SALISBURY, Md. – The No. 13 Salisbury University football team opens New Jersey Athletic Conference play on Saturday, Oct. 3, traveling to The College of New Jersey for the first conference game of the 2026 season. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at Lions Stadium in Ewing, N.J.
The Sea Gulls enter conference play with a perfect 3-0 record after opening the season with three consecutive victories at Sea Gull Stadium. Salisbury has outscored its opponents 121-23 through the opening three games. TCNJ enters the NJAC opener at 1-2 after earning its first victory of the season last Saturday, defeating Juniata 35-7.
THE RUNDOWN
GAME NOTES
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
TICKETS
The Series: Saturday's contest marks the 29th meeting between Salisbury and TCNJ on the gridiron. The Sea Gulls hold a 16-12 advantage in the all-time series and have won each of the last two meetings. Salisbury earned a 55-10 victory over the Lions in last year's NJAC opener at Sea Gull Stadium. The Sea Gulls scored 12 points in the first quarter and added 29 in the second to take a 41-3 halftime advantage before finishing with the 45-point victory. The series dates back to 1974, with the two programs meeting regularly throughout their histories. TCNJ's most successful stretch came from 1993 through 2001, when the Lions won nine consecutive meetings. Salisbury has since claimed six straight victories over TCNJ from 2016 through 2022, followed by the two most recent Sea Gull victories in 2024 and 2025.
Last Time Out: Salisbury closed its three-game non-conference schedule with a 47-10 victory over Catholic on Sept. 26 at Sea Gull Stadium. The Sea Gulls improved to 3-0 with the victory, scoring 33 of the game's final 36 points after Catholic opened the contest with a touchdown on its first possession. Salisbury finished with 346 yards of total offense, including 275 rushing yards, while the Sea Gull defense limited the Cardinals to 178 total yards and just 10 rushing yards. Dario Belizaire provided a major spark in all three phases, rushing for 52 yards while adding 114 punt-return yards and two punt-return touchdowns of 50 and 64 yards. SyRus McGowan accounted for two touchdowns, while Brody Strachan hauled in a 32-yard touchdown reception. Defensively, Tyler Ohlmeyer led Salisbury with 10 tackles, while the Sea Gulls recorded six sacks and seven tackles for loss. Salisbury also held Catholic to just 1-for-15 on third-down opportunities.
Football — 13th | D3football.com Top 25, Week 4
Salisbury held its spot at No. 13 nationally, adding to its total with 322 points to land in between No. 12 Wartburg (332) and No. 14 CNU (285). The Sea Gulls improved to 3-0, riding several big plays to roll past Catholic 47-10 on Saturday afternoon. Dario Belizaire turned in a huge multifaceted performance, putting up 184 all-purpose yards with two punt return touchdowns, a showing that earned him NJAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors and a spot on the D3football.com Team of the Week.
A Perfect Start: Salisbury has opened the 2026 campaign with three consecutive victories, defeating McDaniel 31-0, Washington and Lee 43-13 and Catholic 47-10. The Sea Gulls have scored at least 31 points in each game while holding opponents to an average of just 7.7 points per contest. Salisbury has also produced 1,196 yards of total offense, including 799 rushing yards, through the first three games. The Sea Gulls have been particularly effective on the ground, averaging 266.3 rushing yards per game and 6.1 yards per carry. Salisbury has also converted 53.6% of its third-down opportunities while allowing opponents to convert just 25%.
Scouting the Lions: TCNJ enters Saturday's NJAC opener with a 1-2 record after earning its first victory of the season with a 35-7 win at Juniata on Sept. 26. The Lions opened the year with losses to Lycoming and Wilkes before dominating Juniata in their most recent contest. TCNJ rolled up 424 yards of total offense in the victory, including 347 rushing yards, while holding the Eagles to 180 total yards. The Lions also controlled the clock for nearly 37 minutes. Senior running back Sam Dech led the way with 130 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just five carries, including an 80-yard touchdown run. Michael Strachan added 56 rushing yards and two touchdowns on six carries, while Jordan Morrell contributed 80 rushing yards on 18 attempts and added 17 receiving yards. Quarterback Walker Bailey completed 9-of-12 passes for 77 yards against Juniata and has completed 66.7% of his passes through three games. Bailey has thrown for 131 yards on the season without an interception. The Lions have relied heavily on their rushing attack throughout the season, averaging 209.0 rushing yards per game while producing 627 net rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns through three contests. Defensively, TCNJ has limited opponents to 273 yards per game and has recorded five interceptions through the opening three games. Remy Feniello leads the team with 1.5 tackles for loss against Juniata, while the Lions have recorded four sacks as a team.
Up Next: Following Saturday's NJAC opener, Salisbury returns to Sea Gull Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 10, for Homecoming against Rowan University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
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, 26 individual national championships, and 211 conference championships, and have produced 54 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.
