The "Long Island Express" Looks to Lead The Seawolves Against Villanova in a Top 20 Showdo

STONY BROOK, N.Y. -- The "Long Island Express" has been rolling over opponents during the Stony Brook football team's three straight wins and the duo of senior running backs Donald Liotine (Medford, N.Y.) and Jordan Gowins (Bellport, N.Y.) look to lead the Seawolves against Villanova in the CAA Football top 20 showdown at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Stony Brook (3-1, 1-0 CAA Football) enters Saturday's game ranked 17th in the AFCA Coaches Poll, while the Wildcats (3-1, 0-1 CAA Football) sits 14th in the same poll. This will be the first matchup of top 20 teams in LaValle Stadium since Villanova (18th) visits the Seawolves (10th) in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs on Nov. 24, 2012. THE SERIES This will be just the third meeting between the two CAA Football programs and the second as league opponents. Stony Brook defeated Villanova in the opening round of the 2012 NCAA Playoffs in LaValle Stadium, while the Wildcats got past the Seawolves in Philadelphia in Stony Brook's second CAA Football game ever in 2013. (Complete series history on page 6). QUICK HITTERS • The Seawolves opened their sixth season as member of CAA Football last week. Stony Brook is now 5-1 in the previous conference openers. • Stony Brook is 10-10 in season openers since moving to Division I in 1999. The Seawolves have won three of the last five openers, including the 13-9 victory over North Dakota that opened the 2016 season. • The Seawolves improved to 9-4 in home openers under head coach Chuck Priore with last week's win over Bryant. • Stony Brook's captains for the 2018 season are senior QB Joe Carbone, senior TE Cal Daniels, senior LB Shayne Lawless, senior LB Noah McGinty and senior DL John Haggart. • Senior TE Cal Daniels was named preseason STATS FCS All-American. • Stony Brook, who finished the 2017 season ranked 11th in both polls, sit 17th in the AFCA Coaches poll and 18th in the STATS poll this week. ALL IN THE FAMILY Stony Brook's roster includes a pair of brothers for the 2018 season. Junior DL Brandon Lopez will be joined this season by his brother Ryan, a freshman DL. Junior WR Kyle Vadis is joined on the roster by his brother Ryan, a freshman WR. FIRST TIME STARTERS Six Seawolves picked up their first career starts at Stony Brook in the season-opener at Air Force. RT Chris Infantino, WR Marshall Ellick, RG Jaelen Vazquez, CB TJ Morrison, S EJ Fineran and DT Brandon Lopez. Two more - DL Odean Gilzene and TE Tyrone Wheatley Jr. - started for the first time as Seawolves against Richmond. FIRST TIMERS A total of 12 Seawolves saw their first collegiate action so far this season. AIR FORCE: TE Peter McKenzie, OL Kyle Nunez, WR JP Roane, K Jack Pruban and OL Cameron Lucas. BRYANT: DB Jabari Reddock. FORDHAM: LB Reidgee Dimanche, DL Petey Wilks Jr. and WR Delante Hellams Jr. RICHMOND: WR Anthony Millan, DL Lorenzo Worrell and LB Anthony Del Negro. A total is six transfers RB Kameron Pickett, WR Marshall Ellick, TE Tyrone Wheatley Jr., DB Kareem Gaulden, DL Casey Williams and DB CeQuan Jefferson have also made their Stony Brook debut this season. IN THE RANKS The Seawolves are ranked in both polls for the 10th straight time this week. Stony Brook sits 17th in the AFCA Coaches' poll and sits 18th in the STATS FCS poll this week. LET'S GO STREAKING... LBs Noah McGinty and Shayne Lawless have started 27 straight games...TE Cal Daniels has started 19 straight games. CAA FOOTBALL OPENERS Stony Brook is in its sixth season as a member of CAA Football. The Seawolves kicked off the conference slate last week when Richmond visited LaValle Stadium. The Seawolves improved to 5-1 in the conference openers since joining the league, including the 36-10 win over Richmond. A win at URI in 2013, an OT loss at home to No. 13 William & Mary in 2014, a victory at home over No. 13 New Hampshire in 2015, a home win against No. 2 Richmond in 2016 and a 35-18 victory at URI last season are the results. AGAINST THE FCS RANKS Stony Brook in 9-19 all-time against FCS ranked opponents with the victories over No. 12 New Hampshire and No. 17 Richmond in 2017. The Seawolves' also posted two ranked wins in 2016. Stony Brook earned a 42-14 win over No. 2 Richmond and a 13-9 season-opening victory against No. 19 North Dakota. Richmond's No. 2 ranking equals the highest ranked opponent to come into Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium (No. 2 Towson on Sept. 28, 2013). The win over Richmond also marked the program's first victory over a top 10 team. HOME OPENER Stony Brook opened the home potion of the schedule with the first of five games in LaValle Stadium on Sept. 8. The Seawolves are now 9-4 in the home opener under head coach Chuck Priore, including a victory over Sacred Heart last season.