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THE ELM CITY TROPHY ON THE LINE
Bragging rights and the Elm City Trophy are at stake on Saturday as the Southern Connecticut State University football team travels to West Haven to face the University of New Haven in a 1 p.m. start. Fans who can't make it to the game can follow the action with live audio on www.sportingnewsct.com with Don Boyle on the call. In addition, there will be live stats available through the UNH athletics website and live Twitter updates through the official SCSU athletic department feed.

THE ELM CITY TROPHY IS ON THE LINE...PART TWO
The Elm City Trophy is on the line on Saturday when Southern Connecticut State University takes on New Haven. There will be a post-game presentation to the winner by the New Haven Gridiron Club.

ALL-TIME AGAINST NEW HAVEN
The Chargers lead the all-time series against the Owls by a 17-6-1 margin.

CATAPANO EARNS PAIR OF WEEKLY ACCOLADES
By virtue of his 297 all-purpose yards effort against Assumption, freshman quarterback Raymond Catapano was named both the Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Week and the ECAC Division II Rookie of the Week.

CERISANO MAKES IT THREE IN A ROW
Linebacker Michael Cerisano was named to the Northeast-10 Conference weekly honor roll for the third week in a row following his performance against Assumption.

KEEPING THEM OFF THE BOARD EARLY
Through the first five games of the year, the Owls' defense has not allowed a point in the first quarter of play.

CERISANO TACKLES THE COMPETITION
By virtue of back-to-back double figure tackle performances, Michael Cerisano has vaulted into the team lead with 49 tackles.

HOLBROOK, WILLIAMS SACKING THE COMPETITION
Jaime Holbrook has a team-high 4.5 sacks this year, with fellow defensive lineman Zachary Williams right behind with four sacks for the Owls.

WILLIAMS LEADS THE WIDEOUTS
Senior Gary Williams has a team-high 16 receptions this year along with a team-high 186 receiving yards.

LAST TIME OUT
Assumption quarterback Trevor Vasey went up-and-over the top for a 1-yard touchdown with 1:15 remaining to provide the margin of difference as the Southern Connecticut State University football team lost a heartbreaking 13-12 decision to the Greyhounds on Saturday.
• Quarterback Raymond Catapano led all rushers for 20 carries for 127 yards and one touchdown on the ground, while connecting on 12-of-30 passes for 170 yards and one touchdown through the air. Robert Thomas led the receivers with four catches for 49 yards. Seth Sheridan had a team-high 64 yards on three receptions. Running back Jack Mallis also contributed 55 yards on 16 carries.
• Carlif Taylor recorded a team-high 11 tackles, while Michael Cerisano had nine tackles and a sack. Southern's defense held Assumption to only 218 yards on the afternoon.
• The Owls appeared on their way to a victory thanks to some fourth quarter heroics. Trailing 7-6 in the final frame, SCSU assembled a 12-play, 80-yard drive to take the lead. Facing a 4th-and-1 at the Assumption 22, Catapano faked the handoff and scampered 22 yards for the go-ahead score. The Owls elected to go for two points, but the conversion failed.
• Southern's defense then held Assumption on its next possession, and the Owls had a chance to run out the clock. However, SCSU was unable to convert a first down and was forced to punt. During that exchange, the Owls were called for an illegal kick, and after another penalty was tacked on against the Owls sidelines, Assumption was given the ball at the SCSU 5.
• The Owls' defense gave it one last surge, but Vasey extended the ball just over the goal line on a 4th-and-goal from the SCSU 1 for the eventual winning score.
• After a scoreless first quarter, Assumption took the lead with 4:13 before the intermission on a 17-yard touchdown run from De'Ontray Johnson. The PAT gave the visitors a 7-0 lead.
• Southern Connecticut put the only points of the third quarter on the board at the conclusion of an 11-play, 77-yard drive. That series was punctuated on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Catapano to Gary Williams. However, the ensuing PAT was blocked, and the Greyhounds hung on to the lead.

THE LAST MEETING WITH THE CHARGERS
John Moscatel totaled a career-high 355 all-purpose yards, including 175 on the ground, but the Southern Connecticut State University football team dropped a 40-21 decision to the University of New Haven on Oct. 25, 2013 at Jess Dow Field.
• Moscatel totaled a career-high 175 yards on the ground on 23 carries. He also had nine returns (eight kickoff, one punt) for 171 yards and two catches for nine yards.
• Quarterback Brandon Basil completed 14-of-26 passes for 150 yards in the contest. Wide receiver Vito Fornarelli had a team-high four catches for 45 yards along with three rushes for 24 yards, along with a touchdown. Brian Wilcox led the defense with 12 tackles.
• The Chargers scored the first 30 points of the game. They started the contest with a 10-play, 65-yard drive that was closed by a 31-yard field goal from Brian Roberts. Later in the quarter, Ronnie Nelson hit Ty Headen on a 75-yard touchdown pass down the center of the field that extended the lead to 9-0 after a missed PAT.
• SCSU was stopped on its next drive and its ensuing punt by blocked and returned for a 30-yard touchdown by DeeJay White. The final points of the first quarter came via a three-yard touchdown pass from Nelson to Brandon Ruberti.
• The only scoring of the second quarter was the result of another blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown, this one a 40-yard return from Anthony Tillman.
The Owls took the opening kickoff of the second half and put together a six-play, 61-yard drive. Fornarelli concluded the drive with a two-yard touchdown run. Devin Silverman followed with the PAT to make it 30-7.
• UNH countered with a 10-play, 40-yard drive that was capped by a one-yard run from Nelson to push the score to 37-7 after three quarters.
• Southern Connecticut assembled a 10-play, 65-yard drive that carried over into the final frame. Vaughn Magee ended the series with a two-yard touchdown run, and Silverman followed with the PAT.
• Roberts' second field goal of the night on the next UNH drive put the Chargers ahead, 40-14. SCSU closed the scoring in the final minute when Michael Johnson finished a 10-play, 80-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Silverman's PAT made it a 40-21 final.

