GAME INFORMATION
Saturday, Oct. 1 • 1 pm CT
Spartan Field
St. Louis, Mo.

Series History
Overall: St. Francis leads 5-0.
First: St. Francis 45, at Missouri Baptist 7 (9/19/15)
Last: at St. Francis 20, Missouri Baptist 13 (10/1/22)
Streak: St. Francis has won each of the last five games.

The Two Coaches
USF: Joe Curry
Alma Mater: USF 2001
Career: 51-56 (11^th year)
at USF: 51-56 (11^th year)

MBU: Jason Burianek
Alma Mater: University of Colorado
Career: 20-67 (9th year)
At MBU: 20-67 (9th year)

TOP STORYLINES
• The Saints have never lost to Missouri Baptist, having gone a perfect 5-0 against the Spartans since the two teams started the series back in 2015.
 
• The contest is expected to be played in ideal conditions (70 degrees and sunny) after facing threatening weather each of the past two years.  Two years ago resulted in a three-hour delay down in St. Louis, while the second half in last year's game was played in rapid fashion to beat an impending storm in Joliet.

• Saturday's matchup features two teams on different penalty paths.  The Saints are one of the least penalized teams (18 penalties for 192 yards), while Missouri Baptist has been flagged 38 times for 426 yards.

• Both teams are allowing 32.2 points per game, while Missouri Baptist has outscored USF's offense 22.0-13.3.
 
• T.J. Neal has been a part of sacks in each of his first three games this year.

GAME NOTES
THE HEAD COACH: Joe Curry is in his 11th season as the Saints' head coach, which ties him as the longest serving coach in school history.  He has surpassed program founder Gordie Gillespie, who served as the head coach for eight seasons, and is now tied with Mike Slovick.  Slovick served the program from 1994 through 2004 and mentored Curry at one time.  Curry is also the winningest coach in the program with 51 victories and second in winning percentage (.477).  Gillespie maintains the top spot in winning percentage at .593.

ABOUT MISSOURI BAPTIST: For the Spartans to win, it requires overtime in 2022.  Head coach Jason Burianek's team is 2-0 when there is bonus football, having beaten Iowa Wesleyan 25-23 in four overtimes back on Sept. 4 and Madonna University 44-37 two weeks ago.  Last week, MBU was upended by NAIA No. 5 Marian University (Ind.) 45-7.  Sixty-seven percent of Missouri Baptist's offense comes from its passing game, which averages 237.0 yards per contest.  On the ground, the Spartans average 118.3 yards.  Running the attack could be one of two quarterbacks.  Ashton Strother (60-for-100, 668 yards, 5 TD, 1 int.) started the first two games before yielding to Cooper Brown (31-for-64, 280, 3 int.) last week.  The main receiving threats are Kameron Sloan (25-272, 1 TD), Gavin Claud (16-254, 2 TD) and Josh Munn (17-186, 1 TD).  On the ground, Darius Morrison (174) and Ronald Allen (121) both have the same number of carries (32).  Morrison has three of the four rushing touchdowns.  Defensively, Missouri Baptist is one of the best in the business in sacks with its total of 18 ranking fifth in the nation.  Jeremiah Austin has one third of the sacks (six), followed closely behind by Rakweon Ramsey (5.5) and Giovanoi Sanes (5).  The latter two also lead the club in tackles for loss.  Blake Kight has the most tackles with his 43.  Munn is the main threat on returns with his 32.8-yard kickoff return and 7.8 yard punt return averages.  Claud handles the punting chores (38.0 avg.) with five of his 16 attempts going inside the 20.  MBU's field goal team has been hit or miss.  In the opener, the Spartans made all four attempts, while missing all five in the Iowa Wesleyan contest.

GOOD WEATHER, REALLY? After having their last two meetings affected by severe storms, Saturday's contest between the two schools is expected to be played in near-ideal conditions with clear skies and a temperature of 70 degrees.  Last year, the two teams had an abbreviated halftime with a rapidly-played second half to just miss the brunt of a severe storm in Joliet.  Two years ago in St. Louis, there was a three-hour delay shortly after the start before the Saints prevailed in double overtime.   

MORE OR LESS: St. Francis has only been penalized 18 times for 192 yards on the year, while Missouri Baptist has been assessed 426 yards in penalties on 38 flags.

IDENTICAL TWINS: Both teams allow an average of 32.2 points per game, while offensively, Missouri Baptist scores at a 22.0 clip and St. Francis, 13.3.

THERE HE GOES: For the third time in his career, Scott Tumilty turned a special teams play into a touchdown when he raced 78 yards on a kickoff return for a score in what turned out to be the deciding factor in a 19-14 victory over Siena Heights University (Mich.) last Saturday.  The play marked Tumilty's first score off a kickoff return.  His other two returns came on punts of 55 yards against Saint Xavier University in the 2020-21 season opener and a 71-yarder two weeks later versus St. Ambrose University.

RANKING THE BEST: With Tumilty's 78-yard return, that moved USF's kickoff return unit into the No. 12 spot in the nation with its 25.5-yard average.

I CAN BE A RECEIVER, TOO, IF YOU WANT: Nick Mabutas is beginning to make quite a first impression.  Through his first three collegiate games, the freshman has authored interceptions in back-to-back contest to take over the team lead.  As a team, the Saints intercepted three passes last week and have four on the year.

SACK ATTACK: Coming into last week's game, USF's defense had mustered up just three sacks.  On Saturday, they more than doubled that effort with seven sacks for 40 yards in losses.  That resulted in Siena Heights producing just 52 yards on 45 carries for the day.  Headlining the effort was senior lineman Ryan King, who was credited with 3.5 sacks. 

CONTINUING HIS TREND: T.J. Neal also got in on the Sack Show, combining with King on one of his sacks.  Neal has been credited with at least one-half sack in each of his first three games this season for a total of 2.5.  Last year, he recorded one sack for the season.   

SECOND-HALF SHUTOUTS: For the second year in a row, USF's defense held Siena Heights scoreless after halftime.  One year ago, SHU gained only 29 yards on 24 plays in the second half.  On Saturday, it managed just 49 yards of total offense after the break.

THREE-FOR-THREE: USF's team leader in tackles, Scott Tumilty has authored double-digit stops in each of his first three games this season and four games in a row dating back to last year.  This fall, he has totaled 35 tackles.  Michael Whitney is right behind with 27 stops.

IN SYNC: After starting out last week's game 1-for-5 passing, Sam Tumilty was a perfect 6-for-6 the rest of the way to finish the day going 7-for-11 for 83 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown strike to Kemond Cohran.  Also in that mix was De'Whon Gavin, who hauled in three passes for 30 yards.

NO FUMBLES HERE: Over the first three games, USF and its opponents have combined for just four total fumbles with only one being lost.

ONE BLANK TO GO: The Saints snapped their scoreless streak in the opening half with 10 points in the second quarter against Siena Heights.  That leaves the first quarter as the lone 15-minute span in which USF has not put points on the board this season.

PERFECT: Both USF and Missouri Baptist have been perfect on the season on their PAT kicks.

OTHER NUMBERS: USF's defense has allowed a better-than-50 percent conversion rate to opposing teams' offenses with those units having converted at a 52.3 percent rate (23-of-44) … USF's offense has hit the 50-percent-plus mark on fourth downs, going 5-for-9.

FOR THE RECORD: The Saints are 159-224 all time, 130-166 in day games and 76-124 83-100 on the road.