Wheeling, W. Va. – Through the first two weeks of the 2023 season, the Wheeling University Football team (1-1, 0-1) has had the luxury of playing in front of the home crowd at Bishop Schmitt Field. As they enter week three, the Cardinals hit the road for the first time this season when they take on Fairmont State at 1 PM. After dropping their conference opener in a close battle in week one, the Cardinals look for a bounce back effort as they try to even up their conference record.
The Cardinals opened up MEC play last Saturday when they hosted Frostburg State at Bishop Schmitt Field. The Cardinals fell behind early on a pick si, but their special teams unit bailed them out with two field goals during the first half that made it a 7-6 game. The Cardinals would get on the board once more time before the half was out as Javon Davis connected with Jermaine Earl for his first Cardinals touchdown, but a Bobcats answer would send the teams into halftime with Frostburg State leading 14-13. Both defenses were stingy in the third quarter, with both teams being held off the board, but with eight minutes left in the game a third Joao Lima field goal made it a 16-14 Cardinals lead. However, it wasn't meant to be as Frostburg State tacked on another touchdown on the ensuing drive and went on to win 20-16.
It was a big day for the special teams unit as kicker Joao Lima accounted for 10 of his team's 16 points on the afternoon. He was 3-4 in field goal attempts, missing on a 34-yarder to start the game, but coming back and hitting from 36 yards, 48 yards, and 44 yards to round out his day. With the effort, Lima became the first Cardinals kicker not named Matthew Greenwood, who graduated last season, to hit a field goal in program history. His 48-yard field goal attempt was also the second-longest in school history, one yard shy of the record set by Greenwood last season. Lima transferred in from Alderson Broaddus just before training camp, where with the Battlers he went 7-8 in field goal attempts with his longest being from 42 yards. He, punter Trey Brady, and long snapper Shane Tomlin have led the special teams unit and look to continue their success.
The Cardinal's defense turned in yet another strong effort in week two, once again holding the opposition to under 25 points. They held Seton Hill to 24 points in week one and had another strong showing, allowing just 20 points in their week two matchup. As the game went on, their defensive effort just kept getting stronger. After allowing 14 points in the first half, the defense combined to allow just six points over the game's final two quarters, including a shutout during the third quarter. Dalton Hoover was the teams leading tackler through the first two games in his return to the team. Hoover has picked up 18.0 total tackles on the season, 10 solo and eight assisted, while leading the team with three quarterback hits.
After spending their first two weeks at home to start the year, the Cardinals now prepare to hit the road. With three of their first four games coming at home in September, the team will have to contend with a heavy road schedule in October, with only one home game during the month. After dropping their MEC opener to Frostburg State, Zac Bruney's team will be looking to battle back throughout the remaining nine weeks of the season as they try to make it to the NCAA DII Playoffs. The Cardinals have shown positive signs in all three phases of the game and are looking to put them all on display as they head down the stretch.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Falcons are meeting for the fourth time in program history on Saturday, with Fairmont State leading the all-time series at 2-1. It will be the third time that the teams have met in Fairmont, West Virginia with the Falcons winning each of the two previous matchups. The home team has been the beneficiary of every game so far, with the lone Cardinal win coming last season at Bishop Schmitt Field when the Cardinals picked up a thrilling 31-28 overtime victory.
Former Cardinal Matthew Greenwood would kick in the game winner in overtime, a 22-yard field goal that gave the Cardinals a 31-28 win. Javon Davis led the passing effort, going 20-28 throwing for 213 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Sy Alli led the ground game in his final game as a Cardinal, carrying the ball 21 times for 76 yards, while former Cardinal Jayvon Johnson led the team with 12 total tackles.
The Details
Kick-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for 1 PM on the campus of Fairmont State University. You can watch the action live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
