HCU Huskies (0-0) at SMU Mustangs (1-0)
Saturday, Aug. 31 – 7 p.m.
Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
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Game Notes
DALLAS, Texas – The 2024 HCU football campaign gets started this Saturday evening at Gerald J. Ford Stadium with the Huskies, in their first season under head coach
Jason Bachtel, facing off against SMU at 7:00 p.m. The game will be aired on ESPN+ while Garrett Jones, the voice of the Huskies, will be providing radio play-by-play on Patriot Talk 920 AM.
The Huskies, coming off the most successful season in program history, are looking to build on the momentum created by last season's 6-5 overall finish and 4-3 mark in Southland Conference play. The HCU offense returns six offensive starters and a stable of running backs that combined to lead the SLC in rushing.
That HCU backfield includes redshirt freshman
Champ Dozier, who was named to the 2023 Jerry Rice Watch List given annually to the most outstanding freshman in the FCS. Along with Dozier, seniors
Jesse Valenzuela and
Darryle Evans totaled 1,272 yards and 10 touchdowns with an average of 5.0 yards per carry. Senior transfer
Calvin Hill joins that backfield group following five seasons at Texas State, racking up 1,701 career rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns across 43 games.
The Huskies' offensive line returns preseason all-SLC senior
Dion Daniels, a starter in every game last season, along with the trio of
Mahdi Hazime,
Kendal Septs and
Nonso Omezi that combined to start 14 games and appeared in every game they were available.
At wide receiver, senior
Ismael Fuller enters his fifth season with 54 career receptions for 693 yards and six touchdowns. Junior
Deuce McMillan has totaled 520 receiving yards on 51 catches in 21 career games. Senior
Calvin Wiggins, in his first year with the Huskies, finished last season with 15 receptions, 156 yards and two scores.
Junior quarterback
CJ Rogers transferred to HCU this season after spending his first season at Baylor and the last two years at Texas State. Rogers played for Bachtel as his offensive coordinator during his senior year at Argyle High School, teaming up for a perfect 16-0 record and a state championship in 2020.
The Huskies' defensive line returns preseason all-SLC pick
Zae Smith, coming off a sophomore season in which he totaled 24 tackles with 3.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
Joe Cadette also returns after starting seven games at defensive end last season and the duo is joined by Temple transfer
Zymir Cobbs.
Junior
Devion Hargrove, with 17 starts over the last two seasons, returns as an anchor of the HCU secondary along with senior
Semaj Brown. Junior safety
Xavier Toliver returns after missing the majority of last season but has 25 games played in his career.
The HCU linebackers are led by senior
Ruperake Fuavai, who started a pair of games and appeared in all of them last year, while juniors
Braden Hay and
Cameron Snow figure to play important roles after sitting out last season. Joining those returners is transfer
D.J. Harris, a transfer from Tarleton State where he racked up 253 career tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 43 games.
Also back is first team all-conference kicker
Dillon Fedor, who finished his junior year 10-of-13 on field goal attempts and was a perfect 31-of-31 on PAT attempts. He connected on a career-long 50-yard field goal in the Huskies' 17-13 win over Texas A&M-Commerce.
SMU (1-0) is in its inaugural season as a member of the ACC and won its season-opening game last Saturday, Aug. 24, on the road at Nevada, 29-24. Junior tight end RJ Maryland finished the night with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown, earning ACC Receiver of the Week honors. Quarterback Preston Stone went 17-of-30 passing for 254 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Junior safety Isaiah Nwokobia led the Mustangs with 13 tackles and one tackle for loss, defensively.
The Huskies and Mustangs have met once previously, a 63-27 SMU victory in Dallas on Sept. 29, 2018.
Following Saturday's season-opener in Dallas, the Huskies return home to host Tarleton State at Husky Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 6:00 p.m.
