THE FIRST LOOK
New Haven (5-2, 5-1 NE-10) travels a short five minutes to Southern Connecticut State (3-4, 3-3 NE-10) this week for the annual crosstown rivalry with the Owls. The teams will battle for the Elm City Trophy, which will be presented to the winning team by the New Haven Gridiron Club. Friday marks the 24th meeting between the Chargers and Owls, with UNH holding a 16-6-1 advantage in the all-time series. The road game is the final of the regular season for UNH and the last of three night games this year. Last week, New Haven suffered its first NE-10 loss since 2010 in a 29-26 defeat by Stonehill. The Chargers' record 21-game NE-10 win streak was snapped last week by the Skyhawks, but the team remains in control for a spot in the conference championship game with three games left. SCSU is coming off a 17-7 loss at Assumption and a 23-21 loss to Stonehill two weeks ago.

LAST MEETING
New Haven, ranked No. 3/7 in the nation at the time, defeated Southern Connecticut State 48-9 on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2013 at Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium for its third-straight Elm City Trophy. In front of a record 5,407 fans at the Blue and Gold turf, New Haven turned a 13-9 lead midway through the second quarter into a 27-9 halftime advantage. Three second-half touchdowns and stingy defense sealed the 39-point UNH victory. New Haven quarterback Ryan Osiecki led the statistical sheets with 222 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-23 passing. Ronnie Nelson added 59 yards and two touchdowns on 4-of-5 passing. Anthony Tillman anchored the New Haven rushing attack with 39 yards and one score, while six receivers registered multiple catches in the win. Chris Ruffin finished with four catches for 89 yards and one score, while Jason Thompson caught two for 89 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, linebacker Richard Long anchored the Chargers with nine total tackles, while Brent MacLeod led the team with two sacks.

ALL-TIME SERIES - THE BATTLE FOR THE ELM CITY TROPHY
The New Haven and Southern Connecticut State matchup is one of the longest running rivalries on the Chargers' annual schedule. The all-time series, and battle over the Elm City Trophy, dates back to 1981 when the Chargers were still competing at the D-III level. That season, the teams tied 28-28 and the battle at SCSU set the stage for one of the most exciting weeks in Connecticut year-after-year. Since 1981, New Haven has taken the upper hand with a 16-6-1 all-time record against the Owls. Since bringing the program back in 2009, UNH holds a 3-1 lead in the series, while winning 10 of the last 12 meetings dating back to 1992. The 124 points scored by the two teams in 1991 remains a UNH single-game record for combined points. The Chargers are 8-3-1 all-time at Jess Dow Field against the Owls.
    1981: SCSU - 28 | UNH - 28 (New Haven, Conn.)
    1982: SCSU - 43 | UNH - 7 (West Haven, Conn.)
    1983: SCSU - 31 | UNH - 7 (New Haven, Conn.)
    1984: SCSU - 24 | UNH - 17 (West Haven, Conn.)
    1985: UNH - 20 | SCSU - 17 (New Haven, Conn.)
    1986: UNH - 20 | SCSU - 17 (West Haven, Conn.)
    1987: UNH - 42 | SCSU - 10 (New Haven, Conn.)
    1988: UNH - 32 | SCSU - 13 (West Haven, Conn.)
    1989: UNH - 35 | SCSU - 14 (New Haven, Conn.)
    1990: UNH - 64 | SCSU - 45 (West Haven, Conn.)
    1991: SCSU - 64 | UNH - 60 (New Haven, Conn.)
    1992: UNH - 56 | SCSU - 13 (West Haven, Conn.)
    1993: UNH - 47 | SCSU - 14 (New Haven, Conn.)
    1994: UNH - 48 | SCSU - 7 (West Haven, Conn.)
    1995: UNH - 24 | SCSU - 6 (New Haven, Conn.)
    1996: UNH - 37 | SCSU - 27 (West Haven, Conn.)
    1997: UNH - 44 | SCSU - 7 (New Haven, Conn.)
    1998: SCSU - 14 | UNH - 10 (West Haven, Conn.)
    2000: UNH - 56 | SCSU - 7 (New Haven, Conn.)
    2009: SCSU - 54 | UNH - 26 (New Haven, Conn.)
    2010: UNH - 23 | SCSU - 22 (West Haven, Conn.)
    2011: UNH - 59 | SCSU - 38 (New Haven, Conn.)
    2012: UNH - 48 | SCSU - 9 (West Haven, Conn.)

