WILKES-BARRE, PA - With three decisive Landmark Conference victories in hand, the Susquehanna University football team aims to keep up the pace Saturday on the road at Wilkes in a noon kickoff. The River Hawks are averaging 47.6 points per game this season, 12th-highest in NCAA Division III, bolstered by a combined 193 points over their three Landmark contests against Catholic, Keystone and Juniata. With three conference games still to play Susquehanna will be up against some loftier league foes in the second-place Colonels, boasting a 3-0 Landmark record and 5-2 overall. Moravian, the River Hawks' opponent next weekend, is the lone remaining team still unbeaten in the Landmark at 2-0 with a 4-2 overall mark.

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Moving up to sixth in the AFCA Coaches Poll and seventh in D3football.com's Top 25, head coach Tom Perkovich's team completed a successful homestand the last two weeks with lopsided Landmark wins over Keytone, 79-6, on Oct. 12 and Juniata, 66-21, on Homecoming Oct. 19. The scoring may have been more portioned if not for the breakout performances of first-year running back and return man Rahshan La Mons. Ranked third in NCAA Division III with 196.3 total yards per game and fourth with 13 total touchdowns, the fleet-footed La Mons returned two punts for touchdowns against Keystone, covering 145 return yards, then entered the record books against Juniata with a 96-yard touchdown run, the longest play from scrimmage in school history. He followed this with a 64-yard touchdown run to wrap up a day where he spanned 185 rushing yards on six carries for an average of 30.8 yards per rush. The first-year was not alone last week in long-distance running as two other River Hawks reeled off 90-plus yard plays for touchdowns. Running back Matt Surtz broke out into the open for a 95-yard touchdown run later in the game for the second-longest play from scrimmage in team annals, while receiver and returner Kyle Howes earned the Landmark's Special Teams Athlete of the Week after taking a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown early in the second quarter. Howes, a senior, had three total touchdowns against the Eagles, opening the scoring when he caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Josh Ehrlich on the opening drive, then caught a six-yard bullet from Ehrlich just before halftime as SU led, 49-14 at the half.

Wilkes has also shown flashes of high-scoring abilities on its way to a 5-2 start and a four-game win streak going into Saturday. Following a 28-21 Homecoming win over St. John Fisher, the Colonels enjoyed a 3-0 start to their Landmark slate after a 54-7 drubbing of Juniata, a 53-28 win over Lycoming, and last week's 69-24 victory over Keystone. In last year's matchup, their first as Landmark opponents, Susquehanna claimed a 34-7 home victory in both teams' first meeting since the 2019 MAC-Centennial Bowl Game in which the River Hawks won by an 88-24 score. That game, along with these last two wins over Keystone and Juniata, are the three of the four highest single-game point totals under Coach Perkovich and most since 1919. 

Susquehanna Football also has a shot at history with one more win to reach 500 all-time victories. Currently in its 125th competitive season, the River Hawks hold a 499-515-42 all-time record. Howes is currently in contention on a series of career record boards, now third all-time with 167 career receptions and 2,343 career receiving yards. He is now tied for second all-time with 28 receiving touchdowns alongside Mike Ritter (2008-12), with his 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on Saturday single-handedly putting him over the 1,000 yard mark for kick return yards and fourth all-time with 1,086 yards. Quarterback Josh Ehrlich has been a vital part of this campaign, utilizing his arm moreso this season for a remarkable 121-of-168 with 1,646 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes, with just one interception. His running game is still potent as the team's second-highest ground-gainer at 470 yards on 67 carries and six rushing touchdowns, including two against Juniata. He now has 33 career passing touchdowns, good for seventh all-time, and 3,208 career passing yards for ninth all-time. La Mons is now second all-time with 13 total touchdowns and sixth all-time with 1,374 total yards between his Landmark-best 733 rushing yards with eight TDs on the ground, 321 receiving yards with three touchdown reception, 266 punt return yards with two touchdowns, and 54 kickoff return yards. 

The defense should not be counted out, allowing just 18.6 points per game and an impressive 89.0 yards per game against the rush. They have reeled off seven interceptions and four fumble recoveries. In the win against Juniata junior lineman Brian Layton added to his stellar season forcing a turnover with a strip sack, while adding to his sack totals with a team-high 3.5 sacks. Of the team's seven interceptions, the bulk of them have come from the lineman and linebackers. While defensive backs Steven Williams III and Ben Mongare each have one to their credit, linebackers Drew Robinson, Josh Parson, Jesse Ruisch, and Brayden Nolan have each claimed one pick, with Ruisch running his back 33 yards for a touchdown in the win over Keystone. Lineman Jake Schultes has the one remaining after coming up with one in the opener against Bridgewater. Schultes ranks second on SU with three sacks this season, moving him to fifth all-time with 12 career sacks. Linebacker Garrett Carter has two sacks this year and a team-best 52 total tackles, tied for sixth all-time with 11 career sacks.