Jan. 22, 2010

Center Valley, Pa. - Colgate wide receiver Pat Simonds and Fordham quarterback John Skelton will put their talents on display for NFL scouts and a national television audience when they play in the 85th East-West Shrine Game at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando on Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPN2.

Only two Patriot Leaguers have ever participated in the East-West Shrine Game before this season: Lehigh's Adam Bergen (2004) and Holy Cross' Gordie Lockbaum (1987).

The East-West Shrine Game is longest-running college all-star football game in the country and features some of the highest-rated players in the projected NFL draft ranking. In April 2009, 90 percent of players from the 84th East-West Shrine Game (played on Jan. 17, 2009) were either drafted or signed as free agents by NFL clubs. A total of 307 East-West Shrine Game alumni were on 2009 NFL opening-day rosters.

Simonds and Skelton will both play on the East squad, where they will participate under the tutelage of former NFL head coach Romeo Crennel. They are two of only six players from Football Championship Subdivision schools that have been selected to play in the game. The Patriot League is one of three FCS conferences that is represented in the Shrine Game.

Simonds finished the regular season with 66 catches for 1,012 yards and 14 touchdowns. His touchdown mark was one off the Patriot League single-season record, and broke the previous Colgate mark held by Tom Stenglein, who caught 13 touchdowns in 1985. Simonds earned consecutive First-Team All-Patriot League honors in the past two seasons. He closes his career with 171 receptions for 2,797 yards and 28 touchdowns, which is tied for third in League history.

Skelton led the nation with 337.09 passing yards per game in 2009, and his 3,709 passing yards are the fourth-best single-season mark in League history. Skelton completed 64.4 percent of his passes with 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and also had five rushing touchdowns. He ranked second in the nation with 348.2 yards of total offense per game. Skelton is second in Patriot League history in passing yards and total offense, and in the top five in completions, attempts, touchdown passes and touchdowns responsible for.

While the teams are divided by East and West, the players come together for the beneficiary of the event, Shriners Hospitals for Children, an international pediatric specialty health care system.

For more information on the Shrine Game, including full rosters for Saturday's contest, click here