GAME 5
Robert Morris (1-3) @ #22 Youngstown State (3-0)
Saturday, September 28, 2019 • 6:00 p.m.
Stambaugh Stadium (20,630) • Youngstown, Ohio

Radio: ESPN 970 AM & 106.3 FM
Talent: Adam Gusky (pxp) & Brian Cleary (color)
Video: ESPN+
Talent: Drae Smith (pxp) & Chris Sammarone (color)
 
Slant Routes
 
- The Robert Morris University football team closes out the non-conference portion of its 2019 schedule Saturday with a 6:00 p.m. kickoff against Youngstown State at Stambaugh Stadium in a game that can be seen live on ESPN+.
 
- The Colonials picked up their first win of the 2019 campaign as well as their first road victory since 2015 with a 31-21 win @ VMI (9/21). The victory snapped a 21-game road losing slide.
 
- Redshirt sophomore running back Alijah Jackson gave RMU a 7-0 lead @ VMI with a 47-yard touchdown run and eclipsed the 100-yard plateau for the second consecutive game as well as the fifth time on his career. He finished with 125 yards rushing on 20 attempts, an average of 6.2 yards per carry.
 
- Quarterback Caleb Lewis earned his first career start against the Keydets, completing 12 of his 17 passing attempts for 214 yards and a touchdown. He connected with senior tight end Matthew Gonzalez three times for 126 yards while hitting redshirt freshman Garrett Houser for a 15-yard touchdown.
 
- The performances from Alijah Jackson and Matthew Gonzalez against the Keydets mark the second consecutive game the RMU duo eclipsed the 100-yard plateau for rushing and receiving, respectively, in the same game.
 
- Sophomore linebacker Aniello Buzzacco registered his first career double-digit tackle game @ VMI with a game-high 13 stops, including three solo takedowns. He also registered one and-a-half tackles for losses that totaled seven yards.
 
- Alijah Jackson enters Saturday's game ranked second in the NEC in rushing yards (361) and third in rushing yards per game (90.2). Over his last eight games dating back to the 2018 campaign, Jackson is averaging 98.6 yards per contest on the ground with eight touchdowns and five 100-yard rushing performances
 
- Redshirt senior safety Mason Gray leads the NEC in tackles with 38, an average of 9.5 per contest. Of his 38 stops, 24 are of the solo variety, and Gray also has compiled five pass breakups and a forced fumble in the last two games.
 
- RMU leads the Northeast Conference in conversion rate on fourth down. The Colonials have successfully converted six of their eight opportunities when going for it, a success rate of 75 percent.
 
- RMU is led by Bernard Clark, Jr., who is in his second season as head coach. He was named the third head coach in program history at a press conference at Joe Walton Stadium Dec. 19, 2017.
 
- Robert Morris was picked seventh in the 2019 Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, which was unveiled at the fifth annual NEC Social Media Day at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., July 24. Tabbed the preseason favorite was Duquesne, which earned seven first-place votes. Rounding out the top five is Sacred Heart, Central Connecticut, Wagner and Bryant.

YOUNGSTOWN STATE LINKS
- Game Notes
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
 
Gonzo - Senior tight end Matthew Gonzalez cracked the top 10 in program history for career receptions thanks to three catches in a 31-21 victory @ VMI (9/21). Gonzalez enters Saturday's game @ Youngstown State with 73 career receptions, which is tied for eighth all-time with former tight end Brent Hockenberry (2000-01) and former wide receiver Donte Jeter (2011-13). Sitting in seventh place is former wide receiver Opio Gary (1998-2000), who finished his career with 81 career catches. Gonzalez also moved into 10th place all-time for career receiving yards with 1,160 against the Keydets.
 
Action Jackson - Redshirt sophomore Alijah Jackson enters Saturday's game ranked fifth in the Northeast Conference in all-purpose yards with an average of 121.2 per game. In addition to 361 yards rushing, Jackson owns 49 yards receiving, 57 on kickoff returns and 18 on punt returns. Jackson leads Robert Morris in plays of 20 yards or longer with eight, including three that have gone for touchdowns. He also owns a team-high 15 rushing attempts that have either produced a first down or a score.
 
Did You Know? In the last two seasons, running backs Alijah Jackson and Terence Stephens, Jr., have combined for 1,849 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns. Jackson is 71 rushing yards short of 1,000 for his career, while Stephens is 80 shy.

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