9 Ashland Eagles (0-0) at 19 UIndy Greyhounds (0-0)
Saturday, Sept. 7, 6 PM, Indianapolis, Ind.
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ON TAP
Ninth-ranked Ashland invades Key Stadium in a rematch of last year's opener.  The contest represents one of only three top-25 match-ups in Division II this week:

-No. 22 Saginaw Valley State at No. 4 Northwest Missouri State
-No. 7 Shippensburg at No. 25 Shepherd
-No. 9 Ashland at No. 19 Indianapolis

HOUNDS ON TV
Produced by WebStream Productions, four of UIndy's six home games, including Saturday's Ashland contest, will air on WRTV 6.2 HTSN.  Those four match-ups will also be replayed on HTSN, with each game being re-aired the following Sunday at both 11 AM and 4 PM.  Click here to find where to tune into HTSN in your area.

All six of UIndy's home football games will be available online for free via video stream, with the four WebStream games streaming live on the RTV6 app and on theIndyChannel.com.

HOUNDS ON THE RADIO
In addition to the television broadcast mentioned above, the Greyhounds can be heard on WICR 88.7 FM.  You can also catch the an audio stream on the Internet at wicr.uindy.edu/audio.

ABOUT ASHLAND
Ashland's top-10 ranking is well deserved, as the Eagles are coming off a stellar 11-win season in 2012.  AU defeated all comers on the way to an undefeated regular season and a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship.  After earning a first-round bye in the NCAA playoffs, their '12 campaign came to an end with a 33-28 home loss to 16th-ranked West Texas A&M Nov. 24.

This season, the Eagles return four First Team All-GLIAC performers in senior linebacker Cory Bloom, senior defensive back Brian Gamble, senior defensive lineman Jamie Meder and junior running back Anthony Taylor.

The graduation of All-American quarterback Taylor Housewright, however, leaves some rather large shoes to fill for the 2013 Eagles.  Housewright, last year's GLIAC Player of the Year and Super Region Four Offensive Player of the Year, passed for 3,071 yards, 32 touchdowns and just four interceptions last fall.

GREYHOUNDS vs. EAGLES
Ashland owns a 21-11 advantage in the all-time series, thanks in part to a 37-14 home win versus the Greyhounds in last year's opener.  UIndy committed three turnovers in the ball game and did not cross into Ashland territory during the fourth quarter.

UIndy's last home game versus Ashland came in week two of the 2010 season.  The UIndy defense amassed three interceptions in the game and scored all of their points in the second half on the way to a 17-12 victory.

HOMELAND SECURITY
Speaking of Key Stadium, the Greyhounds recorded a spotless 6-0 record on their home field last year.  They are a combined 11-1 on the Key Stadium turf over the previous two seasons, with their only loss coming to eventual national-runner-up Wayne State in the 2011 home finale.

BACK IN BLACK
After introducing new road uniforms last season, the Hounds made another tweak to their wardrobe this season, switching from crimson face masks to black.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN
The Greyhounds will have three senior captains this season, all of which started games as true freshmen in 2010.  Running back Klay Fiechter, defensive lineman Vince Maida and quarterback Chris Mills lead a senior class that needs six wins this season to set the school record for most wins in a four-year span.  The current mark of 28 wins was achieved in 1983-86.

HISTORIC SEASON
Led by third-year head coach Bob Bartolomeo, the Greyhound football team set a number of program firsts in 2012.  Not only did it set a school record for wins in a season (10), but the Crimson and Grey also captured the Great Lakes Valley Conference title on the way to its first-ever NCAA Division II playoff berth.

The Greyhounds ran the table in conference play, defeating all eight GLVC opponents.  UIndy secured the conference crown outright with a 31-24 come-from-behind win at Urbana in the final week of the regular season.  After trailing 24-16 with nine minutes to play, the Hounds finished off their perfect run through the league when quarterback Chris Mills delivered a 10-yard touchdown scamper with 1:35 left that proved to be the difference.

Riding a nine-game winning streak, UIndy secured the No. 4 seed in the NCAA Super Region Four playoffs, earning the right to host eighth-ranked Midwestern State in the first-ever playoff game at Key Stadium.  Down 14-7 in the third quarter, the Hounds scored the game's final 24 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, to move on to the second round.  Sophomore Matt Ripp led the way as his two touchdowns and 107 of his career-high 143 rushing yards came in the second half.

UIndy's playoff run ended a week later, however, with a 28-7 loss at top-seeded and undefeated Colorado State-Pueblo.  The score was knotted at 7-7 at the half, but the No 1-ranked ThunderWolves pulled away after the break to advance to the national quarterfinals.

The Hounds ended the season with an impressive 10-3 record and were ranked 15th in the year's final AFCA DII Top 25 Poll -- their first-ever appearance in the final poll.

BIG SHOES TO FILL
Two of the biggest question marks for the Greyhounds in 2013 are the offensive line and the linebacker position; four of the five offensive line starters from last season are gone, while a pair of four-year starters at linebacker graduated.

Redshirt-sophomore Austin Vogt represents the only returning starter from UIndy's 2012 o-line that allowed just six sacks in 13 games, good for the third-best average in Division II (0.46 spg).  Meanwhile, the Hounds will need to replace former defensive stalwarts Max Davis and Tyler Peterman, a duo that combined for 675 career tackles and 90 games started at the linebacker spot.

KINGS OF THE HILL
Quick. What Division II football team has the most former Harlon Hill Award candidates on its 2013 roster?  Answer: The University of Indianapolis.

With quarterback Chris Mills (HH candidate in 2011) and running back Klay Fiechter (2012) entering their senior seasons for the Hounds, UIndy is the only football team in the nation to have more than one former candidate for the Harlon Hill, awarded annually to the country's top D-II player, on its active roster.

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
With their names already peppering the UIndy record book, both Mills and Fiechter are on the doorstep of setting even more school records heading into their final collegiate season.  Most notably, Mills needs just 39 pass completions and 886 passing yards to set new UIndy career benchmarks, while Fiechter is just 911 rushing yards shy of becoming the school's all-time leading rusher.