WISE - - UVa-Wise hits the road  Saturday to take on the surprise team of the Mountain East Conference, Urbana University. The Blue Knights are 4-1 and coming off the program's biggest win in years, a 20-14 triumph over the University of Charleston on the road. Overall, Urbana has won three straight games and is a perfect 3-0 at home where they have outscored opponents by 42 points.

The Cavaliers are looking to end their road woes. UVa-Wise last won a MEC road game on Aug. 31, 2017 when the team claimed a 41-29 win over Glenville State to start the season. Turnovers and penalties continue to break the Cavs' back. On the season, the team is last in the league in turnover margin at -12 while ranking eighth in penalty yardage at 79 yards per game.

Urbana has lost three consecutive games against UVa-Wise, including a 51-41 loss in Wise last October. In the game, the Cavs posted five sacks as part of a defensive effort that limited Urbana to 247 yards of offense. This year, Dane Damron's team has relied heavily on its defense. The unit enters Saturday the MEC leader in pass defense at 141.8 yards allowed per game while ranking second in total defense at 327.6 yards allowed per contest. Defensive coordinator Shap Boyd's crew leads the league in tackles for loss with 49 while having posted 11 sacks through the first five games.

Freshman Alonzo Brown emerged as an option in the passing attack last week. The Brunswick, Ga. product caught four passes for 54 yards while hauling in the first touchdown pass of his collegiate career. Brown was one of seven Cavs to catch a pass against Fairmont State; the group included freshman Seth Phillips who caught the first pass of his collegiate career.

Urbana won its most recent game despite posting just 106 yards of total offense. The Blue Knights benefited  from a defensive touchdown and a second Charleston turnover deep in its own territory that led to a 14-0 halftime score. The game featured a power outage delay and eight Blue Knights who tallied at least 10 tackles, led by defensive back Chris Richardson's 15. Of Urbana's four wins this season, three have come by eight points or less. Following its tilt with UVa-Wise, the team will face league leader Notre Dame College before returning home to face preseason pick Shepherd University.

The game will mark the fourth consecutive week UVa-Wise will play an opponent who has had extra time to prepare. The Cavs have played each of their games over the last month on Saturday while the following week's opponent has played on Thursday. Next week, Damron's squad will return home to face West Virginia Wesleyan who plays this week at home against Charleston Saturday afternoon.