No. 17 Salisbury University football team opens the 2026 season at home against McDaniel College on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 1 p.m. The annual Gold Rush game will take place at Sea Gull Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland, marking Salisbury’s first home season opener since 2024.
Salisbury enters the matchup ranked No. 17 in the D3football.com Top 25 for Week 1 after finishing 10-2 in 2025. The Sea Gulls advanced to the third round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs, defeating No. 15 Endicott College 35-28 in the second round before their season ended at Johns Hopkins.
Salisbury University Football Returns Home
Salisbury averaged 45.25 points and 484.3 yards of total offense per game in 2025. The Sea Gulls produced 3,711 rushing yards, 54 rushing touchdowns, 2,100 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns.
Seniors Patrick Sheil and Ben Pearch, along with juniors SyRus McGowan and Dylan Lyerly, will serve as Salisbury’s 2026 team captains. Sheil and Lyerly return as defensive backs, while McGowan returns at quarterback and Dario Belizaire returns as a senior slot back.
McGowan generated 430 yards of offense and four total touchdowns in Salisbury’s 2025 season opener against Washington and Lee University. Belizaire returns to the offensive attack after a productive 2025 campaign, while Sheil and Lyerly are among the returning members of Salisbury’s defensive unit.
McDaniel College Starts 1-0
McDaniel College enters the game with a 1-0 record after defeating Catholic University 13-7 on Sept. 4. Sophomore running back Jason St. Leger recorded 103 rushing yards and one touchdown on 20 carries.
Sophomore quarterback Jayden Booker completed 11 passes for 135 yards and added 52 rushing yards in the victory. McDaniel’s defense held Catholic to seven points in the season opener.
Recent Series Favors Salisbury
Saturday’s game will be the fifth meeting between Salisbury University and McDaniel College. Salisbury has won the last three matchups, including a 62-7 victory in Westminster in 2025.
The series resumed in 2023 after the programs had not met since 1998. Salisbury won 59-20 in 2023 and 69-13 in 2024, while McDaniel College’s only series victory was a 36-17 result in 1998. Salisbury leads the all-time series 3-1.
What Comes Next for Salisbury University Football
Salisbury University remains at Sea Gull Stadium for its next two games. The Sea Gulls will host Washington and Lee University on Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. for the Joe Rotellini Era Reunion, followed by a Sept. 26 home game against Catholic University featuring Youth Day and the 40th Anniversary of the 1986 Football Team.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Salisbury University football begins the season with a home opener against a McDaniel College team that already has a victory. The Sea Gulls bring a No. 17 national ranking, a 10-2 season from 2025 and a three-game winning streak in the series.
The matchup also marks Salisbury’s return to Sea Gull Stadium for its season opener after the program last opened at home in 2024. McDaniel’s performances from Jason St. Leger and Jayden Booker provide the early-season context for the opener.
Source: Original report
