WEEK 7: 'Cats Set for PFL Battle at Dayton

GAME 6 | OCT. 12, 2024 | 12:00 PM | WELCOME STADIUM (11,000) | DAYTON, OHIO

DAVIDSON WILDCATS
2024 Record: 4-1 (2-0 PFL)
2023 Record: 7-4 (6-2 PFL)
Head Coach: Scott Abell
Davidson Record (Yrs): 45-24 (7)
Career Record (Yrs): 84-48 (13)

DAYTON FLYERS
2024 Record: 3-1 (1-0 PFL)
2023 Record: 4-7 (2-6 PFL)
Head Coach: Trevor Andrews
Dayton Record: 7-8 (2)
Career Record: Same

INSIDE THE SERIES
Meetings: 18
Series Record: Dayton leads, 16-2
First Meeting: Dayton Won, 49-7 (9/16/89)
Last Meeting: Dayton Won, 45-14 (11/18/2023)
Streak: Lost 1
In Davidson: 2-8
In Dayton: 0-8
Abell vs. Dayton: 1-3

1ST AND 10

Winners of four straight, Davidson enters 4-1 overall and 2-0 in league play following a 42-19 win over Marist.
Junior Mari Adams led the 'Cats with 164 yards on the ground and two scores, while Andrew Frazier ran for 117 yards, threw for 144 and two touchdowns in just his second career start at quarterback.
With the victory, Head Coach Scott Abell became the school's all-time wins leader, breaking William Younger's mark of 44 wins that stood for nearly a century.
The 'Cats are 33-14 in PFL play under Abell, while capturing two regular season crowns and making three FCS Playoff appearances.
In addition to leading the league in every major rushing statistical category, Adams ranks among FCS leaders in rushing yards (674 / 6th), rushing yards per game (134.8 / 4th), rushing touchdowns (8 / 5th) and yards per carry (7.84 / 4th).
Mason Sheron ranks second in the conference behind his backfield mate in rushing yards per game (375), rushing touchdowns (7) and rushing yards per game (75).
Davidson, which has possessed the nation's top rushing offense five of the last six seasons, leads all of FCS in 2024 averaging 368.6 yards per game.
The Wildcats also rank among FCS national leaders in total offense (487.6 / 7th), scoring offense (41.0 / 7th), passing efficiency (170.44 / 5th) and time of possession (34:24 / 3rd).

INSIDE THE SERIES

Saturday's meeting will be the 19th all-time between Davidson and Dayton.
The Flyers, who won last year's game 45-14, lead the series, 16-2.
In 2022, Davidson's 24-23 victory ended Dayton's run of 10 straight wins over the 'Cats.
Perhaps, one of the more memorable contests between the two came in 2014 when they played a five-overtime thriller, with the Flyers eventually coming out on top, 54-48.

LAST TIME OUT | DAVIDSON 42, MARIST 19 -- OCT. 5, 2024 |DAVIDSON, N.C.

The Davidson football team earned win No. 45 of the Scott Abell coaching era in fitting fashion Saturday, compiling 540 yards of offense in a 42-19 win over Pioneer Football League foe Marist on Field 76.
Abell, who brought a high-numbers offense to Davidson seven years ago, broke William Younger's (1923-31) record for the most coaching wins in program history.
Running back Mari Adams and quarterback Andrew Frazier combined for 279 rushing yards and two scores, while Frazier had another efficient game at signal caller, finishing 8-of-10 passing for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
For the second straight game, Davidson (4-1, 1-0 PFL) raced out to a 21-0 lead, this time highlighted by a Frazier to Brody Reina 43-yard touchdown pass.
Adams (1-yard run) and Sam Valor (6-yard run) added touchdowns for the 'Cats, who led 21-7 at the half behind 300 yards of total offense.
After forcing Marist (0-5, 0-2 PFL) to punt on its opening drive of the third quarter, the Wildcats went deep into their bag of tricks, faking a 30-yard field goal that resulted in holder Aaron Maione connecting with tight end Christian Berry on a 12-yard touchdown pass.
Adams ran 24 times for 164 yards and also had a 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Frazier rushed 17 times for 115 yards and found Sam Hedrick for a 10-yard score in the fourth quarter.

LAST MEETING | DAYTON 45, DAVIDSON 14 -- NOV. 18, 2023 |DAVIDSON, N.C.

The Dayton Flyers scored the game's first 28 points and defeated Davidson 45-14 Saturday night in the final football game to be played at Richardson Stadium.
With the season-ending loss, the Wildcats finished 7-4 and 6-2 in the Pioneer Football League. It's the sixth straight winning season for the Wildcats, and the fifth straight full season, aside from the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign, in which Davidson has won at least six games.
Davidson put together its best drive of the night to start the second half. Running back Mari Adams ran 51 yards on the first play of the third quarter, and in doing so, became the ninth Wildcat to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Three plays later, Coulter Cleland tossed a 25-yard touchdown pass to Clarence Freeman to get Davidson on the board. But Dayton responded on the next drive with the second of Dante Casciola's two touchdown passes to Gavin Lochow to regain control.
The Wildcats added a score with 8:30 to play when running back Mason Sheron bolted 30 yards for a touchdown. Sheron rushed for 105 yards on 12 carries to highlight the offense.
Jonathan Hammond led the Davidson defense with nine tackles, while John Tessmann had eight. Dixon Hudson had a sack.

UP NEXT

Davidson will play two straight at home beginning with a 1 p.m. kick off next weekend against Stetson.

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Mari Adams

Christian Berry

Coulter Cleland

Andrew Frazier

Jonathan Hammond

Sam Hedrick

Dixon Hudson

Aaron Maione

Brody Reina

Mason Sheron

John Tessmann

Sam Valor

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