The 2023 football season is now down to its final two weeks for Sul Ross State University.

On Saturday, Nov. 4, the Lobos step out onto Jackson Field for the final time this season with a 1 p.m. CST kickoff with Howard Payne University for homecoming.

>> HEAD TO HEAD:

The series dates back to 1927. Howard Payne is 49-22 all-time versus the Lobos.

After the first meeting, the Lobos and Yellow Jackets met from 1954 to 1975 before the series went on a 12-year hiatus.

Both programs reconnected in 1987 and have met 36 straight times.

Last season the Lobos dropped a 56-42 shootout to Howard Payne at Jackson Field on Oct. 1.

Sul Ross State hasn't defeated Howard Payne since Oct. 20, 2018. The Lobos held on for a 28-27 victory as Williton Grear scored an 18-yard touchdown to break a 21-21 tie with 9:20 in the third quarter.

Grear went on to score two touchdowns in the contest as he rushed for 112 yards.

Howard Payne has averaged 53.2 points in the last four meetings.

>> THE YELLOW JACKETS:

Howard Payne has the best offense in the American Southwest Conference that features the eighth-best quarterback in NCAA Division III.

The Yellow Jackets began the season 3-0, which included a dominating 85-0 win over Lyon College.

Howard Payne suffered a competitive loss to nationally-ranked Hardin-Simmons, 40-33, and was up ended by McMurry, 45-21.

Last week, the Yellow Jackets edged out Texas Lutheran, 31-27. Howard Payne broke a 24-24 tie with 9:05 left in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

Quarterback Landon McKinney tossed three touchdowns while tallying 450 yards.

McKinney leads the conference with 2,428 passing yards and 19 touchdowns.

Howard Payne has the best total offense in the conference with 3,686 yards. The Yellow Jackets also top the conference in scoring offense averaging 36.5 points per game along with passing offense and offensive efficiency.

The Yellow Jackets also boast two receivers that are in the top three in the conference.

Gus Charles and Jordan Carroll have combined for 1,523 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. Charles ranks second in the conference with 47 catches for 820 yards.

Safety Korey "K.J." Kelley ranks second in the conference with 73 total tackles.

>> FAMILIAR FACES:

Howard Payne offensive coordinator Brad Wilson spent time at Sul Ross State in 2022 as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

Wilson helped the Lobos obtain the conference's best passing offense.

Terrell Sims also spent time in Alpine, Texas during the 2022 campaign as the receivers' coach and passing game coordinator.

Sims now serves as an assistant coach at Howard Payne overseeing the receivers.

Former Lobo offensive lineman James White is serving as a graduate assistant coach with Howard Payne. White served as a graduate assistant last season at Sul Ross State as he worked with the tight ends.

Charles played in all 10 games with Sul Ross State last season as a wide receiver as he had 300 yards and 24 catches.

>> NO RADIO:

There will be no radio broadcast for this weekend's game due to bigbendradio.com covering the area round volleyball match between Alpine High School and Friona on Saturday in Roscoe, Texas.

>> STUDENT SPIRIT:

The Black Student Association is having its final theme day.

• Spirit Day

>> HOMECOMING:

The Lobos are 6-5 on homecoming since 2011.

Sul Ross State defeated McMurry, 33-27, last season as the Lobos came from behind when Korbin Covarrubiaz threw what ended up being the game-winning 10-yard touchdown with 28 seconds in the fourth quarter.

This will be the fourth time since 2012 where the Lobos take on Howard Payne for homecoming.

>> THIS AND THAT:

• The Lobo offense is sixth in the ASC in total offense with 2,536 yards.
• Sul Ross State ranks fourth in the conference in rushing with 911 yards and fifth in passing with 1,625 yards.
• The Lobos are second in the ASC in passing defense with nine interceptions.
• Sul Ross State's 21 sacks rank third in the conference.
• Jade Rios continues to lead the ASC in total tackles with 83 and solo tackles with 51.
• Jayden Floyd is 10th in the conference with seven tackles for loss.
• Dayln Dunbar and Lorenzo Fowler are sixth and seventh in the ASC in sacks with 4.5 and four, respectively.
• Alec Garcia is tied for first in the conference with 10 passes defended while Evian Thompson is eighth with seven passes defended and six pass breakups.
• Rodd Hudson III is seventh in the conference in rushing with 101 carries for 298 yards.
• Andrew Martinez ranks fourth in the conference in passing with 1,324 yards and 10 touchdowns.
• Martinez is third in total offense in the ASC with 1,569 yards.
• Isaiah Pena has 471 receiving yards to rank sixth in the conference.
• Carlos Arreola is seventh in scoring in the ASC with 45 points. He leads the conference with eight made field goals.
• Chris Ruiz ranks fourth in the conference in punting with 1,433 yards. He has had seven punts land inside the 20 and three punts go over 50 yards.
• Bobby Williams is fourth in the ASC in kickoff returns with 293 yards and one touchdown.
• Vicente Luevano ranks fourth in the conference with 96 punt return yards. He is also eighth in all-purpose yards with 598.

>> LONE STAR CONFERENCE ACTION:

With Sul Ross State transitioning to NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference in 2024, here's how the LSC has been shaping up this season.

Rising to No. 18 in the American Football Coaches Association coaches' poll, the University of Texas-Permian Basin has won seven games in a row to remain undefeated in conference play.

The Falcons defeated Western Oregon, 28-16, last Saturday at Astound Broadband Stadium in Midland, Texas.

Central Washington is the only other team to sport an undefeated record in conference play. Last week it defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville, 21-17.

Here are the updated LSC standings:

• UT-Permian Basin (8-1, 6-0)
• Central Washington (7-2, 7-0)
• Angelo State (5-3, 4-2)
• Texas A&M-Kingsville (5-3, 3-3)
• Midwestern State (4-4, 3-3)
• Western Oregon (3-6, 2-4)
• West Texas A&M (3-6, 2-5)
• Eastern New Mexico (4-5, 1-5)
• Western New Mexico (1-7, 0-6)

>> NEWS FROM AROUND THE ASC:

Hardin-Simmons dethroned Mary Hardin-Baylor last week to take sole possession of first place in the conference.

Here are the scores from last week:

• Hardin-Simmons 24, Mary Hardin-Baylor 14
• McMurry 51, Austin College 13
• Howard Payne 31, Texas Lutheran 27

Here are the updated standings:

• Hardin-Simmons (7-1, 4-0)
• East Texas Baptist (5-3, 3-1)
• Mary Hardin-Baylor (4-4, 3-1)
• Howard Payne (6-2, 3-2)
• McMurry (4-4, 2-3)
• Texas Lutheran (1-7, 0-4)
• Austin College (1-7, 0-4)

GAME INFO
>> WHO: Howard Payne (6-2) vs. Sul Ross State (3-5)
>> WHEN: 1 p.m. CST (Saturday, Nov. 4)
>> WHERE: Jackson Field | Alpine, Texas | 204 S. Cockrell St.
>> LIVE STATS: https://srlobos.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
>> LIVESTREAM: https://boxcast.tv/view/lobo-football-vs-howard-payne-opqpej4q1aeg6mxekghi?_gl=1*rujq0g*_ga*MTg5ODM4ODc2NC4xNjk3MTI4NjQ3*_ga_PXBBF7HVWQ*MTY5NzY1MjIzOS4xOC4xLjE2OTc2NTMxNjguMC4wLjA
>> TICKETS: https://srlobos.com/sports/2021/8/27/hometown-tickets-page.aspx