WILLIAMSBURG, KY - The RV University of the Cumberlands football team faces its biggest test of the non-conference season Saturday as the Patriots travel to West Palm Beach, FL to take on No. 1 Keiser University. Cumberlands enters the matchup at 4-0 following a 38-17 road win over Rio Grande, while the Seahawks enter at 1-1 after defeating Bethel 48-7 in their most recent contest.
 
Saturday marks the third all-time meeting between the programs with the series tied 1-1. Cumberlands returns to West Palm Beach for the first time since defeating Keiser 28-24 in the opening round of the 2019 NAIA Football Championship Series. The Seahawks evened the series last season with a 42-12 victory in Williamsburg. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 PM.
 
Executing at a High Level
Keiser has established itself among the nation's top programs and presents challenges on both sides of the football. The Seahawks reached the NAIA National Championship game a season ago and enter Saturday ranked first in the country.
 
Head Coach Shan Housekeeper believes Keiser's ability to combine talent with execution is one of the biggest challenges the Patriots will face.
 
"They do a great job as a coaching staff creating difficult situations for both sides of the ball," said Housekeeper. "Keiser executes at a very high level and their kids play hard. They have great talent, and don't make very many mistakes."
 
Through two games, Keiser is averaging 442 yards and 31 points per contest while limiting opponents to 255 yards and 14 points per game. The Seahawks have also controlled the football for an average of 36:54 per game and converted eight of their nine fourth-down attempts.
 
For Cumberlands, Saturday provides another opportunity to continue the growth that has led to four consecutive victories to begin the season.
 
"I want to see the same thing every single week no matter the opponent or their ranking," said Housekeeper. "I want to see our guys play as hard as they possibly can and execute in all three phases of the game."
 
Strength Against Strength
One of Saturday's key matchups will come when Keiser puts the ball on the ground. The Seahawks have averaged 255.5 rushing yards per game and 5.3 yards per attempt, with seven of their eight touchdowns coming on the ground.
 
Cumberlands counters with a defense that has limited opponents to 127.5 rushing yards per game and four yards per carry. The Patriots are coming off their strongest performance against the run, holding Rio Grande to 42 yards on 22 attempts.
 
"We have to be in great position and then finish and make the tackles," said Housekeeper. "They have a very talented offensive line and great running backs, so it's a difficult combination on defense, but I feel like our players understand what needs to be done and are very excited about the challenge."
 
UC has recorded 23 tackles for loss through four games, led by Zander Curry's 3.5. Ritt Tankersley leads the defense with 33 tackles, while Jeremiah DeRoche has added 31.
 
Staying on Schedule
Keiser's defense has proven equally disruptive. The Seahawks have accumulated 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks through their opening two games while holding opponents to 255 yards per contest. Opposing offenses have converted just 28 percent of their third-down opportunities.
That unit will face a balanced Patriot offense averaging 493 yards and 41 points per game. Cumberlands has averaged 243 yards on the ground and 250 through the air while producing 21 touchdowns through four contests.
 
"It's very important for us to stay on schedule on offense," said Housekeeper. "Having productive plays on first and second down is really critical, along with not having pre-snap penalties."
 
The Patriots have several options within that balanced attack. Jayden Clayton has rushed for a team-high 336 yards and four touchdowns, while Juan Bullard Jr. has added 329 yards and four scores while averaging 9.1 yards per carry. Drew Gregg has thrown for 900 yards and seven touchdowns, with Cade Lamb and Michael Petty combining for 594 receiving yards and five scores.
 
"We have a very balanced attack on offense, with talent and scheme that can take advantage of what a defense is willing to give up," said Housekeeper. "We need to get our players in the best position possible to make plays, and then they have the opportunity to succeed."
 
Closing the Gap
The Patriots enter this year's meeting looking for a different start after Keiser took control early in Williamsburg last season. The Seahawks scored on their first three possessions to build a 21-0 first-quarter advantage before going on to win 42-12. Keiser finished with 415 yards of offense while limiting UC to 249 yards, including just 76 on the ground.
 
Several key pieces from the current Patriot offense experienced that matchup, and Housekeeper views last year's meeting as an important opportunity for the program to identify areas where it needed to improve.
 
"Last year was a great opportunity for us to learn from the overall game," said Housekeeper. "We had an opportunity to see one of the top programs in the country and see what we need to do to continue to close the gap."
 
UC enters Saturday having shown significant offensive production through the opening four games, averaging eight yards per play while eclipsing 450 yards of total offense in each contest.
 
"It was great to see on and off the field the things that we need to continue to focus on and develop," said Housekeeper.
 
Execution and Effort
With an unbeaten record and national recognition surrounding Saturday's matchup, Housekeeper wants the Patriots' focus to remain on the same principles that have guided them through the opening four games.
 
"I want to see our kids be in a position to make plays and then capitalize on that opportunity," said Housekeeper. "Records and rankings don't win games; the execution and effort are the things that will make the difference at gametime."
 
Cumberlands looks to improve to 5-0 and earn its second all-time victory in West Palm Beach when the Patriots face No. 1 Keiser on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 PM.
 
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