Finishing Strong:

The University of Pikeville Bears' three-game win streak was snapped by the Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders last Saturday at Hambley. The Bears battled in the first half but the Blue Raiders pulled away in the second and won 39-9. 

This week, the Bears will travel to Montgomery, Alabama for their final game of the 2022 season against Faulkner University. The Eagles head into Saturday's game with a record of 4-5 (3-4 MSC). Faulkner has lost three of their last four while the Bears have won three of their last four. Saturday afternoon's tilt with the Eagles has big implications for UPIKE as they wrap up 2022.

UPIKE's record sits at 5-4 heading into the final week of the season. A win Saturday would be huge for the Bears for three reasons: (1) Coach Corey Fipps' squad is looking to finish the year strong (2) With a win, the Bears have an opportunity to finish with a winning record for the first time since 2018 (3) The UPIKE football program can ride the wave of momentum heading into next fall when they move to the AAC. 

Who/What To Watch For: 

The UPIKE offense ranks third in NAIA with an average of 467.1 yards per game. Coach Corey Fipps' air raid offense ranks second in passing yards per game with 362.7. Bears quarterback Xavier Malone ranks second in the Mid-South Conference with 220.0 passing yards per game and is tied for fourth in the conference in touchdown passes (12). 

Malone has made a lot of good throws to a lot of good UPIKE receivers. Seven different Bears have over 200 receiving yards and of those seven, three have over 400. Derrick Griffith leads all UPIKE pass-catchers with 714 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Griffith averages 79.3 yards per game (Second in MSC) and is tied for fourth in touchdown receptions. 

While the Bears are pass-heavy, they have improved their rushing numbers in the past few weeks. Alex Sanders leads the Mid-South Conference in rushing yards per game with 71.6. Sanders does, however, do the most damage to opposing defenses by catching passes out of the backfield. The senior from Hazlehurst, Georgia is first on the team in receptions (55), second in yards (557) and is tied with Rashad Brown for second in touchdowns (5). 

The UPIKE offense is facing a defense that surrenders 319.4 yards per game (197.0 passing, 122.4 rushing). Faulkner's defense has intercepted 12 passes and recovered four fumbles, so ball security will be huge in this one. The Eagles defense gets a lot of production from their secondary, including freshman Jailen Clemons who leads the team in pass break-ups (10) and interceptions (4). Jerrell Williamson leads the Faulkner defense with 65.0 total tackles. Darrius Williams, also in the secondary, is tied with defensive lineman Tyrese Wells with six tackles-for-loss. 

UPIKE's defense is led by Jonathan Morton who leads the Mid-South Conference with 8.9 tackles per game. Coach Chris Elliott's defense is big on havoc plays, led by Myson Livingston who has 6.5 tackles-for-loss and 5.0 sacks. Two other Bears, Josh Ervin and Jacquez Russ, have 6.0 tackles-for-loss each and have combined for 4.5 sacks. In the secondary, Obie Wilson leads the Bears' third level with nine pass break-ups and three interceptions. Right behind Wilson is Cameron Miller who has two interceptions and 31.0 total tackles. Timothy Butler has also come along in recent weeks, most notably against Thomas More when he had a game-changing forced fumble and a key pass break-up. UPIKE's corners have a tough matchup this week against Eagles receiver Jaiveyon Tucker, who leads the Mid-South Conference with 10 touchdown catches. 

As a unit, Coach Elliott's defense has forced 18 turnovers (13 INT, 5 FR). The Bears also have 17.0 sacks and face a Faulkner offense who has surrendered 31.0 sacks and averages 21.1 points per game. The Eagles are converting 32% on third down and are last in the Mid-South Conference in that category. 

Faulkner quarterback Ben Anderson had passed for 1,303 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions on the year. The Eagles rank fourth in the conference in both rushing and passing, but have the second-most fumbles in the MSC. Eagles' ball carriers have coughed it up 16 times and opposing defenses have hopped on 10 of those fumbles. 
 

The Game Will Be Decided By…

Ball security. Eagles' quarterback Ben Anderson has four fumbles on the year (2 lost), most likely coming from strip-sacks. UPIKE's front seven has an opportunity to have a big day if they can get after the quarterback. On the flip side, ball security will be a focal point for the Bears who have turned it over 24 times (14 INT, 10 fumbles lost). Saturday is a huge day for the UPIKE football program and it will be a fun one to watch.