BRIDGEWATER, Va. - The Bridgewter College football team is set to host Shenandoah in the first home Saturday night contest since 2019.

When: Saturday, October 19, 2024
Where: Bridgewater, Va.
Stadium: The Stadium at Jopson
Kickoff: 6:00 pm 
Gameday Forecast: Clear, 63F
        5% Chance of rain
Series Record: Bridgewater leads 20-6

SCOUTING THE HORNETS: Shenandoah enters the matchup of the ODAC's two most northern schools  on a hot start despite the one loss in the column. The Hornets lone loss came to then No. 25 Randolph-Macon by virtue of a late RMC touchdown in the fourth quarter for a 22-21 victory in the battle of the bees. The Hornets will look to control the battle up front and rely on the senior leadership of senior QB Steven Hugney.

SHENANDOAH HEAD COACH:  Scott Yoder is in his 12th season as the head of the Hornet football program and has totaled a 60-50 overall record during his time in Winchester. Yoder's teams have been known for their quarter-back driven offensive attack and their tenacity on the defensive side of the football. Yoder's resume spans 24 years and just at two schools, SU and his almamater Hobart where he was an assistant for 12 seasons.

QB BATTLE: Saturday's matchup features two of the ODAC's best quarterbacks through the opening half of the season in Jaicere Bateman and Steven Hugney. Hugney enters as the conference leader in passing yards and scoring, while Bateman leads the conference in passing efficiency and sits second behind Hugney in passing yards and scoring. Both QBs are not afraid to get involved in the rushing game either as Hugney has tallied three rushing touchdowns so far this season, while Bateman sits tied for the conference lead with six scores on the ground this season. 

SPECIAL TEAMS MATTER: BC scored a pair of special teams touchdowns in Saturday's 63-7 win over Averett. Cedric Drumgoole scooped up a kick and took it back 88 yards for a score to shift the momentum after Averett's lone touchdown in the first half while Tate Leach took a 50-yard punt to the house in a methodical 65-yard punt return for a touchdown. Leach was also named the ODAC Special teams Player of the Week for his efforts. The game marked the first time since 2019 that the Eagles returned both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same game. The Eagles' "edge" sits eighth in punt return average at 21.3 yards per return, while the kick return unit ranks fourth in Div. III at a clip of 31.2 yards per return.

POINTS, POINTS, POINTS: The Eagles have played just two games at home in 2024 but are averaging 71.5 points in those two contests. BC has amassed 219 points at the half-way point of the season, the most at the current spot in a season since the 2019 ODAC Championship season. The BC scoring offense leads the ODAC and ranks 19th in the country while the scoring defense is also limiting opponents to just 15.4 points per game. Shenandoah also brings in the conference's second highest scoring offense at 38.8 points per game and has scored over 30 points in each of it's road games this season.

BATTLE UP FRONT: The Hornets are led by the big men up front on both sides of the ball. The SU offensive line is allowing just 1.2 sacks per game and 4.0 tackles for loss to rank inside the top 75 in Div. III in both departments. The Shenandoah O-Line also anchors a rushing game that ranks 71st in Div. III and sits 77th in scoring defense giving up just 20.8 points per game.

PRIME TIME: This weekend's matchup is the first Saturday home game under the Jopson lights since 2019 and the first home night game since 2021. Oddly enough, the last night game at the Jop in the spring 2021 season saw the Eagles and Hornets tangle in a battle that saw SU emerge victorious with a touchdown in the final minute.  The Eagles are 0-1 in night games this season and are 4-3 in night games since the 41-10 win over Gettysburg to open the 2019 season. 

ALL-TIME SERIES: The Eagles and Hornets have met 26 times since 2000 with the Eagles holding a 20-6 advantage in the series. Bridgewater picked up a 24-10 victory in Winchester last season thanks to a hot start. BC got out to a 14-3 lead at the half and held on as a 48-yard field goal by Jack Hendren put the final touches on the victory in the fourth quarter. SU was limited to just 29 yards rushing, but 266 yards in the air by Steven Hugney kept the Hornets in the game late. 

Tailgate lost will open at 3 p.m. wih the adjusted 6 p.m. start time. Lots will close immediately following the conclusion of Saturday night's game.