WEST POINT, N.Y. – For the first time in over month, the Army West Point football team will be on its home turf on Saturday as the Black Knights take on Lafayette.
The game is set for a 12:02 p.m. kickoff on CBS Sports Network and it can also be heard on the Army Sports Network.
HOW TO FOLLOW
TELEVISION • CBS Sports Network
RADIO • Army Sports Network
GAME NOTES • Army Notes • Lafayette Notes
LIVE STATS • sidearmstats.com/army/football
TWITTER • @ArmyWP_Football
SATURDAY'S ARE FOR GAMEDAY
• The Army West Point football team finally returns to Michie Stadium for the first time since defeating Rice on Sept. 10 in its home opener.
• The contest will air live around the nation on the CBS Sports Network at noon, and the game can also be heard on the Army Sports Network through the TuneIn app or goarmywestpoint.com.
THE OPENING KICKOFF
• Army enters Saturday's game with a 3-2 record following a 13-6 loss at Duke last Saturday in the middle of a monsoon that was brought on by Hurricane Matthew.
• The Black Knights finished the three-game road swing with a 1-2 record after dropping the last two games at Buffalo and against the Blue Devils.
• Army has the second-ranked rushing attack in the nation, averaging 332.8 yards per game on the ground.
• At Duke, the Black Knights were held under 200 yards rushing for the first time this season.
• The defense is fifth in the nation in total defense and ninth in scoring defense, allowing less than 16 points a game.
• Army's defense held Duke scoreless in the second half, which was the third time this season the Black Knights have shut out an opponent in a half of football.
ARMY-LAFAYETTE SERIES HISTORY
• This will be the 19th all-time meeting between Army and Lafayette.
• The Black Knights own the series with a 17-1 record since the first meeting in 1893.
• Army is riding a 16-game winning streak since 1942.
• Lafayette's lone win came in the second all-time meeting in 1940 with a 19-0 win.
• The matchup between the two teams has always been played at West Point.
ABOUT THE LEOPARDS
• Lafayette enters Saturday's contest with a 1-5 record overall and an 0-2 mark in Patriot League play.
• The Leopards are coming off a 58-34 loss at Fordham last weekend.
• The Lafayette rushing defense took a hit against the Rams as Fordham put up 516 yards on the ground in the win. Running back Chase Edwards had 396 yards rushing alone.
• Quarterback Blake Searfoss has played in the last two games after season starter Drew Reed went down with an injury.
• Searfoss threw for 325 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Fordham.
• Matt Mrazek is having a good junior season with 42 catches for 454 yards and eight touchdowns. He is averaging 90 yards a game in receiving yardage.
• DeSean Brown has 146 yards on the ground to lead the rushing attack in his three games played.
RUSHING ATTACK
• The Black Knights slipped to second in the nation in rushing offense and are averaging 332.8 yards per game.
• Army was held under 200 yards for the first time this season and a big chunk of that yardage was a 42-yard touchdown run by Andy Davidson.
• Davidson led the way against Duke with 120 yards on the ground and had an average of 7.5 yards per carry.
• He was Army's offense as Jordan Asberry was the next leading rusher with 19 yards on six carries.
BALL SECURITY
• Army went the first three games of the season without a turnover, but has had four miscues in the last two games.
• The Black Knights still have a turnover margin in the positive numbers, but have had some costly turnovers in the last two games.
• Duke turned one of the turnovers into seven points last Saturday, which proved to a be a difference maker early in the game.
DOMINANT DEFENSE
• The Black Knights' defense has allowed an average of 15.4 points per game over the first five contests, which ranks ninth in the nation.
• Four of the five opponents Army has faced have been held to two touchdowns or less on the scoreboard.
• In total defense, Army ranks fifth in the country, allowing an average of 249.6 yards per game.
• The Black Knights have done a great job stopping the run in the first five games as they are 12th in the nation, allowing 99 yards per game on the ground.
• Duke was successful running the ball on Saturday with 145 yards on the ground. It was first time this year Army had given up more than 100 yards on the ground.
• Army played well in passing situations, allowing only 44 yards to the Blue Devils and recording a season high five sacks.
SACK LUNCH
• The Army defense stepped up its pass rush Saturday at Duke with four different players recording sacks.
• Alex Aukerman led the way with two sacks and now has four on the season for tops on the team.
• Aukerman is having a breakout season overall with 8.5 tackles for loss through the first five games and his 1.7 per game average is seventh in the country.
• He is a hybrid type of player that can play as a defensive end or outside linebacker at times in the game.
KING OF THE MIDDLE
• Andrew King has continued his momentum from an impressive junior season into his senior campaign.
• The senior middle linebacker leads the team with 43 tackles, including 22 solo stops.
• He has three sacks on the year and 5.5 tackles for loss.
• King has been in the right place at the right time with two fumble recoveries in 2016, including one at Duke.
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