ABOUT THE GAME

• Millersville and Shepherd meet at Chryst Field at Biemesderfer Stadium Saturday, on Homecoming Weekend. Both teams are in search of win No. 1. Millersville is 24-28-1 all-time in Homecoming games, and Shepherd is the Homecoming opponent for the fourth time in the last seven seasons. Millersville's last Homecoming win came by a 17-14 score over Shippensburg in 2022. 
• At 0-4, Shepherd is in unfamiliar territory. Shepherd last lost four games in a season in 2009 and has lost four or more games just three times since 1996. The last time Shepherd started 0-4 was in 1995--a start that included a 59-7 loss at Millersville in week two. Both teams have struggled to slow their opponents. Shepherd has allowed 44.0 points per game and has surrendered 100 points in the last two weeks. Millersville is allowing 48.5--a number skewed by the 70 points allowed at IUP in week three. Both teams opened the season against Frostburg State. Millersville lost 42-34 on Sept. 4, while Shepherd lost 41-27 on the road on Aug. 30. 
• According to the NCAA, Shepherd has played the toughest schedule in Division II to date. Its four opponents have combined for an 11-2 record. Slippery Rock and Kutztown are both ranked in the nation's top 10, and Frostburg State is 4-0. Millersville's strength of schedule ranks 46th (.583), but its future opponents currently own a 12-16 record. Millersville has also faced two of the nation's best defenses in the first four games. IUP leads Division II, and West Chester ranks fourth in total defense. Both teams also rank in the top 17 in scoring defense. 

'VILLE STORYLINES

• To slow Shepherd, Millersville turns to its young players as several key players are out of the lineup with injuries. Last week, three Marauders made their first career starts in the secondary, two of whom were freshmen. It will be the same story this week with starters on the defensive line and linebacker not expected to play. On the offensive side of the ball, top receiver Isaac Sines missed last week's game and is not on this week's depth chart. Quarterback Ryan Zeltt missed the week three game at IUP, returned to the lineup against West Chester, but went 4 for 12 with an interception. Tommy Hunsicker did not fare any better as he completed 3 of 13 passes with three interceptions in the final four possessions of the game. 
• The bright spot for Millersville has been a consistent running game that has totaled over 100 yards in three of four games. Millersville also has at least one rushing touchdown in each game. Production has come from a different running back seemingly every week. JQ Brown led the team in rushing in week one, Isaiah Emmanuel held that honor in weeks two and three, and Mekhi Ashby recorded a career-high 87 yards on 15 carries last week. 
• Even after missing last week's game, Isaac Sines ranks 17th in the PSAC in receptions, and Colin Hastings and Kam Taylor are tied for 14th. Hastings caught a 35-yard pass last week against West Chester and also has a 43-yard reception this season. He now leads the team and ranks ninth in the PSAC in yards with 268. 
• A highlight for the defense has been the play of Bryce Beutler. He ranks third in the PSAC, averaging 10.0 tackles per game, and he recorded 1 1/2 sacks last week, boosting his season total to 3 1/2, a total that ranks fourth in the PSAC. He has recorded a sack in three of four games. 
• A point of emphasis for Millersville is to flip their fortunes in the turnover battle. The Marauders have thrown 10 interceptions while picking off three passes and rank 146th out of 157 Division II teams in turnover margin (-1.75). 
   

SHEPHERD STORYLINES

• Shepherd ranks 14th in the PSAC in total defense, allowing 438.5 yards per game. Teams have rushed for 176.3 yards per game and passed for 262.3. Last week, Kutztown rushed for 219 yards and held Shepherd to 60 in a 49-10 decision. It was the largest margin of defeat in a regular season game during the Ernie McCook era and the program's largest regular season loss since a 59-7 loss to Millersville on Sept. 9, 1995. That Millersville team went 9-1-1 and reached the NCAA Playoffs. Shepherd punted only four times, did not throw an interception, and finished minus-1 in turnover margin. Three Shepherd drives ended with a turnover on downs in Kutztown territory. 
• While Shepherd mustered 60 yards rushing and averaged fewer than 2.0 yards per carry last week, it piled up 224 the week before at Clarion and averaged 181.3 rushing yards per game in the first three games. In week one, Grant Swinehart recorded a 71-yard TD run, and at Clarion, Jordan Barnett ripped off TD runs of 96 and 77 yards. Shepherd ranks fourth in the PSAC in total offense. Barnett ranks third in rushing, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. Swinehart ranks fifth and averages 6.1 yards per carry. 
• Shepherd QB Michael Hardyway has been steady as well, completing 65% of his passes and averaging nearly 230 yards per game. He's thrown just two interceptions in four games. Kordell Batten is his favorite target with nine more catches and 85 more yards than any other player. 
• Kicker Maxwell Barba is a weapon for Shepherd, converting 4 of 5 kicks with two longer than 40 yards. He is perfect inside of 40 yards. 

SERIES HISTORY

• Millersville and Shepherd first met in 1938, and Millersville went 15-4-1 from the first meeting through 1999. The series resumed in 2006 and Shepherd has since won seven in a row. Shepherd joined the PSAC East in 2019 and has won all four games played at Biemesderfer Stadium. Shepherd's average margin of victory in its seven-game winning streak is 37.0-13.1. Millersville is 7-5-1 all-time at home but has not beaten Shepherd at home since 1999. 
• Last season, Millersville raced to a 14-0 first half lead and stood tied at the half. Shepherd scored twice in the third quarter to pull away with a 35-21 win. Zeltt went 17 of 27 for 184 yards and a touchdown. Sines caught eight passes for 79 yards. Barnett led Shepherd with 95 yards on 19 carries.