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Robert Morris (0-3) @ Dayton (1-1)
Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 at 1:00 p.m.
Welcome Stadium (11,000) - Dayton, Ohio

Top Story - The Robert Morris University football team finally finishes its three-game road trip this Saturday, Sept. 20, as it heads west for an annual meeting with non-conference nemesis Dayton at Welcome Stadium at 1:00 p.m. The Colonials are still seeking their first win of the season after dropping a decision to Lafayette the last time out. The Colonials hurt themselves early with turnovers against the Leopards and could not recover. Antwan Eddie, a preseason All-NEC selection at cornerback, provided RMU with a positive as he intercepted the Leopards twice within three pass attempts. Senior Duane Mitchell needs only three receiving yards to move into fourth and 63 yards to move into third in all-time receiving at Robert Morris. Through three games of the 2014 season, RMU has seen 19 student-athletes earn their first-career start under first-year head coach John Banaszak. After finishing its road trip, Robert Morris will enjoy its first bye of the campaign before returning home for its final non-conference game of the season as its hosts Monmouth as part of the University's Homecoming festivities.

Quick Stat of the Afternoon - Robert Morris has struggled in the early going as the Colonials have suffered a trio of defeats to open the campaign. However, if recent history is an indication, Colonial fans could be in for a thrilling finish this week. Each of the past two times that RMU has started 0-3, Robert Morris has come up with an exciting victory to turn the tide in its next game. In the 2011 season, Robert Morris fell behind Monmouth during the third quarter but would respond. Jeff Sinclair (2009-12) led a nine-play, 79-yard drive in the latter half of the fourth quarter, finishing with a 21-yard touchdown strike. Just one year later, Robert Morris hosted Lafayette on Homecoming looking for its first win of the season. The Colonials jumped out to a three-touchdown lead at the half only to see the Leopards battle back and tie the game. RMU won the game with a Greg Langer (2009-12) field goal in the final minute after a 67-yard drive.

Saturday's Opponent - RMU continues its longest running rivalry with a non-conference opponent when it faces Dayton. RMU will meet the Flyers for the 17th time with Dayton holding a 14-2 (.875) advantage and carrying an 11-game winning streak in the all-time series. In last year's meeting at Joe Walton Stadium (9/13/14), the squads were tied, 7-7, at the end of the third quarter before Dayton found the end zone twice in the final stanza. RMU scored late on a pass to Duane Mitchell but could not recover an onside kick.

All-Time Series vs. Dayton
Dayton leads, 14-2

10/12/96 - L, 21-31; Away
9/20/97 - L, 13-16; Home
9/12/98 - L, 22-31; Away
9/11/99 - W, 34-7; Home
10/14/00 - W, 17-13; Away
9/8/01 - L, 9-37; Home
9/14/02 - L, 10-24; Away
10/16/04 - L, 12-29; Home
9/2/06 - L, 14-21; Away
9/1/07 - L, 12-23; Home
9/20/08 - L, 14-31; Away
9/19/09 - L, 14-21; Home
9/4/10 - L, 14-28; Away
9/3/11 - L, 13-19; Home
9/15/12 - L, 14-20; Away
9/14/13 - L, 14-21; Home

@ Moon Township, Pa. - Dayton, 7-1
@ Dayton, Ohio - Dayton, 7-1

Dayton Series Quick Outs - This will be the ninth consecutive year that Robert Morris and Dayton have met … Each of RMU's past three losses to the Flyers, and four of the past five, have been by seven points or fewer … Antwan Eddie grabbed his first-career interception the last time RMU traveled to Dayton in 2012 … Former linebacker Nate List's (1994-97) 97-yard interception return @ Welcome Stadium in 1996 is the longest touchdown in program history … RMU has scored a touchdown on a pass of 40+ yards in the fourth quarter in each of their past two games against Dayton ... Former cornerback Joe Austin (1998-2001) helped the Colonials seal their last win over Dayton by intercepting former Flyers quarterback Kelly Spiker at the RMU 5-yard line with 1:23 to play to preserve a 17-13 victory … RMU has outgained Dayton in total offense in six of the past 10 meetings.

On This Date (Sept. 20) in Robert Morris Football History - Robert Morris has played a trio of times previously on September 20, but it has only come away with one victory. Coincidentally, two of the three prior games on this date came against Dayton, RMU's opponent this week. Robert Morris' lone win on this date came in 2003 when RMU made its only trip in program history to St. Peter's. Robert Morris used two defensive touchdowns in the first quarter to jump out to an early lead but the Peacocks responded to even the game, 17-17, by the half. The Colonials would use a 12-play drive and a nine-play drive to score two touchdowns within five minutes, spanning the third and fourth quarters. St. Peter's tried to mount a comeback with a late score, but RMU recovered an onside kick attempt with just over a minute left to seal the deal. Sam Dorsett (1999-2003) led RMU with 103 rushing yards as the Colonials tallied 206 total on the ground. Babafemi Odumeru (2003-04) and Mike Niklos (2003-07) returned turnovers for TD's.

