NEWS

The Wildcats first season in the new Davidson College Stadium wraps up on the road this weekend.

GAME 11 | NOV. 23, 2024 | 1:00 PM (CT) / 2:00 PM (ET) | BROWN FIELD (5,000) | VALPARAISO, IND.

DAVIDSON WILDCATS
2024 Record: 6-4 (4-3 PFL)
2023 Record: 7-4 (6-2 PFL)
Head Coach: Scott Abell
Davidson Record (Yrs): 47-27 (7)
Career Record (Yrs): 86-51 (13)

VALPARAISO BEACONS
2024 Record: 3-7 (1-5 PFL)
2023 Record: 3-8 (2-6 PFL)
Head Coach: Landon Fox
Valparaiso (Yrs): 20-42 (6)
Career Record (Yrs): Same

INSIDE THE SERIES
Meetings: 14
Series Record: Davidson leads, 10-4
First Meeting: Davidson Won, 24-7 (9/1/01)
Last Meeting: Davidson Won, 42-21 (10/21/23)
Streak: Won 3
In Davidson: 5-1
In Valparaiso: 5-3
Abell vs. Valparaiso: 3-0

1ST AND 10

• Following a week 12 bye, Davidson will conclude its 2024 campaign Saturday afternoon at Valparaiso.
• Coming off a 31-14 win over Morehead State, the Wildcats enter 6-4 overall and 4-3 in Pioneer Football League action.
• With its win over the Eagles, Davidson secured its program-record seventh consecutive winning season.
• The Wildcats are 35-17 in PFL play under Head Coach Scott Abell, while capturing two regular season crowns and making three FCS Playoff appearances.
• In addition to leading the league in every rushing category, Mari Adams ranks among FCS National leaders in rushing yards (1,137 / 10th), rushing yards per game (113.7 / 5th), yards per carry (6.85 / 6th) and rushing touchdowns (14 / 6th).
• Davidson, which has possessed the nation’s top rushing offense five of the last six seasons, leads all of FCS again in 2024 averaging 324.3 yards per game.
• The Wildcats also rank among FCS national leaders in total offense (451.8 / 7th), scoring offense (37.1 / 7th), passing efficiency (159.44 / 10th) and time of possession (35:08 / 2nd).

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Davidson and Valparaiso will meet for the 15th time this weekend.
• The Wildcats, who defeated the Beacon 42-21 a year ago, have won the last three and lead the all-time series, 10-4.
• The ‘Cats are 5-3 all-time on Brown Field.

LAST TIME OUT | DAVIDSON 31, MOREHEAD STATE 14 — NOV. 9, 2024 |DAVIDSON, N.C.

• Mari Adams and Mason Sheron combined for 254 rushing yards to lead Davidson to a 31-14 Pioneer Football League win over Morehead State on Field 76 Nov. 19.
• As has been the trend this season on Field 76, Davidson jumped out to the early advantage, this time 14-0 just over five minutes into the contest.
• Shortly after a 55-yard Adams’ touchdown run, Luke Durkin hooked up with wide receiver Brody Reina on a 28-yard touchdown pass, which was set up by an Amare Hill interception on the Eagles’ first play from scrimmage.
• An Adam Zouagui 43-yard field goal as time expired in the first half gave the ‘Cats a 17-14 lead at the break.
• Following a botched Morehead State kickoff return to begin the third quarter, the Wildcats extended their lead when Cam’ron Willis‘ strip sack set up Dixon Hudson’s fumble recovery in the end zone.
• With the Wildcats leading 24-14 in the fourth quarter, defensive back Sabin McGlaughlin intercepted a pass at his own 3-yard line. That led to a methodical, 17-play, 97-yard scoring drive capped by a Sheron 15-yard scoring run with 56 seconds left. That final march took 10:39 off the clock on a day the Wildcats possessed the ball for more than 42 minutes.
• Adams finished with 129 yards on 23 carries, while Sheron ran 27 times for 123 yards. 

LAST MEETING | DAVIDSON 42, VALPARAISO 21 — OCT. 21, 2023 | DAVIDSON, N.C.

• Running back Mason Sheron rushed for 103 yards and three touchdowns to lead Davidson past Valparaiso 42-21 in Pioneer Football League Oct. 21, 2023 at Richardson Stadium.
• Sheron ran 16 times at an average of 6.4 yards per carry and scored on runs of 2, 38 and 8 yards, as the Wildcats totaled 265 yards on 58 carries (4.6 yards per rush).
• Davidson, which led 21-0 at the half, converted on four of its five fourth-down attempts, including twice on the game’s opening possession, a 12-play, 82-yard drive that spanned six minutes and 20 seconds. After Coulter Cleland found Maxwell Weaver for a 41-yard pass play on fourth-and-3 from the Valpo 43, Mari Adams scored on a 2-yard run, his eighth touchdown in the last three games.
• The Wildcats also converted on two fourth downs on a third-quarter scoring drive that was capped by Will Cox‘s 1-yard touchdown run that made it 35-7.
• Cleland finished 11-of-15 passing for 148 yards and tossed a 12-yard touchdown to Brody Reina on the first play of the second quarter. He found Mark McCurdy a team-best four times.
• Marcus Heard Jr. led the Wildcats defense with six tackles, while Julian Rawlins had two sacks and Yusuf Ahmed recovered a fumble.
• Davidson finished with a 26-10 advantage in first downs and possessed the ball for nearly 39 minutes.

UP NEXT

• Davidson’s 2025 schedule will be released this spring.