WISE - - Two teams coming off a loss will meet Saturday at 2 p.m. when Fairmont State visits UVa-Wise for the Cavaliers' 2018 Homecoming Game.

UVa-Wise limited West Liberty University to 276 yards and scored a defensive touchdown but, came up short 23-17 last Saturday. It was the third loss in the first four games for UVa-Wise.

Fairmont State dropped its first game of the season last Thursday. The Fighting Falcons trailed 23-3 late in the third quarter and rallied to get within 23-17 before coming up short to Charleston.

Turnovers and penalties continue to plague UVa-Wise. Last week, the Cavs turned the ball over four times and were assessed 10 penalties for 94 yards. On the season, UVa-Wise has turned the ball over 17 times and is averaging 9.5 penalties for 95 yards per game. Despite the miscues, the team's defense has allowed the Cavs to stay in games. The unit leads the league in total defense at 280.5 yards per game and pass defense at 141.8 yards per game. Up front, UVa-Wise has registered 11 sacks and leads the conference in tackles for loss with 44. Eleven Cavs have multiple tackles for loss on the season, led by Buster Henderson who has eight TFLs through the season's first four games.

The Cavs special teams unit will be challenged this week as the Fighting Falcons possess one of the best special teams units in the nation. Fairmont State leads the nation in punt return average at 31.2 yards per return while ranking 25th nationally in kickoff returns at 24.4 yards per return. Returner Lyrics Klugh has returned two punts for touchdown while place kicker Colin Harvath has made 7-of-8 field goals while being a perfect 17-for-17 in extra point attempts.

UVa-Wise's Trevor Owens is coming off the best game of his collegiate career. The senior booted a career-long 48-yard field goal before later tying a league record with a 79-yard punt against West Liberty. On the season, Owens is 2-for-3 in field goal attempts while averaging 38.6 yards per punt while seven punts have landed inside the 20-yard line.

In last season's meeting, Fairmont State forced a fumble and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown to turn a 7-6 game into a 13-6 contest. It was the start of 27 unanswered points for the Falcons who were led by a defensive unit that held the Cavs to 193 yards of total offense. This season, opponents are averaging 348.8 yards per game against Fairmont State but, the unit has forced nine turnovers in the first four games of 2018.

Next week, UVa-Wise will travel to Urbana University while Fairmont State returns home to take on league leading Notre Dame College.