After a bye week, the Sul Ross State football team returns to the gridiron this Saturday for a road matchup against the defending NCAA Division III national champion University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders.
The Crusaders enter the game ranked No. 4 in the nation by both the American Football Coaches Association and d3football.com.
>> HEAD TO HEAD: The Crusaders are 21-0 against the Lobos since 1998. The matchup hasn't been competitive since the 1998 and 1999 seasons.
Back in 1999, the Lobos held a 15-7 lead before UMHB scored nine points in the third quarter to edge out Sul Ross 16-15 at Jackson Field.
The Lobos managed to have more total yards of offense than the Crusaders (319-299).
A year before that, Sul Ross scored 15 points in the fourth quarter to lose a nail-biter, 28-25.
UMHB has averaged 56.7 points against the Lobos since 2000. In the last five meetings, the Crusaders have outscored Sul Ross, 335-64.
>> THE CRUSADERS: UMHB has been on a roll since losing in Week 2 to No. 3 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Last week the Crusaders extended their win streak to five with a 45-16 win over Texas Lutheran.
UMHB has averaged 44.4 points per game while allowing an average 15 points. So far, the Cru offense has outscored opponents 311-105.
Quarterback Kyle King ranks seventh in the nation in passing yards (1,863). King has completed 130 of 191 passes while he has thrown 23 touchdowns without allowing an interception.
One of King's top targets is K.J. Miller, who enters the game with 41 receptions, 582 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
Receivers Brandon Jordan and Jerry Day Jr. have a combined 745 receiving yards with 10 touchdowns.
Alphonso Thomas leads the UMHB rushing attack with 95 carries for 535 yards and five touchdowns.
Defensively, the Crusaders have tallied six interceptions, 10 sacks, 14 pass breakups and 56 tackles for loss.
Linebacker Durand Hill has been at the head of the defense, recording 57 total tackles, 30 solo tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss.
>> THE LOBOS: Their record might not be an indicator, but the Lobos currently have the seventh-best passing offense in NCAA Division III.
Sul Ross has 1,978 total passing yards and 17 touchdowns. The Lobos are only 218 yards behind the nation's leader, Hampden-Sydney.
The Lobos have the fourth-best offense in the American Southwest Conference while they have the second-best passing offense behind Howard Payne.
Austin Ogunmakin ranks as the second-best receiver in the conference with 520 receiving yards.
Linebacker
Ronin Williams is now tied for the nation's lead in solo tackles with 51 alongside Albright's Sam Viera.
Williams still continues the lead conference in solo and total tackles. He also ranks third in tackles for loss.
>> CONFERENCE OUTLOOK:
>> ASC STANDINGS:
- Howard Payne 6-1 (5-0)
- Mary Hardin-Baylor 6-1 (5-0)
- Hardin-Simmons 5-1 (3-1)
- Sul Ross State 2-4 (2-2)
- East Texas Baptist 2-4 (2-3)
- Southwestern 2-4 (1-3)
- Texas Lutheran 2-4 (1-3)
- McMurry 1-6 (1-4)
- Austin 0-6 (0-4)
>> LAST WEEK'S SCORES:
- McMurry 24, Austin 21
- Mary Hardin-Baylor 45, Texas Lutheran 16
- Howard Payne 48, Southwestern 17
- Hardin-Simmons 27, East Texas Baptist 7
GAME DAY INFO
WHO: Sul Ross at Mary Hardin-Baylor
WHERE: Crusader Stadium in Belton, Texas
WHEN: 1 p.m. CST, Saturday, Oct. 22
LIVESTREAM/LIVE STATS LINK: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/umhb/
