ELON, N.C. – After pulling off one of the biggest upsets in program history, the Elon University football team returns home to Rhodes Stadium to host the 14th-ranked Villanova Wildcats in a CAA Football contest on Family Weekend. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1.
Fans unable to attend the game can listen to the game on WSML 104.5 FM and 1200 AM or at elonphoenix.com as David Hibbard and Taylor Durham will have the call. The radio broadcast will start at 2:30 p.m. Fans can also listen to all Elon football games via the TuneIn Radio app. This app is free to download to your smartphone.
A free video stream of the game will be available through Phoenix All-Access.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
10:30 a.m. – Parking lots open
1:05 p.m. – Team arrives for the Phoenix Walk
1:30 p.m. – Shuttle bus service begins (Shuttle Map)
1:30 p.m. – Band begins playing along Phoenix Drive
2:00 p.m. – Ticket windows, bag check and gates open
3:00 p.m. – Phoenix Phun Zone Opens
3:14 p.m. – Fire of the Carolinas takes the field
3:15 p.m. – Letterwinner’s Lounge Opens in the Walker Room of Alumni Field House
3:22 p.m. – National anthem
3:30 p.m. – Team entrance
3:33 p.m. – Kickoff of Elon vs. Villanova
PHOENIX WALK
Led by the cheerleaders and band, fans can welcome the Phoenix to Rhodes Stadium during the Phoenix Walk down Bank of America Drive. This week’s walk will occur at 1:05 p.m.
NEW BAG POLICY AT RHODES STADIUM
Beginning this season, Elon University has implemented a new policy for bags entering Rhodes Stadium. All bags entering the stadium will be checked before fans reach the ticket booths at the facility. Multiple lines will be available and there will be specific lines for fans entering with no bags.
The following items will be prohibited from Rhodes Stadium:
• Weapons
• Explosives
* Alcoholic beverages
• Outside food and beverages
• Smoking and tobacco products
• E-cigarettes
• Umbrellas
• Containers or coolers
• Flags on poles
• Bicycles, skateboards or rollerblades
• Pets (except service animals)
FOOTBALL GAME DAY
For more information on ticketing, parking and directions to Rhodes Stadium, please visit the Football Game Day web page.
GAME DAY PROGRAMS
For the second straight year, Elon will offer a digital game program that includes rosters, stats and video features. Make sure you are prepared for the game by utilizing the digital program.
ELON VS. VILLANOVA
This will mark the first-ever meeting between Elon and Villanova on the football field.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN
The Phoenix football squad elected two captains for the 2015 season. Serving as captain for the second year in a row is senior linebacker John Silas (Powder Springs, Ga.). He will be joined by first-year captain, junior offensive lineman Ikenna Nwokeji (Randolph, Mass.).
Each week the Phoenix will also name a game-week captain. The list of those captains is below:
• Gardner-Webb– LB Warren Messer (Garner, N.C.)
• at Charlotte – RB Brandon Gentry (Monroe, N.C.)
• Fayetteville State – DL Nick Groll (Armonk, N.Y.)
• at William & Mary – DB Malcolm Galloway (Norcross, Ga.)
• Villanova – DL Dondre Howell (Mooresville, N.C.)
PICKING UP VOTES
Thanks to a 27-10 victory at #8 William & Mary, the Phoenix drew the eyes of the voters for the national polls. Elon earned 31 points in the STATS FCS poll, good enough for 41st place. In the coaches poll, the maroon and gold earned 12 points, rating 31st nationally.
TOP-10 VICTORY
Elon’s 27-10 win over #8 William & Mary was just the second over an FCS top-10 opponent in the program’s Division I tenure. The only other was a 24-13 win at #6 Wofford in 2007. It was also the first defeat of a ranked opponent since a 2011 win by a 42-34 victory at #17 Furman.
10 OR LESS
Elon has allowed 10 or fewer points in back-to-back weeks for the first time since the 2009 campaign when the Phoenix did it three straight games. Elon held Fayetteville State to just three points before limiting #8 William & Mary to 10 points in victories. In 2009, the maroon and gold allowed seven to The Citadel, 10 to Chattanooga and six to Wofford in three wins.
CAA FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Following the win at William & Mary, a pair of Elon players were honored with conference player of the week awards. Demetrius Oliver (Portsmouth, Va.) was named the special team’s player of the week after blocking a punt and making one special teams tackle. Khalil Moore (Charlotte, N.C.) was recognized as the co-rookie of the week following a career-best 10-tackle performance that also saw him break up two Tribe passes.