Football Opens Road Swing at Dayton Saturday

Davidson Wildcats (2-3, 0-2 PFL) vs. Dayton Flyers (3-3, 1-2 PFL)

Date: Oct. 15, 2011 - 1 p.m.
Site: Welcome Stadium (11,000 capacity) - Dayton, Ohio
Audio: Mark Plemmons calls the action on the Davidson Radio Network (1350 AM, online at DavidsonWildcats.com and mobile with the TuneIn Radio App)
Video: Live on Dayton All-Access at DaytonFlyers.com
Web sites: Davidson (DavidsonWildcats.com), Dayton (DaytonFlyers.com)

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Today's Game
• Davidson opens a two-game road stretch at PFL perennial power Dayton Saturday.
• The 'Cats are coming off a 13-9 home setback to Marist last Saturday. The Davidson offense has not scored a touchdown in the last two games.
• The Wildcats are led offensively by sophomore quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff, who ranks in the top-10 in FCS football in passing yards (6th-308.6) and completions (2nd-29.6) per game.
• Junior receiver Lanny Funsten ranks in the top-10 in the FCS in receptions (10th-7.4) and receiving yards (9th-100.4) per game.
• The Wildcats are 6-13 in their last 19 road games, dating back to 2008. Davidson is 0-2 on the road this season.
• Davidson is 11-17 all-time in league games on the road, including 6-10 in its last 16.
• Davidson is 18-22 in its last 40 PFL contests and owns a 24-31 all-time PFL record.
• Dayton is on a two-game losing skid and coming off a 34-26 setback at Jacksonville Saturday.
• The Flyers are 1-2 at home this season.
• The 'Cats were picked ninth in the PFL preseason poll while Dayton was picked second with a first-place vote.

Series Record
• Davidson trails the all-time series, which began in 1989, 8-1.
• The 'Cats posted their only victory over Dayton in 2006, 37-36 at home. Davidson has lost all four games at Dayton in the series.
• Dayton quarterback Steve Valentino compiled 280 yards of total offense to lead Dayton to a 37-13 victory over Davidson last season at Richardson Stadium.
• Valentino completed 11-of-17 passes for 223 yards and two TDs and rushed 12 times for 57 yards for the Flyers. Taylor Harris had seven carries for 60 yards and two touchdowns, while Tyler Hujik caught two passes for 81 yards and a TD.
• Jonathan Carkhuff completed 23-of-39 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown for Davidson, and Josh Yost caught seven passes for 68 yards and a touchdown.
• With Davidson trailing 27-6, Carkhuff found Yost for a 5-yard touchdown pass as the 'Cats cut the lead to 14 points with 6:40 left in the third quarter. An 18-yard run by Mark Hanabury and a 14-yard completion from Carkhuff to Yost keyed the drive.
• After a defensive stop, the 'Cats were driving again, but Sean Belanger broke up a Carkhuff pass intended for Yost on 4th-and-5 from the Dayton 26 to turn the ball over on downs.
• The Dayton defense kept Davidson off the scoreboard, and the Flyers scored 10 points off Davidson miscues to earn a 17-0 win at Welcome Stadium in 2009.
• The Flyers got great field position off of a blocked punt to score their first touchdown and used a Joe Ries 17-yard interception return to set up a field goal midway through the fourth quarter. It was one of two picks on the day for Ries.
• On the other side, Davidson had a 1st-and-goal on the Dayton 1-yard line and came away with no points in the first quarter, and the Wildcats missed two field goals in the contest.
• Michael Blanchard rushed for 63 yards and threw for 78 to lead Davidson, and Jonathan Adams had three receptions for 52 yards. Matt Heavner completed eight passes for 49 yards but had two interceptions.

Leftovers from Marist
• Bernhards-Callahan's 94-yard punt return for touchdown equals the school record, set by George Hannen against Wofford in 1969.
• The return was the first punt return for touchdown since Ryan Hutto returned one 36 yards against Georgetown in 2000.

Claw Marks
• Jonathan Carkhuff and Lanny Funsten set a school record with a 99-yard TD pass and catch vs. Johnson C. Smith Sept. 24.
• Funsten's 195 receiving yards vs. JCSU was the most for a Wildcat since Alvin Atkinson had 220 vs. Furman in 1979.
• During head coach Tripp Merritt's tenure, the Wildcats are 20-5 when winning the turnover battle.
• Merritt has moved into fifth place on Davidson's all-time win chart (28). He is seven away from fourth place, his former mentor, Tim Landis.
• Peter Kidwell picked off two passes against Lenoir-Rhyne Sept. 10, giving the senior seven for his career.
• Davidson is 3-2 on the opening coin toss; the 'Cats received the opening kickoff twice.
• Stetson and Mercer will join the PFL, beginning in the 2013 season.

Weekly Honors
• PFL Player of the Week: Jonathan Carkhuff, Co-Offensive Player of the Week, Sept. 24.
• CFPA Performer of the Week: Lanny Funsten (WR), Sept. 24; Toms Bernhards-Callahan (PR), Oct. 8.
• CFPA Honorable Mention Performer of the Week: Brenton Goodman (P), Sept. 24; Jonathan Carkhuff (QB), Sept. 10; Peter Kidwell (DB), Sept. 10; John Behm (LB), Oct. 8.

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