POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Marist University football team (2-1) opens Pioneer Football League play on Saturday at Butler (2-2). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
 

HOW TO FOLLOW

• Geoff Brault (play-by-play) and Steve Eggink (analyst) have the call on the Red Fox Network. The pregame show starts at 12:45.
• Greg Rakestraw (play-by-play) and Andrew Mild (analyst) will have the call on FloSports.
• Updates will be available on X via Marist Football (@Marist_FBall).

 

FIRST SINCE ...

• Marist has defeated two full scholarship opponents this year for the firsr time with its wins over New Haven and Wagner.
• Marist has won two non-league games for the first time since 2009.
• Marist's season-opening 31-14 win over New Haven on Aug. 29 was its first since 2012, when the Red Foxes prevailed at Bryant.
• This was Marist's first non-league home victory since 2015, which occurred against Sacred Heart. It was Marist's first non-league victory at all since 2017, when the Red Foxes won at Georgetown.
• Marist had two 100-yard rushers against New Haven (Sonny Mannino, 109; Tristan Shannon, 104). It was the first time the Red Foxes had two 100-yard rushers in a game since 2018.
• This is Marist's first 12-game regular-season schedule in program history.
• This is the sixth time in the last 35 years Marist started the season with back-to-back home games. This also took place in 2022, 2016, 2010, 2002, and 1994.

 

WITH A WIN ...

• Marist would close September with its first winning record since 2017 (3-2), and its best record after four games since 2005 (also 3-1).
• Marist would win its PFL opener for the first time since 2022.

 

MARIST IN THE PFL

• Marist is 59-61 all-time in PFL play, having joined the league in 2009. Marist is 9-13 in September, 32-25 in October, 18-22 in November, and 0-1 in December.
• Marist is 28-33 at home, and 31-28 on the road in PFL play.
• Marist is 7-8 all-time in PFL openers.
• Marist won a share of the PFL championship in 2013.

 

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

• Nate Robinson Jr. was named Stats Perform FCS Defensive Player of the Week after a 10-tackle, two-interception performance at Wagner.
• Chase Hatton has earned Honorable Mention for Stats Perform FCS Freshman of the Week twice this season, following Marist's wins against New Haven and Wagner.
• Chris Leonardo is Marist's nominee for this year's Campbell Trophy.
• Marist ranks in the FCS' top three in kickoff return average (first, 38.0), forced turnovers (second, 10), interceptions (second, 7), and turnover margin (third, +2.33 per game).

 

SPECIAL SPECIAL TEAMS

• Tristan Shannon's 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Wagner was Marist's first since Glenmour Leonard-Osbourne took one 94 yards for a score at Morehead State in 2022.
• Against New Haven, Marist's special teams generated three turnovers (two muffed punts, one kickoff return fumble), a blocked field goal (Jalen Carpenter), and a touchdown (Rene Barber off a muffed punt).
• Ethan Yuska's last two punts were both at least 50 yards, with one downed at the New Haven 2, and the other that resulted in Barber's touchdown off a muff.

 

DEFENSE DOES IT

• Marist's 56 yards passing allowed at Wagner was the lowest total the Red Foxes permitted in a game since 2007.
• Marist five interceptions at Wagner were its most in a game since 2021.
• In its last five victories, Marist has scored a touchdown on either defense or special teams.
• In head coach Mike Willis' three victories at Marist, the Red Foxes have scored a special teams touchdown in every game, and are a collective +10 in tunover ratio (totals of 10 interceptions and three fumble recoveries).

 

ABOUT BUTLER

• In non-league play, Butler has defeated Truman State and Hanover, and has fallen to Northern Iowa and Weber State.
• Butler fell by a score of 38-24 at Weber State in its last outing this past Saturday.
• The Bulldogs were picked to finish fourth in the PFL Preseason Poll, and they had two Preseason All-PFL selections in DL Danny Orgler and LB Jeremiah Jackson.
• Head coach Kevin Lynch is in his first season.

 

SERIES HISTORY

• Marist leads the all-time series, 4-3.
• This is Marist's fourth trip to Indianapolis. The Red Foxes prevailed in 2011 and 2016, and Butler won in 2022.
• Butler has won the last two meetings.

 

UP NEXT

• Marist's first PFL home game is against San Diego on Saturday, Oct. 4 as part of Family Weekend.
• Kickoff is set for noon.