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DATE: NOVEMBER 27
TIME: 12:00 P.M.
LOCATION: WORCESTER, MASS. (FITTON FIELD)
 

The Sacred Heart University football team, 2021 Northeast Conference champions, travels to No. 24 Holy Cross for a noon contest on Saturday, Nov. 27 contest. The Crusaders (9-2, 6-0) and Pioneers (8-3, 6-1 NEC) are both riding six-game win streaks into the first round of the FCS Playoffs. Holy Cross has won both previous regular-season meetings as the programs face off in postseason for the first time. Sacred Heart's potent rushing offense, ranked 11th nationally, encounters a prolific Holy Cross defense that is currently ranked second in the country overall, and fifth against the run. The Crusaders' offense (423.3 ypg), ranked 24th nationally, is pitted against the Pioneers' stingy defense, allowing a nation's-best 113.1 passing yards and only 266.1 yards per game overall (7th).

OPENING KICKOFF

• Sacred Heart, Northeast Conference champions for the second-straight season and third time in four years (2021, 2020-21 champions, 2018 co-champions), heads to the FCS Playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2013 and 2014. This is the Pioneers' fourth FCS Playoffs appearance.
• RB Malik Grant was named one of the 25 finalists for the Stats Perform Walter Payton Award Monday. He ranks third in the country and leads the NEC with 121.7 yards per game and 1,288 total yards as well as 129.82 all-purpose yards (13th). Grant has 11 TDs, tops in the NEC and 32nd nationally.
• Mark Nofri was named the NEC Coach of the Year and RB Malik Grant earned NEC Offensive Player of the Year accolades Wednesday. In all, 10 Pioneer student-athletes were selected for NEC postseason honors with six on the first team (Grant, LT JD DiRenzo, C/G Josh Sokol, DT Kevin Peprah, FS Salaam Horne & P Noah Gettman) and four to the second team (RB Julius Chestnut, WR Naseim Brantley, TE Ed Cuddahy, DE DeAndre Byrd).
• Sacred Heart earned 24 votes in the StatsPerform FCS Top 25 poll and received four votes in the FCS Coaches Poll for the week of Nov. 22. SHU was ranked 22nd in the final StatsPerform FCS Top 25 following spring 2021.
• Sacred Heart has the best passing defense in the country, limiting opponents to just 113.1 yards per game.