HICKORY, N.C. - For the first time in history, the Lenoir-Rhyne Football Team meets UVA Wise for a South Atlantic Conference matchup. The Bears have won nine straight SAC matchups and
Drew Cronic has not lost a game to a league opponent during his tenure.
Lenoir-Rhyne enters today's Homecoming matchup on a nine-game winning streak inside Moretz Stadium and winners of 14 straight regular-season games.
Looking to spoil the winning streak is a brand-new opponent in UVA Wise. After leaving the Mountain East Conference and joining the SAC, the Cavaliers come to Hickory for the first time in history. Wise is 1-3 on the year and has lost its first two league matchups and is coming off a 4-win campaign in 2018. Despite being picked to finish last in the Preseason Conference Coaches' Poll, the Cavaliers played Mars Hill to a 21-14 final in their league opener and have one of the most dynamic punt returners in the nation. Demetrius Mann leads the nation with his two punt returns for touchdowns including a 91-yarder in the season-opener.
Most recently, UVA Wise dropped a 42-7 decision at Carson-Newman and gave up 464 yards rushing to the Eagles. The Cavs were held under 200 total yards (195) and went just 6-for-17 on third-down conversions.
LR ranks No. 8 in the nation for the fourth straight week and comes into today fresh off a 56-28 win over Mars Hill that saw LR put up 609 yards of total offense. In a game that featured three weather delays and took almost five hours to complete,
Eric Jackson became the first player since All-American Michael Green in 2013 to pick off three passes in a game. Jackson would win Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors, while
Jace Jordan brought home an Offensive Player of the Week award. Jordan erupted for 159 yards on 15 carries and added a pair of touchdowns.
Jordan and
Dareke Young (5 catches, 108 yards) became the first teammates to run and catch for over 100 yards in the same game since
Ameen Stevens and
T.J. Smith topped the century mark on Sept. 28, 2018, against Tusculum.
Drake Starks hauled in a touchdown pass to give him two straight games with a TD reception and
Grayson Willingham went 12-for-20 with three TDs to give him 35 for his career. Willingham hit
Jaquay Mitchell for an 80-yard TD which was LR's first 80-yard TD connection since Miles Freeman hit
Victor Brannan for an 82-yarder in 2014.
In last year's Homecoming game, LR pounded Limestone to the tune of a 63-17 final. LR scored 49 of the game's first 52 points and the Bears rushed for 496 yards.
