Davidson Football Back in Action, Hosts Butler Saturday

Davidson Wildcats (1-3, 1-1 PFL) vs. Butler Bulldogs (2-3, 0-2 PFL)
Oct. 9, 2010 - Davidson, N.C.
Smith Field at Richardson Stadium (5,000) - Noon - Natural Grass

Full game notes (PDF)

Today's Game
• Coming off their bye week, the Wildcats return to conference action by hosting Butler at noon.
• It's Take a Kid to the Game Day, and kids 12-and-under get free admission with a paying adult.
• Davidson is 11-9 in Richardson Stadium in its last 20 contests. The 'Cats have suffered four straight losses at home, dating back to last season.
• The Wildcats own a 13-10 all-time mark in conference games at Richardson Stadium.
• Davidson is 16-16 in its last 32 PFL contests and owns a 22-25 all-time PFL record.
• The 'Cats are 3-2 when coming off the bye week under head coach Tripp Merritt. Davidson lost its last game 42-15 to Jacksonville at home Sept. 25.
• The Wildcats have lost four in a row at home.
• Butler, the defending PFL champion, is coming off a 27-10 home loss to Campbell, and the Bulldogs have dropped their last two, both conference games.
• Davidson was picked seventh in the Pioneer Football League, while Butler was picked second and garnered two first-place votes.
• Davidson is 3-0 all-time against Butler in Richardson Stadium.

Series Record
• The Wildcats lead the all-time series, which began in 2003, 5-1, with the one loss coming last year at Butler, 14-7.
• The last three meetings in the series have been decided by 12 points or less.
• Davidson quarterback Ryan Alexander completed 21-of-28 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns, and the Wildcats rolled up 512 yards of total offense in a 46-34 victory over Butler the last time the teams played at Richardson Stadium.
• Butler quarterback Andrew Huck threw for 136 yards, ran for 81 and scored the game-winning touchdown to lift the Bulldogs to a 14-7 win over Davidson last season.
• With the score knotted at 7-7, Huck scored on a 1-yard run with 4:09 remaining, and David Lang added the extra point to cap an 11-play, 98-yard drive for the Bulldogs.
• The Wildcats were able to get two offensive possessions the rest of the way but wound up turning the ball over on downs on each one.
• Kenny Mantuo ran 16 times for a career-high 147 yards and a touchdown to lead the 'Cats, and Michael Blanchard threw for 91 yards and ran for 41.
• Patrick Hunt led the defense with 11 tackles, and Alex Griswold had seven stops and 2.5 tackles for loss.

Scouting the Bulldogs
• Huck leads the passing attack with 788 yards and six TDs with three INTs. He has completed 61.7 percent of his passes and also rushed for 142 yards.
• Scott Gray leads the rushing attack with 258 yards and a TD, while Ryan Hitchcock has run for 180 yards.
• Zach Watkins has 26 receptions for 236 yards and two scores, while Jordan Koopman has 25 catches for 272 yards and two touchdowns.
• Jordan Ridley leads the team with 58 tackles, and the Bulldogs have combined for three interceptions.

Claw Marks
• During head coach Tripp Merritt's tenure, the Wildcats are 17-5 when winning the turnover battle.
• Running back Kenny Mantuo ranks fourth on the Davidson all-time rushing list, with 1,699 yards. He rushed for a career-high 181 yards at Campbell, his fifth game with 100 yards or more. It was the most yards since classmate Justin Williams ran for 225 at Butler in 2007.
• Williams needs 62 punt return yards to become the school's all-time leader. Already Davidson's record holder in kick return yards, Williams needs 973 all-purpose yards to break the school's career mark in that category. Williams reached 1,000 rushing yards for his career with 37 against Jacksonville. Williams also needs 180 yards to become the PFL's all-time leader in kick return yardage (Justin Campbell, Butler, 2001-04).
• Mark Hanabury needs 263 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for his career.
• Ben Behrendt has 14 career field goals, which ranks fifth at Davidson. He needs one more to move into third. His 48-yarder against Jacksonville is a career high.
• Head coach Tripp Merritt has moved into a tie for fifth with Homer Smith on Davidson's all-time win chart (24). He is 11 away from fourth place, his former mentor, Tim Landis.
• Davidson has lost eight of its last nine season openers and are 7-3 in its last 10 home openers.

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