Clan To Face College Football’s Leading Rusher Saturday

BURNABY, B.C.  – The Simon Fraser University Clan will play their second-to-last game of the season this Saturday at Swangard Stadium (1:00 pm), as they face the nationally ranked Azusa Pacific Cougars and college football’s leading rusher.

Azusa Pacific is led by running back Terrell Watson, who leads all divisions of college football in rushing, averaging 187.4 yards per game. Watson will be facing the Clan’s record-breaking middle linebacker, red-shirt sophomore Jordan Herdman (Winnipeg, MB), who had a historic game last week against Humboldt State, making 27 tackles, including 19 assists.  That broke two Great Northwest Athletic Conference single-game records and one single-season record.

Herdman ranks second nationally in tackles averaging 14.3 per contest.

Watson, who set two all-time GNAC records last week in the Cougars’ 19-18 home win against Western Oregon, has rushed for 1,687 yards, and is first in the conference with 203.7 all-purpose yards per-game. He ranks third in NCAA Division II in all-purpose running and is fourth in scoring (14.7). His 22 touchdowns lead the conference.

Azusa Pacific, which has already clinched a tie for its second consecutive GNAC football title, can win the title outright Saturday with a win over Simon Fraser (2-7, 2-3). The Cougars (8-1, 5-0), who are ranked 23rd in this week’s AFCA national poll and sixth in the official NCAA Super Region poll, have won 12 consecutive conference games.

SFU is meeting Azusa Pacific for the second time this season. Back in September when the two teams last met, the Clan trailed 24-3 at halftime but came roaring back in the second half, scoring 21 points over the final 30 minutes to almost pull out the victory. The Clan recovered an onside kick with just over a minute remaining in the game, trailing by eight points. Reaching the Cougars 21-yard line, the Clan was unable to keep the drive alive, however, as SFU fell 32-24.

In first meeting between SFU and Azusa Pacific, Herdman recorded 20 tackles at his middle linebacker position, but he shattered that mark last week in a 33-17 loss to Humboldt State. SFU junior linebacker Against HSU, Mitchell Barnett (North Vancouver, BC) had nine stops for SFU, while senior defensive end Keenan North (Bellingham, WA) had eight, including three for losses of 12 yards.

This week gainst the Cougars, SFU, running back Stephen Spagnuolo (Vancouver, BC) looks to record his third consecutive 100 yard game, as he finished with 106 last week, after having 132 two weeks ago. Receiver Lemar Durant (Coquitlam, BC) leads the GNAC with 7.5 receptions per-game and is second in receiving yards with 93 on average. Quarterback Ryan Stanford completed 20 of 42 passes for 229 yards, but was picked off four times.

Simon Fraser’s Earl Anderson (Courtice, ON) set a GNAC career mark for kickoff return yards by returning six for 149 yards in the Clan’s loss to Humboldt State. Anderson has 97 career returns for 1,973 yards.  Anderson’s average (20.3 per return) ranks 27th in GNAC history.

In last week’s win over Western Oregon, Azusa Pacific needed just two plays to go 88 yards and pull out a dramatic 19-18 victory.  Quarterback Chad Jeffries completed an eight-yard pass to Josiah Thropay to set up a second-and-short.  Running back Watson then went long racing 80 yards to score the game-winning touchdown with 2:32 left.  Jamie Cacciatore then added the deciding extra point.

Kickoff this Saturday is set for 1:00 p.m. at Swangard Stadium. Tickets are available at the Stadium or in advance by  by emailing [email protected].