morgan again taking on the program that he spent 13 years with as an assistant coach. 
  • Millersville's rushing attack has piled up over 200 yards in back-to-back weeks and is facing a Shippensburg defense that ranks 12th in the PSAC against the run, allowing 166.2 yards per game and a league-worst 5.4 yards per carry. The Raiders surrendered a season-high 229 yards rushing to West Chester last week. Millersville had two 50-plus yard runs against East Stroudsburg. Jaiden Abrams has been on a roll, totaling 312 yards and averaging 6.9 yards per carry over the last three games. 

WHAT TO WATCH

  • Abrams' 57-yard run against East Stroudsburg was Millersville's longest play from scrimmage this season, and with the Marauders recent success on the ground, the rushing offense has moved up to No. 5 in the PSAC, averaging 160.4 yards per game. Abrams is up to No. 9 in the PSAC in rushing average despite receiving more than nine carries just twice in five games. Millersville, however, still ranks 12th in the PSAC in total offense, 13th in scoring and last in passing offense. Millersville's two quarterbacks have combined to throw a league-high nine interceptions. They also rank 14th out of 15 in completion percentage and are 15th in passing efficiency. Millersville has a chance to make some plays in the passing game this week, however, as Shippensburg has allowed eight TD passes with a league-low one interception. Teams are completing 63.8 percent of their passes against the Raiders, the third-highest mark in the PSAC.
  • East Stroudsburg's 57 points scored were the most against Millersville since 2018. Millersville is 15th in the PSAC in scoring defense, but that doesn't tell the full story. In five games, opponents have started offensive drives in Millersville territory 14 times and have started drives at their 40-yard line or better 21 times. Those drives have accounted for 70% of opponents' touchdowns. On drives that start deeper than the offense's own 40, Millersville has allowed touchdowns on just 7 of 29 drives (24%).
  • Millersville has generated four turnovers while committing 10. Shippensburg is even in turnover ratio (7 to 7). The Raiders are particularly adept at recovering fumbles as they've forced eight and recovered six.
  • Judah Rock recorded his first career sack last week against East Stroudsburg while Kahlen Watt tallied a career-high two tackles for loss. Gus Ross again led the team in tackles with eight. Ross leads the team and ranks 14th in the PSAC with 6.8 tackles per game.
  • Shippensburg has scored just five touchdowns and averages a PSAC-low 8.8 points per game. It has topped 10 points once--a 24-21 win over Clarion that included a 96-yard kickoff return. The Raiders rank 155th out of 159 Division II teams in scoring. Josiah Leonard is the top offensive threat, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and totaling 245 yards on the ground. The Raiders have already had four different players attempt a pass. Sam Stoner has been the most effective, completing 62.5% of his passes with three touchdowns. 

SERIES HISTORY

  • The series between Millersville and Shippensburg has seen long runs of success by both teams. From 1969-2000, Millersville went 16-2-1 against the Raiders, but from 2001-2021, Shippensburg won 17 in a row. Millersville stopped that streak with a 17-4 win at Biemesderfer Stadium in 2022, but the Raiders picked up 13-7 win at home in 2023. Millersville has not scored more than 17 points against Shippensburg since 2009--a run of 13 games. Shippensburg has limited Millersville to just four touchdowns over the last five meetings. Last season, Millersville managed just 157 yards of total offense and totaled 80 of those yards on its one touchdown drive. Shippensburg wasn't much more productive, finishing with 165. Both Zeltt and Rob Footman Jr. played quarterback in the game. Millersville had three first-half possessions that started in Shippensburg territory. Millersville totaled 13 first downs to Shippensburg's seven. Millersville rushed for 21 yards and passed for 136 while Shippensburg rushed for 115 and passed for 50 yards. The difference was Millersville's three turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble). Millersville's win in 2022 saw the Marauders rally from a 14-7 deficit and win on a field goal with 5:47 to play. The Marauders rushed for 169 yards, including 127 from Footman. 
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