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OPENING DRIVE

The Alma College football team is in the midst of a three-game homestand, hosting Aurora University (IL) as a part of the crossover series between the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. The Scots enter the game with a 3-2 record, including a 1-1 mark in the MIAA, while the Spartans are also 3-2 and are one of two undefeated teams in NACC play with a 2-0 record. Today is also Alumni Day at Bahlke Field, with Alma College welcoming back football alumni from past seasons.

HEAD COACH GREG PSCODNA

Greg Pscodna is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Alma College football program and his 12th season as a head coach at the collegiate level. Pscodna owns a 12-33-0 mark in four seasons with the Scots. Pscodna coached at Defiance (Ohio) College from 1996-2002, compiling a 29-38-0 record, including an 8-3-0 record in 2001 while leading the Yellow Jackets to a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference title. Overall, Pscodna's record is 41-71-0.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS

Aurora enters today's game seeking its third straight win after defeating Concordia-Chicago, 28-26, a week ago, and triumphing over Wisconsin Lutheran on October 1 by a score of 48-13. Geron Rogers directs the offense at quarterback and has thrown for 807 yards and nine touchdowns with a 54.3 percent completion rate. On the ground, Connor Olson is the Spartans' leading back, averaging 6.0 yards per carry with two touchdowns. Danny Laguurato is Rogers' favorite target, catching 18 passes for 262 yards and five touchdowns, while on defense, Kam Dawtyne leads the team with 46 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss. Kicking duties will be handled by Zac Mirabelli, who is 3-for-5 this season and has hit 15 of his 16 extra-point attempts. The Spartans are coached by Rick Ponx, who is in his third season at the helm of the program.

THE SERIES

According to Alma College records, today's game is the fourth meeting between the Scots and Spartans in a series that began in 2004. Alma leads the all-time series, 2-1-0, but dropped the last meeting between the two teams on September 15, 2012, when the Spartans scored with 2:27 remaining to secure a 24-21 victory in Aurora, Ill.

RUNNING TOWARDS A RECORD

Nick Sullivan has 140 carries entering today's game, 23 shy of his own record of 163, set last season. Sullivan is the second player in school history to record 140 or more carries in two or more seasons, joining Mackenzie McGrady, who accomplished the feat in 2007 and 2009. Sullivan is averaging 114.8 yards per game rushing, 32nd in NCAA Division III, and is seeking to become the Scots' first 1,000-yard rusher since 2005. He had rushed for over 100 yards in each of his last four games.

GETTING BEHIND THE LINE

The Scots are 15th in NCAA Division III with 18 sacks (3.6 per game), and rank 20th in team tackles for loss, averaging nine tackles per game behind the line of scrimmage. Individually, Troy Gahm leads the MIAA and ranks ninth nationally in sacks with seven, and is 12th in Division III with 11 tackles for loss (1.4 per game).

TWENTY-SOMETHING

Zac Peterson made a career-high 20 tackles last week against Hope College, becoming the fourth player in school history to make 20 or more stops in a single game. Peterson, who leads the Scots with 59 total tackles, ranks 24th in NCAA Division III, averaging 11.8 tackles per game.

ALMOST TO 100

Danny Hugan II became the 17th player in school history to record at least 1,300 yards receiving in his career with his two catches for 16 yards against Hope. Hugan has 1,307 career yards to rank 17th all-time among Alma's receivers. In addition, Hugan has 99 career receptions, one shy of becoming the 16th player in school history to record 100 or more career receptions.

I COULD WALK 5,000 MILES ...

Dylan Zaborowski crossed the 5,000-yard mark for his career against Hope College and now has 5,026 career passing yards. Zaborowski is one of six players in school history to throw for over 5,000 yards, and the first since Mackenzie McGrady tossed 7,799 yards from 2007-09. Zaborowski is also 11 completions shy of becoming the seventh Alma quarterback to complete 400 or more passes in his career.

ROAD WARRIORS

The Scots are 3-0 on the road this season, marking the first time since 2004 that Alma has won three straight road contests.

30 FOR 30

Alma is 3-0 this season when scoring 30 or more points. In addition, the Scots are 9-0 under Head Coach Greg Pscodna when putting 30 or more points on the board. The last time the Scots lost when scoring 30 or more points was September 24, 2011, in a 49-42 shootout at Washington & Lee.

FAST STARTS ... SOLID FINISH

The Scots have scored first in each of the last four games and are outscoring opponents by a 44-21 margin in the first quarter this season. Alma is being outscored in the second and third quarters, but is closing out games with a 41-28 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter.

TARTAN TIDBITS

• The Scots have recovered a fumble and tallied an interception in every game this season.
• Zac Peterson and Dallas Reeser have each posted 10 or more tackles in the last two games.
• Troy Gahm and Dustin Tripp have recorded at least one tackle for loss each in every game this season, while Zac Peterson has a tallied a tackle for loss in his last four outings.
• Over the last four games, Alma is 12-for-14 inside the red zone, scoring 11 touchdowns and converting a field goal.
• Nick Sullivan has scored a touchdown in three straight games.
• Cody Coleman has recorded an interception in each of the last two games.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE HOPE GAME ...

• The Scots put two punts inside the 20-yard line, tying their season high.
• Alma's 17-play, 78-yard drive in the 4th quarter that resulted in a 3-yard TD run by Dylan Zaborowski was the most plays in a scoring drive by the Scots this season.
• Alma committed three turnovers, the most in a single game this season.
• Nick Sullivan equalled the longest rush of the season by an Alma player with a 35-yard scamper. He also posted a 35-yard run at Kalamazoo College on Oct. 1.
• Lars Murray tied a career high with four catches
• Nick Cozart set a career high with 16 yards receiving and also caught the longest pass of his career, a 16-yarder from Dylan Zaborowski.
• Cody Coleman registered his first career sack.
• Joe Hernandez tallied a career-high three tackles.
• Chris Luckhurst tied a career high with six stops.
• Jayson Nystrom posted a season-high six tackles.
• Alexander Szajko made one tackle, tying a career high.
• Dustin Prill recorded a season-high three tackles.
• Ty Jensen made one tackle, equalling a career high.

OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST

• One decade at a time – The Scots have won a MIAA championship in each decade, dating back to the 1900s. Their last league title was in 2004.
• Team captains – Senior RB Nick Sullivan (Flushing, Mich./Flint Powers) and senior DB Justin Thelen (Westphalia, Mich./Pewamo-Westphalia) are serving as team captains for the 2016 campaign. The captains were voted on by the team.

NEXT UP...

The Scots close out their three-game homestand on Saturday, Oct. 22, welcoming Albion College to Bahlke Field. Alma will be looking to snap a seven-game losing streak to the Britons next week, with its last victory over Albion coming in the 2008 campaign. It will also be Community Appreciation Day, with giveaways taking place prior to kickoff and a free movie-on-the-lawn taking place in the stadium immediately following the game. Kickoff is slated for 6:00 p.m.