Head Coach John Banaszak (first season; Eastern Michigan '75) - John Banaszak became the second head football coach in Robert Morris University history in December 2013. He served as an assistant coach and assistant head coach for the Colonials for 11 consecutive years prior to taking over the top spot. Banaszak was selected as Coach-In-Waiting in January 2012, allowing for a simple transition following the 2013 campaign.

At the end of the 2013 season, he was named as the Assistant Coach of the Year at the FCS level as selected by the American Football Coaches Association. He was one of five coaches selected for dedication to their teams and communities. He was the first RMU coach, as well as the first from the NEC, to claim this honor.

The 2013 season was Banaszak's sixth as assistant head coach for Robert Morris. Among his numerous duties with the program, he was responsible for tutoring the defensive line and the special teams unit.

Under Banaszak's guidance in 2013, Robert Morris led the NEC in net punting, punt return defense and punt return average. Banaszak was also a key component in instructing a RMU defense that finished second in the NEC in total defense within league play in 2013. Robert Morris finished its regular season ranked among the top 25 nationally in at least seven defensive categories including total defense.

With Banaszak's assistance, RMU has led the NEC in total defense four times in the past 10 years and ranked among the top four nine times in the past 11 seasons.

Banaszak was a key component to a 2010 defense that led the NEC in total defense as the Colonials claimed the NEC's inaugural berth in the FCS Playoffs. In 2006, he helped tutor an RMU defense that led I-AA in total defense, allowing an average of just 228.36 yards per game.

10 of the 13 players in school history to earn All-NEC recognition on the defensive line have come under the tutelage of Banaszak, including Nolan Nearhoof (2009-12), who was named the 2012 NEC Defensive Player of the Year after breaking both the school and league records for career sacks. Nearhoof would go on to earn All-America honors, becoming the third Colonial defensive lineman to claim an All-America nod under Banaszak in a seven-year span.

As much as Banaszak's presence has been felt on the defensive side of the ball, the same can be said on special teams. He has helped five distinct Colonials win an award at return specialist within the past decade.

A graduate of Eastern Michigan, Banaszak signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers prior to the 1975 season and was one of only three rookies to make the defending Super Bowl champion team out of training camp.

Primarily a special teams player on Pittsburgh's Super Bowl X championship team, Banaszak started five games the following season and then started at both right end and inside tackle in 1977 before suffering a knee injury that forced him to the injured reserve list.

Between 1978 and 1980, Banaszak started 45 regular-season games at defensive end as the Steelers won back-to-back Super Bowls. In Super Bowl XIII, Banaszak recorded six tackles, including a pair of sacks, and a fumble recovery in a 35-31 win over the Dallas Cowboys, which garnered him Defensive Player of the Game honors. The following year, Banaszak helped the Steelers to a 31-19 victory over the Rams.

Last Time Out - Robert Morris fell behind early and never recovered as it fell to defending Patriot League champion Lafayette … The loss to the Leopards, a team that reached the FCS Playoffs last year, set the all-time series even at 1-1 as RMU claimed a victory two years ago … Senior linebacker Jake Tkach had perhaps the finest performance of his career as he finished with a game-high tying nine tackles. He notched a career-high three tackles for loss and posted his first-career sack … Sophomore Andy Smigiera tied his career high of nine tackles while classmate Sam Woods reset his with seven ... Robert Morris held the Lafayette offense to a 3-for-14 (.214) mark on third down.

Pick City - Robert Morris ranked among the top 15 nationally in interceptions in 2013, and the Colonial defense is off to a strong start in this department with five INT's in the first three games. RMU has grabbed at least one interception in nine of its past 10 games and multiple picks in six of those contests. In fact, the Robert Morris defense has tallied 18 interceptions in the team's past eight games.

Two Is Better Than One - Senior Antwan Eddie provided one of the bright spots for the Colonials last week as he grabbed two interceptions. He picked off Leopard quarterback Drew Reed who only threw five picks all of last year. In doing so, Eddie collected two interceptions in a game for the second time in his past seven outings. He grabbed two INT against Bryant last year (11/2) when he was matched up against the NEC's all-time leading receiver. Eddie needs one more pick to move into RMU's career top 10 in that category.

Five Guys - Even with RMU sporting two new starters on the line, including a redshirt freshman at left tackle, the Colonials are protecting their rookie quarterback well. RMU has only allowed four sacks in its first three games, tied for the lowest such figure in program history. The last time the Colonials allowed only four sacks in their first three games came in 2000.

Team Effort - Senior Jake Tkach and sophomore Andy Smigiera topped Robert Morris with nine tackles each last week, both tying their career highs. They became the third and fourth Colonials to lead (or tie for the lead) RMU in tackles for a game in 2014. It marks the third time in the past four years that RMU has had different tackle leaders in each of its first three games.

Block Party - Junior David Taylor came roaring in from the edge to block a Lafayette field goal try last week. It marked the second straight year that Robert Morris blocked an opponent's field goal try after not getting a hand on one the prior two seasons. Each of the last two blocks were by cornerbacks.