COMMON OPPONENTS
New Haven and Southern Connecticut State have six common opponents this season, all Northeast-10 Conference foes: Pace, Saint Anselm, LIU Post, Assumption, Merrimack and Stonehill. The Chargers hold a 5-1 record against the teams, while Southern is 3-3 against the six opponents. New Haven holds an average margin of victory of 23.5 points (+141 total points), while the Owls holds an average margin of victory of 5.5 points (+33 total points). Both teams have wins over Pace, Saint Anselm and Merrimack, while both losing to Stonehill by narrow margins. New Haven also has wins over LIU Post and Assumption, who both defeated Southern Connecticut in this year's meeting.
New Haven            Common Opponent            Southern Conn. State
W, 65-0 (9/14)       Pace                                       W, 47-18 (10/4)
W, 70-26 (9/20)    Saint Anselm                         W, 42-20 (9/27)
W, 48-23 (9/28)     LIU Post                                 L, 24-12 (9/14)
W, 21-18 (10/4)    Assumption                            L, 17-7 (10/19)
W, 48-41 (10/12)  Merrimack                              W, 40-34 (9/20)
L, 29-26 (10/19)   Stonehill                                 L, 23-21 (10/12)

SCOUTING THE CHARGERS
For the first time since 2010 and only the seventh time since 2009, the Chargers have to rebound after a conference loss this week. Leading 26-14 at the start of the fourth quarter, Stonehill rallied with 15 fourth-quarter points to take a 29-26 victory. This is the final road trip of the regular season for New Haven and the last of three night games this season. Senior quarterback Ronnie Nelson currently leads the team with 324.4 yards of total offense per game. He chips in with 1,830 yards and 19 touchdowns on 109-of-176 passing, while amassing 441 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 75 carries. Mike DeCaro leads the rushing attack with 84.9 yards per game and seven rushing touchdowns this season. He also contributes 48 receiving yards per game and three receiving touchdowns to his senior campaign. Rookie tight end Michael Flacco leads the receiving corps with 406 yards and seven touchdowns on 21 catches this season. Defensively, New Haven is anchored by rookie cornerback Najae Brown with a team-high 51 tackles and three interceptions, including a pick inside the red zone last week against Stonehill. Senior linebacker Matthew Fallico adds 44 total tackles while 10 other Chargers have at least 20 tackles this season.

New Haven Special Teams Key to the Game: The Chargers' special teams struggled last week against Stonehill and they will need to improve this week at Southern Connecticut State. New Haven must convert its opportunities on specials teams, including field goals and extra points, as well as return opportunities.

New Haven Offensive Key to the Game: The offensive line will play a key part in the success of the UNH offense Friday. The front five must protect the quarterback and secure run blocking against the aggressive defensive line of the Owls. The SCSU front four combine for 99 total tackles and 13.5 tackles-for-loss this season. The Owls has also held their opponents to 113.1 rushing yards per game this season.

New Haven Defensive Key to the Game: Southern Connecticut State relies heavily on the running game after losing starting quarterback Jacob Jablonski a couple weeks ago. The Chargers will need to key on the running game of John Moscatel and Vaughn Magee who combine for 165 yards per game.

SCOUTING THE OWLS
Picked to finish sixth in the NE-10 Preseason Coaches' Poll, Southern Connecticut State is currently tied for fifth place with a 3-3 mark in conference play. The Owls have dropped two straight after winning three consecutive games starting in week three. SCSU opened the season with a 30-20 non-conference loss at Indiana (Pa.) before opening conference play at LIU Post. The Pioneers prevailed 24-12, but the Owls responded with three straight against Merrimack, Saint Anselm and Pace. Southern Connecticut welcomed Stonehill to Jess Dow Field for homecoming two weeks ago and suffered a narrow 23-21 defeat. Last week, Assumption got a 17-7 victory over the Owls in Worcester, Mass.

The Southern Connecticut State Offense: The Owls are led by a solid rushing game which averages nearly 200 yards per game. Junior John Moscatel leads the backs with 104.1 yards per game and nine touchdowns this season. Senior running back Vaughn Magee adds 61.0 yards per game and five touchdowns. The SCSU offense took a big hit a couple weeks ago when starting quarterback Jacob Jablonski went down with a season-ending injury. Freshman hurler Brandon Basil has stepped in and played each of the last two weeks. On the season, the rookie is 10-of-31 with 62 yards and three interceptions.

The Southern Connecticut State Defense: Southern Connecticut State's defense is led by two 300-pound interior linemen, helping hold its opponents to 113.1 rushing yards per game and only five rushing touchdowns. Carlif Taylor is third on the team with 42 total tackles and leads the team with 7.0 tackles-for-loss and two sacks. Fellow defensive tackle A.J. Marsiglia adds 22 total tackles, 4.0 tackles-for-loss and two sacks. The Owls also rank 19th in NCAA Division II and lead the NE-10 with 11 interceptions. Junior safety Mike Dunkley leads the secondary with three interceptions, while three others have two picks this season.

