GAME 3
RMU (1-1) @ Youngstown State (1-1)
Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023 • 2:00 p.m.
Stambaugh Stadium (20,630) • Youngstown, Ohio
 
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Drae Smith (pxp) & Chris Sammarone (color)
Audio: RMU Athletics Gameday App
Talent: Tim Benz (pxp) & Dr. Ray "Smoke" Thomas (color)
Twitter: @RMU_Football • Instagram: RMU_Football
 
Slant Routes
 
- The RMU football team heads to Youngstown, Ohio, for its final non-conference road game of the 2023 season Saturday for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff against Youngstown State at Stambaugh Stadium.
 
- The Colonials are led by Bernard Clark, Jr., who is in his sixth season at the helm of the program. In his first head coach position, Clark was named the 2019 Northeast Conference (NEC) Co-Coach of the Year and owns an overall record of 14-35 (.286).
 
- Clark was inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame presented by AutoNation, joining Dewey Selmon (Oklahoma) and Grant Wistrom (Nebraska) as part of the Class of 2022. The trio were honored at the annual AvMed Orange Bowl Coaches Luncheon presented by AutoNation Dec. 29, 2022, at Jungle Island and were recognized in an on-field ceremony at the 89th Capital One Orange Bowl Dec. 30, 2022, at Hard Rock Stadium.
 
- RMU was victorious in its 2023 home opener at Joe Walton Stadium, posting a 31-21 victory over in-state rival Saint Francis (9/9) in front of a sold out crowd of 3,412. The Colonials scored 21 consecutive points to turn a 14-10 deficit into a 31-14 lead early in the fourth quarter en route to the win.
 
- Quarterback Anthony Chiccitt had his most productive day under center in his career against the Red Flash, finishing 21-for-27 passing for 281 yards and three touchdowns. He also scored the first touchdown of the year at home for RMU, hauling in a 25-yard reception from wide receiver Connor Becker that capped a nine-play, 64-yard drive.
 
- A total of 11 different Colonials registered at least one reception in the win over SFU (9/9), including wide receiver Noah Robinson, who caught eight balls for 138 yards and a touchdown. Also hauling in touchdown passes from Anthony Chiccitt were tight ends Landen Lucas (6 yards) and Chaz Middleton (12 yards).
 
- The Colonials opened their 2023 campaign with a 42-7 loss to Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo., at Falcon Stadium. RMU scored in the fourth quarter when quarterback Anthony Chiccitt connected with tight end Chaese Jackson for a one-yard touchdown pass with 10:35 to play. Chiccitt came on in relief of starter Tyler Szalkowski and finished 14-for-18 passing for 99 yards and a score.
 
- Linebacker Jamar Shegog paced the RMU defense with 12 tackles @ Air Force (9/2) and through two games leads the Colonials with 17 stops, including seven solo takedowns.
 
- A total of three Colonials were named to the 2023 Big South-OVC Association Watch List, which came as part of Big South-OVC Association Media Day in Nashville, Tenn., at the Sheraton Music City Hotel. Garnering the plaudits for RMU were senior linebackers Joe Casale and Jamar Shegog and fifth-year punter George Souders III. Casale was named to the 2022 All-Big South Second Team, while Shegog earned a spot on the 2021 All-Big South Second Team as well as the HERO Sports 2020-21 Freshman All-America Team.
 
- The Big South and Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) announced Feb. 20, 2022, the creation of an association of their football member institutions to begin with the 2023 NCAA Division I season and have an initial term of four years. The unique agreement combines the football membership of the two conferences to ensure NCAA championship access and stability. Selected as the 2023 preseason favorite for the inaugural Big South-OVC Association in a vote of league head coaches was Southeast Missouri State.
 
- RMU returns to Joe Walton Stadium to host Lynchburg Saturday, Sept. 23, as part of Homecoming festivities at the University. Kickoff is 3:00 p.m.

YOUNGSTOWN STATE LINKS
- RMU Two-Deep
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
- 2023 Schedule
- RMU Athletics Gameday App
                        
The All-Time Series (Youngstown State) – RMU and YSU meet at Stambaugh Stadium for the fifth time Saturday, with the Penguins having won each of the previous four meetings. Youngstown State earned a 45-10 victory over the Colonials at Stambaugh Stadium (9/28/19) in the last matchup between the two programs, with former running back Alijah Jackson (2018-2022) rushing for 140 yards on just 20 carries, an average of 7.0 yards per carry. It marked his third consecutive 100-yard rushing effort.
 
Seal The Deal – In a 31-21 victory over Saint Francis (9/9) to open the 2023 home slate, the Colonials produced three takeaways, including a pair of interceptions. Late in the third quarter, defensive back Robert Carter, Jr., came up with an interception, setting up the RMU offense at the 16-yard line of the Red Flash. The offense capitalized, with quarterback Anthony Chiccitt connecting with tight end Chaz Middleton for a 12-yard touchdown pass that gave the Colonials a 31-14 cushion and helped seal the victory.
 
Firecracker – To get ready for the 2023 season, redshirt senior linebacker Jamar Shegog entered the Brentwood Firecracker 5K in Pittsburgh, Pa., on the Fourth of July. Shegog navigated the 40th annual 3.1 mile jaunt in a time of 27:03 to finish in the top half of the 1,686 participants. Shegog has compiled career totals of 149 career tackles in 21 games in an RMU uniform, the most by a student-athlete that has spent his entire career with the Colonials. Included among his career numbers are 74 solo stops, two-and-a-half sacks and two forced fumbles.
 
The Third – Returning for the Colonials as the starting punter is grad student George Souders III, who has anchored the RMU special teams for years. Also serving as the holder for kicker Jayson Jenkins, Souders has amassed 7,860 career yards punting on 204 attempts, an average of 38.5 yards per punt. In the season opener @ Air Force (9/2), Souders punted six times for 266 yards (44.3 yards per punt) with a long of 51. He also pinned three inside the 20-yard line of the Falcons. Entering Saturday's game @ Youngstown State, Souders ranks fourth in the RMU career record book for punting yards.
 
Still On Top – The program's first running back, Tim Hall (1994-95), spent two seasons with the Colonials and during his career rushed for 2,908 yards. He accomplished the feat on 393 carries, an average of 7.40 yards per attempt. That total remains No. 1 in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) record book (minimum 350 rushes) entering the 2023 season, a span that hits 27 years this fall. Matt Cannon of Southern Utah sits second with an average of 7.25 yards per carry thanks to 5,489 yards on 757 attempts.

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