The Georgetown Hoyas football team (3-1, Patriot League) aims for a fourth straight win on Saturday, as they head to Ithaca, NY for a matchup with Cornell (1-1, 0-1 Ivy League). The game is set for a 3:00 p.m. ET kickoff at Schoellkopf Field. It projects to be a low-scoring battle, with both defenses ranking in the top-seven in the FCS in yards allowed per game.
The Big Red won their first game of the season over Marist, but fell to Yale in an away conference battle last week. Despite the loss, senior running back Harold Coles continued to tear it up on the ground, and ranks fourth in the FCS in rushing yards per carry. Coles ran for 141 yards against the Bulldogs, and stopping him figures to be a crucial component of Georgetown head coach Rob Sgarlata’s gameplan on Saturday.
Keeping turnovers to a minimum will be a major focus for the Big Red. Cornell has the worst turnover margin in the FCS at -2.5 per game and the Hoyas rank first at +2.25. Much of that will depend on the play of junior quarterback Richie Kenney, who struggled against Yale, throwing four interceptions.
The Georgetown defense has been red-hot of late, allowing one touchdown over the last three games. Last Saturday, the Hoyas intercepted three passes and forced three fumbles, two of which were recovered by the Blue & Gray. Sophomore defensive back Micah McNeil, who nabbed one of the picks against Columbia, leads the team with two interceptions, while junior linebacker Xavier Reddick tops Georgetown with 24 total tackles.
On the offensive side, sophomore running back Herman Moultrie III has continued to be a difference maker. The Columbus, OH native has scored a team-high five touchdowns, averaging 53.3 yards per game. Moultrie III is complemented by the quarterback tandem of senior Gunther Johnson and junior Joseph Brunell. Sgarlata has utilized each in varying roles week-to-week, with Johnson as more of a dual-threat quarterback and Brunell as more of a pocket passer. While Johnson has gotten the lion’s share of playing time overall, Brunell played most of the game against Columbia. Johnson has four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns, while Brunell has thrown three touchdowns.
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