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LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University football prepares for its first conference game of the season against Wagner on Saturday at 4 p.m. This marks the second straight season the Red Flash open conference play against the Seahawks.
 
Offense
Freshman wide receiver Makai Jackson became the first Red Flash player since Nov. 13, 2019 to record at least eight catches and 120 yards in a single game against Richmond. He ranks tied for 10th in the FCS with 7.5 catches per game and 18th with 102 receiving yards per game. He leads all freshmen in both categories and is the only one with at least 86 yards per game. In a split quarterback situation, Justin Sliwoski led the team with 11 completions, 142 passing yards, 50 rushing yards and two total touchdowns. After Dawson Snyder recorded five catches for 59 yards, Saint Francis has now opened the season with two wide receivers recording at least five catches in the same game. Snyder ranks fourth in the NEC with 75.5 receiving yards per game and seventh with four catches per game. Lovell Armstead led Saint Francis running backs with 10 carries after Damon Horton led against Akron with 18. The offensive line held Richmond without a sack for the first time in eight games and has only allowed two this season.
 
Defense
Marcel Mami and Gregory Reddick both lead Saint Francis with 18 total tackles and their nine per game ranks fourth in the NEC. Despite recording no sacks at Richmond, Sebastian Benjamin still ranks third in the FCS with four this season. Al-Ma'Hi Ali recorded the first interception of the season for Saint Francis that set up Jackson's first-career touchdown. Reddick forced a Richmond fumble inside the Saint Francis five-yard line that was recovered by freshman Kendal Marks. Marks recorded his first-career takeaway in his first collegiate start.
 
Special Teams
Kicker Alex Schmoke moved to 5-for-6 on field goals this season after he was a perfect 2-for-2 against Richmond. He converted a 36-yard and 22-yard field goal in the first quarter that gave Saint Francis an early 6-0 lead. Punter Jordan Slaiby sits atop the NEC with 41.6 yards per punt this season. He kicked a season-long 56-yard punt against Akron, which was three yards short of his career-long. After Lucas Winters and Brayden Bowers split long snapper duties against Akron, Winters was the team's full-time long snapper against Richmond. Armstead recorded a game-long 41-yard kick return against Richmond, while freshman Jackson and Elijah Sarratt also had one return each. 
 
Last Time Out
Saint Francis dropped its second game of the season 31-21 to Richmond, who received votes in the FCS Top-25 polls. The Red took an early 6-0 lead on two Schmoke field goals and held the lead through one quarter. In the second, Richmond scored two touchdowns and opened a 14-6 lead. After Ali recorded an interception, Jackson scored a 45-yard touchdown three plays later and cut the lead to 14-13. A Richmond field goal was the only third-quarter score before the Spiders scored a touchdown with 10 minutes remaining in the game and opened a 24-13 lead. Saint Francis responded with a Sliwoski rushing touchdown, followed by a successful two-point conversion to Sarratt that cut the deficit to 24-21. Saint Francis stopped Richmond on a fourth and four with two minutes remaining to regain possession. Three plays later Richmond forced an interception, returned for a touchdown, to seal its 31-21 victory.
 
Scouting Wagner
The Seahawks enter the conference-opener with an 0-2 record after a 48-31 loss to Fordham and 66-7 loss to Rutgers. Wagner is led offensively by wide receiver Naiem Simmons, who leads the NEC with 108.5 yards per game and is fourth with 5.5 catches per game. His receiving yards per game ranks 15th in the FCS. Wagner's leading rusher, Rickey Spruill, has 18 carries for 64 yards while their starting quarterback, Nick Kargman, is 25-of-55 for 344 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. As a team, Wagner ranks last in the NEC with 222.5 yards per game. Two-time reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Year Titus Leo is tied for the NEC lead with 4.5 tackles for loss and adds 11 total tackles and one forced fumble. Leo was named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List, presented to the National Defensive Player of the Year. Christian Davis leads the Seahawks with 13 tackles and is one of two players with an interception, the other by Jayden Brown. Head coach Tom Masella is looking for his first win with the Seahawks after an 0-15 start to his Wagner career. He had two one-score losses last season, against Central Connecticut and Delaware State. Masella was a former head coach at Central Connecticut from 2004-05, where he was NEC Championships in both seasons.

All-Time vs. Wagner
Wagner holds a 7-23 all-time advantage over Saint Francis since the first meeting in 1992. Saint Francis has won the past two meetings and four of the last six (all four were home games). In matchup history, Wagner holds a 13-1 record over Saint Francis at home, with the only Red Flash victory 23-20 in 2007. Saint Francis has scored at least 22 points in the past seven meetings, while Wagner has three games with 14 or less points during that stretch. Saint Francis won the only matchup against Wagner head coach Masella 39-24 last season.

Around the NEC
In the first conference matchup of the season, two-time reigning NEC Champion Sacred Heart defeated Central Connecticut, 14-10, after the Blue Devils threw an interception in the red zone with 1:38 remaining in the game. Saint Francis lost to Richmond 31-21, while Wagner lost to Rutgers 66-7. LIU lost to No. 6 Villanova 38-21despite a three-interception performance from Victor Nelson, Jr. Duquesne, Merrimack and Stonehill all played non-Division I programs and defeated their opponents by a combined 155-31.
 
Jackson Named NEC Offensive Player and Rookie of the Week, Two Prime Performers
Jackson became the first Offensive Player of the Week selection for the Red Flash since Ra'Shaun Henry was honored on Nov. 25, 2019 – the final week of that season. He was also the first Saint Francis Rookie of the Week selection since Breon Noel in the 2021 season-opener against Eastern Michigan. After Jackson and Reddick were named Prime Performers, Saint Francis now has five selections this season, more than the entire 2021 season.
 
Next
Saint Francis heads back on the road for a non-conference matchup at Norfolk State on Saturday, Sept. 24 for a 2 p.m. kickoff.