ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – The gauntlet of CIAA football continues for ECSU as they will travel to face Lincoln University for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff at the Lincoln University Football Stadium.
The Vikings come into the contest off of a tough loss at the hands of Virginia State, 41-19, last Saturday afternoon. Virginia State led the entire contest however the Vikings were able to close the gap to a one possession deficit through three quarters before the Trojans pulled away for the final margin of victory.
Look below for some notes on the contest between ECSU v. Lincoln.
Series Outlook: Since Lincoln rejoined the CIAA in 2008, the Vikings have gone a perfect 10-0 against the Lions on the gridiron. The closest contest the two have played was in 2014 when ECSU won by a single point, 27-26, at Lincoln.
Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em: The average margin of victory for the Vikings in the series, since 2008, has been 30.8 points per game. ECSU has scored, on average, 46.2 points per game while the Lions have only mustered 15.4 points per contest against the Vikings.
Dual Threat: Freshman QB
Kedrick Patterson has thrown for 506 yards on the season, has thrown 5 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Patterson has found his footing recently as the freshman rushed for 57 yards against Virginia State last week.
Hanging with Mr. Cooper: Senior linebacker
Miacah Cooper is pacing the Vikings on the defensive end; leading in tackles (29), tackles for loss (6), and sacks (3.0). Cooper was also highlighted in the first edition of The Interview, a one-on-one interview series with ECSU Athletic Director George Bright.
Lions, oh Lions: It has been a struggle for Lincoln offensively this year as the Lions have only scored 20 points in six games. Defensively it hasn't been much better as Lincoln has given up, on average, 50.1 points per contest.
Along Came Jones: Head Football Coach
Anthony Jones comes to the Harbor of Hospitality with an impressive pedigree of producing winners. Jones was last a head coach at Alabama A&M and led the Bulldogs to an 83-57 record overall and a 61-37 mark in SWAC play, from 2002-2013. Jones led the Bulldogs to five divisional titles during his time with A&M. Before heading to Huntsville, Jones was the head football coach at Morehouse and led the Maroon Tigers to an 18-13 record and posted eight wins in his last two seasons.
On the Road Again: The trip to Lincoln University, Pennsylvania will mark the longest road trip during the regular season for the Vikings. The trip will encompass over five and a half hours and just over 340 miles.
They Were Who They Thought They Were and We Let Them Off the Hook: In the Vikings 24-17 loss to St. Augustine's on September 29
th, the Vikings bested the Falcons in total yards gained (335-228) and first downs (19-10) but threw three interceptions and allowed a punt to be returned for a touchdown.
