WORCESTER, Mass. — The Holy Cross football team opens up their season with five really tough non-league games, they have already played four of them, URI, UNH, Bryant and Yale. They cap it all off this Saturday at Syracuse.

It’s a brutal stretch but one of the Crusaders welcomes it, and feels it will get them ready for Patriot League play.

“Yeah you want this, for our conference you want these five hard games,” said RB Jayden Clerveaux. “These build us up for the upcoming conference games. These five games will build our confidence for the Patriot League games.”

“I obviously like the challenge,” said DL Kevin Gillis. “You have to bring your ‘A’ game every week and I think that’s going to help, especially when we get into conference play.”

“Yeah starting off with five hard games is always an experience,” said LB Cam Santee. “But I feel it gets us acclimated for the rest of the season. You don’t want a cake walk going into Patriot League play.”

Holy Cross is at Syracuse Saturday at noon.