NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. (WKBN) – The WKBN Game of the Week is headed to the college ranks this Fall. This Saturday, Chad Krispinsky had the call of the season opening contest between Mount Union and Westminster.
Both schools won their respective conferences this past spring in the pandemic-shortened season. According to D3football.com, The Purple Raiders are ranked number two in the preseason poll. Westminster is ranked #20.
College Football Game of the Week
Saturday, September 4 at 1 p.m. LIVE on MyYTV
Mount Union (4-0, 2020-21) at Westminster (5-0, 2020-21)
Series Record
Mount Union, 5-4
Last 3 Meetings
1969 – Westminster, 10-7
1968 – Westminster, 20-6
1966 – Westminster, 9-7
Spring 2020-21 Team Statistics
Scoring Offense: Mount Union, 46.8; Westminster, 35.4
Scoring Defense: Mount Union, 14.8; Westminster, 20.2
Total Offense: Mount Union, 543.8; Westminster, 366.2
Rushing Offense: Westminster, 163.4; Mount Union, 138.5
Passing Offense: Mount Union, 405.3; Westminster, 202.8
Coaches
Mount Union: Geoff Dartt, 2nd season
Westminster: Scott Benzel, 8th season
Game Notes
-Mount Union last defeated Westminster in the final week of the 1965 season (20-6).
-The success of the Purple Raider football program has been well-documented from coaching legend Larry Kehres building Mount Union into a household name among football fans. The Purple Raiders have won 13 Division III championships (last coming in 2017). In 1988, Mount Union last lost three games in a single season. One would have to go way back to 1977 to find their last losing season (4-5).
-The Purple Raiders were crowned the Ohio Athletic Conference champions this past April when they defeated Heidelberg, 64-14, to post their 31st conference title.
-This past spring, Westminster won the Presidents’ Athletic Conference by topping Washington & Jefferson in the conference championship game, 27-20 and finishing with an undefeated 5-0 mark.
-The Titans have won each of their past two season openers by a combined score of 108-28.
-Since 2015, Westminster has finished with six straight winning seasons and have compiled a winning percentage of 74.6% (44-15).
Area Roster Connections
*Mount Union – Elijah Burch, SR/DL (Warren Harding); Benjamin Chaszeyka, JR/DL (Springfield); Max Craig, SO/OL (West Branch); Ethan Fletcher, FR/DB (Canfield); Tanner Johnston, FR/DB (Beaver Local); PJ Morris, JR/TE (East Liverpool); Brandon Yanssens, FR/WR (Crestview)
*Westminster – Brice Butler, FR (Farrell); Brady Callahan, JR/WR (Grove City); Carter Chinn, FR (Grove City); Nathan Dean, JR/DT (McDonald); Tylon Eilam, SO/WR (Sharon); Jason Hall, JR/QB (Struthers); Matthew Howard, FR (Grove City); Deondre McKeever, JR/DB (Fitch); Jared Miller, SR/RB (Mineral Ridge); Tyree Reader, SR/DE (Ursuline); Marcel Smith-Austin, SO/WR (Sharon); Nicholas Treloar, JR/LB (New Castle); Lane Voytik, SO/QB (Sharon); Corte Williams, SO/DB (Sharon)
Upcoming Schedule
Mount Union
Sept. 11 – BYE
Sept. 18 – Baldwin-Wallace
Sept. 25 – at John Carroll
Westminster
Sept. 11 – BYE
Sept. 18 – at Case Western Reserve
Sept. 25 – Grove City