THE CARDIAC CHARGERS
In each of the previous three weeks, the Chargers have played very close games. All three games have been decided by one score (eight points or less) and in two cases, the final play of the game. New Haven was on the winning end of close games at Assumption week five and at Merrimack in week six, but fell short against Stonehill in week seven. The three-game stretch decided by one score is the first since 2001 when four-straight came down to one possession.

STREAK-ENDING LOSS
In last week's loss, a number of different streaks came to an end for the Chargers. A record 21-game Northeast-10 Conference winning streak and an 18-game October winning streak both ended with the 29-26 defeat. New Haven had also won 14-straight regular season games at the Blue and Gold turf of DellaCamera Stadium. Stonehill's win was the first over UNH since the teams began their series in 2009.

"THE BLENDER"
Preseason All-America selection and senior running back Mike DeCaro has put together one of the most impressive all-around seasons of any Charger this season. He became the third ranked rusher in New Haven history last week by surpassing Corey Jones on the all-time rushing yards list. His career total now stands are 2,460 and he stands alone in third place on the rushing list, behind Roger Graham (5,953) and A.J. Livingston (2,904). DeCaro became the fifth player in New Haven football history to rush for 2,000 career yards in week three at Saint Anselm. He adds 28 career rushing touchdowns, also ranking third behind Graham (66) and Livingston (50) in the record book. Also a threat to catch the ball and returning kicks, he's amassed 5,326 all-purpose yards during his career. This season, he's averaging 203.4 all-purpose yards per game, ranking him fifth in NCAA Division II and first in the NE-10. He's also scored 1.6 touchdowns per game and is one of only two NE-10 players with a rushing, receiving and return touchdown this season.

CALLING HIS OWN NUMBER
Senior quarterback Ronnie Nelson has led the UNH offense throughout the 2013 season as he's picked apart defenses through the air and on the ground. He currently ranks fourth in Division II and first in the NE-10 with a 179.2 passing efficiency rating. Nelson's numbers include 1,830 yards, 19 touchdowns and just five interceptions on 109-of-176 passing. In 10 games as the starting quarterback in his career, he is 161-for-251 for 2,601 yards with 34 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The only 3,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rusher in New Haven football history, Nelson's career numbers include 3,326 passing yards and 1,165 rushing yards. The senior put together one of the most impressive individual performances in Charger football history against Saint Anselm in week three. He set a record for total offensive yards in a game and was the first quarterback to throw for more than 300 yards and rush for more than 100 yards in a game. He also threw for a career-best 364 yards on 18-of-25 in week four against LIU Post.

DEFENSIVE STANDS
The New Haven defense has come up huge in critical moments this season. Last week, Najae Brown was the deciding factor in keeping Stonehill out of the endzone on its final series of the first half. He intercepted a pass at New Haven's own goal line and kept UNH ahead 20-14 at halftime. Leading by seven late in the fourth quarter at Merrimack, the Chargers kept the Warriors out of the endzone twice to ensure the victory in week six. Since the return of Charger football in 2009, the New Haven defense has held its opponents scoreless on four different occasions. In week two's 65-0 shutout this season, UNH came one point shy of the largest margin of victory in program history and the set the record for the largest since 2009. Last season's 45-0 victory over Saint Anselm was the third shutout since 2009 and the first at home since week two of the 2010 season. That season, the Chargers managed two shutouts, blanking Lincoln (Pa.) and American International.

CAREER HIGH
Senior linebacker Jaylen Johnson has stepped into the lineup for New Haven two weeks ago and helped anchor the second level until suffering an injury against Stonehill last week. He boasted a career-best 12 total tackles at Merrimack, while recording eight solo stops and applying the pressure to Merrimack quarterback Joe Clancy on the final play of the game, forcing an intentional grounding penalty and giving the Chargers possession with under one minute remaining. This season, the Linden, N.J. native has started two games and is seventh on the team with 32 tackles and 2.5 tackles-for-loss.

IMMEDIATE IMPACT ROOKIE
One of the team's leading tacklers and a two-time Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Week, Najae Brown has made his presence known this season as a freshman cornerback. He leads the team with 51 total tackles and 37 solo stops. Against Stonehill on Oct. 19, the Mount Vernon, N.Y. native recorded seven tackles and halted one Skyhawk drive inside the UNH red zone with his third interception of the season. He tied his early season total of 11 tackles and set a new personal best with 10 solo stops in the Chargers' win at Merrimack on Oct. 12.

