Cougars travel to face conference foe Methodist University

The Averett University Cougars, under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Mike Dunlevy, take on conference foe Methodist University on Saturday. The Monarchs hold a 6-2 advantage in the series, but the Cougars won the last meeting in Fayetteville, N.C., in 2006.

Methodist (1-3, 0-1 USA South) is coming off a 28-7 non-conference loss at Emory & Henry last weekend. Averett (1-3, 0-1 USA South), meanwhile, is coming off a 30-9 conference loss to Ferrum.

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Last time they met

Methodist scored early on the Cougars en route to a 34-6 victory last season in Danville. The Monarchs' offense put up 496 yards of total offense compared to Averett's 246 yards.

Averett trailed 27-0 at halftime thanks to a 17-point first quarter by the Monarchs. The Cougars, however, opened the second half with a spark. Antonio Hammonds returned the kickoff 61 yards to start the third quarter. Hammonds finished it off by catching a 20-yard touchdown pass from Shan Fairbanks.

The Cougars held Methodist to just seven points in the second half, but the early deficit was too much to overcome.

Methodist quarterback Brandon Parks completed 15 of his 18 passes for 231 yards, and the Monarchs had three players rush for 60 yards or more. For Averett, Fairbanks was 19-for-36 passing for 183 yards, including six passes for 96 yards to Hammonds.


How the teams stack up offensively this season

Both teams enter Saturday's game with a 1-3 overall record and a 0-1 mark in the USA South Conference. The two teams' offenses are very similar statistically on paper, with Averett holding a slight edge. The Cougars are averaging 19 points a game, while Methodist is putting up 18 points a contest.

Methodist's running attack of  tailback Corey McGuire and quarterback Erik Teague have combined for 413 of the team's 444 yards on the ground on 107 total carries. Teague has also thrown for 600 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receivers Chris Peoples (21 catches for 243 yards) and Brian Hopkins (17 catches for 193 yards) have been two of Teague's favorite targets.

Averett's rushing trio of Dontavious Watson, Mark Williams and John Ellison have run for a combined 556 of the Cougars' 554 net rushing yards, with Watson scoring four touchdowns.
  
#Philip Kwiatkowski# got the start at quarterback in Averett's first two games, but Shan Fairbanks has filled in as the starter since Kwiatkowski was  injured in Game 2. Fairbanks has thrown for 508 yards and three touchdowns. Anthony Squillini has been the main target with 23 receptions for 249 yards and four touchdowns.


Averett and Methodist have a history of close finishes

In the eight games between Averett and Methodist, the game has been decided by a touchdown or less four times (2003-2006). The Cougars got their first win over the Monarchs with a 21-14 victory in 2003 after Anthony Morris returned an interception 80 yards for the game-winning touchdown. The next three meetings were even closer.

Methodist held off Averett 36-34 in 2004. The Monarchs led 29-13 entering the fourth quarter, but watched the Cougars put up 21 points in the final frame to pull within two with 1:16 to play. Averett, however, couldn't recover the on-side kick and Methodist ran out the clock.

In 2005, Methodist quarterback Chris Roncketti rushed for a 4-yard touchdown in the final minute to help the Monarchs steal a 29-28 victory.

Averett returned the favor the following year. Methodist scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to take a 25-21 lead, but Averett running back Kyle Wilson capped off a 61-yard drive with a touchdown run with 1:34 to play and the Cougars held on.


For a complete version of the Averett/Methodist game notes, click here.