Live Video | Live Stats

MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - One of the highest ranked opponents to ever visit Valhalla Stadium at Williams Field will take the field Saturday against (RV) Berry as the Vikings play host to No. 4 Wisconsin-Whitewater for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

The two teams will meet in the second half of a home-and-home series that saw Berry fall 39-7 in Whitewater, Wis., last season. That contest was just a 6-0 game after the first quarter, but a pair of turnovers deep in Berry territory played a major factor in the Warhawks scoring 24 second quarter points.

This year, Berry enters at 2-0 following wins over Maryville and LaGrange to begin the season. UWW sits at 1-1 after falling at St. John's (MN) in the season opener before beating defending national champion and then-No. 1 Mary Hardin-Baylor 28-24 following a 99-yard touchdown drive that ended in the waning moments of the contest.

Berry's offense has shown explosiveness early in the season. The Vikings have three receivers with catches that have gone for 50 or more yards. In last week's win over LaGrange, Khamari Smith averaged 47.3 yards per reception and caught a pair of touchdown passes that were over 60 yards, including a season-best 69 yard touchdown catch.

Gavin Gray, while netting a completion percentage just under 50 percent so far this year, has thrown for 268.0 yards per game early in the young season with six touchdowns and no interceptions. The senior is helping Berry to a 19.3 yards per catch average.

Meanwhile, Berry's ground game has still been able to churn out yardage at a solid clip. The Vikings have run for 172.0 yards per game, with 2021 Southern Athletic Association Newcomer of the Year Brandon Cade running for a team-best 159 yards so far this season. The sophomore has gained 8.4 yards per carry.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Vikings forced their first three turnovers of the season last week against the Panthers. Brock Skinner earned SAA Defensive Player of the Week recognition for his 10 tackle, three sack performance against Maryville in the season opener. Garrison Frisch and Devon Davis pulled in interceptions last week for the Vikings.

All of that said, the Vikings will face a UWW team that has played two Top 10 opponents already this season. Evan Lewandowski has thrown for 477 yards and fuor touchdowns while completing 68.2 percent of his passes. Tyler Holte has been his favorite target so far, as the senior has 16 catches for 224 yards and three touchdowns. Lewandowski's game-winning pass last weekend against UMHB was a nine-yard strike in the corner of the endzone to Tommy Coates, who finished the game with three catches for 56 years.

Despite playing two of the highest ranked teams in the country, the Warhawks have allowed just 66.5 yards on the ground so far. Shane McGrail leads the UWW defense with 14 tackles, but Justin Allen has three sacks on the early season.

Tickets for Saturday's contest will be available for $10 plus tax at the box office beginning two hours before kickoff. Ticket sales will be card only for the remainder of the season.