This Week: Notre Dame College travels to Urbana University as the only two undefeated teams remaining in the Mountain East Conference square off. Game time for tomorrow, September 28, is set for 1 p.m. 

Records: Notre Dame is 3-0 (3-0 MEC) after a 61-49 fourth-quarter comeback against Fairmont State last week. Urbana is also 3-0 (3-0 MEC) after most recently defeating Wheeling 41-26.

Coaches Corner: Mike Jacobs is in his fourth year as the head coach of the NDC football program. He has an overall record of 33-6 (29-4 MEC). In 2018, Jacobs was named MEC, Regional and National Coach of the Year. Tyler Haines is in his fifth season at the helm of the UU football team. Haines holds a record of 18-29 (14-29 MEC).

Rankings: Notre Dame was ranked No. 5 for the second-straight week in the AFCA Coaches' Poll released September 23. Urbana received one point in the voting.

Series History: The eight games played against Urbana is the most in any series in Notre Dame's varsity history. The Falcons and Blue Knights have played in all but one year (2012) since NDC began varsity play in 2010. Urbana won the first three matchups before Notre Dame went on its current five-game winning streak. Since head coach Mike Jacobs took over, NDC has won by an average of 30 points (41.67 ppg to 11.67).

Noting the Falcons: Notre Dame's eight-point fourth-quarter comeback against Fairmont State last week was the seventh time in head coach Mike Jacobs's career that he has coached his team to a win after trailing at the end of the third quarter. Jacobs is now 7-5 after facing a deficit when the fourth quarter begins. With a winning record in most situations, the two that have been the most telling in his four years leading the Falcons have been the turnover battle and when NDC leads after the first quarter. Notre Dame is no 20-0 under Jacobs when winning the turnover ratio. NDC has won the turnover battle twice this year, and has had an even matchup as well. The Falcons are also 18-0 when leading after the first quarter, since Jacobs took over in 2016. Notre Dame led after the first quarter against FSU before the lead changed in the second quarter.

Noting the Blue Knights: Urbana has steadily improved its record under head coach Tyler Haines since he took over in 2015. In Haines's first year the Blue Knights went 2-9 (1-9 MEC), in 2016 they improved by one win in both categories, and the previous two seasons UU has finished 5-6 (4-6 MEC). This season, Urbana looks poised to improve again with a 3-0 start. Part of the success the Blue Knights' success has been a product of their load of transfers who have made an impact this season. Urbana has nine transfers in their two-deep depth chart, including six who transfered from NCAA Division I programs. UU also has three other DI transfers who have not played this season, likely to make their debuts in future years. The former teams of the current Urbana players include top-level programs like the University of Notre Dame and Michigan State as well as Maryland, Kentucky, Eastern Michigan and McNeese State. Highlighting the group on defense are Justice Alexander (Michigan State), with three sacks so far in 2019, and Desdamon Lake (Cabrillo College), who has 12 tackles (10 solo) as well as five pass breakups. On offense, W.R. Sanders Jr. (Merced College) leads the team with 317 yards and six touchdowns on just 31 carries. Sanders has been successful running behind a line that includes Eastern Michigan transfer Thomas Major III at left guard.

Extra Rest: Urbana is coming off a Thursday-night game giving the Blue Knights two extra days of rest compared to Notre Dame. But Urbana has lost the last six previous Saturday games that followed Thursday night contests. While the extra rest has not benefited UU in recent history, this team may not be comparable to the other Urbana units of the past. The Blue Knights are 0-6 in these Saturday-after-Thursday games since 2014, but the last time Urbana came out on top in this situation was against Notre Dame in 2013. That victory was the last time UU defeated the Falcons.

Ground Rules: Notre Dame has made a name for itself over the past several years as a team that runs the ball with incredible efficiency. NDC's running back Jaleel McLaughlin led the NCAA DII in rushing as a freshman in 2018 and currently leads the country with 670 yards in three games. Behind McLaughlin, the Falcons ranked sixth in team rushing last year. This season, however, NDC is looking up at another team from within the Mountain East Conference. Urbana currently leads the league with 877 rushing yard, 75 more than Notre Dame. The Blue Knights are ranked fifth in Division II with 285.3 rushing yards per game while NDC is 12th with 267.3. Notre Dame just got a taste of a strong rushing attack as Fairmont State currently ranks 16th with an average of 245.7. The Falcon defense was fairly successful at stopping the FSU rush, allowing just 3.3 yards per carry last week. Fairmont State was held just under 150 yards, but did score three touchdowns on the ground. Notre Dame and Urbana do not just eat up yards, but also have scored the most rushing touchdowns this season. NDC leads the nation with 13 rushing TDs while Urbana is tied for second most with 11.

Both teams will be tested though because on the defensive end, both units have been excellent at stopping the run. Urbana currently ranks third in Division II with 98 yards allowed on the ground in three games. The Blue Knights rank fourth in yards per rush allowed with a 1.31 average by their opponents. Notre Dame is still a highly ranked team on the defensive end as well after allowing just 75 yards in its first two games. After its offensive battle with Fairmont State, NDC ranks 21st in rush defense with an average of 74.7 rushing yards against per game. The Falcons have allowed an average of 2.04 yards per carry by its opponents, which ranks 12th in Division II.

MEC Recognition: Two players from Notre Dame were named MEC Players of the Week for their performance in Week 3. Running back Jaleel McLaughlin ran for 246 yards, eclipsing 3,000 career rushing yards in just 17 games. But McLaughlin's show also came with a Mountain East Conference record-breaking five touchdowns. McLaughlin also broke the MEC record for most points scored in a game. Nathan Moore also earned recognition from the conference for his blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown. Moore was the MEC Special Teams Player of the Week, but also had a tremendous outing on the defensive end. Moore led the MEC with 14 tackles in Week 3, and eight of his 14 stops came within three yards of the line of scrimmage.

BY THE NUMBERS

4.0: Sacks recorded by Sha'haun Williams so far this season. Williams has recorded three solo sacks and two assists, and ranks fifth in the NCAA DII with his 4.0 total.

10.2: Yards per carry gained by UU running back W.R. Sanders Jr. Sanders has gained 317 yards and scored six touchdowns on just 31 carries.

183: Yards between Jaleel McLaughlin and the next closest rusher. McLaughlin lead Division II with 670 rushing yards. Brian Benson of Findlay (who NDC will play on October 26) is second in the country with 487. W.R. Sanders Jr., of Urbana is currently 17th with 317.

932: Combined yards passing this season by Notre Dame and Urbana. Both teams rank at the bottom of the MEC in passing yards with 425 for NDC and 507 for UU.