• The Trinity International Trojans will try to get back on track when they return home this weekend, and host the No. 19 Robert Morris Eagles. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. on Sept. 27, as the Trojans will look to secure their first-ever win over Robert Morris, in the Eagles' first-ever trip to Frazier Field. Saturday's game will be available online for those unable to make it to the game, at TIUTrojans.com/TIUSportsNetwork.
Quick Hits• Trinity International lost its first game of the season last weekend,
falling on the road to #14 St. Francis (Ill.), 44-30.
• Robert Morris is coming off of an
upset victory over #10 St. Xavier at home last Saturday, 27-24.
• Quarterback
Stephen Anderson is 2nd in the MSFA with 262.7 passing yards per game. Wideout
Cory Windle continues to be one of his favorite targets, averaging 14.0 points per game, 3rd-most in the NAIA.
• The Trojans rank 5th in the MSFA in passing offense this year, averaging 262.7 yards per game. On the other side of the ball, Robert Morris is 6th in the league in pass defense, allowing 181.0 yards per game
• The Eagles have the 3rd-best rushing attack in the MSFA, with 170.7 yards per game. The TIU run defense currently ranks 9th in the league, allowing an average of 140.7 yards per game.
Series History• Saturday marks just the third meeting between Trinity International and Robert Morris, with the first matchup coming in 2012.
• The Eagles lead the all-time series, 2-0 over the Trojans.
• Overall, TIU has been outscored by Robert Morris 64-54 in the all-time series, with the Trojans coming within a single score in both previous meetings.
• Last season, Robert Morris dealt Trinity their first loss of the year, dropping the Trojans to 3-1.Â
Last Time vs Robert Morris• Robert Morris jumped out to a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter, giving the Eagles enough of an edge to withstand a 14-point comeback by Trinity International, as RMU won 33-26.
• Running back
Chris Elliott collected 104 yards on the ground with two TDs for the Trojans. RMU's Lamont Wims posted 107 rushing yards of his own, with one TD.
• Also for the Eagles, quarterback Matt Westerkamp went 20-for-29 with no interceptions, 225 yards and a pair of scores. The RMU signal-caller added a rushing TD as well.
• With three minutes remaining, Anderson found Elliott in the end zone to make it a seven-point game. The Trojans were unable to get the ball back, however, as Wims ran the clock out on six straight runs, and picking up a pair of first downs.
• The loss dropped the Trojans out of the poll from No. 24, where they were ranked after starting the season 3-0.
About Robert Morris• The Eagles are looking to go 4-0 this season after last weekend's upset victory over then-No. 10 St. Xavier.
• Kicker Josh Techiera was named NAIA Special Teams Player of the Week after kicking the game-winning field goal from 40 yards out to secure the win.
• Running back Lamont Wims earned MSFA Mideast Player of the Week honors, with 180 rushing yards and a touchdown over the Cougars. The senior averages the second-highest rushing total in the NAIA, with 175.5 yards per game.
• Quarterback Matt Westerkamp has connected on 52.8% of his passes (38-72), collecting 170.3 passing yards per game, and five touchdowns against just one interception.
• Defensively, Dontaye Johnson leads the team with 24 tackles, while linebacker Alex Spanos has five sacks on the year, good for 5th-most in the NAIA.
A Trojan Win Would...• ... Give the Trojans a 3-1 start for the second year in a row, the longest such streak since 2003-04.
• ... Be the first win over a ranked opponent since the Trojans upset then-No. 17 St. Francis last season
• ... Continue the Trojans unbeaten record at home this season, after defeating Wisconsin-Lutheran at Frazier Field two weeks ago.
• ... Be the fourth win in their last seven games, stretching back to last season.
• ... Be the first-ever win over Robert Morris, in a series that started in 2012.
A Trojan Loss Would...• ... Drop their overall record to 2-2 and extend their current losing streak to two games.
• ... Mark the third straight loss to Robert Morris, in as many seasons.
• ... Be the second loss in the last three home games for Trinity, stretching back to last season.
• ... Be the sixth straight loss to a nationally-ranked opponent, and the first loss during that streak at home.
• ... Drop the Trojans to .500 for the first time since the final game of last season.
Leslie Frazier Field• TIU is 9-13 at home in the Wherritt era, and are 50-69-1 all-time at Frazier Field.
• Including the win Wisconsin Lutheran two weeks ago, the Trojans are 15-9-1 all-time in home openers, and have won the first game of the year at Frazier Field the past five seasons.
