EMORY, Va. - The Emory & Henry College Football Team will play its final home game of the season against Hampden-Sydney College on Saturday. The Wasps will celebrate Senior Day as the team looks to get back on track with a big Old Dominion Athletic Conference win against the Tigers. E&H will also honor its 10 seniors prior to the start of the game, so fans are encouraged to arrive early for that special ceremony.
Last Meeting
Last year, Emory & Henry racked up 502 yards of total offense for a 31-25 win, its first over Hampden-Sydney since 2007. Quarterback Kevin Saxton (Concord, N.C.) had one of the best games of his career, throwing for 305 yards and three touchdowns. The Wasps' defense played a huge role in the win, picking off five passes on the afternoon. E&H will look to repeat that performance in its quest to win on Saturday.
Emory & Henry
Last week, freshman quarterback Hunter Taylor (Summerville, S.C.) got the first start of his career and showed promise with 166 passing yards and 113 rushing yards. Senior running back Isaiah Rodgers (Canton, Ga.), who leads the team in rushing, ran for 93 yards and a touchdown while junior wide receiver Chris Gannon (Alexandria, Va.) caught a 29-yard pass for a touchdown. Sophomore placekicker Matt Seals (Rogersville, Tenn.) was the bright spot offensively, tying the E&H record with three field goals in the game and adding a pair of extra points.
The Wasps have had some defensive struggles as of late but saw a spot of improvement last week against the Eagles. Emory & Henry gave up 338 yards of offense to Bridgewater and held Malivai Barker, one of the top backs in the conference to just 17 yards. E&H will look to junior safety Justin Banks (Coeburn, Va.), who is leading the ODAC in tackles with 64, to make some important stops Saturday.
Hampden-Sydney
The Hampden-Sydney offense has had its share of trouble this season. The Tigers trail the league in scoring offense, total offense, and rushing offense. HSC also has the worst turnover margin in the ODAC. Although the offense has been down this year, quarterback Alec Cobb remains one of the best signal-callers in the conference. He remains at the top of the league in completions, yards, and touchdowns. Hampden-Sydney's success Saturday will depend on the efforts of Alec Cobb.
Key Matchup - Justin Banks vs. Alec Cobb
As previously stated, Cobb is one of the premier quarterbacks in the conference. However, hard-hitting safety Justin Banks remains one of the top defenders as well. Banks has had double-digit tackles in each of the past five games. With Cobb completing as many passes as he does, it will be up to Banks and E&H's defensive secondary, to knock down and intercept as many balls as they can.
Game Information
Kickoff between the Wasps and Tigers is set for 1:00 p.m. at Fred Selfe Stadium on the Emory & Henry campus. Fans are reminded that tailgating lots open at 9:00 a.m. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
The game will also serve as Domestic Violence Awareness Day and members of the Emory & Henry football team will be wearing purple to call attention to this cause. The first 1,000 fans will receive a purple wrist band for Domestic Violence Awareness.
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