STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Stony Brook football will return to the road this week, heading to Pennsylvania to face No. 19 Villanova, kicking off on FloFootball on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 2 p.m.
Stony Brook (0-7, 0-5 CAA) vs. Villanova (5-2, 3-1 CAA)
WHERE: Villanova, Pa.
VENUE: Villanova Stadium
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 28, 2 p.m. ET
HOW TO WATCH: FloFootball
LIVE STATS
SERIES HISTORY
… OVERALL – 3-3
… AT STONY BROOK – 2-1
… AT VILLANOVA – 1-2
… FIRST MATCHUP – Nov. 24, 2012 (W, 20-10)
… LAST MATCHUP – Nov. 13, 2021 (L, 14-33)
… LAST FIVE – Villanova, 3-2
… LAST 10 – Tied 3-3
OPENING KICK
- Stony Brook football begins its final road stretch of the season, playing in its second-to-last road game of 2023 at Villanova on Saturday at 2 p.m.
- The Seawolves fell to New Hampshire 45-14 last week at LaValle Stadium.
- The overall series is tied 3-3, with Villanova taking the last two matchups. Stony Brook's last win in the series in 2019 also marked its last ranked-opponent victory on the road.
- Stony Brook will is 1-2 all-time on the road against Villanova
- Wide receiver Anthony Johnson is at the top of the freshman ranks in a pair of receiving statistics, also ranking top three in the CAA and top 25 in the country.
- Graduate student Aidan Kaler continues to lead the Stony Brook defense on the tackle sheet, with 61 so far through seven games.
- The defense also received a 10-tackle contribution from De'Aundre Cruz last week.
- Against New Hampshire, Stony Brook got a pair of 100-yard receiving performances in the same game for the first time since the 2014 season.
- Stony Brook has at least one sack in 19 consecutive games dating back to the 2021 season.
JOHNSON INTO TOP THREE IN CAA RANKS
- Redshirt freshman Anthony Johnson continues to show up on the field and in the stat sheet for Stony Brook.
- He is third in the CAA with 5.6 receptions per game and also third with 76.7 receiving yards per game.
- Johnson is also leading FCS freshmen in both categories, ranking 22nd in the country in receptions per game and 21st in receiving yards per game overall in the FCS.
- In his last five games, Johnson is averaging 6.4 receptions per game and 90.4 receiving yards per game.
- With three games left to play, Johnson already holds the most receptions for a Stony Brook receiver (43) since 2019 and the most receiving yards (537) since 2021.
- He is also the first SBU receiver to hold multiple 100-yard games in a season since 2019 (Nick Anderson).
CRUZ SHINES IN FIRST CAREER START
- De'Aundre Cruz made his first collegiate start against New Hampshire in Week 8 and led the Stony Brook defense on the afternoon.
- Cruz recorded 10 tackles, including nine solo, and two tackles for loss.
- The nine solo tackles were the most among any Stony Brook player this season.
- He became the second Seawolf with at least 10 tackles in a game in 2023, joining Aidan Kaler, who's done so three times.
FREEMAN RECORDS RECORD-BREAKING TD
- With Stony Brook at its own 2-yard line and facing a third-and-long, Casey Case found Jayce Freeman, who spun out of a tackle and raced down the sideline for the 98-yard score.
- The 98-yard catch-and-run was the longest passing play in Stony Brook history, breaking the previous record of 91 set twice.
- It was the second-longest offensive play in school history, only behind Ty Son Lawton's 99-yard touchdown run against Delaware on Oct. 16, 2021.
- Freeman set his single-game career high in receiving yards with that catch alone, finishing with 115 for the game.
KALER CONTINUES TO LEAD THE DEFENSE
- Long Island native Aidan Kaler continues to find himself all over the tackle sheet for Stony Brook.
- Kaler has totaled 61 tackles through eight games. His 8.7 tackles per game ranks seventh in the league and 38th in the country.
- The graduate student has 39 solo tackles, tied for 16th in the country. He is also top-five in the CAA in that statistic.
- Kaler has at least five tackles in 10 consecutive games dating back to last season
CAREER FIRSTS
• Stony Brook players have put up several instances of career firsts in the stat sheet across the first seven weeks.
Date Career First Player
8/31 Interception
Noah Rodriguez
9/8 Receiving TD
Jayden Cook
9/8 Passing TD
Casey Case
9/8 Sack
Andy Nwaoko
9/8 Sack
Anthony Williams (assisted)
9/16 Receiving TD
Rahmon Hart Jr.
9/23 Receiving TD
Anthony Johnson
9/23 Interception
Jalen Hoyle
9/23 Interception/TD
JuJu Ganthier
9/23 Forced Fumble
Taylor Bolesta
9/23 Fumble Recovery
Rodney Faulk
9/30 Fumble Recovery
Nick Chimienti
10/14 Blocked Kick
Jalen Hoyle
10/14 Sack
Davon Bomar
10/21 Receiving TD
Jayce Freeman
STONY BROOK VS. RANKED FCS TEAMS
- Stony Brook is 11-35 all-time against FCS ranked opponents.
- The Seawolves' last ranked win came against No. 14 Delaware on Oct. 16, 2021.
- SBU's last ranked road win was on Oct. 26, 2019 at No. 5 Villanova, where it scored the final 16 points for a 36-35 victory.
- Stony Brook won two ranked games each in 2017 and 2018, when the Seawolves last went to the playoffs.
- The Seawolves defeated No. 13 Villanova (Week 5) and No. 11 Delaware (Week 10) in 2018, and No. 12 New Hampshire (Week 7) and No. 17 Richmond (Week 9) the year prior.
- Stony Brook knocked off No. 2 Richmond at LaValle Stadium in Week 3 of 2016, marking its highest-ever ranked-opponent victory.
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