What you need to know about Mount Union's football playoff opponent, the Utica Pioneers
The game: Utica (N.Y.) at Mount Union, NCAA Division III football second-round playoff.
Kickoff: Noon Saturday at Kehres Stadium.
On the air: WDPN-AM (1310) and WRMU-FM (91.1).
Records/rankings: Utica is 10-1 and unranked. Mount Union is 11-0 and ranked second in both the AFCA and D3football.com polls.
More:Tyler Echeverry makes the most of his opportunity for Mount Union football
Coaches: Geoff Dartt is 28-1 in his third season at Mount Union. Blaise Foggiano is 76-71 in his 15th season at Utica.
Series history: First meeting.
Last week: Mount Union 51, Salisbury 0; Utica 17, Susquehanna 10.
Playoff resume: This is Utitca’s first appearance. This is Mount Union’s 33rd and the program has 13 national championships and 21 appearances in the title game. Mount is 108-19 in playoff games.
More:Mount Union's Braxton Plunk, Wayne Ruby, Rossy Moore and Geoff Dartt lead All-OAC football
About Utica: Located in upstate N.Y., Utica is a member of the Empire 8 Conference with an estimated enrollment of 2,800. The Pioneers finished second to 17th-ranked SUNY-Cortland after losing to Cortland, 48-21, in Week 8. It earned an at-large bid to the playoffs when most Division III observers felt that spot would go to Johns Hopkins. Still, the Pioneers had enough to knock off 13th-ranked Susquehanna, 17-10, in the first round. Victory came when Utica stopped two Susquehanna drives in the final 10 minutes, ending the game when Jamel Smith intercepted his third pass of the day near his goal line with under one minute to play. The Pioneers are predominantly a senior team and like to throw the ball. Senior QB Braedon Zenelovic (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) has completed 221-of-330 passes for 2,906 yards and 30 touchdowns against six interceptions. The leading receivers are 5-7, 160-pound Nate Palmer (66 receptions/1,248 yards/18 TDs), Travis Decker (40/559/4) and Joey Nare (44/508/4). Leading rushers are James Selles and Matt Brantley, with a combined 877 yards and seven touchdowns on 176 carries. Defensively, end Jimmie Warren has made 87 tackles with 10 sacks, linebacker Anthony Noello has been in on 66 tackles and tackle John Stough has 6.5 sacks.
About Mount Union: The Raiders snapped out of their late-season malaise with resounding success last week. Was it because the team “found its rhythm” as Dartt said? Or, was it because John Carroll and Baldwin Wallace are significantly better than Salisbury, as well as other playoff qualifiers? The Raiders are averaging 48.2 points per game, third-best in the nation. They are allowing 7.18 ppg, fourth nationally. The passing game, anchored by QB Braxton Plunk and WR Wayne Ruby, has been uber-efficient all season, accounting for 41 touchdowns and almost 3,500 yards. Plunk is ranked in the top five nationally in total yards (3,440), yards per game (313), touchdowns (41) and efficiency (187.4). Ruby is ranked first or second nationally in yards per game (134.8), total yards (1,348) and points per game (14.4). Last week he became the program’s record holder in touchdown receptions for a single season with 24, eclipsing the 23 set by Cecil Shorts and equaled by Justin Hill. Defensively, linebackers Mason McMillen and Rossy Moore and safety Jesse Vail continue to lead with a combined 189 tackles, including 32 for lost yards and 11 sacks. Cornerback Josh Jones and safety John Roland lead with four and three interceptions, respectively.
This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Mount Union football plays the Utica Pioneers in NCAA football
