Dragons host the Rock in NCAA Second Round matchup

Devin Nelson and the Dragons will take on Slippery Rock in the NCAA Second Round game.

Posted: Nov 21, 2023

Tiffin University (11-0) hosts Slippery Rock (11-1) in the second round of the NCAA Football Championships at Frost Kalnow Stadium on Nov. 25 at 12 pm.

The game marks the first time in nearly 30 years that TU football has hosted a postseason playoff game and the first time ever in its Division II history. The Dragons enter as the top seed in Super Region 1 after an unbeaten regular season.

LAST TIME OUT

The Dragons beat rival Findlay 26-7 on the road to not only secure sole claim to the G-MAC Championship but also finish off a perfect 11-0 regular season. The win also marks the first time in school history that the Dragons have finished unbeaten in the regular season. The Dragons scored 19 first-half points and did not allow a Findlay point until just 4:26 remained in the game. The Dragons used a punishing ground game to churn out 255 of its 355 yards.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Overall TU has played The Rock just once in their history, falling to them 45-13 back in 2001. TU led in that game 13-10 at the half but gave up 28 third-quarter points en route to defeat. Nii Hammond rushed for 110 yards while Kenny Lockhart had 79 receiving yards. Overall TU was outgained 504-304 in total offense.

SLIPPERY ROCK NOTES

The Rock suffered their only loss in the final game of the regular season to Kutztown and most recently earned a 45-14 victory over East Stroudsburg in the opening round of the NCAA Football Championship. Prior to the loss, Slippery Rock was ranked fourth in the nation and received one first-place vote but is now ranked 15th.

SLIPPERY ROCK OFFENSE

• Offensively, The Rock ranks eighth in the nation in scoring offense, ninth in total offense, and 10th in passing offense.

• Quarterback Brayden Long has the fifth most passing yards in the country with 3,295 on a completion percentage of 68.5. He is also tied for fifth in passing touchdowns with 34. He averages 274.6 yards per game and has a QB efficiency rating of 167.2.

• Khalid Dorsey leads the team in rushing with 861 yards with an average of 6.8 yards per carry and 10 touchdowns. Chris D'Or has amassed 599 yards on 105 carries and seven touchdowns while Isaiah Edwards leads the team with 12 rushing touchdowns and totals 460 yards on the ground.

• Kyle Sheets leads receivers in all categories with 66 receptions for 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is followed closely by Cohen Russell with 946 yards and five touchdowns.

SLIPPERY ROCK DEFENSE

• Slippery Rock ranks 14th in the nation for turnovers gained and is 44th in total defense.

• Kyle Kudla leads the team in tackles with 83 total and has added 8.5 tackles for loss and five pass breakups. He is followed by Selvin Haynes and Josh Stokes 74 and 71.

• Eddie Faulkner IV leads the team in sacks with 4.5 followed by Cottrell Hatchett with 3.0. Munchie Johnson has tallied a team-high 12.0 tackles for loss.

• Stokes leads The Rock in interceptions with five followed by Faulkner IV with four. The pair have combined for 10 pass breakups and 19 pass deflections.

TIFFIN NOTES

The Dragons are ranked 9th in the most recent AFCA Coaches Poll and are coming off the back of a 26-7 victory over rival Findlay to secure the G-MAC Championship. Tiffin posted the first 11-0 season in school history and improved to the number one seed in NCAA Super Region 1 to earn a first-round bye.

TIFFIN OFFENSE

• Tiffin ranks fourth in total offense in NCAA Division II as well as fifth for rushing offense and sixth in scoring offense.

• Keegan Ray has stepped in for the injured Kason Martin and totals 731 yards passing with six touchdowns and a completion percentage of 65.8.

• The Dragons backfield is loaded with four running backs over the 450-yard rushing mark. Ronald Blackman leads the way with 862, followed by Devin Nelson with 752, Tyrese Banks-Dorn with 657, and Carson Gresock with 497. Banks-Dorn leads the team in rushing touchdowns with 11 while Gresock has 10.

• Josh Lewis leads TU in every receiving category including receptions (42), yards (675), touchdowns (8), and average yards per game (61.4). He is followed by Jalen Thomas with 31 catches for 422 yards and five touchdowns.

TIFFIN DEFENSE

• Defensively, TU ranks second in the nation in turnovers gained, defensive touchdowns, and eighth in passing yards allowed.

• Defensive back Patrick Tueimeh leads the team in tackles with 55. He has added two interceptions, a forced fumble, and six tackles for loss as well.

• He is followed by Zeke Brown and Ramond Jackson with 54 and 52 tackles respectively. They both have three forced turnovers each.

• Bolstering the secondary is Chucky Lewis who leads the team in interceptions with five, along with Caleb Streat with two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns.

• Robert Holtz leads the team in tackles for loss with 11.5 and adds 7.5 sacks, just behind Antonio O'Berry with 8.0 sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss.