Football Preview: Merrimack battles Sacred Heart for the Yankee Conference Championship
Merrimack will take on Sacred Heart at Duane Stadium on Saturday for the Yankee Conference Championship.
The Yankee Conference was a Division I-AA league that started in New England and eventually expanded down the East Coast. It folded in 1996 and merged with the A-10.
The original league began in 1946 with six New England schools, including Maine, Rhode Island, UMass, and New Hampshire. James Madison and William & Mary were also members.
LEONA Marketing purchased the rights to the Yankee Conference earlier this year. The winner of Saturday’s Merrimack-Sacred Heart game will be crowned the Yankee Conference champion and will possess the trophy until the teams meet again next season at Sacred Heart.
Merrimack and Sacred Heart are the only two independent programs in FCS football.
"We're thrilled to be the title partner of The Yankee Conference Championship game," said LEONA President Dan Gale. "Being from South Jersey and growing up listening to Yankee Conference games on the radio, it's an honor to play a role in the revitalization of such history. It's great to support these student-athletes as they work tirelessly all season long and give their teams an opportunity to play for a championship."
Merrimack vs. Sacred Heart
Yankee Conference Championship
When: Saturday
Puck Drop: 12:00 p.m. ET
Watch U.S.: NESN / ESPN+
Venue: Duane Stadium (4,000)
Location: North Andover, Mass.
Purchase Tickets: Click here
History: The Warriors are 3-3 all-time against Sacred Heart. The series dates back to 1996 (the last year of the Yankee Conference) when the teams split meetings between 1996 and 1997. After that, they did not meet again until 2020, when Merrimack joined the NEC.
Merrimack has won the last two games. In 2022, the Warriors beat Sacred Heart 31-25 at Duane Stadium, and the Warriors won a 17-7 game at Sacred Heart last season.
Inside the Matchup
— The Pioneers enter Saturday’s game 4-6 on the season, which will be their season finale (Merrimack plays at Fordham next week). Long Island beat SHU last Saturday, 28-7.
The Pioneers and Warriors had only one common opponent: Stonehill. On Sept. 21, Merrimack beat the Skyhawks 48-28, and Stonehill beat Sacred Heart 35-21.
Sacred Heart is 0-4 on the road this season and 0-8 in its last eight road games, dating back to last season.
— The Pioneers are a run-heavy team, with nearly a 2-1 run-to-pass ratio. Quarterback John Michalski has thrown 219 times (124 completions) for 1,150 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions. The sophomore has also run 119 times (second on the team) for 348 yards and four touchdowns.
Jalen Madison leads the rushing attack. He’s run for 790 yards on 147 carries (5.4 average) and six touchdowns. Xavier Leigh has 497 yards on 87 carries (5.7 average) and five touchdowns.
— When Sacred Heart does pass the ball, 6-foot-4 senior Ethan Hilliman is the No. 1 target. He has 32 catches for 315 yards and three touchdowns (SHU only has 5 passing touchdowns this season).
Keys to the Game for Merrimack
Stop the Run. The Pioneers have been held to under five yards per rush in four of their six losses this season. Last week, LIU limited them to 2.6 yards per rush.
Wake up the offense. Everyone remembers what happened two weeks ago (a 6-0 loss at Robert Morris). The Warriors had to battle through that RMU game and, as we pointed out, also had a long day of travel the day before the game, which may have impacted their readiness offensively.
Hit the ground running. Sacred Heart has the No. 3 passing defense in the FCS, allowing just 133.5 yards per game. The Pioneers rank near the bottom of the nation in rushing defense (No. 110 and 212.9 yards allowed per game). Jermaine Corbett and Brendon Wyatt, go have a day.
Inside the Numbers
