2017 Shepherd Rams football team

2017 Shepherd Rams football
MEC champion
NCAA Division II first round, L 17–29 vs. Findlay
Conference	Mountain East Conference
Ranking
AFCA	No. 14
Record	10–1 (10–0 MEC)
Head coach	Monte Cater (31st season)
Offensive coordinator	Ernie McCook (8th season)
Defensive coordinator	Josh Kline (9th season)
Home stadium	Ram Stadium

2017 Mountain East Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 14 Shepherd $^		10	–	0					10	–	1
Notre Dame (OH)		8	–	2					8	–	3
Fairmont State		8	–	2					8	–	3
West Virginia State		5	–	5					6	–	5
West Virginia Wesleyan		5	–	5					5	–	6
Virginia–Wise		4	–	6					5	–	6
Urbana		4	–	6					5	–	6
Charleston (WV)		4	–	6					4	–	6
Glenville State		3	–	7					4	–	7
West Liberty		3	–	7					3	–	8
Concord		1	–	9					2	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA poll

The 2017 Shepherd Rams football team represented Shepherd University during the 2017 NCAA Division II football season as a member of the Mountain East Conference (MEC). They were led by head coach Monte Cater, in his 31st and final season at Shepherd, and finished the season 10–1. With a conference record of 10–0, they were named MEC champions for the third straight year^[1] and advanced to the Division II Playoffs, losing in the first round to Findlay. The Rams played their home games at Ram Stadium in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

This was also the final season for senior quarterback Connor Jessop, who briefly signed with the Washington Redskins practice squad during the 2018 NFL season.^[2]

Preseason

After finishing the 2016 season with a record of 13–1, with the only loss coming in the semifinals to North Alabama, the Rams were ranked #7 in the preseason poll.^[3]

Regular season

The 2017 regular season for the Rams consisted of 10 games against Mountain East Conference foes. The Rams went undefeated in the regular season and were given the second seed in Super Region I in the 2017 NCAA Division II football playoffs.^[4]

Playoffs

Despite going undefeated in the regular season and finishing #2 in the country,^[5] the Rams hosted a game in the first round of the playoffs, against seventh-seeded Findlay. This was Findlay's first ever postseason appearance (in the NCAA,) and they defeated Shepherd 29–17 in what was considered an upset.^[6]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 2	12:00 p.m	Notre Dame (OH)	No. 7	Ram Stadium Shepherdstown, WV	W 54–49	4,351	[7][3]
September 16	12:00 p.m.	at Glenville State	No. 4	Ike and Sue Morris Stadium Glenville, WV	W 42–34	1,176	[8][9]
September 23	12:00 p.m.	West Virginia State	No. 4	Ram Stadium Shepherdstown, WV	W 56–41	4,295	[10]
September 30	12:00 p.m.	at Concord	No. 3	Callaghan Stadium Athens, WV	W 49–20	1,311	[11]
October 7	12:00 p.m.	West Liberty	No. 3	Ram Stadium Shepherdstown, WV	W 51–14	4,719	[12][13]
October 12	7:00 p.m.	at Fairmont State	No. 2	Duvall-Rosier Field Fairmont, WV	W 28–23	1,330	[14][15]
October 21	12:00 p.m.	Urbana	No. 2	Ram Stadium Shepherdstown, WV	W 48–14	3,541	[16]
October 28	12:00 p.m.	at West Virginia Wesleyan	No. 2	Cebe Ross Field Buckhannon, WV	W 45–14	1,827	[17][18]
November 4	12:00 p.m.	Charleston (WV)	No. 2	Ram Stadium Shepherdstown, WV	W 49–12	5,238	[19][20]
November 11	1:00 p.m.	at Virginia–Wise	No. 2	Carl Smith Stadium Wise, VA	W 63–35	951	[21][5]
November 18	12:00 p.m.	Findlay*	No. 2	Ram Stadium Shepherdstown, WV (NCAA Division II First Round)	L 17–29	4,451	[22]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

References

1. Staff, Picket. "Overwhelmed Charleston falls to Shepherd football 49–12 as Rams clinch MEC Championship on Senior Day – SUPicket".
2. "Connor Jessop Doesn't Have To Travel Far For First NFL Experience". www.washingtonfootball.com.
3. "Division II 170815". The Montgomery Advertiser. August 15, 2017. pp. C2 – via newspapers.com.
4. Staff reports. "Shepherd set to host Findlay in 1st round of D-II playoffs". The Hagerstown Herald-Mail.
5. "Division II 171107". Star Tribune. November 7, 2017. pp. C9 – via newspapers.com.
6. "Findlay stuns Shepherd en route to first postseason win". NCAA.com. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
7. "Jessop Leads Shepherd Football Past Notre Dame". Shepherd University Athletics. September 2, 2017.
8. "Shepherd Football Rallies Past Glenville State". Shepherd University Athletics.
9. "Division II 170905". Argus-Leader. September 5, 2017. pp. A11 – via newspapers.com.
10. "Shepherd Football Knocks Off West Virginia State". Shepherd University Athletics.
11. "Shepherd Football Runs Past Concord". Shepherd University Athletics.
12. "Shepherd Football Tops West Liberty". Shepherd University Athletics.
13. "Division II 171003". Argus-Leader. October 3, 2017. pp. A13 – via newspapers.com.
14. "Shepherd Football Outlasts Fairmont State". Shepherd University Athletics.
15. "Division II 171010". Detroit Free Press. October 10, 2017. pp. B5 – via newspapers.com.
16. "Shepherd Football Tops Urbana; Humphrey Sets Sack Record". Shepherd University Athletics. October 21, 2017.
17. "Shepherd Football Defeats West Virginia Wesleyan". Shepherd University Athletics.
18. "Division II 171024". The Odessa American. October 24, 2017. pp. C4 – via newspapers.com.
19. "Shepherd Football Clinches MEC Title with Win over Charleston". Shepherd University Athletics. November 4, 2017.
20. "Division II 171031". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. October 31, 2017. pp. C6 – via newspapers.com.
21. "Shepherd Football Outlasts UVa-Wise". Shepherd University Athletics.
22. "Shepherd Football Shocked by Findlay". Shepherd University Athletics.