FB Preview: Yellow Jackets look to keep up momentum vs. MSJ
October 6, 2023

FB Preview: Yellow Jackets look to keep up momentum vs. MSJ

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SATURDAY'S GAME: Defiance College hosts the Mount St. Joseph Lions for DC's second home game of the 2023 season. After three straight games on the road, the Yellow Jackets return for this year's homecoming game.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Yellow Jackets overcame a 21-13 deficit to record the team's second road comeback victory of the year, 27-21, at Hanover in last week's conference opener. Jordan Ambrose connected with Jalen Warren for the go-ahead touchdown with 51 seconds left in the game, then the defense stood strong in the final seconds with a game-winning sack by Richard Pope IV on the last play of the game.
 
THE HARDER THEY FALL: Last Saturday's win at undefeated Hanover dusted off multiple benchmarks for Defiance. It was the first win in a conference opener since the 2010 season, which was also a win at Hanover. The Jackets' victory was also the first win over an undefeated team since knocking off 1-0 Adrian in 2002, and the first win over an unbeaten team with multiple wins since upending 3-0 Rockford in 2001. Earlier this season, the Yellow Jackets snapped a 14-game non-conference losing streak and 17-game road non-conference losing streak by beating Adrian in Week 2.
 
ABOUT THE YELLOW JACKETS: Defiance College continues to build upon a strong finish to the 2022 season that ended with a 3-7 record thanks to three victories in the final four weeks of the year. The final win of the campaign was on the road at rival Bluffton to give DC consecutive wins for the first time since 2016. Under second-year head coach Bill Nickell, Defiance is third in the HCAC in rushing at 176 yards per game and fourth in total offense at 394 yards per contest while also ranking third in the conference in total defense.
 
ABOUT THE LIONS: Mount St. Joseph, led by seventh-year head coach Tyler Hopperton, comes to Defiance after a 69-14 home win over Manchester to improve to 3-1 on the season. The Lions are also the defending HCAC champs after going undefeated in the regular season before being upended by Alma, 41-21, in the opening round of the DIII Playoffs. MSJ had finished runner-up in the HCAC each of the three prior seasons. The HCAC's preseason poll selected the Lions to repeat as champs after receiving seven out of eight first-place votes. The Lions are one of the country's most prolific offenses, leading the nation with 548 total yards per game, ranking sixth in DIII in scoring at 53.0 points per game, and seventh in passing yards at 344.8 per game. Quarterback Josh Taylor leads the conference with 1,200 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, each among the top 25 in the nation.
 
THE SERIES: The Yellow Jackets and Lions take the field for the 32nd time on Saturday afternoon. MSJ leads the series 19-12 and have won 10 out the last 11 contests. Defiance excelled during the early stages of the series by winning each of the first five matchups between 1990-94 (Defiance went 39-11 during those seasons, 33-7 from '90-93) and eight of the first nine through the 2001 campaign. Since DC's last HCAC title in 2001, the Jackets are 4-16 with the last victory coming in 2021's 14-13 triumph.
 
THE JORDAN AMBROSE EXPERIENCE: Senior quarterback Jordan Ambrose has displayed his dual-threat skills early this season with notable marks through the air and on the ground. Ambrose ran for a career-high 144 yards in Week 2 at Adrian followed up with a 120-yard performance two weeks ago to become the first DC quarterback with consecutive 100-yard rushing games since Ricky Powell in 2010. He is also the first DC QB with multiple 100-yard rushing games in the same season since Sean Washington in 2013. Ambrose ranks fourth in the HCAC with 242 rushing yards. He is also making strides with his passing game after setting a program record with 33 pass completions in the Week 3 game at Kalamazoo while tossing for a career-high 369 yards. Responsible for eight total touchdowns, Ambrose has thrown and rushed for a touchdown in the same game four times in his career. A native of Tomball, Texas, Ambrose threw for 1,282 yards with 11 touchdowns while also running for 395 yards and four scores to earn Honorable Mention All-HCAC in 2022.
 
TYSHAUN ON 2K WATCH: Senior running back Tyshaun Freeman is poised to join elite rushing company with just 69 yards required to reach 2,000 for his career at Defiance. The Macon, Ga. native would be the eighth player in DC football history to reach that plateau and is currently eighth in career rushing yards with 1,931. After his third-career multi-touchdown game last week at Hanover, Freeman is now tied for 10th in career rushing touchdowns at Defiance with 14. Freeman also has eight 100-yard games in his career, including one this year while he has averaged 97.3 yards per game over the last three outings.
 
POPE IS HCAC POW: DC defensive lineman Richard Pope IV earned HCAC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance at Hanover. He was second on the team with six tackles, but he delivered three sacks. Two of his quarterback takedowns were in clutch situations to help the Jackets finish the win. His second sack was in the fourth quarter with the game tied 21-21 when he backed the Panthers up enough to miss a field goal try. After Defiance turned that missed scoring opportunity into a go-ahead touchdown on the next drive, Pope dropped QB Kolton Richards on the final play of the game to seal the win after Hanover drove the field inside the red zone. Pope now has 21 career sacks at Defiance to place the senior tied for second all-time.
 
NEW HALL OF FAMERS & OTHER HONORS: Saturday's halftime festivities will honor various members of the DC community. Defiance College welcomes five new members into the DC Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday with the inductions of Peggy (Hoops) Wolf (Women's Basketball, Class of '93), Mike Moorman (Baseball, '04), Lucas Dillon (Football, '08), Justine Johnston (Softball, '09) and longtime Head Athletic Trainer Kevin Tong. DC also recognizes their Coaches of the Year at the annual homecoming game with awards going to Jason Hale ('22), Tim Held ('96), Tom Held ('85), Juan Vela ('04), Adam Huber ('06), Bryn Lehman ('13) and Sonny Lewis ('70). Defiance's 2001 football team is having their 20th anniversary (previously postponed) and the 1990-93 football teams are also being recognized during Saturday's halftime festivities.
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