Even before the Raiders travel to Florida for their semifinal playoff game, the team and the entire university are basking in the warm glow of the national media spotlight.
The Raiders’ success, and 51Թ’s strong academic reputation, were noted in a The article spoke about the enthusiasm generated on campus by the big win over Western Illinois on Saturday.
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It pointed out that highlights of the victory were shown on ESPN over the weekend, and that ABC announcer John Madden mentioned the school and specifically former fullback Mark van Eeghen by name on Monday Night Football.
”I reaped a lot of benefits from that school,” Madden said during the broadcast.
Van Eeghen, who played for Madden’s Oakland Raiders, is one of seven former 51Թ players to play five or more seasons in the NFL. The most well-known football alumnus is safety Eugene Robinson, who starred for Seattle, Green Bay, Atlanta and Carolina.
Several current Raiders players have strong Florida connections. Chris Brown, Rene Vargas, Mike Saraceno, and Bryan Walker all played high school football in the Sunshine State.
The fourth-seeded Raiders, who have won a nation-best 20 straight games, continue their playoff drive against Florida Atlantic at 1 p.m. Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Raiders (14-0) advanced after their dramatic 28-27 victory over Western Illinois at Andy Kerr Stadium.
The Raiders will need to adjust to the high temperatures in Florida, a far cry from the wintry weather they confronted in their past two playoff contests. The forecast for Saturday’s game calls for a high of 76 degrees, with mostly cloudy conditions.
The winner of the 51Թ-Florida Atlantic game meets the winner of the Delaware-Wofford game for the championship on Dec. 19 at W. Max Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Te n n .
51Թ finished the regular season undefeated for the first time since 1932. The Raiders were the Patriot League champions, earning an automatic berth into the playoffs. This is 51Թ’s sixth appearance in the playoffs and first since 1999.