ABOUT THE GAME

• For the third time in the first four weeks of the season, Millersville is at Chryst Field a Biemesderfer Stadium, opening PSAC East action against West Chester on Saturday at noon. While the Marauders are in search of their first win, there have been plenty of highlights in the first three games, as they rank fourth in the PSAC in total offense and second in passing. But the Marauders have surrendered 52.0 points per game and face a 2-1 West Chester squad whose only loss came by two points in the final minutes of a road game at nationally ranked California (Pa.). Leading the Golden Rams into Millersville is the reigning PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week, Cooper Jordan, who presents the Millersville defense with a unique challenge. 
• Last week, Millersville faced an explosive air attack in IUP and allowed eight touchdown passes and 597 yards passing. West Chester is a much different offense, having passed for more than 200 yards once in three games. The team has completed just 31 passes in three games. Last week's 13 completions were a season high. Meanwhile, the Golden Rams have run the ball 141 times, averaging 4.5 yards per carry with six rushing touchdowns. The team's leading rusher is its quarterback, Jordan, who already has two career starts against Millersville and owns a 1-1 record. 
• Millersville turned to Tommy Hunsicker at quarterback last week following a week two injury to Ryan Zeltt. It was the first start of Hunsicker's career, and it came against the PSAC's No. 1-ranked defense. Hunsicker completed 21 of 37 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown. Hunsicker's start made it the 14th consecutive season in which Millersville has started at least two different quarterbacks in a season. 

'VILLE STORYLINES

• Millersville's 417.3 yards per game ranks fourth in the PSAC, and it is averaging 288.3 yards per game through the air, second only to IUP's 396.0. It also ranks second in first downs with 22.7 per game. Despite generating yards, points haven't come as easily as the Marauders rank 10th in the PSAC in scoring (28.7). What has derailed Millersville's point production has been red zone execution and turnovers. Millersville's 66.7% red zone success rate ranks 13th out of 15 PSAC teams (10 of 15), and it has scored a touchdown on just seven of 15 trips inside the 20. Millersville's six throw interceptions are also the most in the PSAC. Millersville has committed eight turnovers and is minus-three in turnover ratio. 
• Millersville has shared the run-game workload among four backs, with all four earning at least 17 carries. Isaiah Emmanuel has been the most productive, averaging 5.6 yards on 28 carries, and he has been the go-to back in the goal line area as well, scoring a team-leading three touchdowns, two of which came last week against IUP. 
• Colin Hastings continues to enjoy his breakout season, and he now leads the team and ranks seventh in the PSAC in receiving yards. He is tied with Isaac Sines for the team lead in receptions, and Kam Taylor is one behind with 13. That trio of wide receivers makes Millersville one of only two teams in the PSAC with three receivers ranked in the top 15 in receptions. Hastings and Sines also rank sixth and seventh, respectively, in yards per reception. Jermaine Tillery has totaled 108 yards on five catches in the last two games, pulling in a season-high four catches against IUP. 
• Last week, Bryce Beutler recorded his second sack of the season, and he ranks fifth in the PSAC in tackles per game (9.7). The Marauders have picked off three passes in the last two games. Ryan Aument recorded his first career INT last week. 
   

WEST CHESTER STORYLINES

• After facing the PSAC's stingiest defense last week, the Marauders run into another top defensive unit against West Chester. The Golden Rams rank third in total defense (228.0) and fifth in scoring (18.3), but where it really excels is on third down. No defense in the league has allowed fewer first downs (13.3), and no defense has been better on third down, allowing opponents to convert on just 22.2% of its tries. 
• The leader of the defense is Connor Noble, who has 24 tackles, a pass broken up and a QB hurry. Johnny Pergine has 20 tackles and is one of six players with at least one sack. Kaleb Brown, a former high school teammate of Millersville's Hunsicker, has two interceptions. 
• West Chester's offense is generated almost entirely by Cooper Jordan. He has accounted for four of the team's six rushing touchdowns and all five passing touchdowns. He has thrown for 538 yards, going 13 of 19 for 224 yards and three touchdowns last week. He's totaled 54 rushes--38.3% of the team's total attempts--and accounted for 52.7% of the team's rushing yards. Jordan has rushed for over 100 yards in six of his last nine games. 

SERIES HISTORY

• The series between Millersville and West Chester dates back to 1921, and the teams have played every season since 1954. West Chester won 41 consecutive games from 1922-1974. The 1975 team's 17-12 win on the road snapped West Chester's run of success, and Millersville went 16-12 against the Golden Rams between 1975-2002. Millersville snapped West Chester's streak of 19 consecutive wins with a 23-14 victory at home to start PSAC East play in 2023. Millersville received 177 rushing yards from Jaheim Morris and totaled 270 rushing yards in the game while holding Cooper Jordan to 7 of 19 passing for 85 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan had far more success in West Chester's 41-23 victory on Oct. 26, 2024. Jordan completed just five passes on 12 attempts, but three of those passes went for scores, and he rushed 15 times for 218 yards and two more touchdowns. 
• Millersville has scored 23 points in back-to-back games against West Chester after managing to score more than 23 just twice between 2003 and 2022. West Chester has averaged 36.5 points per game over the last 21 meetings with Millersville, topping 40 points 15 times. Since Biemesderfer Stadium was built, Millersville is 7-21 at home.