PAIR NAMED TO NE-10 WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Michael Cerisano and Dion O'Joe were both named to the Northeast-10 weekly honor roll for their play against AIC. It was the second straight week that Cerisano earned the honor.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE...
The Owls accomplished several feats that hadn't taken place in several years in the game against Pace.
• Justin Potts' blocked punt was the first for the Owls since Josh McWilliams did so in the 2009 season opener against Indiana, Pa. - a stretch of 53 games.
• Jonathan Balcacer's punt return touchdown was the first for the Owls since Andre Privott returned a punt for a score during the 2011 Homecoming Nor'easter game against Stonehill - a stretch of 25 games.
• Southern's two punt return touchdowns against Pace marked the first time since November 5, 2005. In that game, Jim Lukowiak returned two punts for scores (81 and 91 yards). It had been 90 games since the Owls had returned two punts for touchdowns.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE...TAKE TWO
Until the Saint Anselm game, Southern Connecticut had not played an overtime contest since the first week of the 2003 season against Merrimack. The Owls won that game by a 33-27 final, but had played 119 games since then without going to extra time.

CAREER DAYS FOR CERISANO, THOMAS
Sophomore linebacker Michael Cerisano posted a career-high 16 tackles along with two sacks in the win over Pace. Running back Donald Thomas accumulated 124 yards on the ground on 13 carries, a career-high total. For their efforts, both were named to the Northeast-10 Conference weekly honor roll.

RUNNING INTO A FLOCK OF OWLS
Southern Connecticut held Pace to just 16 yards rushing on 32 carries. The Owls rushed for 269 yards.

WIN NO. 1 FOR GODEK
Head coach Tom Godek collected his first win in that capacity against Pace after 82 victories while serving as the team's offensive coordinator during the previous 13 seasons.

AN IMPRESSIVE DEBUT
Freshman quarterback Raymond Catapano entered the Saint Anselm contest on the third offensive series and took the reins from there. In total, he completed 17-of-24 passes for 192 yards and also rushed 20 times for 55 yards with a touchdown. 

CATAPANO RECEIVES NE-10 WEEKLY HONORS
By virtue of his performance against St. Anselm, Raymond Catapano was named to the Northeast-10 Conference weekly honor roll.

CAREER-HIGH DAY FOR TAYLOR
Senior captain and defensive lineman Carlif Taylor recorded a career-high 11 tackles in the game against St. Anselm.

BYNUM NAMED TO NE-10 WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Sophomore linebacker Kayjuan Bynum was selected to the Northeast-10 Conference weekly honor roll for his play in the Owls' season opening contest at Gannon.

IN SEASON OPENERS
The Owls are 35-31-1 all-time in season openers. The 2014 season was the 67th in program history.

THREE OWLS EARN PRESEASON HONORS
Three members of the Southern Connecticut State University football team – seniors John Moscatel, Carlif Taylor and Brian Wilcox – were recognized with preseason All-America honors from USA College Football and preseason All-Conference honors from the Beyond Sports Network.

TAYLOR SELECTED AS OWLS' CAPTAIN
Senior defensive lineman Carlif Taylor will serve as the Owls' captain during the 2014 season.

TWO OWLS ON CURRENT NFL ROSTERS
Former Owls' standouts Ike Igbinosun and Jerome Cunningham were both in NFL training camps this summer with the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants, respectively. Igbinosun was signed by the Bills to their practice squad at the conclusion of training camp. This will mark his second year in a row with the Bills after also serving as a part of their practice squad last year. Cunningham also signed with the Giants' practice squad during the first week of September.

IN THE NORTHEAST-10 PRESEASON POLL
The Southern Connecticut State University football team has been selected No. 7 in the Northeast-10 Conference preseason poll, as voted on by the league's coaches.
1. American Int'l – 81 (9)
2. New Haven – 68
3. Stonehill – 67 (1)
4-tie. Assumption - 47
4-tie. Merrimack - 47
6. LIU Post - 44
7. So. Connecticut - 37
8. Bentley - 31
9. Saint Anselm - 19
10. Pace – 9
( ) – indicates first-place votes

THE 2014 SCHEDULE
The Owls have 11 games scheduled for the 2014 campaign. The year opens with a road game at Gannon on Sept. 6. In total, the opponents have been set for the first 10 dates of the year, with SCSU playing five home and five road games. In addition, the Northeast-10 Conference will once again host its championship weekend on Nov. 15.

