Preview: St. Thomas football travels to Florida to face Stetson

The Tommies are back on the road this week, this time to the East Coast.

September 30, 2021 at 6:32PM
St. Thomas linebacker Jack Mohler (40) is part of a defense that has allowed just seven touchdowns through five games. (Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Tommies at Stetson

Noon Saturday at Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand, Fla.

Radio: AM-1500. Livestream: TommieSports.com, ESPN+

Tommies (3-2, 2-1 Pioneer Football League): Two weeks ago, they went to California and took a 27-24 loss to San Diego. Now, after defeating Valparaiso 20-13 for homecoming last week, St. Thomas has its first game in Florida since 1949. ... The Tommies defense gave up four touchdowns to Northern Iowa but just three touchdowns combined in their four other games. Opponents have converted just 29% of their third and fourth downs against St. Thomas. ... The Tommies' statistical leaders on offense have modest totals: Tom Loeffler leads the team in rushing with 40 yards per game. Cade Sexauer leads in passing with 90 yards per game. Leading receiver Wesley Juszczak averages 25 yards per game. Their 13 touchdowns have come from 10 different players.

Stetson Hatters (2-3, 0-2): Stetson University, a private school with an enrollment of about 4,000, was founded in 1883 in DeLand, which is about 23 miles west of Daytona Beach and about 34 miles north of Orlando. The Hatters suffered a 63-0 loss to Princeton three weeks ago and fell 34-3 to Marist last week. Stetson did outgain Marist in that game 377-311 but twice turned the ball over on downs inside the opposing 10-yard line.

about the writer

about the writer

Joe Christensen

Sports team leader

Joe Christensen, a Minnesota Star Tribune sports team leader, graduated from the University of Minnesota and spent 15 years covering Major League Baseball, including stops at the Riverside Press-Enterprise and Baltimore Sun. He joined the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2005 and spent four years covering Gophers football.

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