Flash Points:

• SFU Football visits Central Connecticut State for a key NEC matchup on Saturday.
• Kickoff is set for Noon at Arute Field on NEC Front Row.
• CCSU is on a five-game win streak, with a 5-3 overall record and a 3-0 mark in conference play.
• The Blue Devils rank second in the NEC in scoring, averaging 31.8 points per game.
• CCSU RB Cameron Nash leads the NEC with nine rushing touchdowns.

Central Connecticut State | 12 p.m. | Arute Field | NEC Front Row
 
CCSU Notes | Two-Deep
 
LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis Football team travels to Central Connecticut State this week for a big NEC matchup.  Kickoff is set for Noon at Arute Field on NEC Front Row. 
 
The Blue Devils are coached by Pete Rossomando.  The fourth-year head coach is 14-28 at Central Connecticut State.  The Blue Devils have won five straight games to own a 5-3 overall record, including 3-0 in the NEC.  CCSU is currently tied with Duquesne atop the NEC standings.
 
Central Connecticut State is coming off a bye week but earned a 31-14 win over Bryant on October 21.  CCSU outgained the Bulldogs, 469-364, in total offense.  Jacob Dolegala threw for 252 yards and a touchdown, while Drew Jean-Guillaume rushed for 126 yards and a score.  Cameron Nash and Courtney Rush added rushing touchdowns and Rush had a 70-yard touchdown reception.  CCSU forced two turnovers and Randall Laguerre led the squad with 16 tackles, including nine solo, 1.5 for loss, half a sack and a forced fumble.
 
The Blue Devils are averaging 31.8 points and 360.3 total yards per game, ranking second and fourth in the NEC, respectively.  CCSU ranks sixth in the NEC in passing, averaging 177.4 yards, and third in rushing, averaging 182.9 yards. 
 
Quarterback Jacob Dolegala is in his third year as the starting signal caller for the Blue Devils.  The six-foot-six, 235-pound junior has completed 50 percent of his passes for 1,364 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions.  He's also rushed for 146 yards and two scores this year.
 
Senior Cameron Nash leads the backfield with 680 yards and an NEC-best nine touchdowns.  He's averaging 85 yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry.  The five-foot-seven, 180-pound Nash has 10 catches for 52 yards.  Joining him in the backfield is 5-foot-11, 210-pound sophomore Drew Jean-Guillaume.  The sophomore is a threat in the run and pass game, with 338 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and 21 catches for 290 yards and three scores.  Sophomore Enyce Walker is in the mix with 191 yards and a touchdown on the ground. 
 
A talented receiving corps is led by junior Courtney Rush.  The six-foot-two Rush has 13 catches for 360 yards and two touchdowns, averaging just under 28 yards per catch.  Six-foot freshman Xavier Bass has made 14 receptions for 182 yards.  In the slot is 5-foot-10 junior Jose Garcia, who has 108 yards and two scores on seven catches.  Junior Preseason All-NEC tight end K.J. Smith has eight grabs for 86 yards.
 
The Central Connecticut State offensive line features a senior, three sophomores and a freshmen.  The group has combined for 64 career starts, the group has started all eight games this season.  Senior center Darick Orange leads the group with 20 career starts.  Sophomore left guard J'Von Brown has 14 starts, while sophomore right tackle Jake Schena has 12.  Sophomore right guard Cole Phelps is in his first year as a starter, with eight this season.
 
The Blue Devils use a 3-3-5 defensive scheme.  CCSU is allowing 31.0 points and 449.8 total yards per game, ranking sixth in the NEC in both categories.  The Blue Devils are giving up 253.4 passing yards and 196.4 rushing yards, ranking seven in both.  However, CCSU is very good at creating turnovers, forcing 19, including 11 interceptions.  CCSU leads the nation with five defensive touchdowns.  CCSU has recorded 31 tackles for loss and seven sacks this season.
 
Junior defensive end Chris Tinkman anchors the defensive line with 33 tackles this year.  He has made nine solo stops, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and recovered two fumbles.  Lining up at nose guard is sophomore Brandon Puritt, who has 17 tackles, 12 solo, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.  Senior defensive tackle Chad Woodfine has made 11 stops, three solo and half a tackle for loss.  Sophomore James Dumas is a key part of the rotation, with 25 tackles, 11 solo, four tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. 
 
A talented linebacker group is led by senior Randall Laguerre had 65 tackles, 33 solo, 6.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.  Lining up at the "B" position, Laguerre ranks third in the NEC with 9.3 tackles per game.  Junior outside linebacker Kenneth Keen has recorded 58 tackles, 25 solo and five for loss, while senior Seth Manzanares has 37 stops, 12 solo, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception, which he returned 30 yards for a touchdown against Walsh. 
 
CCSU has a lot of playmakers in the secondary, led by senior safety Najae Brown.  In 2017, Brown has 56 tackles, 26 solo, two pass breakups and a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown against Penn.  At the other safety spot is senior Jarrod Cann, who has recorded 53 tackles, 27 solo, four pass breakups and is tied for the NEC lead with four interceptions.  Preseason All-NEC cornerback Jevon Elmore has four tackles, two solo, and a pass breakup in five games.  At the opposite corner is Andre Morris, who has 15 tackles, 12 solo, a pass breakup and a blocked kick.  At the rover position, a hybrid linebacker-safety position, is junior Jamel Jimerson, who has made eight tackles and a sack.  A key member of the secondary rotation is junior Tymir Hinton, with 52 tackles, four tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and three interceptions, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown against Penn.  Tajik Bagley is also a key part of the rotation, with 28 stops, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble, nine breakups and a pick.
 
Junior Frankie Palmer is eight-of-nine, with a long of 37, on field goal attempts.  He ranks third in the nation in field goal percentage and 29th in field goals made per game.  Sophomore Brandon Desautels handles the punting duties, averaging 36.2 yards per kick, with a long of 52, and has placed six inside the 20.  Tajik Bagley is one of the most dangerous kick returners in the FCS, averaging 25.2 yards per return.  He had a 95-yard return for a touchdown against Fordham.  Najae Brown is the Blue Devils' primary punt returner, averaging 34.8 yards per return.
 
Saint Francis trails 19-5 in the all-time series, but has won the last two meetings, including last year's 31-21 win in Loretto.  SFU got the program's first ever win at CCSU in 2015, a 22-13 victory.  In last year's contest, Zack Drayer (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) accounted for four touchdowns, three passing and one rushing.  Kamron Lewis (Fresno, Calif./Edison) caught eight passes for a then career-high 189 yards and a touchdown.  Hakeem Kinard (York, Pa./York Catholic) recorded 10 tackles, including a sack, in his first career start.