Davidson College Athletics
Georgetown
Football Opens 2010 Season vs. Georgetown Saturday
9/3/2010 1:49:44 PM | Football
Davidson Wildcats (0-0) vs. Georgetown Hoyas (0-0)
Sept. 4, 2010 - Davidson, N.C.
Smith Field at Richardson Stadium (4,500) - 6 p.m. - Natural Grass
Today's Game
• Davidson opens its 112th season of football by hosting Georgetown at 6 p.m. in Richardson Stadium.
• The Wildcats return 45 lettermen and 15 starters from the 2009 squad. Davidson lost four Pioneer Football League games by eight points or less last year.
• Davidson is 11-7 in Richardson Stadium in its last 18 contests. The 'Cats have suffered two straight losses at home.
• Georgetown returns 49 lettermen and 13 starters from its 2009 team.
• The Hoyas have lost 12 straight games overall and eight in a row on the road.
• Georgetown was picked sixth in the Patriot League, and Davidson was tabbed seventh in the Pioneer Football League in their respective preseason coaches polls.
• Davidson has a winning record in 111 season openers with a mark of 54-52-5 (.509).
• The Wildcats have lost seven of their last eight season openers with only one of those coming at home.
• The Wildcats are 7-2 in their last nine home openers.
Series Record
• Georgetown leads the all-time series, which dates back to 1999, 4-3.
• The 'Cats won the first two games, and the Hoyas responded with four straight wins from 2001-04.
• Davidson took a 10-3 decision on the road in 2005 in the last meeting.
• The stout Wildcat defense combined for six sacks that day with Will Funderburg and Jim Walter getting two each.
• Ryan Alexander threw for 165 yards and the 'Cats' lone touchdown of the game, a 10-yard score to Ryan Hubbard.
Scouting the Hoyas
• Georgetown returns its top rusher and passer from last year.
• Philip Oladeji led the Hoyas in rushing with 308 yards and a TD on 76 carries.
• Isaiah Kempf threw for 1,231 yards and two scores.
• The Hoyas also return their top tackler in Nick Parrish, who logged 110 stops.
• Andrew Schaetzke led the team in tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (5.5).
Season Openers
• The first season-opening victory came on Oct. 7, 1900, when the 'Cats defeated Guilford, 16-0. That victory began a five-game winning streak on opening day.
• The longest opening-day winning streak for the Wildcats was 10 straight (1922-31). Davidson shut out Elon in each of the first five season openers during that streak, plus beat the Fightin' Christians (now Phoenix) in eight of those 10 games. All in all, the 'Cats outscored their opponent in those 10 opening-day games, 221-8.
• Coach Monk Younger owns the best opening-day record of any Wildcat coach, going 9-0 from 1923-31.
• The longest losing streak in Davidson season openers was eight from 1981-88.
• In 1946, Davidson recorded its biggest victory on opening day, defeating Erskine 74-0. That game is also the fourth-largest margin of victory in Davidson history.
• VMI has the distinction of handing Davidson its worst defeat on opening day — 55-0 in 1975.
Preseason PFL?Honors
• Phil Steele's Football Magazine named linebacker Daniel Astrop and running back Kenny Mantuo preseason second-team All-Pioneer Football League.
• An All-PFL Honorable Mention selection in 2009, Astrop ranked 12th in the league in tackles and led Davidson with 68 stops. He added five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles. The 2010 team captain ranked ninth in the PFL in tackles by a linebacker.
• Mantuo, who earned second-team All-PFL honors in 2009, ranked fifth in the league in rushing with 626 yards to go along with five touchdowns. The senior also caught 10 passes for 91 yards. The 2010 team captain ranks 14th on the Davidson all-time rushing yardage list, sixth in rushing touchdowns and ninth in scoring.
