No. 5 Benedictine (3-1) returns to Larry Wilcox Stadium for the second time this season, coming off one of the biggest win in the program under head coach Joel Osborn last week, snapping then-No. 1 Grand View's 73-game regular-season winning streak.
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St. Ambrose University (2-1, 1-0 Heart North) enters their first trip to campus in Heart play after renewing the series with Benedictine in 2024 as an associate member of the conference. The Ravens earned a 45-14 win over the Fighting Bees back on Sept. 21, 2024 in Davenport, Iowa.
Benedictine returns to O'Malley Field having held opponents to 7 points or less in four of its last five home games. Defensively, the Ravens have surrendered a total of 65 points, or 16.3 per game which ranks 16th in the NAIA and third overall in the Heart (both divisions combined).
NEWS & NOTES: Today marks the eighth overall meeting between Benedictine and St. Ambrose. The Ravens hold an overall series lead of 4-3-2. Prior to the 2024 renewal of the series, the previous meeting was in 1959 when St. Benedict's ended the series with three straight wins after St. Ambrose went 2-0-1 with the Ravens in the first three meetings.
>> Benedictine's Patrick Heitert ranks fourth in the Heart South in total passing yards with 550. He ranks fourth in the Heart South in pass efficiency at 138.0. In three starts, he is 44 of 70 with 522 yards at an average of 174 yards per game with 3 touchdowns. His efficiency is slightly higher at 139.6
>> Xiomar Hernandez leads the Heart South in total rushing at 366 yards through four games. He also leads the Heart South with 6 rushing touchdowns and is fifth in yards per carry at 5.2. In wet conditions on O'Malley Field in the Ravens home opener on Sept. 12, Hernandez still rushed for 97 yards on 17 carries.
>> Xiomar Hernandez has proven to be an offensive weapon on the ground and through the air this season. He is averaging 124.8 all-purpose yards through the first four games for the Ravens. He has scored a total of 7 touchdowns, 6 rushing and 1 receiving. He opened the season with a 152 total yards in the loss to Morningside, which is still his season high.
>> Through four games, Benedictine ranks ninth in the NAIA in third-down conversion percentage. They are 28 of 53 for 53 percent so far this season.
>> The Ravens also have an 80 percent red-zone conversion rate. They are 17 of 21 scoring when inside the red zone with 15 total touchdowns scored from inside the red zone. The Ravens have 11 rushing touchdowns and 4 passing touchdowns from inside the 20 so far this season. They have a total of 17 touchdowns with a Sam Torline interception return and fumble recovery from Anthony Lonergan.
>> St. Ambrose is averaging 21 points per game through four games while allowing just 18.7. They gave up a season high 28 last week at home to No. 24 Baker University. The Fighting Bees have scored a total of 9 touchdowns this season while giving up 8.
>> SAU Quarterback Reggie Moody is averaging just under 200 yards per game through the air in three games. He has passes for an average of 199.0 yards off 38 of 69 passing with 3 interceptions. Moody went 0 for 2 in pass attempts in the loss to Baker last week.
>> St. Ambrose has allowed 139.7 yards rushing per game so far this season and a total of 447.0. Opponents have passed for an average of 307.3 yards per game. The Fighting Bees defense has forced a total of 5 fumbles this season and recovered 4.
FULL GAME NOTES: Football_Game_Notes_SAU
UP NEXT: The Ravens play at home in back to back weeks, with their next opponent on Oct. 3 No. 24 Baker University for Alumni Day.
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