Glenville State University safety Sean Scott (10) was named the Mountain East Conference Defensive Player of the Week following the Pioneers’ 19-13 double-overtime upset at Frostburg State. The Pioneers celebrate homecoming at 1:30 p.m. Saturday versus Concord at Nicholas County’s Memorial Stadium. (Photo Provided)

GLENVILLE — Concord will provide the opposition for Glenville State when the two Mountain East Conference programs collide at 1:30 p.m. Saturday for the Pioneers’ homecoming at Nicholas County’s Memorial Stadium.

The Mountain Lions (2-4, 1-3) are coming off a 28-21 home setback to West Virginia State where quarterback Tyler Mizzell hooked up with Damani Burrell for a school record 95-yard touchdown connection, which marked the third longest in MEC history.

Head coach Mike Kellar’s Pioneers (3-3, 2-1) are looking for a third straight triumph and are coming off a 19-13 win in double overtime last week at then No. 21 Frostburg State.

Jeremiah King, who rushed 23 times for 100 yards, scored the game-winning touchdown and was named the MEC Offensive Player of the Week. King currently sits tied for 27th nationally in rushing yards per game (83.3).

A year ago in this matchup, which featured eight turnovers with each team losing a quartet, the G-men rallied from a 21-10 second half deficit for a 24-21 victory thanks to a pair of Anthony Garrett touchdown passes to Tariq Miller. Miller (4-91-1) and Tariq Meredith (6-116-0) were Garrett’s top targets during last week’s victory.

Garrett, who will be making his 34th career start, enters this week with 1,575 passing yards, which is good for 18th in D2. Mizzell has thrown for 1,696 yards, which ranks seventh in the country.

“We had them all the way,” quipped Kellar of last week’s win that featured the G-men having a negative three turnover margin along with a baker’s dozen penalties. “It turned into one of those great defensive games back and forth.”

GSU’s Sean Scott, who had a dozen stops, eight solo tackles and a pair of pass breakups, was honored as the MEC Defensive Player of the Week.

The G-men limited Frostburg State to a 3 of 19 showing on third-down conversions.

“I thought our intensity was phenomenal,” admitted Kellar. “Tank Gant and Eugene Allen and that defensive front, I mean our linebackers, Shary (Jefferson) was so good and then obviously that doesn’t happen without the corners holding up and all the coverages they do, and our three safeties have been the strength of the team. I can’t say enough good about the defense.”

Jefferson (4.5) and Allen (4.0) lead the Pioneers in tackles for loss while the Mountain Lions feature Xavier Ellison (5.5) and Nehemiah Scott (5.0).

Glenville State’s Brandon Penn enters the fray averaging a D2 best 7.17 solo tackles per game. The Parkersburg South graduate is T11th with 10.3 total tackles while Scott’s 5.17 solo stops has him tied for 28th.

“They got two or three receivers that can really roll and Dom Collins is their feature guy. A guy we tried to get here,” Kellar admitted of Collins, who has turned 24 grabs into 579 yards (T11th) and seven TDs (T9th).

“They got a quarterback that can find guys. They spread the ball around. I think they got a good offensive scheme. Our defense, last week was Frostburg and it was run, run, play-action. This week it’s going to be pass, pass, draw. It’s a different scheme for us to handle.”

While the G-men will look to get King going early on as usual, the Concord secondary could be difficult to solve. Corey Radcliff’s five interceptions ties him for second in the land. Radcliff has nine pass breakups, good for T6th, while teammates Nehemiah Scott (8, T13th) and Stanley Horn Jr. (7, T32nd) aren’t far behind.

“Jeremiah has been running hard. He’s a smart player. He understands what’s going on,” added coach Kellar, whose squad is T44th in red zone scoring (84.6%) and T11th in red zone defense (61.5%). “Right now our team feels good about itself and as a coach that nerves you up.

“I always joke and say it’s easier to coach a team after they lose then after they win. It’s easier to sleep at night after you win then after you lose, but just make sure that your team maintains focus on what’s important. We’re not good enough, and no one in this league or any league is, to just show up and win ballgames.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com