GAME INFORMATION
Saturday, Sept. 10  • 12 pm CT
Busey Bank Field at Joliet Memorial Stadium
Joliet, Ill.

Series History
Overall: Saint Francis, Ind. leads 5-0
First: Saint Francis, Ind. 37, at St. Francis 28 (10/19/13)
Last: Saint Francis, Ind. 56, at St. Francis 6 (9/7/19)
Streak: Saint Francis, Ind. has won each of the last five games

The Two Coaches
USF: Joe Curry
Alma Mater: USF 2001
Career: 50-54 (11^th year)
at USF: 50-54 (11^th year)

USFIN: Kevin Donley
Alma Mater: Anderson College 1973
Career: 335-137-1 (43^rd year)
At USFIN: 221-50 (24^th year)


TOP STORYLINES
• USF opens its 37^th season of intercollegiate football at the newly-named Busey Bank Field at Joliet Memorial Stadium.  The stadium surface is also new and is a FieldTurf product.
• The Saints gained a share of the MSFA Midwest League title by going 6-1 in conference play last fall. Overall, they were 6-3. The six regular-season wins were the most since the 2015 campaign when USF won eight games. The six MSFA victories were the most since 2011 when that team also went 6-1 in the league.
• The Saints return 20 of a possible 27 starters from last year's squad, including 10 of 11 starters on offense and four of five members among the special teams unit.  Highlighting the casts are a pair of AFCA NAIA All-Americans in Sam and Scott Tumilty.
• USF's offense ranked among the best in the nation one year ago highlighted by the play of Sam Tumilty.  He led the nation in rushing (152.3 yards per game), while, as a team, USF was the fifth-leading rushing team with 239.7 yards per contest.

GAME NOTES
THE HEAD COACH: Joe Curry enters 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 50 wins and second in winning percentage (.481).  Gillespie maintains the top spot in winning percentage at .593.

AMONG THE TOP 25: For the first time since 2016, the University of St. Francis football program is ranked in the Top 25 to start a season.  The Saints claimed the No. 25 spot in the NAIA FirstDown PlayBook Preseason Poll, gaining 30 votes, after finishing the 2021 campaign among others receiving votes.  In the 2016 season, the Saints opened at No. 14.  Reigning NAIA national champion Morningside University (Iowa) collected all 18 first-place votes in the poll to man the No. 1 spot totaling 418 votes.  Rounding out the Top 5 were Grand View University (Iowa), Northwestern College (Iowa), Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.) and Marian University (Ind.).  USF's other rated opponent dotting the 2022 schedule is Saint Xavier University, which shared the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Midwest League title with the Saints last year.  The Cougars check in at No. 11.  The two teams close out the regular season in Chicago on Nov. 12 at noon.

DEFENDING CONFERENCE CHAMPS: The Saints gained a share of the MSFA Midwest League title by going 6-1 in conference play last fall. Overall, they were 6-3. The six regular-season wins were the most since the 2015 campaign when USF won eight games. The six MSFA victories were the most since 2011 when that team also went 6-1 in the league.

ALL-AMERICANS CHECKED IN: Both of USF's American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) NAIA All-Americans are back in 2022.  Second team all-purpose player Scott Tumilty returns for his third season, while his younger brother Sam Tumilty – an honorable mention selection – begins his second campaign wearing the brown and gold.  Both a defensive back and kick/punt returner, Scott Tumilty ranked among the team leaders on both sides of the ball. As a returner, he led the club on both kickoffs and punts.  With the former, he turned his 17 returns into 328 yards for an average of 19.3 yards per return. As a punt returner, he gained 102 yards on 15 returns for a 6.8 average.  On the defensive side of the ball, his 64 total tackles were second best on the squad with his other numbers including one sack, 3.5 tackles for loss and five pass breakups in nine contests. He also recovered one fumble and returned it for a 45-yard touchdown.  Sam Tumilty's, the 2021 MSFA Midwest League Offensive Player of the Year, led the nation in rushing from his quarterback position with his 152.3 yards-per-game average totaling 1,371 yards on 231 carries with a school-record-tying 14 touchdowns. His 1,371-yard output was the second highest in school history.  As a passer, Tumilty completed 52.1 percent of his attempts (86-of-165) for 1,151 yards. He also recorded ten touchdowns through the air against six interceptions.  Scott Tumilty's selection on the second team marks the ninth time a St. Francis player has been named to either the AFCA first or second team.  

THEY'RE BACK, TOO: Besides the Tumilty brothers, the Saints return seven other all-conference selections.  That list includes first-team choice and senior defensive lineman Ryan King.  Second-team picks back are junior defensive lineman Michael R. Johnson, senior defensive back Angel Mata and sophomore kicker/punter Brian Maday.  Also back will be honorable mention selections Daniel Goetsch (Jr./TE), Matt Knudtson (Jr./OL) and Cameron Holman (So./DL).  

AS ARE THEY: Ten of last year's 11 defensive starters and four of five special teams' spots are filled by veterans, while on offense better than half (6 of 11) of last year's starters are back.  Missing from the defensive fold is all-conference selection and leading tackler Chris Johnson, while on special teams, long snapper Scott Walsh is lost to graduation.  The biggest loss on offense is that of Ravon Johnson, who is now part of the coaching staff.  The all-conference choice grabbed a team-high 41 receptions for 763 yards with eight touchdowns.  He was last season's second leading scorer, as well, with 50 points.

BACK IN THE FOLD: Two Saints back in the starting lineup today are receiver Liam Eldridge and runningback Keenan Hailey.  Hailey was lost after three games due to injury last year, while Eldridge (16 receptions, 186 yards) missed the season finale with a knee injury.

FAST STARTS TO EACH HALF: The two biggest quarters for USF one year ago were the first and third quarters.  In the latter category, the Saints outscored their opponents 51-15, while in the first quarter, they held a 49-29 advantage.  St. Francis outscored its opponents in every category, leading to a 25.9-17.4 scoring advantage for the campaign. 

AMONG THE BEST: Offensively, USF's best numbers in the nation in 2021 were its rushing-per-game average of 239.7 yards (fifth) and its third-down conversation rate of 46.9 percent (14^th).  The Saints also fared well on fourth down, converting at a 57 percent rate (8-of-14).

FOR THE RECORD: The Saints are 158-222 all time, 129-165 in day games, 82-99 at home and 9-27 in season openers. USF has dropped its last seven home openers.