Game Week Notes 
KICKOFF
It's homecoming week as the Sul Ross State University Lobos take on the Tigers of East Texas Baptist. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Jackson Field and can be heard live on KVLF AM 1240 and at www.bigbendradio.com.
MEDIA INFORMATION
- Radio: KVLF AM 1240
- Web: http://www.bigbendradio.com
- Watch and Listen Live: https://livestream.com/srsumedia/football
- Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/sulross/football/
QUICK HITS AND RECAP
- The Lobos jumped back onto the winning track with a 52-15 ASC victory over Howard Payne last Saturday.
- Sophomore kicker Eli Lopez was perfect on PATs at 7-for-7 and booted a season-long 36-yard field goal.
- East Texas Baptist is fresh off a 65-38 thumping of Louisiana College in Marshall.
- ETBU graduate student kicker Ryan Travis hit a pair of field goals and was 8-for-9 on extra points in the Tigers' win over the Wildcats.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS (from ETBU sports info.)
- ETBU had a day offensively as they gained 776 yards of total offense in a 65-38 victory over Louisiana College.
- Brian Baca shattered a school record with 659 passing yards and seven touchdown passes. This break's the previous record of 530 passing yards and six touchdown passes held by Dru Smith who also broke it against Louisiana College last year.
- Richard Johnson had nine receptions for 197 yards and two touchdowns while JaQuavian Dabbs added seven receptions for 144 yards.
- Defensively, Ty Parsons and Caleb Taylor led the way with 17 and 14 tackles total with Taylor forcing a fumble. Zackary Biles and Dylan Bowman would each have an interception in the game.
- Parsons now has 108 tackles on the year and is the second year in a row for 100 or more tackles. He needs just 15 tackles to become the single season record holder as Greg Washington posted 122 tackles in 2003.
SERIES HISTORY
- The Tigers lead the all-time series with the Lobo, 12-3.
- In their first meeting in 2000, Sul Ross claimed a 40-21 victory in Marshall.
LAST MEETING (Nov. 12, 2016)
- It took ten years to accomplish but the Sul Ross State University football team finished the season with a winning record as the Lobos claimed a 47-18 bruising of host East Texas Baptist at Ornelas Stadium last season.
- Sul Ross dominated the running game with 306 yards and held ETBU to 103. The Lobos finished the day with 524 yards of total offense while the Tigers tallied 331.
- James Davis completed 16 of 29 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns.
- Adrion Smith netted 138 yards rushing off of 25 carries and a score.
- Jeremy Reed led receivers with eight catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.
- Defensively Zack Roberson accounted for a team-leading seven tackles with two sacks and a breakup. Both of Roberson's sacks were for a loss of 14 yards.
SUL ROSS TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL NOTES (vs. HPU)
- Sul Ross amassed a season-high 517 yards while Howard Payne tallied 413 in a 52-15 Lobo victory.
- The Yellow Jackets outperformed the Lobos in rushing yards by a 350-306 margin.
- Andre Wilson rushed 12 times for 131 yards and a touchdown..
- Davis completed seven of 16 passes for 120 yards.
- Marcus Montez grabbed a pair of receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown.
- Jacques Wisner registered a team-high eight tackles (4 solo/4 assist).
- Matthew Vasquez and Levah Terry sported a sack each.
- Sarkeithian Thomas, Derrick Winters, Zack Roberson and Sir Daniel
- Turner posted a breakup each. Jakorey Richard notched an interception.
- Eli Lopez was perfect on PAT's at 7-for-7.
AROUND THE ASC
Texas Lutheran at Howard Payne, 1:00 PM-Brownwood*
Southwestern at No. 5 Hardin-Simmons, 1:30 PM-Abilene*
No. 1 Mary Hardin-Baylor at McMurry, 2:00 PM-Abilene*
East Texas Baptist at Sul Ross St., 6:00 PM-Alpine*
Louisiana College at Belhaven, 6:00 PM-Jackson, Ms.*
*ASC game
CONFERENCE RECAP
No. 1 Mary Hardin-Baylor-45, Belhaven-7
BELTON- The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team exploded for 28 second-quarter points and never looked back as the top-ranked Cru rolled to a 45-7 victory over Belhaven University Saturday in Belton.
No. 5 Hardin-Simmons-33, Texas Lutheran-30
SEGUIN– Dedrick Strambler intercepted a Texas Lutheran pass with 1:27 to play to seal a 33-30 American Southwest Conference win at Bulldog Stadium on Saturday afternoon in Seguin.
East Texas-68, Louisiana College-35
MARSHALL- A record-breaking day for the offense was just what the East Texas Baptist University football team needed as they took care of business against the Louisiana College Wildcats, 68-35, retaining "the Claw."
QUOTES FROM COACH JOHN PEARCE
ON GETTING BACK INTO THE WIN COLUMN: Howard Payne is a young but growing football team. They're going to be a better football team in two to three seasons if they just stick together. On paper, we matched up pretty well with them. We stalled a little after our first two scores but I liked how our guys bounced back in the third quarter and put things out of reach. We're still giving up way too many yards on the rush and that is really disconcerting against a young bunch like we faced last Saturday. We were able to play a lot of people in the fourth quarter. We had some of our younger guys get some reps on our defensive line. Offensively, we ran the ball early and were able to make some big plays in our passing game in the second half. Overall, it's a good win. In this conference, you have to cherish every victory and keep building.
ON TACKLING IN THE OPEN FIELD: There were times we looked impressive and other times not so much. It's really a consistency issue. We've worked on that during some of our live segments but there is definitely room to improve.
ON REBUILDING TEAM CONFIDENCE: As a coach, you can only hope that a win like last week will help us establish momentum, especially against a team like East Texas Baptist. James [Davis] was unhappy with his performance last week but that's the kind of internal motivation you love to see in your players, especially in the veterans. But things really take shape in the film room. Are we learning from our mistakes? Are we continuing to get better as a team and as individuals? Are we looking for ways to improve on technique? And even on the practice field, are the players trying to improve not only their own game but are they helping their teammates to get better?
ON ELI LOPEZ HITTING 7-FOR-7 ON PATs: You can't say enough about how Eli has helped with our kicking game. Four years ago, we were happy just to convert an extra point kick. Now, it's expected. He had our in-house special teams player of the week. He's only missed two field goals all season and he's perfect on PATs so it's nice to know that we now have the ability to rely on our special teams to help add points to the board.
ON PLAYING TWO HOME GAMES IN A ROW: We've have two very good programs coming to town this week and next. We've had great home atmospheres in our previous two home games so hopefully our players can step things up and give our fans something to get behind and support.
THOUGHTS ON THE OFFENSE AGAINST HPU: I think we ran the ball well for the most part. Andre [Wilson] had a great game for us. He's never really been a star back but has served us well as a role player. Coach Card is a former offensive lineman so he's going to try to establish the run. I'm happy with that because it's possible to still succeed in this conference by running the ball. So if we can build momentum with the running game, it usually helps other aspects like our play action and throwing the ball later in the game.
THOUGHTS ON ETBU: Two years ago we played them in our homecoming game and we could not stop their hurry up offense. Last year we went to their place and they could not get a first down. So I look for a good, physical matchup. They haven't slowed down a bit. They put up over 60-points last week and they have one of the best quarterbacks in the conference. We need to pressure the quarterback and make tackles in the open field. Our linebackers need to make some big stops and take pressure off our backfield. Offensively, we need to control the clock and move the ball with some long, sustained drives. They also have a very good punt returner so we're going to have to contain him. We're just going to have to bring a total package Saturday night and not make mistakes.
