ELON, N.C. -- For the third consecutive week, the Elon Phoenix football team will be taking on a top-20 Southern Conference opponent.  This Saturday, Elon will visit Boone, N.C., for a 3:30 p.m. contest against 14th-ranked Appalachian State.

Site: Boone, N.C.
Stadium: Kidd Brewer Stadium
Surface: FieldTurf
Capacity: 23,650
Radio: WPCM 920 AM – David Hibbard (play-by-play) and Taylor Durham (color)
TV: None
Series: Elon trails 9-30-1

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Game Notes

The Matchup
Elon and Appalachian State are meeting for 41st time.  The last two games between the two have been decided by a total of seven points.

The Phoenix enters this game with a 2-3 record after falling to fifth-ranked Wofford last weekend.  Appalachian State has won its last two games, including a 55-14 win over Coastal Carolina last Saturday, to sit at 3-2.

The Series
Elon trails the series with Appalachian State by a 9-30-1 margin.  Appalachian State has won 16 consecutive games in the series.

The Coaches
Elon: Jason Swepson (Boston College ‘92) is 7-9 and is in his second year as a head coach, both with the Phoenix.  Prior to becoming Elon’s head coach, Swepson spent 12 years as an assistant with Tom O’Brien at both Boston College and NC State.

Appalachian State: Jerry Moore (Baylor ‘61) is in his 31st career season as a collegiate head coach and 24th with the Mountaineers.  Moore owns a career record of 237-133-2 and is 210-85 with Appalachian State.

A Numbers Game
• 6 - Career 300-yard passing games for Thomas Wilson who threw for 322 yards against Wofford.
• 8 - Consecutive field goals made by Adam Shreiner who is 10-for-12 on the year.
• 17 - Career 100-yard receiving games for Aaron Mellette who had 177 yards on 13 receptions vs. Wofford.  That total is tied for second in SoCon history.

It Happened on October 6
Elon Football: On Oct. 6, 1962, Elon claimed a 23-19 victory over East Carolina at Burlington Memorial Stadium.

World Events: On Oct. 6, 1991, the Baltimore Orioles played their final game at Memorial Stadium on 33rd Street.  The opponent was the Detroit Tigers.

Ties With This Week’s Opponent
• Both teams have graduates of Charlotte’s Independence High - Elon’s Kierre Brown and ASU’s Rod Chisholm.
• Graduates of Raleigh’s Leesville Road High include Elon’s Thomas Wilson and ASU’s Brendan Lough.
• Elon’s Miles Williams will face off with former Dorman High (S.C.) teammate Drew Bailey.
• Elon’s Tracey Coppedge and ASU’s Matt Watson both graduated from Southern Nash.
• Each team also has players who attended Durham’s Hillside High - Elon’s Derek Vereen and ASU’s Aaron Krah.
• Elon’ Anthony Cammarata and ASU’s Tysean Holloway and Mark Powell were teammates at Asheville High.

Tough Stretches
With Elon’s game at Appalachian State, the Phoenix will conclude a stretch of three consecutive games against top-20 foes.  It is the third straight season in which the maroon and gold has played three games in a row against top-20 opponents.

Solid Shreiner
Senior kicker Adam Shreiner has successfully knocked home his last eight field goal attempts.  He is 10-of-12 on the year and his last miss was a 41-yard attempt against West Virginia State.  Shreiner’s 44 career field goals are the second-most in program history as he trails only Andrew Wilcox (2005-08) who made 59 field goals.

Mellette in SoCon Top 10
Now in his senior campaign, wide receiver Aaron Mellette ranks among the SoCon’s all-time career leaders in receptions, touchdown grabs, 100-yard receiving games and receiving yards.  Mellette currently sits third with 244 catches, third with 33 TD receptions, tied for second with 17 100-yard receiving games and fifth with 3,279 receiving yards.

Sit Tight
Elon has been in a number of tightly contested games since 2010.  In fact, of the last 25 tilts, 11 have been decided by seven points or fewer.  The Phoenix has gone 6-5 in those games.

Air Attack
Over the past few years Elon has been known for its passing attack.  The Phoenix has ranked no lower than 23rd nationally in passing yards per game in each of the past six seasons and twice the maroon and gold was second nationally.  In that span, an Elon quarterback has thrown for 3,000 or more yards on four occasions.