The Phoenix football team had played 20 games against teams ranked top 10 in the nation. Their record for those games was a combined 0-20. After a hard-fought battle and overtime win against a 21st ranked Georgia Southern team, it appeared the Phoenix would continue its losing ways against the Wofford Terriers, who were the No. 6 team in the nation.

Enter Scott Riddle. The Phoenix quarterback set an Elon record with 41 completions on 51 attempts.

He finished with 343 yards and three touchdowns, and did not throw an interception against a Wofford defense that was leading the Southern Conference in turnover differential.

Riddle’s play, along with the Phoenix defense, helped stun the Terriers in a 24-13 victory.

The win gave Elon its first

back-to-back wins against top 25 opponents, and more importantly, it placed them in a tie for first place in the Southern Conference.

Riddle’s performance earned him the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week, and his 2,247 passing yards put him first in the nation for that category. Tim Happer, a junior defensive end, could do nothing but praise the true freshman quarterback.

“I like the way Scott plays. He gets everyone involved,” Happer said. “Spreading the ball around hurts defenses.”

This was especially true on Saturday, as eight different players caught passes, helping Elon take down the sixth ranked team in the country.

The defense played a huge role in the victory, holding the Wofford offense that averaged 39 points a game, to only 13 points, including a scoreless second half. The Terriers, however, ran for 323 yards. Stopping the run is a point of concern

with the Phoenix defense, especially in the past four weeks.

When Elon faces off against the Chattanooga Mocs for the Homecoming game, they will need to stop the run. The Mocs feature Bryan Fitzgerald and Erroll Wynn, two strong and physical backs who each have gouged opponents rushing the ball.

“I’m not concerned with statistics,” head coach Pete Lembo said. “I’m concerned with winning.”

The games where Elon was severely beat on the ground were its closest and have twice resulted in losses.

The Phoenix will need some help as well, as a shoulder injury against Wofford will likely hold starting linebacker, Daronce Daniels, out of the game.

Sophomore nose tackle Eric Ludwig recognized the need to stop the run and come out strong against Chattanooga.

“We need to come off fast and hit hard,” Ludwig said.

Hitting hard is a key in a game with Rhodes Stadium at capacity. With a homecoming crowd coming out for Saturday’s game, the team is looking forward to a lot of fan support.

Players like Happer and Ludwig claim to “love noise,” saying that a defense feeds off the crowd energy.

The head coach wouldn’t disagree with them. “Part of our mission is to be a source of pride,” Lembo said.

As for the matchup with the Mocs, Lembo explained that he was extremely worried.

“They are as big, strong and fast as any team in the conference,” Lembo said.

Reporter: Adam Pittenger - 10/24/07