• The Trojans held a five-game win streak at Frazier Field last season before falling in the finale to William Penn. The run was their longest home win streak since earning eight straight wins from 2003-2005.
• Saturday marks the first-ever visit to Frazier Field for Robert Morris, whose football program began in 2011.
Trojan Football History• The Trinity International Trojan football program has an all-time record of 100-154-2 (.391), dating back to their first season as a varsity program in 1990.
• TIU's head coach for the inaugural season in 1989 through 1996 was Leslie Frazier. Frazier was a member of the 1985 Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bears, and is currently the defensive coordinator of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and had a record of 38-37-3 while at TIU.
• The Trojans have won three MSFA Midwest League titles in school history, in 1994, 1995, and 2003.
• Trinity International has earned two NAIA Football Championship Series berths, in 1994 and 2004. TIU is still searching for their first NAIA playoff victory, falling to Northwestern (Iowa) and Georgetown (Ky.), respectively.
• TIU has one appearance in the NCCAA Victory Bowl, where they fell to Garner-Webb (N.C.), 54-14, in 2001.
Trojan Attack• Through three games, the Trojans rank sixth in the MSFA in total offense, averaging 360.3 yards per game. They are the 5th-ranked passing offense in the league, with 262.7 yards per game in the air.
• Against Wisconsin Lutheran two weeks ago, junior running back
Chris Elliott moved into third place on the all-time TIU rushing list. Through last week's game, Elliott now has 2,394 career rushing yards.
• Elliott recorded his second career 1,000-yard season in 2013, becoming the first Trojan to ever reach the 1K mark twice in his TIU career.
• The Miami, Fla. native's career high came as a freshman in 2012, with an MSFA-record 346 yards in the final game of the year over Waldorf.
• Quarterback
Stephen Anderson set a new single-game school record last weekend, throwing for seven touchdowns in the win over Wisconsin Lutheran. His 413 passing yards in the game is the second-highest total in school history, and is just the second time a Trojan QB has surpassed the 400-yard mark.
• Wide receiver
Cory Windle caught four touchdowns against Wisconsin Lutheran on Sept. 13, which currently stands as the most TD catches in a single game in the NAIA. Windle also ranks 3rd in the NAIA with an average of 14.0 points per game.
TIU in the Polls• The Trojans start the season as an unranked program, as the MSFA Midwest, Heart of America Conference, and Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference are tied for the most teams in the poll, with four apiece.
• In 2013, Trinity International spent some time in the NAIA-AFCA Coaches Poll, earning a national ranking for three weeks of the season,Â
• The Trojans were ranked as high as No. 21 on Oct. 7, following their win over Olivet Nazarene.
• Before last season, Trinity's last ranking came in 2005 (No. 24, Sept. 19).
• TIU has been ranked 18 weeks in the program's history, and hold an all-time record of 14-11 (.560) as a nationally-ranked team.
• The Trojans are 7-42 (.143) all-time against ranked opponents, and 51-62 (.451) against unranked teams.
• When TIU is unranked, they are 47-103 (.313) since the poll's debut in 1999.
NCCAA Victory Bowl• The top two teams in the NCCAA based on winning percentage will meet at the end of the season in Rome, Ga., for the 2014 Victory Bowl. Kickoff for the NCCAA's national championship game is set for Nov. 22.
• Trinity International has made one previous appearance at the Victory Bowl, in 2001. The Trojans fell to current NCAA Division I foe Gardner-Webb (N.C.), 54-14.
• The Trojans are currently tied for third in the NCCAA standings, as Northwestern (Minn.) at 3-0 and Kentucky Christian at 3-1 are currently slated for the championship game.
Rescued with TIU Football• The Trinity International football program has partnered with Bright Hope for a second year to raise $30,000 and rescue 10 girls trapped in sex trafficking in northern India.
• Last season, the Trojans helped raise over $14,000 and raised awareness for Bright Hope's Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative.
• Seven players spent their spring break last year traveling to northern India with Bright Hope, to minister at a safe house, while also raising awareness by speaking at local universities and churches.
• For more information on Bright Hope and their Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative, as well as their other projects around the world, visit
BrightHope.org.
• To learn more about the Trojans partnership with Bright Hope, visit
BrightHope.org/TIU.
TIU Sports Network• All Trinity International Football home games will be broadcast live, and on-demand, with Brian Snow on the call.
• Broadcasts are available online at
TIUTrojans.com/TIUSportsNetwork.
