Complete Game Notes

OPENING STATEMENTS
The Bullets look to clinch their first winning season since 2007 as they host Franklin & Marshall College in a Centennial Conference match-up. Gettysburg has faced off with F&M more than any other team, and today marks the 96th meeting between the two schools.

SENIOR DAY
Gettysburg's 17 seniors will play their final home game and will be honored in a brief ceremony before the start of the game.

GAME COVERAGE
Fans unable to attend Saturday's game can follow the action through live stats at http://www.sidearmstats.com/gettysburg/football/index.htm or live video (pay-per-view) at http://www.gettysburgsports.com/showcase/#liveevents.

ALL-TIME SERIES
F&M holds a 45-43-7 edge in the all-time series that dates back to 1890, and the two sides have faced off in their regular season finale every year since 1983. The home team has claimed each of the past five meetings.

LAST MEETING
Franklin & Marshall used a 19-0 run to break open a close game in the second half and the Diplomats defeated Gettysburg 33-23 in Lancaster last season. F&M went ahead to stay (22-16) on an 18-yard touchdown pass from John Harrison to Ryan Murray with 2:40 left in the third quarter and made two fourth-quarter interceptions during their game-breaking run. Matt Flynn '10 completed 18-of-39 passes for 263 yards for the Bullets while Charles Curcio caught six passes for 98 yards and Jamel Mutunga rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown on just 16 carries. Harrison finished with 213 yards on 23-of-33 passing while George Eager grabbed 10 catches for 162 yards. John Kaschak rushed 25 times for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

LAST TIME OUT
Thomas Massucci threw a 10-yard, game-ending touchdown pass to tight end Woody Butler in the third overtime as host McDaniel College topped Gettysburg 36-30 in a wild Centennial Conference tilt on Saturday. The Green Terror erased a 24-9 halftime deficit and overcame missing a pair of potential game-ending field goals - one at the end of regulation and one in the first overtime that was blocked. Gettysburg, which was playing its first-ever triple-overtime affair, trailed 30-23 in the second OT before senior tailback Jamel Mutunga tied it with a 22-yard touchdown run, part of a career-high 190-yard, two-touchdown performance. McDaniel received a huge 294-yard rushing game from Joe Rollins and outgained the Bullets 503-464 for the day. The Bullets also missed a pair of late field goals that could have put them in front when it was tied - one late in regulation and one that was blocked in the third overtime.

Franklin & Marshall led 9-7 at halftime but was outscored 17-0 in the second half as Johns Hopkins turned back the Diplomats 24-9 on Saturday in Lancaster. Junior John Harrison threw for 214 yards on 23-of-38 passing for F&M while senior Jay Ridinger caught 10 passes for 68 yards. The Diplomats were held to 70 yards rushing and were outgained 425-284.

THE GETTYSBURG OFFENSE
Gettysburg's offense has consistently produced all season and enters the final week of the year ranked first in the Centennial Conference in rushing offense (251.0 ypg), total offense (459.7 ypg), and scoring offense (37.4 ypg). The team is also 15th, 18th, and 24th in Division III in the same categories. The Bullets have been led primarily by its ground game, topping 200 yards six times and piling up 31 rushing touchdowns - one shy of the school record set in 1983. Senior tailback Jamel Mutunga, the seventh-leading rusher in school history, leads the team and ranks second in the Centennial Conference with 86.6 yards per game to go with nine touchdowns on a team-high 157 carries. Senior tailback Anthony DeSalva has contributed 60.1 yards per game and seven TDs on 136 rushes while junior quarterback Kyle Whitmoyer has added 55.7 yards per game and scrambled for 10 touchdowns, tying the single-season school record for a quarterback set in 1965 by future NFL draft pick Jim Ward. Senior wing Charles Curcio has added 35.3 yards per game and four rushing touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Whitmoyer has also enjoyed a strong season passing, throwing for 196.3 yards per game, 12 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. However, Whitmoyer will miss Saturday's game due to a shoulder injury sustained last week against McDaniel, and sophomore Kody Smith will make his first collegiate start. Curcio leads the team with 40 receptions for 53.6 yards per game and three touchdowns while senior receiver Brian Betley has grabbed 26 passes for team-highs of 57.6 yards per game and four touchdowns. Senior wing Greg Namrow has added 21 catches and 27.0 yards per game.

THE GETTYSBURG DEFENSE
For the third straight game, Gettysburg's defense toughened up late, coming up with key stops down the stretch last week. After McDaniel scored on its first two possessions of the second half, the Bullets stopped the Green Terror on their final six drives of regulation and in the first overtime possession. Gettysburg, which has come up with 15 takeaways, has received a strong all-around season from sophomore linebacker Larry DelViscio, who is second on the team with 9.3 tackles per game and leads the squad with 11.5 tackles for loss. He has added 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a pair of pass breakups. Junior safety Joe Delaney leads the team with 9.8 tackles per game - good for third in the Centennial Conference - while junior linebacker Peter Hak has made 9.4 stops per game. Sophomore linebacker Mark Covington leads the team with 2.5 sacks and has added a pair of forced fumbles, two interceptions, and 7.5 tackles for loss. Junior cornerback Rob Pennella has made a team-leading nine pass breakups while sophomore corner Tyler Fasanella leads the Bullets with three interceptions.