FROM THE DIAMOND TO THE GRIDIRON
Tight end Michael Flacco currently leads the team with 21 receptions, while boasting a seven touchdown catches. The sophomore from Audobon, N.J. hasn't always caught passes on the football field. Flacco spent the last four seasons in the MLB minor leagues. A quarterback in high school, Flacco transitioned to his tight end position during the 2013 preseason.

COMING OUT OF NOWHERE
Sophomore Courtney Moshood, in his first year of eligibility, has emerged as one of the Chargers' top offensive threats this season and for his efforts in week five, he was named the Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Week. Despite missing the last two games, Moshood has 300 yards and three touchdowns off eight catches. The emergence of Moshood becomes even more astonishing given the fact he was on the defensive side of the ball as recently as the 2013 preseason.

PROGRAM FIRSTS
Two players will become the first players in program history to accomplish very elite numbers. Quarterback Ronnie Nelson, became the first 3,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rusher in program history in week six against Merrimack, while Mike DeCaro is on pace to be the only Charger with 2,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving. He needs 179 receiving yards to accomplish the feat this season.

SCORING SPREE
One of just four teams in NCAA Division II with two 65-plus point performances this season, New Haven scored 65-plus points in back-to-back games for the first time and tied the highest two-game scoring total in program history in weeks two and three. The 135 points scored against Pace and Saint Anselm tied a two-game stretch from 1992 against Virginia Union and Central Connecticut. On the season, The Chargers rank 17th in NCAA Division II and second in the NE-10 in scoring offense with 41.7 points per game.

SPREADING OUT THE SCORES
Eleven different players have scored for UNH this season, including seven players with 18-or-more points and 10 players have scored touchdowns. During a three-week stretch from week two to week four, the Chargers had six different players score touchdowns in each of their three wins.

ICE-BERG ANCHORS D-LINE
Senior defensive tackle Sean Berglund has stepped in to the starting role and excelled throughout the 2013 season. Despite missing one game due to injury, he's second on the defensive line with 30 total tackles and leads the team with 9.0 tackles-for-loss and 4.5 sacks. He posted a career-high seven total tackles in each of the first two games this season. He registered a career-best 4.0 tackles-for-loss and 3.0 sacks against Pace in week two, while also forcing a fumble and recovering another loose ball on his way to being named the NE-10 Defensive Player of the Week. At Assumption in week five, he blocked his first career field goal and in the meantime set up a Chargers' scoring drive.

A SPECIALIST
Junior place kicker and punter Anthony Greenfield has boasted impressive numbers throughout the first half of the 2013 season. He's averaged 41.5 yards per punt and pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line eight times. In week three at Saint Anselm, Greenfield came one extra point short of tying New Haven's all-time record of 11 conversions. He connected on 10-of-10 attempts. In week two against Pace, Greenfield booted a 64-yard punt late in the fourth quarter to seal the late-game shutout for UNH. The punt was the longest of his career and the first punt over 60 yards since the Chargers returned to the gridiron in 2009. The last punt longer than 64 yards came in 2002 when Lars Anderson kicked a 65-yard punt on Sept. 21 at Indiana (Pa.). The Chargers' longest punt ever belongs to John Cerra, who booted a 75-yard punt against Southern Connecticut State in 1996.

THE COACHES
The 2012 Liberty Mutual Division II Coach of the Year and three-time Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year, Peter Rossomando is in his fifth season as head coach for the Chargers, although he was hired in January of 2008 to start rebuilding the program. In four short years, Rossomando has brought the Charger football program back into the national spotlight as one of the premier programs in Division II. He previously spent seven seasons at the University at Albany and five seasons at UNH, as an assistant under current Oakland Raiders offensive line coach Tony Sparano. Over the course of the past 28 seasons, Southern Connecticut State University football coach Rich Cavanaugh has left an indelible mark on one of the most storied programs in New England. The winningest and longest tenured head coach in program history, Cavanaugh has built on the outstanding tradition that was in place when he assumed the duties in 1985. Cavanaugh, whose teams have posted a 167-123-1 record, led Southern to its first berth in the NCAA Division II championship playoffs in 2005. The Owls closed the campaign with an 8-3 mark.

