SALISBURY, Md. - The No. 6 Salisbury University football program has begun the 2025 season with a 3-0 record, with all three non-conference wins coming on the road. In the season opener, SU took down Washington & Lee University 42-21 before rolling past McDaniel College 62-7. Coming off the bye week, SU blew past Catholic 55-6. The Sea Gulls now head into conference play for their home opener, hosting The College of New Jersey at home inside Sea Gull Stadium on Saturday, October 4th. The New Jersey Athletic Conference opener kickoff is set for 1 p.m. from Salisbury, Md.
THE RUNDOWN
GAME NOTES
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
TICKETS
The Series: This is the 28th meeting between the two programs on the gridiron. The Sea Gulls took last year's matchup 52-35 on the road. The Lions took the last matchup inside Sea Gull Stadium 36-27 in 2023. Before that loss, SU had won six meetings in a row. The first ever meeting between the two programs came back in 1974 with the Sea Gulls coming out on the Winning side 27-17. SU leads the all-time record 15-12.
Last Time Out: Salisbury put up a season-high 586 yards of total offense while limiting Catholic to 179 yards. The Sea Gulls ran for 386 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 7.9 yards per rush.
SyRus McGowan completed 9-of-13 passes for 181 and two touchdowns.
Darrell Walter rushed for a team-high 96 yards and one touchdown, while
Andre Matthews punched it in twice and gained 61 yards on the ground.
Jadyn Thomas, Matthew Sims, and
Jason Oakes also ran for a touchdown each.
Daniel Clark and
Dario Belizaire each caught three passes and scored once through the air.
Ryan Salvosa dominated at the defensive line and in the secondary, leading the team with seven tackles (five solo), including three tackles for loss, and hauling in one interception.
Colin Wargo,
Chase Lomax, and
Oliver Morgan registered a sack apiece.
Kris Paul and Lomax each forced a fumble, while
Jayson Gary recovered one fumble.
National Rankings: Football – 6th | D3football.com Top 25, Week 4
Salisbury (3-0) solidified its hold on sixth with 468 points and is flanked on both sides by a pair of Wisconsin schools in No. 5 UW-La Crosse (486) and No. 7 UW-Platteville (447). The Sea Gulls returned from their bye week with a 55-6 shellacking of Catholic on Saturday, putting up a season-high 586 yards of total offense that included 386 rushing yards, good for the best ground game of the week in Division III. Salisbury currently boasts the second-best rushing offense (356.3) and fourth-best scoring offense (53.0) in the nation.
The Captains: Head coach
Sherman Wood has named seniors
Jadyn Thomas, Micah Brubaker, Carter Sollenberger, and
Oliver Morgan as captains heading into the NJAC opener.
The Class of the NJAC: Since joining the NJAC in 2015, Salisbury has won 65 games in the conference. The 65 wins stand as the most wins among active teams in the conference. Since joining the NJAC in 2015, Salisbury has won six conference championships, which is the most in the eight years. The Sea Gulls are set to open NJAC play on Saturday when they host the TCNJ Lions for the 2025 Home Opener.
Among the Greats: Salisbury head coach
Sherman Wood ranks in the top-15 of active coaches in wins, regardless of NCAA Division. After earning NJAC and AFCA Region 2 Coach of the year honors, Wood would go on to earn his first AFCA National Coach of the Year honor in his 32nd season as a head coach. In 2024, Wood guided Salisbury to a 12-1 record, the New Jersey Athletic Conference title, and an appearance in the quarterfinals of the Division III playoffs. The Sea Gulls recorded their fifth undefeated regular season and sixth quarterfinal appearance. Wood, the all-time wins leader at Salisbury, has a record of 196- 80 with the Sea Gulls and an overall record of 216-119-1 when you include his six seasons at Bowie State.
Offensive Powerhouse: Hansen Ratings was proud to announce the release of its 8th annual 2024 Division III Football Analytical All-American teams. Salisbury head coach
Sherman Wood was named Coach of the Year, while
Ryan Fleetwood earned Offensive Coordinator of the Year honors.
Tre Price earned First-Team All-American,
Tony Mason earned Second-Team,
Dusty Krotee earned Third-Team, and
Chris Clarke earned Fourth-Team. Fleetwood led the charge of one of the most prolific offenses in the country for Division III. The Sea Gull offense ranked 5th in total yards for the season, third in yards per play, and third in total touchdowns. Already this season, through three games, the Sea Gull offense is averaging 53 points per game along with 538 yards per game.
Scouting TCNJ: The TCNJ football team was predicted to finish fourth in the NJAC preseason poll released by the league office. TCNJ is under new management in first-year head coach Tyler Moody, but the larders are well stocked with talent for a continuation of last season's 6-4 mark, the program's first winning campaign since 2011. Gone are a handful of record-setting playmakers from the offense, including All-American wide receiver Malin Jasinski and all-region tight end Thomas Burke, but senior signal-caller Dean Licari will have plenty of options at his disposal. Seniors Ryan Gill, who had seven touchdown catches in 2024 and has amassed 1,000 yards in his career, and Jaiden Johnson are back alongside junior Alex Dille (19 catches, 302 yards, 3 TDs) and sophomore Ryan Mendes (4-41-1), while junior Andrew Spano and sophomore Jordan Morrell headline a new-look backfield. The defense returns a bevy of all-conference talent, including senior Jameson Sessa off the edge, senior Dave Giulian in the middle of the linebacking corps, and senior Justin Kurc anchoring the secondary. Seniors Christian Bennett and Jack Young in the secondary, Dylan Patscher in the middle, and Nick Surdo and Bill Westerby at linebacker are all expected to retain major roles for an experienced unit. Kicker Tim Willever broke the single-season record with 37 made extra points as a rookie last season. The Lions are off to a 3-0 start this year with a 27-24 road win over Lycoming to start the year. Followed by two home wins over Wilkes (17-3) and Juniata (35-0).
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming), Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse), State University of New York Athletic Conference (field hockey), and Colonial Women's Golf Conference (women's golf). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 24 individual national championships, and 205 conference championships, and have produced 53 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
