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Aug. 29 likely feels like an eternity ago for the Mercyhurst University football team.
That’s the last time the Lakers won a game. It’s also the last time they played a Division II opponent.
The latter will occur again Saturday when Mercyhurst (1-3) hosts Frostburg State (3-0) for its inaugural football home opener as a Division I program. Much has happened since ‘Hurst opened the season with a 28-25 victory at Wheeling (W.Va.).
It lost a heartbreaker at FCS power Howard. It played its first Northeast Conference game. It traveled 1,800 miles to Bozeman, Montana.
But now, Mercyhurst fans can finally watch the D-I Lakers in person. Here’s what to expect Saturday.
Week 0 win: Mercyhurst wins first football game as Division I program. What we learned
More: Something to prove: Mercyhurst student-athletes excited, ready for challenge of Division I
Long-awaited debut
Saturday marks 177 days between Mercyhurst’s Division I announcement and its home football opener. It’s the first of four home games scheduled for 2024.
Kick-off at Saxon Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. The game will be streamed live on NEC Front Row.
Laker letdowns
Mercyhurst almost shocked the FCS world Sept. 7.
Its first D-I game against a D-I opponent tabbed a trip to Washington, D.C., where it met Howard. The Bison played Rutgers the week before and last year enjoyed a 6-5 regular season and appearance in the Celebration Bowl.
The Lakers rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit thanks to three fourth-quarter touchdowns, the last of which gave them a four-point lead with 40 seconds left. Howard blocked Mercyhurst’s extra-point attempt, however, and returned it for a 2-point conversion before kicking a game-winning field goal as time expired to win 32-31.
Mercyhurst then traveled for its NEC opener, where it met a Robert Morris squad which lost to…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/mercyhurst-university-football-play-first-080755783.html
Author : Erie Times News
Publish date : 2024-09-26 08:07:55
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