DeGol Field (3,500) - Loretto, Pa.

Top Story - The Robert Morris University football team hits the road for the final time this season as it makes the short jaunt east this Saturday, Nov. 14, as it resumes Northeast Conference (NEC) play by taking on Saint Francis at Noon at DeGol Field. RMU got back into the win column last week and did so with some flair for the dramatic as the Colonials scored the go-ahead touchdown in the final four minutes to take down East Tennessee State. Saint Francis is celebrating Senior Day Saturday and will seek to collect its third straight win as it downed Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut in the past two weeks. Nick Faraci started his 42nd consecutive game at center last Saturday and now owns the most career starts of any non-specialist in RMU history. Redshirt freshman Kyle Buss posted 138 receiving yards in last week's win, becoming the fourth Colonial to have at least three 100-yard receiving outings in a season. Forrest Mason needs one sack to move into the top three all-time at RMU in that category. Robert Morris will return home for its season finale next weekend against Bryant Nov. 21, as the Colonials celebrate Senior Day.

Quick Stat of the Afternoon - The selection of true freshman quarterback Mathew Barr as the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week this past Monday represented the latest in a long line of Colonial weekly honorees. Barr's NEC accolade was the 10th collected by a Colonial in 2015, which is the most for Robert Morris in a year since the 2000 team captured 11 en route to an undefeated season. The RMU single-season record for NEC weekly accolades is 13, which came in 1998 on the strength of Tim Levcik (1998-2001) racking up seven rookie honors. The most impressive part about this season's individual awards for RMU is how many Colonials have been recognized. Barr became the eighth different Colonial to earn a weekly award in 2015, breaking the program record for distinct number of student-athletes to win weekly honors in a season. Four of RMU's eight honorees are freshmen, and only one of the eight is a senior.

Saturday's Opponent - Saint Francis 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 Wagner. All-time the Colonials are 15-5-1 (.738) against the Red Flash. Despite RMU dominating in the all-time series, Saint Francis has had its way lately as it has won each of the past three meetings. Three of the Colonials' five losses to Saint Francis have come in November, including each of the past two.

All-Time Series vs. Saint Francis
Robert Morris leads series, 15-5-1

10/29/94 - T, 14-14; Away
11/11/95 - W, 21-6; Home
11/9/96 - W, 16-15; Away
11/8/97 - W, 34-7; Home
11/7/98 - W, 35-3; Away
11/6/99 - W, 49-0; Home
9/30/00 - W, 63-0; Away
9/29/01 - W, 41-7; Home
11/16/02 - L, 7-14 (OT); Away
9/27/03 - W, 36-6; Home
10/2/04 - W, 28-10; Away
10/1/05 - L, 28-35; Home
9/30/06 - W, 45-13; Away
9/15/07 - W, 28-13; Home
11/15/08 - W, 35-20; Away
10/17/09 - W, 28-0; Home
10/2/10 - W, 35-14; Away
10/8/11 - W, 45-14; Home
10/6/12 - L, 3-10; Away
11/23/13 - L, 3-23; Away
11/15/14 - L, 7-40; Home

@ Moon Township, Pa. - Roberrt Morris, 8-2
@ Loretto, Pa. - Robert Morris, 7-3-1

SFU Series Quick Outs - The 2011 meeting represented the first-ever home night game for the Colonials … After giving up more than 20 points just once in its first 19 matchups with the Red Flash, Saint Francis has surpassed that mark in its past two games against RMU … Neither team has played a turnover-free game against the other since 2001 when both teams did not turn the ball over … In the past eight meetings, each team has surpassed 400 total yards only once (RMU in 2011 & SFU in 2014) … This is the third consecutive season in which the meeting between these teams has served as the home finale for one squad.

On This Date (Nov. 14) in Robert Morris Football History - Robert Morris has played on two previous instances on this date, picking up one win and one loss. Unlike this week, both of those affairs were home games. The most recent time RMU competed on this date came in its 2009 home finale against Wagner. The Colonials and Seahawks were deadlocked, 10-10, at the half with the guests enjoying a slight edge in most statistical categories. However, things changed drastically in the final two quarters as RMU scored 27 unanswered points to close the game. Robert Morris held Wagner to just 61 total yards in the second half and finished the day with a 422-286 advantage in total yards. Myles Russ (2007-10) ran for 173 yards on just 19 carries, averaging a career-best 9.1 yards per rush. Jeff Sinclair (2009-12) threw for 197 yards and three touchdowns without turning the ball over. Michael Landers (2007-10) led all players with 12 stops while Michael Richards (2008-10) tallied the game's lone turnover with an interception.

Head Coach John Banaszak (second 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 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 - A strong defensive effort and two touchdowns in the game's final four minutes led Robert Morris to a come-from-behind, 21-9, victory over East Tennessee State in its non-conference finale … Jake Tkach led all players with 14 tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack … Forrest Mason tied his career highs in both tackles (9) and sacks (2.5) … Mike Stojkovic forced his third fumble of the season … Craig Thompson's 5-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter was the first score of his career … Cole Blake posted the first rushing touchdown of his career to put the game out of reach ... Grant Lanza ended the game with his first-career sack.

Limiting Factor - Last Saturday was the third time in five games that the Robert Morris defense kept the opposition under 300 yards of total offense as ETSU compiled only 236. RMU held the Bucs without a touchdown and allowed one scoring drive over 30 yards. The Colonials also limited the Bucs to a season-low 2.0 yards per carry.

Barr None - True freshman Mathew Barr was the second straight Colonial to be named Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week Monday. Barr was efficient at the helm in leading RMU to a win last week. He completed a season-high 20 passes on just 31 attempts (64.5%) while throwing for a season-best 225 yards. He tossed two touchdown passes without throwing an interception. Barr threw an 84-yard bomb that was caught in stride for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Tkach Attack - Redshirt senior linebacker Jake Tkach has come on strong in recent weeks. After posting a team-leading 84 tackles a year ago, Tkach seems to have reached a new level since the beginning of October. The veteran has tallied 62 tackles in the last five games, including a career-high 16 Oct. 10. He has now hit double figures in stops in four of the past five games and six times overall in his career. As a result, Tkach has leapt ahead of his teammate and now ranks first in the league in tackles per game (9.4).

Seeing Red - Robert Morris finished the 2013 campaign ranked among the top 25 in the FCS in red zone defense, allowing opponents to convert at a .735 clip. After a one-year hiatus, the Colonials have improved that mark thus far this season. RMU's foes are converting on their red zone chances at a .722 clip. More impressively, Robert Morris has allowed a touchdown only 38.9% (14-of-36) of the time its opponent has reached the red zone. The Colonials have not posted a better such mark since 2006.

Long And Short of It - The Robert Morris defense has refused to let opponents drive the length of the field for scores in recent weeks. The Colonials have allowed only three scoring drives over 50 yards in their past five games. 14 of the last 17 drives RMU has yielded that produced points have been under 50 yards.

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