TWO WITH OWLS' TIES EARN WALSH FELLOWSHIPS
Current Owls' defensive coordinator Jon Shelton and former Owls' All-American and nine-year NFL veteran Jacques Cesaire were among the individuals who earned Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship this summer. The annual program is administered by the NFL Management Council and NFL Player Engagement. Shelton was on the sidelines with the Philadelphia Eagles, of whom former Owls' captain Jeff Stoutland is now an assistant coach, while Cesaire joined the staff of his former club, the Chargers.

A FAMILIAR FACE TAKES THE REINS
Tom Godek '88, a former Owls' captain and the team's offensive coordinator for the last 13 seasons, was formally named as the sixth head football coach in the history of the Southern Connecticut State University program on April 4.
• The 2010 Division II/III Assistant Coach of the Year by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston, Godek took the Owls' offensive attack to new heights during his tenure as offensive coordinator. A total of 68 players on the offensive side of the ball have been recognized with All-Northeast-10 honors since Godek joined the staff in 2001.
• In addition, the Owls have shattered numerous offensive marks along the way. Since his arrival, the club accumulated new season highs for total yards, rushing yards, passing yards, touchdowns scored and points scored, along with a new program record for total offense in one game.
• As a student-athlete, Godek suited up for the Owls from 1984-87 and was a two-time All-New England selection. As a senior, he served as team captain and was an All-ECAC pick.
• Prior to joining the staff at his alma mater, Godek coached for seven seasons (1994-2000) at American International. While with the Yellow Jackets, Godek helped the club win four division titles en route to four consecutive Northeast-10 Conference Championship appearances. AIC claimed the conference title on two occasions. He also coached two NE-10 Offensive Linemen of the Year, along with 1999 Harlon Hill Trophy runner-up Kavin Gaillaird.
• He replaces Rich Cavanaugh, who retired at the conclusion of the 2013 season. The succession of Owls' coaches includes: Jess Dow (1948-65; 108-40-6), Harry Shay (1966-75; 47-44), George DeLeone (1976-79; 15-24), Kevin Gilbride (1980-84; 35-14-2) and Cavanaugh (1985-2013; 170-131-1)

THREE EARN ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Three members of the Southern Connecticut State University football team – juniors John Moscatel, Carlif Taylor and Brian Wilcox – were recognized with All-America honors from USA College Football at the conclusion of the season. Wilcox was named to the First-Team, while Moscatel was a Third-Team pick. Taylor earned Honorable Mention laurels.

OWLS RANK AMONG FINAL NCAA STAT LEADERS
The Owls finished the 2013 season ranked among the NCAA statistics leaders in several categories, while two members of the team also ranked individually.
• On the individual front, John Moscatel closed the year ranked No. 8 for all-purpose yards per game, while Brian Wilcox was No. 15 in solo tackles
• As a team, the Owls closed the year in the top 25 in Division II in six categories. They were No. 14 for time of possession and No. 20 in pass sacks allowed, They also ranked No. 22 in fewest penalty yards per game, rushing defense and fumbles lost and were No. 24 in tackles for loss allowed.

WILCOX NAMED ALL-ECAC
Linebacker Brian Wilcox named All-ECAC for his play during the 2013 season. Previously an All-Northeast-10 Conference selection, Wilcox became just the third player in school history to amass more than 100 tackles in a season and the first since 1996. In total, the middle linebacker recorded 111 stops, which was third in the Northeast-10. 

FOUR EARN CONFERENCE HONORS
Four members of the Southern Connecticut State University football team – senior Dominick Diglio and  juniors John Moscatel, Carlif Taylor and Brian Wilcox - were awarded with year-end honors from the Northeast-10 Conference, as selected by the league's coaches. All four were selected to the Second-Team.

EPPS SELECTED TO NATIONAL BOWL GAME
For the second year in a row, Willie Epps was selected to play in the National Bowl Game on December 8 in Miami. Epps capped his career in 2012 by earning All-Conference accolades for the third consecutive year after leading the Owls' wide receivers in catches (39), receiving yards (665) and touchdowns (four). He finished his career ranked second all-time at Southern Connecticut in receiving yards (2,868), third in touchdown receptions (26) and fourth in receptions (147). Epps was also named a preseason All-American as well as an All-ECAC pick during his career with the Owls.

AMONG THE KEY DEFENSIVE RETURNERS
Five of the top six tacklers from 2013 are back for the Owls this fall. Brian Wilcox is the top returning tackler from a year ago. He made 111 stops a year ago. Carlif Taylor (54 tackles), Mike Dunkley (42 tackles), Jonathan Balcacer (38 tackles) and  A.J. Marsiglia (37 tackles) are also back.

ON DECK
The Owls are back in action on Oct. 18 for the annual Homecoming contest as Bentley visits Jess Dow Field for a 1 p.m. start.