HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Hampden-Sydney College plays on the road at Shenandoah University in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football action on Saturday afternoon, November 5, at 1 p.m. in Winchester. The visiting Tigers have won four-straight and five of their last six games and are now 5-3 overall, 4-1 in the ODAC (T-2nd), while the host Hornets are 6-2 overall, 3-2 in the ODAC (T-4th)—with two wins in their last three games. The game can be heard locally on WVHL Radio, Kickin' Country 92.9 FM, and will also be available worldwide on the Internet at wvhl.net or via the TuneIn Radio App, while available to watch as well via Shenandoah Video Streaming.

Hampden-Sydney at Shenandoah | Stats | Audio | Video | ***Tickets*** | Game Notes (PDF)
Location: Sprint Field at Shentel Stadium | Winchester, VA
Date: Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022
Time: 1 p.m.
Radio: Frank Shanaberger (play-by-play), Richard LeSueur (analyst)

Last Week
H-SC took a 28-21 ODAC home win past Guilford (NC) College on October 29 on Fulton Field at Lewis C. Everett Stadium. The Tigers led 14-7 at halftime, and 21-14 after three quarters, before scoring the game-winning touchdown with just 1:46 remaining when junior quarterback Andrew Puccinelli (Glen Allen) connected with sophomore wide receiver Austin Fernandez (Warrenton) on a 21-yard pass play. SU enjoyed a 45-0 road win at Averett University last Saturday, leading 28-0 at halftime against the Cougars.

The Series
H-SC leads the overall series against SU, 7-3, including a 28-7 home win last September 18, 2021. The Tigers have won two-straight against the Hornets, along with a 26-0 road win on March 5, 2021 in Winchester. H-SC and SU first met on the gridiron in 2012, a 42-21 road win for the Tigers during the Hornets' first year in the ODAC.

Scouting The Tigers
H-SC has the third-ranked passing offense in NCAA Division III (345.6), and is led offensively by fifth-year quarterback and second-year team captain Tanner Bernard (Lynchburg). Bernard has passed for 2,283 yards (184-279-3) and 20 touchdowns in seven games, adding three touchdowns on the ground, as well. Bernard missed the Greensboro game (9/17), and did not play in the second half of the Guilford game (10/29), both due to injury.

The running game features junior Melik Frost (Hardeeville, SC). Frost has rushed for 773 yards on 160 attempts (4.8) and 11 touchdowns, adding 230 yards receiving on 23 catches and one touchdown.

Austin Fernandez has led the receiving unit with 734 yards receiving on 55 receptions and six touchdowns. Freshman wide receiver Mason Cunningham (Arlington) adds 608 yards receiving on 49 receptions and six touchdowns, while senior tight end David Byler (Virginia Beach) has 503 yards receiving on 45 catches and six touchdowns, and junior wide receiver Jamahdia Whitby (Williamsburg) has 259 yards receiving on 20 catches and five touchdowns.

Junior safety Will Pickren (Mount Pleasant, SC) leads the Tigers on defense with 97 total tackles, including five tackles for loss, two interceptions, one forced fumble, three pass breakups and one quarterback hurry. Junior safety James-Ryan Salvi (Troutville) has 75 total tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and seven pass breakups. Junior linebackers Dorian Green (Martinsville) and Jaylin Jones (Rustburg) add 54 and 49 total tackles, respectively, including seven tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, two pass breakups and three quarterback hurries by Green, and four tackles for loss, one sack, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry by Jones. Green was named to this week's D3football.com Team of the Week for his outstanding efforts vs. Guilford (14 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 1 quarterback hurry).

Freshman placekicker Elijah Swett (Matthews, NC) is 14-16 on PATs, and 3-3 on field goals, including a long of 45 yards. Sophomore left-footed punter George Langhammer (Roanoke) has averaged 42.8 yards on 12 punts, including a long of 62 yards, six fair-caught and four inside the 20, while freshman quarterback/punter Carter Sido (Dallas, TX) has averaged 38.8 yards on nine punts, including a long of 67 yards, two fair-caught and five inside the 20.

Junior wide receiver Brice Wilson (Charlottesville) has averaged 24.9 yards on 11 kick returns, including a long of 34 yards.

Scouting The Hornets
SU is expected to be led offensively by sophomore quarterback Steven Hugney, graduate running back Rashadeen Byrd Jr., sophomore running back Markell Jackson, along with graduate wide receiver Ethan Bigbee and senior wide receiver Bryar Wheeler. Hugney has passed for 1,769 yards (142-237-6) and 17 touchdowns, adding three touchdowns on the ground, as well. Byrd has rushed for 646 yards on 116 attempts (5.6) and six touchdowns, while Jackson has rushed for 490 yards on 82 attempts (6.0) and four touchdowns. Bigbee has 471 yards receiving on 36 receptions and four touchdowns, while Wheeler has 406 yards receiving on 26 catches and five touchdowns. Graduate linebacker Ben Burgan has led the Hornets on defense with 85 total tackles, including 11 tackles for loss, five sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry. Junior cornerback Keyshawn Wilder has five interceptions, including four last week at Averett, along with his 41 total tackles. Sophomore placekicker Scott Martin is 31-32 on PATs, and 6-6 on field goals, including a long of 31 yards. Sophomore punter Joshua Kirby has averaged 32.4 yards on 29 punts, including a long of 61 yards, with nine fair-caught and five inside the 20. Rashadeen Byrd Jr. has averaged 20.0 yards on six kick returns, including a long of 40 yards. Bryar Wheeler has averaged 8.2 yards on nine punt returns, including a long of 40 yards, as well.

