By: James Garcia, Sports Information Director & Austin Stafford, Sports Information Assistant
INSTITUTE, W.Va. – West Virginia State University hosts the University of Charleston in football for a nationally-broadcasted NCAA Division II Showcase Game at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2. The game will be televised locally by WOWK CBS-13 in addition to being distributed online through the NCAA Division II social media networks. Both are firsts for the West Virginia State University football program.
SET THE EXPECTATION
Saturday's contest will be the first 'Set the Expectation' football game played at the Division II level. Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault survivor, started the 'Set the Expectation' campaign with the aim of raising awareness about sexual assault and domestic violence. Administrators, coaches, and players will wear black during the game to promote this cause.
At the beginning of each academic year, all WVSU student-athletes make the pledge to not engage in harmful behavior such as rape, sexual assault, physical violence, domestic violence, stalking, bullying, and taking or sharing photos and videos of a sexually explicit nature. The #SetTheExpectationPledge combats these types of harmful behaviors that tend to plague college campuses by calling upon student-athletes to set a good example for the general student body.
GAMEDAY GUIDE
Directions to WVSU
From Charleston:
Travel nine miles West towards Huntington on Interstate 64. Take exit 50 (Institute Exit). Turn left at the stop sign, onto US Highway 25. Visitor parking is adjacent to the Visitor's Center. Check in at the Visitor's Center, located along Barron Drive, to obtain a visitor's pass for parking.
From Huntington:
Travel 40 miles East towards Charleston on Interstate 64. Get off of the Interstate at exit 50 (Institute Exit). Turn Left at the stop sign, onto US Highway 25. Visitor parking is adjacent to the Visitor's Center. Check in at the Visitor's center, located along Barron Drive, to obtain a visitor's pass for parking.
Admission/Parking/Concessions
- Admission is free to all students, faculty, and staff that present a valid WVSU ID.
- Parking is available on campus at no cost to visitors.
- Tickets for patrons of the football game without a WVSU ID are $10 (cash only) to be charged at the gate.
- Concessions will be available for purchase (cash only).
- Tailgating for football games is encouraged. Alcohol is permitted outside of the confines of Dickerson Stadium and tobacco products may be consumed in designated smoking areas.
Media Coverage
GAME NOTES
Air Raid Alert
Two of the nation's top passing attacks will be on display Saturday. Charleston currently ranks third in NCAA Division II with 331 passing yards per game, while West Virginia State is seventh-best with 317 passing yards per game.
Going Out Strong
Senior quarterback Austin Hensley finally got the chance to lead the WVSU offense this year. He started the first game of his junior season, but was sidelined with a season-ending injury. After four long years in waiting, Hensley has risen to the occasion and torn up opposing secondaries throughout the season. He's completed 177 of his 300 pass attempts (59 percent) for 2,394 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. His six touchdowns passes thrown against Fairmont State set a new single-game record at West Virginia State. Â
Stable of Receivers
Hensley likes to spread the ball around to his talented receiving corps. Seniors Isiah Scott, Zach Pate, and AJ Barrette have each eclipsed 500 receiving yards this season. Sophomore Tyrone Lyte rounds out the group as the team's all-purpose yards leader with over 400-yards receiving and over 400-yards gained on kickoff returns.
One Dimensional
UC's fifth-year quarterback Brant Grisel has a clear favorite in redshirt junior wideout Mike Strachan. Strachan has been targeted 30 more times than Charleston's next leading receiver. He has already broken the 1,000-yard mark and hauled in 15 touchdown passes this season.
A-to-Z Connection
Hurricane, W.Va. natives Austin Hensley and Zach Pate developed a strong connection while playing together at Hurricane High School. It's no wonder why Pate has been targeted by Hensley more times than any other receiver this season. The sure-handed slot receiver is a crisp route runner that can be counted on to get open in third down situations.
Protection Specialists
The WVSU offensive line is 18th in the country in sacks allowed. The hog mollies of West Virginia State average less than one sack per game (7 total including game at SEMO). Four-year starter Devon Bradshaw leads the immovable unit.
Tackling Machine Â
Junior linebacker Dustin Crouser is currently fifth in solo tackles in all of NCAA Division II. He leads the Mountain East Conference in total tackles with 84 (12 tackles per game). Crouser lines up alongside fellow junior linebacker Noble Zuschlag (6.4 tackles per game) who defends the outside rush as well as Crouser stuffs anything coming up the middle. Â
Key Matchup: WVSU's Isiah Scott vs. UC's Kei Beckham
Senior WR Isiah Scott (6-2/215) has been able to take advantage of mismatches against undersized defensive backs all year long. This week, he will face a formidable opponent in senior DB Kei Beckham (5-11/195). Scott averages 19 yards per catch and has nine touchdown receptions, while Beckham leads the MEC in pass breakups with 12 and has three interceptions.
Playing It Close
Every single game played by the Yellow Jackets this year has been decided by 10 points or less (with the exception of the game against FCS Southeast Missouri State). The trend for WVSU this season has been scoring late to complete a comeback. Three out of West Virginia State's six wins were the result of Austin Hensley throwing for a touchdown with under a minute left in the game.
Playoff Implications
The Yellow Jackets are currently ranked fifth in Super Region One, meaning they would make the playoffs if the season ended today. A loss to the Golden Eagles would almost certainly keep them out of the top seven in the region and therefore out of the DII playoffs. WVSU plays MEC bottom-dwellers Wheeling in the penultimate week of the season followed by nationally-ranked Notre Dame (Ohio).
History in the Making
West Virginia State joined the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1942, the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 1955, and the Mountain East Conference in 2013. Throughout memberships to all three conferences, WVSU has never won more than six games in league play. A win against UC would be West Virginia State's seventh conference win this season.
Previous Meetings
Since Head Coach John Pennington took over in 2017, games between WVSU and UC have been fiercely competitive. In his first year in charge, the Yellow Jackets came away with a decisive 51-28 victory at home. In his second year at the helm, the Golden Eagles came out on top, 35-31, on their home turf.
Time to Spare
Both West Virginia State and Charleston run offenses that score quickly and often, leaving their defenses on the field for the majority of the game. The Yellow Jackets and Golden Eagles hold the two lowest time of possession averages in the MEC at under 28 minutes per game. Expect a shootout that comes down to the last play.
