LEXINGTON, Va. - A pair of triple option offenses will highlight a week one match up at Wilson Field as the Washington and Lee University football team and the seventh-ranked Salisbury University Sea Gulls meet for the 2025 season opener.
Game Information:
When: Saturday, September 6, 2025
Where: Lexington, Va.
Stadium: Wilson Field
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
Gameday Forecast:
Gameday Links: Watch |
Live Stats |
Flip Card
How to Watch on FloCollege:
Beginning in 2025-26, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's five-year media rights agreement with FloSports ensures that all ODAC and W&L home contests will stream live on FloCollege with a subscription. Games will also be available on demand immediately after their conclusion.
FloSports/FloCollege can be accessed through the FloSports app or on major streaming platforms, including Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Google Chromecast which provides access to FloSports' full library of more than 40,000 events across 25 sports. Subscriptions can be purchased here and are available in two options HERE:
- Monthly: $19.99/month
- Annual: $107.88/year ($8.99/month)
Fans with an ODAC institution .edu email address are eligible for discounted pricing:
- Monthly: $9.99/month
- Annual: $71.88/year ($5.99/month)
For those who can't watch live or do not want to subscribe to FloCollege, free replays will be available on Generalssports.com/live beginning two days after each game. For example, a Saturday contest will be available starting at midnight on Monday morning.
Admission to regular-season home games is free, while ODAC semifinal and championship games and any NCAA postseason contests will require paid admission regardless of host institution.
Fans planning to attend should review W&L's tailgating and parking operations HERE.
Series History:
The Generals and Sea Gulls are squaring off in the season opener for the third straight season with Salisbury holding a 2-0 series lead over W&L. In their first meeting in 2023, SU scored 21 of their 28 points off of four Generals' turnovers to secure a 28-7 victory at Wilson Field. The Sea Gulls amassed 617 yards of total offense in a 48-26 rout in Maryland to pick up their second-straight win over the Blue and White.
Last season, the Sea Gulls defeated the Generals at Sea Gull Stadium with a 22-point victory, powered by three touchdowns of over 60 yards—including an 89-yard reception by Micah Brubaker. Despite the loss, W&L's offense compiled 460 total yards, including 340 on the ground. Three players eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in the contest, two of them from Salisbury. Dario Belizaire led all rushers with 137 yards on just four carries, scoring twice, while Ronald Clark added 133 yards and a touchdown on 12 touches. For the Generals, Jacob Romero '25 carried the ball 26 times for 121 yards, averaging 4.7 yards per rush.
On defense, Salisbury's Patrick Sheil posted a game-high 11 tackles, while Jalen Todd '25 led the Blue and White with eight stops.
Scouting the Sea Gulls:
The Sea Gulls are coming off another highly successful season, reaching the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time since 2019 and the sixth time in program history. Salisbury finished with a 12–1 record, including a 6–0 mark in NJAC play under 27th-year head coach Sherman Wood, marking the program's 15th consecutive winning season.
Salisbury returns six starters from last year's squad, including All-New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) selections Dario Belizaire and Micah Brubaker. Four All-NJAC honorees headline the defensive unit, led by First Team selection Malachi Baker.
Sophomore SyRus McGowan will lead the Sea Gulls' triple-option offense after an impressive rookie campaign. He threw for 1,121 yards and 12 touchdowns, completing 62 of 97 passes (64%) with just two interceptions. McGowan was also effective on the ground, rushing 99 times for 484 yards and eight scores. Belizaire, a First Team All-NJAC honoree, is the team's top returning rusher after tallying 681 yards and eight touchdowns on 57 carries in 2024. Brubaker, a Second Team All-NJAC selection, returns as the top receiving target, hauling in 31 passes for 747 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
Defensively, the Sea Gulls bring back seven key contributors. Baker posted 40 tackles, including 31 solo stops—the second-most on the team—while adding three interceptions and a team-high nine pass breakups. Dylan Lyerly is the leading returning tackler after pacing Salisbury with 55 total tackles, including a team-best 37 solo stops, along with six breakups. On the line, Chase Lomax returns as the lone veteran presence. A 2024 Second Team All-NJAC honoree, Lomax recorded nine sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss, and 50 total tackles, the second-most on the team.
