For the first time in seven weeks, the Elon University football team has fallen in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) rankings.
The Phoenix falls from No. 7 in the STATS FCS poll to No. 11. In the FCS Coaches Poll, the Maroon and Gold dropped six spots, from No. 9 to No. 15.
The fall comes after Elon lost to the University of New Hampshire over the weekend in a top-20 matchup. The No. 16 Wildcats snapped Elon’s eight-game winning streak on Saturday, defeating the Phoenix 16-6 in a cold matchup in Durham, New Hampshire.
The Phoenix struggled on offense, putting up no points in the first half and turning the ball over three times throughout the game. Elon’s freshman quarterback Davis Cheek went 12-46 on the day, throwing for 284 yards and one touchdown. On the ground, De’Sean McNair carried the ball 11 times, picking up only 38 yards. This was the first game that Elon failed to reach 100 rushing yards all season.
The Elon defense continued with their strong showings in-game, picking up a season-high eight sacks. Junior linebacker Warren Messer led the team with 12 tackles, including 2.5 for negative yardage.
The Phoenix now heads to its toughest test yet as Elon plays its final regular-season game at noon on Saturday. The Maroon and Gold will welcome the defending national champion and first-ranked James Madison University to Rhodes Stadium.