LEXINGTON, Va. - The Washington and Lee University football team travels to San Antonio, Texas for a Saturday afternoon match up with the Tigers of Trinity (Texas) University in the ODAC / SAA Crossover Series.
Game Information:
When: Saturday, September 21, 2024
Where: San Antonio, Texas
Stadium: Trinity Multi-purpose Stadium
Kickoff: 12 p.m. (CT) / 1 p.m. (ET)
Gameday Forecast: 90°, Sunny, Wind SE 9 mph
Gameday Links: Watch | Live Stats | Flipcard
Series History:
This marks the first meeting in program history between the two institutions. The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) and the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) announced a football scheduling agreement for the 2024 season to address scheduling gaps. Week three of the Division III football calendar will feature a series of crossover match ups between members from each conference.
Scouting the Tigers:
The Tigers (1-1) bounced back from a Week 1 loss by defeating Belhaven 55-10 on Saturday in Jackson, Mississippi. Trinity jumped out to an early 34-0 lead in the first half before extending their lead to 55-3 with a 21-point third quarter. The Tigers generated 403 yards of total offense, rushing for 184 yards and four touchdowns, while adding 219 yards and two scores through the air.
Quarterback Ryan Back completed 10 of 16 passes for 180 yards and one touchdown, while running back Winston Hutchison rushed for a game-high 80 yards on nine attempts, finding the end zone twice. Defensively, Cade Rabson led the game with eight total tackles, while Steele Herndon and Jackson Priesmeyer each recorded a sack for the Tigers.
On the season, the Tigers are outscoring their opponents 75-45, averaging 37.5 points per game. Trinity is averaging 345.0 yards of total offense per game, with 199 yards through the air and 146 on the ground. Hutchison leads the team with 147 rushing yards on 20 attempts, along with two touchdowns. Back has completed 27 of 55 passes (49%) for 359 yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions, averaging 179.5 yards per game. TJ Scannell leads the defense with 15 tackles, while James Ogunrin and Rabson have each recorded 14 tackles.
Scouting the Generals:
The Blue and White (1-1) bounced back from a Week 1 loss as they dominated all three phases of the game in a 68-28 rout of the Newport News Apprentice School on the newly renovated turf at Wilson Field on Saturday. After being tied 7-7 at the end of the first quarter, the Generals exploded for 61 points over the final three quarters to secure their first win of the season. W&L surpassed the 500-yard mark for the first time this season, rushing for 446 yards and seven touchdowns while throwing for 108 yards and two scores.
Sophomore Ty Collins was 3-for-5 for 108 yards, connecting with Fidel Small and Teddy Sparrow for two 34-yard touchdown passes. Michael Schoenberg rushed for a career-high 126 yards on 10 carries, finding the end zone in the third quarter. Jacob Romero added 113 yards on 11 carries, including a 64-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. The special teams unit joined in on the touchdown party as senior Will Kneisley and sophomore Teddy Sparrow blocked a punt, allowing Marcus Payne to scoop it up and run 25 yards into the end zone.
Defensively, Connor O'Malley intercepted two passes and registered two tackles, while Alan Haigler added another interception in the win. Jalen Todd led all players with nine tackles, and Will Mahmud and Mac Palmer each recorded a career-high two sacks.
Through two games in their 2024 campaign, the Generals are outscoring their opponents 47-38 while averaging 507 yards of total offense per game, including 393 rushing yards. Collins has completed 15 of 21 passes (67%) this season for 228 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 114 yards per game through the air. Romero leads the rushing unit with 234 yards on 37 carries and one touchdown, averaging 6.3 yards per carry and 117 yards per game. Todd leads the defense with 17 total tackles, while Mahmud tops the team with four tackles for loss and three sacks.
National Statistical Rankings:
The Generals rank within the Top 50 nationally in five team categories after two weeks of action. The Blue and White boast the third-best rushing offense in the country, averaging 393 yards per game on the ground. W&L also has the eighth-best team passing efficiency at 216.60 and ranks 17th in Division III for total offense, averaging 507 yards per game. The Generals rank 18th in scoring offense, averaging 47.0 points per game, and are 26th in fourth-down conversion percentage, successfully converting 87.5% of the time.
Individually, Jacob Romero continues to rank among the Top 25 running backs in the country, with 234 rushing yards, placing him 17th in Division III. His 117 yards per game rank him 24th nationally. Ty Collins ranks 26th in the nation with five touchdown passes. Defensively, Connor O'Malley ranks 10th in interceptions per game with 1, after securing two interceptions in the Generals' 68-28 win over Apprentice. Junior Will Mahmud ranks 49th in Division III in tackles for loss, recording four TFLs in the team's first two games.
Around the ODAC:
Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) teams went a perfect 7-0 during week two of the Division III season, with three teams scoring more than 50 points in their respective games. Bridgewater posted the lone shutout of the weekend, blanking Southern Virginia 80-0. #9/10 Randolph-Macon fended off an upset as they downed Hobart 14-7 in overtime, while Averett defeated Greensboro 27-20.
Guilford held off a late rally to squeak by Methodist with a 14-12 win, and Ferrum scored the final 14 points of the game to down North Carolina Wesleyan 28-24. Hampden-Sydney picked up their first win of the season, defeating Brevard (N.C.) 51-30 on the road.
Saturday, Sept. 21
#9/10 Randolph-Macon vs. Berry (Ga.) | 12:30 p.m.
Hampden-Sydney vs. Centre | 1 p.m.
Washington and Lee at Trinity (Texas) | 1 p.m.
Guilford vs. Sewanee | 1 p.m.
Bridgewater at Millsaps | 1 p.m.
Averett vs. Ferrum | 6 p.m.
Shenandoah vs. Rhodes | 7 p.m.