Wheeling, W. Va. - The Wheeling University Football team (3-2, 3-1) has been on a roll, winning each of their last three games to move to 3-1 in Mountain East Conference (MEC) play. They look to keep that momentum going as they make the 540-mile trek down to Pembroke, North Carolina, to face UNC Pembroke Saturday at noon.
The Cardinals are coming off of their first shutout of the 2021 season last time out when they defeated West Virginia Wesleyan 38-0 at Bishop Schmitt Field. The Wheeling defense continued their reign as one of the top defenses in the conference, and have allowed just two touchdowns over their last three games. It was linebacker Ryan Gorman and defensive lineman Brandon Munoz leading the way with seven tackles each. Two of Gorman's tackles went for loss in the game, while Munoz had one tackle for loss.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Cardinals used a balanced attack with success both in the run and pass game. Sy Alli IV put together his best game of the season, rushing for 120 yards on 21 carries and two of Wheeling's four touchdowns in the game. Wheeling got a good push from their offensive line all day long and totaled 198 yards on the ground. When Alli needed a break, it was Ben Bentley who got the ball, racking up a career-high 48 yards rushing on seven carries for an average of 6.9 yards per rush.
In the passing game, quarterbacks Brennon Norris and Trent Jackson spread the ball around and combined for 253 yards through the air. Seven different receivers made catches on the day, but it was senior Lowell Patron who led the group with four catches for 86 yards. Norris got his second straight start at quarterback and went 14-27, throwing for 201 yards and a touchdown, while Jackson was 6-6, throwing for 48 yards and a touchdown. Wide Receivers Ryan LaFollette and Dasyn Hores caught the two passing touchdowns to round out the big day for the offense.
Heading into their week six match-up against UNC Pembroke, Wheeling is one of four teams tied for second place in the MEC. After Notre Dame College fell to The University of Charleston last week, Wheeling, Notre Dame, Charleston, and West Liberty each sit with a 3-1 record in conference play. If Notre Dame College defeats Frostburg State this week and Wheeling wins, the Cardinals could be in a tie for first place heading into their match-up with Frostburg State next week.
The Match-up
Saturday's game will be the first-ever meeting between Wheeling and UNC Pembroke. UNC Pembroke is in its second year as a member of the Mountain East Conference and went 2-2 against MEC schools last season. It will be the Cardinal's first trip to North Carolina as a program as they try to start off the rivalry between the Cardinals and Braves on a good note.
The Details
Kick-off for Saturday's MEC match-up is scheduled for 12:10 PM. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
