Quick Stat of the Afternoon - Saturday's contest with Wagner will, in some sense, mark the beginning of a new season for both programs as the Colonials and Seahawks will be opening Northeast Conference play this weekend, starting an eight-week journey that will decide the league's automatic qualifier for the NCAA Playoffs. Robert Morris is 10-9 (.526) all-time in conference lidlifters dating back to the NEC's first season sponsoring football in 1996. The interesting part about that mark is that the Colonials are only 3-7 (.300) when starting a conference season at home but are a robust 7-2 (.778) when starting NEC play away from Moon Township. Somewhat surprisingly, this will be the first time RMU has ever opened conference play with Wagner, making the Seahawks the eighth distinct school with which RMU has commenced league action. After Saturday, RMU will have met each of its current league foes in a NEC opener.

Saturday's Opponent - Wagner is one of just three opponents Robert Morris faced in each of the first 21 years the Colonials fielded an intercollegiate program, joining fellow NEC foes Central Connecticut State and Saint Francis. All-time the Colonials are 13-8 (.619) against the Seahawks. RMU owns nearly its entire advantage due to its play in home games. Although Robert Morris lost four of its first six on Staten Island, the Colonials have won four of their past five in New York, including a thrilling 17-13 victory in 2013.

All-Time Series vs. Wagner
Robert Morris leads series, 13-8

10/15/94 - L, 21-38; Away
10/14/95 - W, 18-16; Home
11/2/96 - L, 35-38; Away
10/4/97 - W, 21-9; Home
10/3/98 - W, 42-17; Away
10/2/99 - W, 23-21; Home
10/28/00 - W, 38-31 (OT); Away
10/27/01 - W, 49-30; Home
10/12/02 - L, 0-29; Away
10/25/03 - W, 31-28; Home
10/23/04 - L, 17-20; Away
10/8/05 - W, 38-30; Home
10/7/06 - W, 14-10; Away
10/6/07 - L, 13-20; Home
10/25/08 - W, 35-3; Away
11/14/09 - W, 37-10; Home
9/25/10 - W, 30-9; Away
11/12/11 - L, 17-38; Home
10/27/12 - L, 13-23; Away
10/26/13 - W, 17-13; Away
11/8/14 - L, 0-20; Home

@ Moon Township, Pa. - Robert Morris, 7-3
@ Staten Island, N.Y. - Robert Morrs, 6-5

Wagner Series Quick Outs - The team that has won the turnover battle has won each of the last seven games in this series … Six of the first 11 meetings in series history were decided by three points or fewer (or in overtime). The teams have not played such a game in their past 10 meetings … The Colonials have not allowed a touchdown pass to Wagner in the past four games between the teams … Each of RMU's last four touchdowns against Wagner, and nine of its past 10, have come through the air … Three of RMU's four longest interception returns in school history have come against the Seahawks.

On This Date (Oct. 3) in Robert Morris Football History - Robert Morris has played twice before on October 3, posting a victory and a loss. Like this Saturday, each of the two previous occasions was a conference road contest for RMU. The first time the Colonials took the field on this date came in 1998 as they collected their first-ever win at Wagner, this week's opponent. A rushing touchdown by the Seahawks was the lone score of the first quarter, but RMU used a pair of second-quarter TD's to take a 14-9 lead at the break. After a scoreless third frame, Robert Morris found the end zone four times in the fourth quarter to turn a close affair into a laugher. The game only featured two turnovers, but both were interceptions thrown by Wagner that RMU returned for touchdowns. The Colonials outgained the Seahawks, 459-296, a difference aided by 330 passing yards by Tim Levcik (1998-2001), including a 94-yard bomb to Archie Wannamaker (1996-98). Chris Beene (1998) and Brad Miller (1998-2000) each contributed a pick-six.

Head Coach John Banaszak (second season; Eastern Michigan '75) - John Banaszakbecame 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 and final as assistant head coach for Robert Morris. Among his numerous duties with the program before becoming head coach, 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 11 years and ranked among the top four nine times in the past 12 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 helped five distinct Colonials win an award at return specialist within the span of one 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 played a solid first half but No. 6/7 South Dakota State pulled away late to claim a 34-10 decision … RMU won the turnover battle, picking off the Jackrabbits twice, after SDSU had entered the game having only committed one total turnover in its past six games … RMU had four quarterbacks see action since starter Mathew Barr was forced to leave the game at halftime … True freshman Dante Satcher posted a game-high 85 rushing yards and finished with 128 all-purpose yards … Both Satcher and Barr contributed rushes of 50+ yards … For the second time in three weeks, sophomore cornerback Drew Allen tied his career high of seven tackles.

Meet Mr. Smith - Kimani Smith became the third distinct Colonial in four weeks to earn Defensive Player of the Week honors from the NEC Monday. He posted eight tackles, six of which were solo, along with a tackle for loss, an interception and two pass breakups against No. 6 South Dakota State. He also helped hold SDSU to a lower point total than its produced against FBS member Kansas. Smith is second on RMU in tackles (26) and leads the team and ranks among the top five in the league in tackles for loss (4.5).

Rookie Records - Redshirt freshman Kyle Buss caught nine passes for 108 yards and a touchdown in just his third collegiate game Sept. 19. Buss, who also added 24 rushing yards, broke the RMU freshman single-game record for receptions as his nine catches are tied for the third most by a Colonial in a contest. Buss caught a 26-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter to find the end zone for the first time as a collegian.

The Third Phase - Junior Connor Shennan was named NEC Special Teams Player of the Week Monday. He nailed a career-best 46-yard field goal at South Dakota State last weekend, knocked two of his three kickoffs for touchbacks and improved to 11-for-11 on extra points in 2015.

Protect This Backfield - The RMU offensive line did not allow a single sack last week at No. 6 South Dakota State. It marked the first non-conference game in which RMU did not allow a sack since its 2006 season opener and was the first time ever RMU did not yield a sack when facing a ranked team.

Seventh Heaven - Robert Morris was selected to finish seventh in the annual preseason Northeast Conference coaches poll. That fact may actually bode well for the Colonials on multiple fronts. In two of the past three seasons, the team picked seventh in the league has gone on to claim the NEC's automatic bid into the FCS Playoffs. Furthermore, the only other time in the past decade that Robert Morris was placed in the seventh position in the preseason poll came in 2006. RMU finished 7-4 that season and was a game out of first place at 5-2 in the league. In fact, the Colonials led the nation in total defense that season, allowing an average of 228.4 yards per game.

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