Football | 10/4/2019 12:30:00 PM
STORM LAKE - Following its first road defeat of the season last week at Simpson, the Buena Vista football team returns home to host Wartburg College this Saturday,. looking to hand the Knights their first loss of the season. BVU comes in riding a two-game losing skid while Wartburg has remained perfect while averaging 50 points per contest. The Knights also look to extend its current seven-game conference win streak which dates back to last season.
Wartburg has won nine straight match-ups in the series, including last season, 63-0, in a game played in Waverly. BVU's last triumph over the Knights was back in 2009 when it picked up a 27-15 victory, giving the team back-to-back wins in the series. BVU has been held to 14 points or less in four straight meetings, including two shutouts.
Kick-off inside of J. Leslie Rollins Stadium is set for 1:00 p.m.
GAME INFO
Wartburg (4-0, 2-0 A-R-C) at Buena Vista (2-2, 0-2 A-R-C)
Saturday, Oct. 5 | 1 p.m.
J. Leslie Rollins Stadium | Storm Lake, Iowa
Live Video & Stats: bvuathletics.com
Radio (local): 97.5FM KBVU
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Team Statistics
*2019 national rank in parentheses
Wartburg
Offensive PPG: 50.5 (6th)
Defensive PPG: 16.3 (56th)
Total Offense: 422.8 (53rd)
Pass Offense: 269.8 (50th)
Rush Offense: 153.0 (105th)
Total Defense: 313.8 (78th)
Pass Defense: 143.8 (23rd)
Rush Defense: 170.0 (173rd)
Turnover +/-: +1.25 (40th)
Buena Vista
Offensive PPG: 23.5 (139th)
Defensive PPG: 28.5 (150th)
Total Offense: 386.5 (85th)
Pass Offense: 239.3 (78th)
Rush Offense: 147.3 (111th)
Total Defense: 364.3 (128th)
Pass Defense: 268.3 (211th)
Rush Defense: 95.8 (52nd)
Turnover +/-: -0.25 (136th)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Wartburg
Head Coach: Rick Willis (179-44, 21st season)
Passing: Jace Moore – 49/67 (.731), 636 yards, 8 td, 1 int, 189.3 effic.
Rushing: Bennett Goettsch – 41 rushes, 150 yards, 3.7 avg, 2 td
Receiving: Kolin Schulte – 28 catches, 463 yards, 16.5 avg, 7 td
Defense: Eli Barrett – 38 tackles, 1.0 tfl's, 1 blocked kick
Buena Vista
Head Coach: Grant Mollring (6-18, 3rd season)
Passing: Dylan Laughlin – 43/70 (.614), 444 yards, 2 td, 3 int, 115.5 effic.
Rushing: Bryland Menicucci – 30 rushes, 167 yards, 5.6 avg, 2 td
Receiving: Eric Pacheco – 25 catches, 487 yards, 19.5 avg, 2 td
Defense: Tanner Frost – 24 tackles, 4.0 tfl's, 2.0 sacks, 1 pbu | Morris Arranda - 21 tackles, 1.0 tfl's, 1 int, 4 bu
GAME NOTES
TD Machine
Eric Pacheco has made a career of catching touchdown passes thus far, sitting one TD catch away from fourth on the program's all-time list (Gunner Gilland,18). Here's the top-5 list for BVU:
1. Jesse Schmidt (2002-05) 33
2. Jalen Henningsen (2012-16) 25
3. John Peterson 20
4. Gunner Gilland (2011-14) 18
5. Eric Pacheco (2017-pres.) 17
Running for the Century Mark
Adrian Griffin surpassed 100 yards for the first time in his young collegiate career on September 21 against Neb. Wesleyan. His 118 rushing yards were the most by a BVU running back since Cody Mowery (123 vs. Dubuque, Oct. 22, 2016). Below are the last 5 100+ rushing performances for BVU:
1. Adrian Griffin 118 vs. NWU on Sept. 21, 2019
2. Tariq Thomas 117 vs. Luther on Sept. 30, 2017
3. Cody Mowery 154 vs. Luther on Oct. 15, 2016
4. Cody Mowery 123 vs. Dubuque on Oct. 22, 2016
5. Cody Mowery 143 vs. NWU on Nov. 5, 2016
Running Wild
Buena Vista has a pair of 200-plus rushing games through its first four games of 2019. The team did not reach the 200-yard mark as a team in any game of 2018. The last time it reached the plateau multiple times in a season was 2016 (twice) vs. Luther (238) and vs. Mayville St. (200).
Finding the Endzone with the legs
BVU has seven rushing touchdowns this season, matching the total from all of last season. The team's highest single-season total over the last five years, including 2019 is 13.
Rushing TD's Last 5 seasons:
2019 7
2018 7
2017 13
2016 8
2015 10
Finding the Winning Ways
With two wins already under their belt this season, the Beavers have surpassed last season's overall win total. It has not won at least three games in a season since 2017 (3).
Pacheco 'catching' up with the all-time reception leaders
Junior Eric Pacheco comes into today's game with 117 career receptions. He's averaging 6.3 per game this season and ranks fifth in the league in that category and could move into the top-five all-time in BVU history with five catches against the Knights.
1. Jalen Henningsen 2012-16 201
2. TJ Lint 2014-17 157
3. Jess Schmidt 2002-05 132
4. Adam Cave 2011-14 131
5. Josh Espinosa 1999-02 122
Invaded by the Knights
Buena Vista has been held to 14 points or less in four straight match-ups with Wartburg and has been outscored in that same stretch, 216-28. The last time the Beavers held the Knights to less than 25 points was also the last time they defeated Wartburg (2009, W 27-15).
