After a week off, the Sul Ross State football team returns to the gridiron, still in the hunt for that first win over a Division II opponent.

The Lobos make the trip to Wichita Falls, Texas, to take on the Midwestern State Mustangs for a 7 p.m. CST kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 12 at Memorial Stadium.

>> HEAD TO HEAD:

Sul Ross State is 6-6 all-time against the Mustangs.

The series began on Nov. 23, 1946, as Midwestern State won the first meeting in Alpine, Texas.

Both teams did not meet again until Sept. 17, 1988. The Lobos notched two wins over the Mustangs in 1988.

Midwestern State has won three of the last four meetings.

The Lobos last played the Mustangs on Oct. 26, 1996, as they won a barn-burner at Jackson Field, 14-13.

It's been 29 years since the Lobos last traveled to Midwestern State. The Mustangs won the last meeting in Wichita Falls by a score of 28-0.

>> SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS:

• Midwestern State suffered a 40-13 loss to Texas A&M-Kingsville last week.
• The Mustangs have dropped their last two contests, also losing to UT Permian Basin, 27-3.
• Head coach Rich Renner was elevated to lead the program in December 2023 after spending the last 18 years on the coaching staff as a defensive line coach and defensive coordinator.
• The Mustangs began the year 2-1 with wins over Missouri Southern and Eastern New Mexico.
• Sophomore quarterback Andrew Knebel has played in three games, compiling 289 passing yards and two touchdowns.
• Junior running back Devin Cross leads the rushing attack with 392 yards on 52 carries with two touchdowns.
• Last week against Texas A&M-Kingsville, the Mustangs had 257 passing yards and 304 total yards of offense.
• Knebel threw two touchdowns while completing 18 of 41 passes for 257 yards.
• The ground attack was held to 47 yards.
• Sophomore wide receiver Demonte Green caught two touchdowns last week as he finished with four catches for 93 yards.
• Junior wide receiver Arabia Bradford Jr. leads the corps with 223 receiving yards.
• Senior safety Larry Donnell has 36 total tackles and 26 solo tackles to lead the defense.

>> AROUND THE LONE STAR CONFERENCE:

In the top 25: No. 7 Central Washington

LSC standings:

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

This week's LSC schedule:

• Eastern New Mexico at Western Oregon (3:05 p.m.)
• Texas A&M-Kingsville at Angelo State (6 p.m.)
• Western New Mexico at West Texas A&M (7 p.m.)
• UT Permian Basin at Central Washington (8 p.m.)

LSC scores from last week:

• Western Oregon 34, Western New Mexico 10
• Angelo State 36, UT Permian Basin 7
• Texas A&M-Kingsville 40, Midwestern State 13
• Central Washington 44, Eastern New Mexico 28

>> GOLDEN TUMBLEWEED:

With homecoming festivities beginning next week, a new rivalry has been created.

Next week's game against Western New Mexico will now be the battle for the golden tumbleweed trophy.



The Lobos and Western New Mexico first met in 1949. Sul Ross State is 7-15 against the Mustangs.

Sul Ross State's long-standing rivalry with McMurry came to an end last fall as the War Hawks won the final meeting, regaining possession of the battle for I-20 trophy. The so-called rivalry dated back to 1923.

>> THE LOBOS:

• Sul Ross State has the second-best passing offense in the LSC with 1,223 yards.
• The Lobos also rank fourth in the LSC in offensive efficiency with a rating of 135.6
• Andrew Martinez ranks second in passing with 1,021 yards and 10 touchdowns.
• Martinez is fourth in the LSC in total offense with 1,128 yards.
• Yamil Oaxaca leads the LSC in receiving with 31 catches for 379 yards and five touchdowns.
• Oaxaca is also second in the LSC with 630 all-purpose yards.
• Austin Ogunmakin ranks fifth in the LSC with 312 receiving yards.
• Quincy Blair is second in the LSC with 52 total tackles and 37 solo tackles.
• Brendon Martin is sixth in the LSC with 39 total tackles while Tamirr Bullock is ninth with 33 total tackles.

GAME INFO
WHO: Sul Ross State at Midwestern State
WHEN: 7 p.m. CST (Saturday, Oct. 12)
WHERE: Memorial Stadium
HOW TO WATCH: FloSports
LIVE STATS: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=530321