Live Stats |Â
Live VideoÂ
Week 1 Game Notes | 2017 SCSU Roster | 2017 SCSU Schedule | Offensive/Combined Stats | Defensive Stats
CONFERENCE PLAY COMMENCES
The Northeast-10 Conference portion of the schedule begins on Saturday as the Southern Connecticut State University football team travels to Easton, Mass. to face Stonehill. Game time is set for 6 p.m at W.B. Mason Field
ALL-TIME VS. STONEHILL
Southern Connecticut holds a 19-2 advantage in the all-time series with Stonehill.Â
THE LAST MEETING WITH THE SKYHAWKS
Corey Chaffee knocked away the potential game-winning touchdown on the final play of the game, and quarterback
Robert Nittolo connected with
Devante Jenkins for the game-winning touchdown with 43 seconds left as the Southern Connecticut State University football team defeated Stonehill, 31-27, on Sept. 9, 2016 at Jess Dow Field.
LAST TIME OUT
The Southern Connecticut State University football team dropped a 55-22 decision to Gannon in its 2017 season opener on Sept. 2.
• Quarterback
Raymond Catapano finished 23-for-36 for 204 yards and had three touchdown passes. Freshman wide receiver
Zhyaire Fernandes finished with four catches for a team-high 43 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver
Paris Crawford compiled 143 all-purpose yards (four catches for 37 yards and five kickoff returns for 106 yards).
• Senior
Vasilios Grigorakos and junior
Isiah Roberts led the defense with 11 tackles each.
THE CAPTAINS
Southern Connecticut State University football coach
Tom Godek has announced team captains for the 2017 season.
Raymond Catapano,
Vochan Fowler,
Vasilios Grigorakos, Shaquan HalL,
Brandon Pelzer and
Isiah Roberts will lead the Owls this fall.
IMPACTING FROM DAY ONE
True freshman
Zhyaire Fernandes joined an exclusive club with two touchdowns in his Owls' and collegiate debut. He became the first true SCSU freshman since Greg Douglas in 1998 to find the end zone in his first game as an Owl. Douglas had an 86-yard touchdown run in the opener against Stony Brook that season.Â
• Two other players accomplished the feat more recently in their redshirt freshman seasons. Brandon Toles hauled in an 80-yard touchdown reception in his first game on the field for SCSU in 2004, and Kofi Wilson did the same three years earlier in 2001.Â
NEWCOMERS GETTING A LOOK
In total, eight true freshmen saw the field for the Owls in the season opener against Gannon. In addition to
Zhyaire Fernandes' efforts that were noted earlier,
Jaron Cogdell rushed nine times for 24 yards and
Jose Conde connected on both of his extra points. A.J. Pearl,
Sharayad Letellier,
Charles Ritchel,
Bobby Valeri and
Andrew Wille also played for the Owls.
FERNANDES NAMED TO WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Zhyaire Fernandes earned a spot on the NE10 weekly honor roll for his play in the season opener against Gannon.
IN SEASON OPENERS
The Owls are 35-34-1 all-time in season openers. The 2017 season was the 70th in program history.
IN THE NE-10 PRESEASON POLL
SCSU was selected third in the Northeast-10 preseason poll, as voted on by the league's coaches.
GODEK HONORED AS COACH OF THE YEAR BY GRIDIRON CLUB OF GREATER BOSTON
In leading the Owls to a 6-5 record in 2016, along with a third place finish in the NE10 Conference standings. head coach
Tom Godek was named the Division II Coach of the Year by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston.Â
FOUR EARN CONFERENCE HONORS
Seniors
Devante Jenkins and
Dylan Vano were both named Second-Team All-Conference, while
Joe Buissereth and
Matthew Weiss were all named to the All-Rookie Team at the conclusion of the 2016 season.Â
GRIESENAUER COLLECTS COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT LAURELS
Tight end
Ryne Griesenauer received Academic All-District honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America. Griesenauer played a pivotal role in the Owls' offense last fall. He posted nine catches for 127 yards and  three touchdowns, while also serving as a key blocker as a part of the SCSU rushing attack.
GRIESENAUER REPEATS WITH NOD TO NE10 FOOTBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
For the second year in a row,
Ryne Griesenauer was also selected to the NE10 Football All-Academic Team.
A WINNING SEASON SECURED
The Southern Connecticut State University football team secured a winning 2016 campaign with a 28-25 victory over St. Anselm on Senior Day.
30 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
Southern Connecticut was 4-0 in games in 2016 when scoring 30 points.Â
WELCOME TO THE CLUB
The Owls have welcomed 42 newcomers to the roster for this fall through a combination of January, 2017 additions and incoming freshmen and transfers for this fall.
CERISANO LOOKING TO CLIMB THE CHARTS
Linebacker
Michael Cerisano registered his 200th tackle as an Owl in the season opener against Gannon. He currently stands 22 tackles behind Marcel Dumas (222) for seventh place on the all-time list. If Cerisano maintains his average annual tackle total in 2017, then he would likely close his career fourth in SCSU history in that department.
CATAPANO MOVING UP THE RANKS
Quarterback
Raymond Catapano eclipsed the 3,000 yard career passing mark in the opener against Gannon and now has 3,009 passing yards on 241-of-434 attempts. He needs 28 completions to tie Tom Nolan and Jason Hawes for seventh place all-time in that department. Catapano is also 1,098 yards shy of Rob Burns for seventh place in career passing yards at SCSU.
CONSISTENCY FROM CATAPANO
Senior quarterback Ray Catapano is coming off a junior year in which he completed 53.7 percent of his passes (102-for-190) with 13 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He also rushed for six touchdowns in the 2016 season.
FAMILIAR FACES IN THE BACKFIELD
In total, the Owls' top five rushers are back from a season ago.
Vochan Fowler led the Owls in rushing attempts (138) and yards (666) last year, while also totaling four rushing touchdowns.
Eli Parks added 451 yards on 116 carries and four scores as well.
THEY'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE
The returning receiving corps is paced by
Earl Myers (29 catches, 384 yards in 2016) and
Shaquan Hall (23 catches, 313 yards in 2016).
THAT'S A LOT OF TACKLES
Southern Connecticut boasts the return of eight of its top 10 tacklers from a year ago, including
Michael Cerisano, who had a team-best 88 in 2016. In addition, Southern's sack leader from last year,
Jhaaron Wallace (4.5) is also back this fall.
SCHOOL RECORD BOOK SEES SOME SHIFTING
The 2016 campaign provided several notable team and  individual efforts:
Devante Jenkins
• Tied for fourth place with former Cleveland Brown Travis Tucker on Southern's career list with 24 touchdown receptions.  He also finished eighth all-time in receptions (115) and ninth in receiving yards (1.720).
Michael McNally
• Registered the second-best single-season punting yard average (40.6)
Raymond Catapano
• Recorded the fourth-most pass attempts in a game with 46 at New Haven.
Shaquan Hall
• Now currently ranked second all-time in kickoff returns (41) and second in kickoff return yards (803).
AMONG THE NE-10 LEADERS
•
Devante Jenkins was third in the league in touchdowns (9), fifth in total yards (850) and second in yards average (17.3).
•
Michael Cerisano finished sixth in total tackles with 88.
•
Mike McNally was third in punting average (40.6).
•
Raymond Catapano finished fifth in the league with 13 touchdown passes.
CUNNINGHAM SUITING UP WITH TITANS
Former Owl Jerome Cunningham is in his fourth season in the NFL and second with the Tennessee Titans in 2017. He previously spent two years with the New York Giants.
ON DECK
The Owls host Assumption on Friday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m.