TIME: 1:30 p.m. ET
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 7
WATCH: Pike TV Livestream
LISTEN: 1075FM EKB with Rick Bentley on play-by-play and Joe Kinzer as analyst
LIVE STATS: NAIA DakStats
IN-GAME UPDATES: Twitter | Instagram
GAME NOTES: UPIKE vs. Point
SCOUTING THE SKYHAWKS: The Skyhawks (1-4, 0-1 MSC Appalachian) won the final two games of the 2016 season and opened this year with a 10-7 win over Webber International. But since then things haven't gone as well. Point is 0-4 in its last four games, including a 62-28 home loss to No.3 Reinhardt last week. Before that it lost 66-0 at Charleston Southern. When looking for what they do best, pass defense stands out for the Skyhawks, ranking 34th in the NAIA by allowing just over 200 yards through the air per game.
Derek Bellard has started all five games at quarterback, throwing for 180.2 yards per game with eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He's also the team's top rusher in yards gained at 215, but he has been dropped for 132 yards of loss. La'Darrius Mathis is the team's top running back at just 18.6 yards per game.
TWO WINS TO A RECORD: Allan Holland Jr., is the longest tenured head coach in program history with this being his fourth season. Two wins is all that stands between him becoming the winningest coach in UPIKE (3-2, 1-0 MSC Appalachian) history as well. Jerry Mynatt went 19-12 from 2003-05 and Holland Jr., is 18-20 starting with the 2014 campaign.
THE MATCHUP: Point is averaging just over 15 points per game, compared to 32.6 for UPIKE as the teams are on a much different path as of late. While the Skyhawks have lossed four straight, the Bears are on a three-game winning streak and a win today would be a program-record six straight wins at home dating back to last season. Of Point's 11 touchdowns this season, only one has been scored on the ground. Point is gaining just 240 yards of offense per game while UPIKE is at 338.4. Of Point's yards, 180 per game come through the air with just 60 left on the ground.
UPIKE IN THE NAIA: The Bears rank 27th nationally in total defense, allowing 349.4 yards per contest and are 25th in points allowed at 23.4. UPIKE's punting game has been near the top of the NAIA, ranking 11th with 40.8 yards per attempt and UPIKE has been strong defending third downs as teams convert just 34 percent of the time, which is the 23rd best mark in the NAIA.
Individually, Romon Morris ranks second nationally in interceptions with four, third in picks per game at 0.8. William Chandler is 24th in punting yards per attempt at 39.1 and Taeron Brown is 40th in tackles per game with 8.4
THE SCHEDULE AHEAD: This is UPIKE's second straight Mid-South Conference Appalachian Division game after winning at St. Andrews last week. After today's home game, the Bears will play on the road for the next two weeks at Cumberlands, which is receiving votes in the NAIA top-25, and at Union. The next home game will be Oct. 28 against third-ranked Reinhardt.
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