Scouting the Generals:
The Blue and White are coming off a 7–4 overall record and a 5–2 mark in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play, highlighted by the program's first postseason bowl victory—a 40–21 win over Wilkes College in the Cape Henry Bowl.
W&L returns five offensive starters, including Third Team All-ODAC selection Anthony Crawford, who will lead the Generals' rushing attack this season. On defense, six starters return, headlined by All-Region and All-ODAC honoree Will Mahmud and Second Team All-ODAC selection Jack Johnson.
Junior quarterback Ty Collins will once again command the Generals' multi-faceted triple-option offense. As a sophomore, he completed 69 of 117 passes (59%) for 983 yards and 10 touchdowns—the first W&L quarterback to throw for double-digit touchdowns since Charlie Westfal '12 tossed 15 in 2011. Collins also added 401 rushing yards on 95 carries with four scores. Crawford returns as the team's leading rusher after recording 564 yards and nine touchdowns on 106 carries last season, earning Third Team All-ODAC recognition.
Defensively, sophomore linebacker Brennan Stout is the top returning tackler. In his rookie campaign, he tallied 72 total stops, including 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, while recording five games with double-digit tackles. His career-high of 15 came against Trinity (Texas) on Sept. 21. Mahmud anchors the defensive front after leading the team in sacks (6) and tackles for loss (11) last season, while also posting 64 total tackles, three pass breakups, and two quarterback hurries.
ODAC Preseason Poll:
The Generals were picked to finish second in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) preseason coaches' poll after collecting 53 points. Randolph-Macon was tabbed as the preseason favorite for the sixth straight year, earning eight of the nine first-place votes. You can read the entire ODAC Preseason Preview HERE.
- Randolph-Macon (8) | 64 pts.
- Washington and Lee | 53 pts.
- Shenandoah (1) | 49 pts.
- Bridgewater | 45 pts.
- Hampden-Sydeny | 39 pts.
- Roanoke | 22 pts.
- Averett | 21 pts.
- Guilford | 21 pts.
- Gallaudet | 10 pts.
National Rankings:
D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) each released their preseason polls for the 2025 season, with both rankings producing nearly identical top fives. Defending national champion North Central (Ill.) claimed the No. 1 spot in both polls, followed by 2024 national runner-up Mount Union at No. 2 and Johns Hopkins at No. 3. St. John's (Minn.) was ranked fourth in the AFCA poll and fifth by D3football.com, while Susquehanna was slotted fourth by D3football.com and fifth in the AFCA rankings.
Washington and Lee's week one opponent, Salisbury, checked in at No. 7 in both polls after a 12–1 campaign in 2024. Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) rival Randolph-Macon appeared at No. 21 in each poll, rounding out the conference's representation.
National Statistical Rankings:
The Generals' rushing attack ranked fourth in Division III last season, averaging 293.4 yards per game. It marked the 11th consecutive year that W&L's multi-faceted ground game finished among the nation's top 10. The Generals also ranked 11th nationally in fourth-down conversions, successfully moving the chains on 69.2% of their attempts.
Around the ODAC:
Thursday, September 4th
Averett at N.C. Wesleyan | 6 p.m.
Friday, September 5th
#10 Randolph-Macon vs. Dickinson | 6 p.m.
Gallaudet vs. Albright | 6 p.m.
Saturday, September 6th
Hampden-Sydney at Deleware Valley (Pa.) | Noon
Shenandoah vs. Methodist | 1 p.m.
Roanoke vs. Virginia University of Lynchburg | 2 p.m.
Bridgewater vs. Stevenson | 7 p.m.
Guilford vs. Greensboro | 24th Annual Soup Bowl | 7 p.m.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