THE GETTYSBURG SPECIAL TEAMS
The Bullets special teams unit has been a strong point throughout the season. DeSalva set the Bullets single-season record for kick return yards last week, and the mark currently stands at 812 yards - the second-highest total in Centennial Conference history. He has averaged 26.2 yards per return, a mark that ranks second in the Centennial Conference and 26th in Division III. He has also put up 160.7 all-purpose yards per game, also good for second in the conference and 24th in the nation. Curcio has handled the team's punt return duties, averaging 3.9 yards per return. Betley has averaged 34.8 yards per punt and has done an outstanding job placing his kicks, going 20 straight punts spanning parts of seven games without allowing return yardage until his second kick against McDaniel. Senior kicker Mike Barrett has racked up 59 points on the season and has made 7-of-11 field goals, including both of his attempts beyond 40 yards. He is also 38-for-42 on extra points.

THE F&M OFFENSE
Much like Gettysburg's previous two opponents, Franklin & Marshall relies heavily on its passing game. The Diplomats enter Saturday's game ranked second in the Centennial Conference in passing offense (262.0 ypg) and have made a conference-low 272 rushing attempts. Junior quarterback John Harrison has led the aerial assault with 248.8 yards per game, 19 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He has completed 66.0 percent of his passes and is three completions shy of breaking the Centennial Conference career record of 621 set by McDaniel's Brian Van Deusen from 1992-95. His top receiver has been senior Jay Ridinger, who has made a conference-leading 72 catches - a mark that is tied for 10th in Division III - for 92.1 yards per game and five touchdowns. Three other players have also grabbed at least 20 receptions, including junior receiver Jarrell Diggs, who has hauled in 46 balls for 54.0 yards per game and five TDs. Junior tailback John Kaschak is close behind with 42 receptions, 36.3 yards per game, and one TD while senior tight end Michael Deutch has contributed 22 catches, 46.6 yards per outing, and three TDs. Kaschak has handled the bulk of the team's rushing duties, carrying the ball 138 times for 63.6 yards per game and five touchdowns.

THE F&M DEFENSE
F&M has made its mark as an outstanding pass rushing team and leads the Centennial Conference with 27 sacks, which also ranks 21st in the nation. The Diplomats, who are also third in the conference in scoring defense (17.7 ppg), have been led by junior linebacker C.T. Marsh, who is second in the Centennial in sacks (8.5) and first in tackles for loss (16.5). Sophomore linebacker Sam Massaro is the team leader in tackles (76), interceptions (three), and forced fumbles (two) while sophomore linebacker Phil Barbieri has made 41 tackles. Junior Kurt Rogers and sophomore Jonathan Struss lead the Dips with seven pass breakups apiece.

THE F&M SPECIAL TEAMS
Franklin & Marshall has attempted only seven field goals this season but has made them all, with freshman Chris DeStefano going 6-for-6 and hitting two inside the final four minutes in the team's win over McDaniel two weeks ago. Sophomore Devin Hunter has punted for 36.8 yards per game while Diggs has averaged 11.1 yards per punt - good for second in the conference. Struss and junior Alan Williams have split kick return duties, averaging 22.1 and 19.2 yards per return, respectively.

THE COACHES
Gettysburg is coached by Barry Streeter, who is in his 32nd year at the helm of the Bullets. With 160 career victories, Streeter ranks 11th among active Division III coaches in wins. He is also tied for 26th on the all-time Division III coaches win list. Streeter is Gettysburg's longest tenured and all-time winningest football coach.

The Diplomats are coached by John Troxell, who is 26-24 in his fifth season at F&M. Last season he directed his team to a 9-2 record and the ECAC South Atlantic Bowl championship.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
A number of Bullets find themselves ranked among Gettysburg's all-time top-10 lists in several categories. Senior tailback Jamel Mutunga is seventh in rushing yards (2,710), tied for third in rushing touchdowns (32), and fifth in points (216) while senior wing Charles Curcio is second in receptions (122), fourth in receiving yards (1,557), third in kick return yards (1,583), sixth in punt return yards (516), and third in all-purpose yards (4,501). Senior receiver Brian Betley ranks second in receiving yards (1,673), tied for fifth in receptions (96), and ninth in punting yards (2,988). In addition, senior Mike Barrett is fourth in extra points (77) and tied for sixth in field goals (12).