Last Year: @H-SC 28 - SU 7
Kaleb Smith rushed for a game-high and season-high 114 yards and two touchdowns to lead H-SC to 28-7 home win past SU at Everett Stadium. Tanner Bernard passed for a game-high 263 yards and two touchdowns, as well, in the first ODAC game of the season.

ODAC / NCAA Rankings
Tanner Bernard leads the ODAC in passing yards (2,283), passing yards per game (326.1), passing touchdowns (20), completions per game (26.3) and total offense (329.7), while second in completion percentage (65.9), passing efficiency (156.2) and passing yards per attempt (8.2), and fifth in passing yards per completion (12.4). He ranks second in Division III in passing yards per game, third in total offense, fourth in completions per game, ninth in passing yards and 19th in passing touchdowns.

Will Pickren leads the ODAC in total tackles (97) and tackles per game (12.1), and is tied for fourth in interceptions (2). He ranks third in Division III in total tackles.

Melik Frost leads the ODAC in rushing yards (773), rushing yards per game (96.6), all-purpose yards (1,003), all-purpose yards per game (125.4), rushing touchdowns (11) and total touchdowns (12).

Austin Fernandez leads the ODAC in receptions (55) and receptions per game (6.9), is second in receiving yards (734), third in receiving yards per game (91.8) and tied for third in receiving touchdowns (6).

Mason Cunningham is second in the ODAC in receptions (49) and receptions per game (6.1), tied for third in receiving touchdowns (6), and fourth in receiving yards (608) and receiving yards per game (76.0).

David Byler is third in the ODAC in receptions (45), tied for third in receptions per game (5.6) and receiving touchdowns (6), and sixth in receiving yards (503) and receiving yards per game (62.9).

James-Ryan Salvi is third in the ODAC in total tackles (75) and tackles per game (9.4).

Brice Wilson is third in the ODAC in kick return average (24.9).

Dorian Green is fourth in the ODAC in sacks (4), tied for fourth in interceptions (2), fifth in tackles per game (7.7) and 10th in total tackles (54).

400-Yard Passing Games
Tanner Bernard has passed for 400-plus yards in two games this season ... and has passed for over 300 yards 10 times in his H-SC career, including six of seven games played this season. He passed for a career-high 452 yards (33-49-0) and five touchdowns vs. Averett (10/15), after passing for 440 yards (33-44-2) and four touchdowns at Ferrum (10/8). Bernard has games of 346 yards and four-touchdowns at Wabash (9/3), 328 yards and three touchdowns vs. Widener (9/10), 321 yards and one touchdown at Bridgewater (10/1) and 313 yards and three touchdowns at Washington and Lee (10/22).

200-Yard Rushing Game
Melik Frost rushed for a career-high 211 yards on 21 carries (10.0) and four touchdowns vs. Greensboro (9/17). It's the sixth-best single-game rushing effort in program history. He has four 100-yard rushing games this season and during his H-SC career, including 101 yards on 17 carries (5.9) and two touchdowns at Wabash (9/3), 105 yards on 18 carries (5.8) and one touchdown at Ferrum (10/8) and 125 yards on 30 carries (4.2) and three touchdowns vs. Guilford (10/29).

All-Time Wins Leader
Twenty-third year head coach Marty Favret now totals 145 football coaching wins with the Tigers, recently surpassing legendary H-SC Hall of Fame head coach J. Stokeley Fulton as the all-time winningest football coach at the College. Coach Favret earned his record-breaking win with the dramatic 44-43 overtime road victory at Washington and Lee (10/22). Marty currently has an overall record of 145-84, while Coach Fulton compiled a record of 143-99-5 over 25 seasons from 1960-84.

Oh So Close ...
H-SC has yielded heartbreaking and game-winning touchdowns with less than one minute to play in two of its three losses this season, and the game-winning score came with just 3:43 remaining in the other setback. Wabash scored with 46-seconds on the clock for its 52-48 home win, and Widener scored with 37-seconds on the clock for its 31-27 road win, while Bridgewater scored late (3:43) during its 27-17 home win (also adding a field goal with 20-seconds on the clock).

From Division III H-SC To FBS Memphis
Ryan Silverfield '03 became the 25th head coach in the University of Memphis football history in December 2019. He is currently 18-14 overall in his third season at the helm of the Tigers, including 4-4 this season. Silverfield led Memphis to a record of 8-3 in 2020, and the Tigers were 6-6 in 2021. Ryan coached four seasons as an undergraduate at H-SC, starting as an offensive assistant in 2000, serving as the defensive line coach during 2001 and 2002, before coaching the tight ends and H-backs in 2003.

Up Next
H-SC returns home to play ODAC member and archrival Randolph-Macon College on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 1 p.m. at Everett Stadium. It's the 127th edition of "The Game" and Senior Day for the Tigers. It's considered the Oldest Small School Rivalry in the South, as well.

Complete game notes are available via the linked PDF above.