GAME INFORMATION
Saturday, Nov. 11 • 1 pm CT
Millenium Field
Streamwood, Ill.

Series History
Overall: St. Francis leads 3-0
First: at St. Francis 34, Judson 0 (10/16/21)
Last: at St. Francis 56, Judson 26 (10/14/23)
Streak: St. Francis has won the only three meetings between the two schools.
 
The Two Coaches
USF: Joe Curry
Alma Mater: USF 2001
Career: 63-60 (12th year)
at USF: 63-60 (12th year)

JU: Quintin Demps
Alma Mater: University of Texas El Paso
Career: 0-8 (1st year)
At JU: 0-8 (1st year)


TOP STORYLINES
• Saturday's game marks just the second time in the history of the program that the Saints will play the same team twice in one season.

• The last time the two teams met on Oct. 14, all eight touchdowns scored by USF came from either true rookies or redshirt freshmen.

• USF's defense will be looking to set a pair of new school records following the completion of Saturday's game.  If it holds Judson under 28 points and 318 yards, the Saints will have established new marks for fewest points and yards allowed in one season.  

• Brian Maday is looking to close his career with a perfect PAT mark.  The senior is 38-for-38 on the year and has made each of his last 41 attempts dating back to last year.


GAME NOTES

THE HEAD COACH: Joe Curry is in his 12th season as the Saints' head coach, which makes him the longest serving coach in school history.  He has surpassed program founder Gordie Gillespie, who served as the head coach for eight seasons, and his own coach, Mike Slovick.  Slovick served the program from 1994 through 2004.  Curry is also the winningest coach in the program with 63 victories and second in winning percentage (.512).  Gillespie maintains the top spot in winning percentage at .593.

ABOUT JUDSON: The Eagles will be looking to avoid a winless season when they square off with St. Francis on Saturday, having lost each of their first eight games of the year.  JU's offense has been on the upswing over its last three contests, averaging 25 points per game after managing only 40 points combined in its first five affairs.  Judson has used three different quarterbacks during the year with Aydan Edwards getting the most snaps.  He has completed 70 of his 135 pass attempts (51.1 pct.) for 815 yards with nine touchdowns against five interceptions.  Brandon Mackey is the key man to stop in the backfield, averaging 88.4 yards per game with his 707 yards rushing on 119 attempts, or 5.9 yards per carry.  The Eagles, however, have the third-fewest carries among all NAIA teams at 233.  Grant Alexander and Anthony Cathcart are the most serious threats among the receiving corps.  They have accounted for ten of the team's 12 touchdowns through the air.  Alexander has 556 yards on 34 catches with Cathcart's 40 grabs netting 412 yards.  The Eagles have also employed three different punters this season with Donovan Vences Olvera being the latest choice with his 34.4 yard average.  He also handles placekicking responsibilities, where he has converted 11-of-13 PATs, but has gone 0-for-2 on field goals.  On the return side, no less than 11 different Eagles have returned at least one kickoff with Negil Bruce having the most (nine).  Jeremiah Malone serves as JU's punt return man and has averaged 5.4 yards per return.  Defensively, Judson's most serious disruptor is Jay Callentine with his 51 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble.  Next in line is Josh Mason with 45 stops, including 2.5 sacks.       

THE LAST TIME THEY MET: USF's freshman contingent accounted for all eight touchdowns in USF's 56-26 league win back on Oct. 14.  Joey Tumilty led the way with his first of back-to-back weeks with three scores.  He also totaled 137 all-purpose yards on the afternoon.  Carl Bew and Gavin Day both reached the end zone twice.  Karsen Hansen got into the act, as well, on special teams with his recovery of a blocked punt in the end zone.  St. Francis' first two scores came within a span of 82 seconds after Judson botched each of its first two punt attempts.  Bew finished his day with a career-high 170 yards rushing on 24 carries, while throwing for another 155 yards.        

I KNOW YOU: Saturday's contest will mark just the second time in the history of the St. Francis program that the Saints will play an opponent twice in the same season, which is a rarity in college football.  The only previous time in which it happened came in the COVID spring season of 2021 when USF and Saint Xavier University squared off twice.  Saturday's game is a non-league affair. 

ERASER IN HAND: USF's defense is seeking to establish a pair of new school marks to close out 2023.  Heading into Saturday's game, the Saints have allowed only 143 total points with the school record being 171 set in 2015.  The Saints have also permitted just 2,355 yards of total offense by the opposition with the best all-time mark being 2,673 yards set in 1988.

AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE, AS WELL: Defensive coordinator Thomas Miller's unit ranks among the top 15 teams in the nation in no less than five categories, topped by its No. 6 ranking in pass defense (140.7 ypg).  The Saints are also eighth in total defense (261.9 ypg) and 13th in points allowed (15.9 per contest).  Other top defensive numbers include the team's three defensive touchdowns (14th) and its 18.7 yards per return on interceptions (13th).  For the season, the Saints have held the opposition under 300 yards in five of their nine games.

OFFENSIVE TOP MARKS: On the offensive side of the ball, St. Francis' name can be found among the top 15 teams in the nation in three categories.  The top spot is its 16.0 yards per catch average (seventh), followed by its 9.3 yards per attempt mark (ninth).  The Saints have also secured the 15th-most first downs by penalty at 22.

OTHER RANKINGS: USF boasts the tenth-most punt returns with its 23 for 241 yards.  The Saints also have the 16th-fewest penalties (49) for the 14th-fewest yards (427).  On the downside, St. Francis' 18 fumbles are the 16th-most in the NAIA in 2023.     

THE PERFECT SEASON: That is what Brian Maday will be seeking when he heads on the field Saturday.  The senior is one of only 18 players in the nation to have converted all of his PATs this year with 38 successes in a row.  Including last year, his string of perfection stands at 41. 

SEEKING THE THREE-PEAT: Dezzion Jordan delivered his second straight 100-plus yard receiving game in the Olivet Nazarene contest on Oct. 28.  Jordan's big day was set up by the longest reception of the year (81 yards) by any Saint and kept USF from being shutout for the first time this year.  Jordan finished with 101 yards on his three grabs.  It was his third career 100-yard game.

PLEASE RANK ME: The qualification for ranking among the nation's leaders in receptions is three catches per game.  Had it been 2.3, which is Jordan's current average, his 26.6 yards-per-reception average would rank first in the nation by nearly two yards.   The top mark is held by David Hayes from St. Thomas University at 24.9 (32 catches, 798 yards).

STARTING ANEW: The Tumilty Brothers touchdown streak came to an end at 27 games against Olivet Nazarene.  Nonetheless, Joey Tumilty still ranks among the nation's best in a pair of categories.  His 18.1 yards per catch average is 14th in the nation, while his nine receiving touchdowns are 21st-highest.  

WHAT'S AHEAD: The 2024 schedule will have a totally different look with both Marian University and University of Saint Francis (Ind.) coming over to the Midwest side of the Mid-States Football Association following the departures of St. Ambrose University to the Heart of America Conference and Roosevelt University moving on to NCAA II.  The first draft of the schedule has the Saints hosting Judson, Olivet Nazarene and Marian next year, while traveling to Saint Xavier and Saint Francis (Ind.).  USF opens the season at Waldorf University (Iowa) on Sept. 7.  Crossover games with Lawrence Technological University (Mich.), Concordia University (Mich.), Indiana Wesleyan University and Siena Heights University (Mich.) also dot the schedule with Concordia being the only road date.  The Saints will play six home games and four on the road in 2024 as things sit right now.   

FOR THE RECORD: The Saints are 171-228 all time, 142-169 in day games and 82-126 89-102 on the road.