THREE OF A KIND
Rossomando has gradually worked his way up the all-time wins list at the University of New Haven over the last five seasons. With a win this week, the fifth-year head coach will become the third coach in program history to cross the 40-win plateau. Mark Whipple (1988-93) is the winningest coach with a 48-17 record in his six seasons. Tony Sparano (1994-98) is second on the list, and two ahead of Rossomando, with a 41-14 all-time record.
Coach                         Wins   Losses   Ties    Pct.         Years
Mark Whipple               48          17          0       0.738     1988-93
Tony Sparano              41          14          1       0.741     1994-98
Peter Rossomando   39          12           0       0.765     2009-Pres.

GAMEDAY FORECAST
The forecast for Friday night in New Haven, Conn. will be chilly. The first real cold spell of the season is scheduled to set in throughout New England this week and temperatures at kickoff could be in the 40s and by the end of the game possibly in the 30s. The chance of rain is slim, but winds could play into the outcome of the game 15-20 mph out of the west/northwest.

GAME COVERAGE
Friday night's game will feature live video, audio and statistics, all linked and available at NewHavenChargers.com. Veteran broadcasters and UNH alumni Craig Mortali and Pat Ryan will be calling the action live from Jess Dow Field for NewHavenChargers.com and 88.7 FM WNHU. Southern Connecticut State will offer a free a live video stream on SportingNewsCT.com, while live statistics will be available for fans on their computer or mobile devices. Find all the links, and more, on NewHavenChargers.com throughout the week and on gameday.

UP NEXT
New Haven returns to Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium for a pair of Northeast-10 Conference games to close out the 2013 regular season over the next two weeks. UNH hosts American International on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. followed by Bentley on Saturday, Nov. 9 also at 1 p.m.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION
The Beyond Sports Network (BSN) recognized the New Haven offensive line and running back Mike DeCaro as national players of the week during week four. Punter Anthony Greenfield and defensive back Carlos Lozada were both named to the teams during week three. BSN recognizes national award winners for the top performances in the FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III, and NAIA. The Beyond Sports Network staff hands out awards for Offensive Line of the Week, Defense of the Week, Offensive Players of the Week, Defensive Players of the Week, and Special Teams Players of the Week.

THREE_TIMES AS GREAT
Against Pace in week two, Ronnie Nelson, Anthony Greenfield and Joey Bradley all threw touchdown passes in the Chargers' 65-0 victory - the first time three different players threw scoring strikes since Nov. 5, 2011. Ryan Osiecki, Ronnie Nelson and Brice DeRosa helped lead UNH to another 60-plus point performance and win over Pace. This season, four different players have thrown passes for the Chargers, including DeeJay White who tossed a 41-yard strike against LIU Post.

THE REMAINING SCHEDULE
The Elm City Trophy will be awarded in week eight with the Chargers traveling to crosstown rival Southern Connecticut State University on Friday, Oct. 25. The third and final night game on the schedule will kickoff at 7 p.m. at Jess Dow Field. UNH and SCSU have a storied history dating back to 1981. New Haven holds a 16-6-1 record against the Owls, including three straight wins. The November schedule includes two NE-10 home games for the Chargers. American International travels to West Haven on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. The Chargers and Yellow Jackets have met 18 times since 1983 with UNH holding a 12-6 advantage in the series. Bentley University will round out the regular season for the Chargers on Saturday, Nov. 9 at DellaCamera Stadium. UNH and Bentley have also met every year since 2009 and the Chargers hold a 3-1 record against the Falcons. For the second straight season, the NE-10 Conference will host a championship weekend on Saturday, Nov. 16. The top seeded team will host the second seed in a true championship game format. The remaining teams will also play games in the final weekend of the regular season. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth seeded teams will host the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th seeded teams, respectively. The NCAA Division II Football Championship tournament begins on Saturday, Nov. 23 with the first round, while the Division II Champion will be crowded on Saturday, Dec. 21 at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Ala.

A WIN FOR THE AGES
In week three's 70-26 victory at Saint Anselm, the Chargers set one program record, but many more numbers were the most since 2009 when the Chargers' return to the gridiron. The win also ranked among the best in NCAA Division II this season, tying for fifth place in points scored, coming in second in total offense and third in rushing yards. Here's a complete list:
Individual
  Most rushing yards - Mike DeCaro, 205
  Most total offensive yards gained - Ronnie Nelson, 483 (*all-time record)
  Most all-purpose yards - Mike DeCaro, 286
  Most extra point conversions - Anthony Greenfield, 10
Team
  Most rushing yards - 509
  Most yards per rush (min. 20 attempts) - 9.6
  Most rushing touchdowns - 7
  Most total offensive yards - 821
  Most all-purpose yards - 907
  Most points scored - 70
  Most touchdowns - 10

Read more in the week seven game notes (PDF)