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After a solid first quarter in their road contest last week against Belhaven University, the Louisiana College football team was bitten by the turnover bug on multiple occasions. Six total in the games final three quarters, including a stretch of three consecutive drives giving the ball back to the Blazers led to a 63-46 defeat. The Wildcats return to Pineville this week for their final home game of the season and take on the defending Division III National Champion and current #1 team in the country the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Kickoff is scheduled for 1pm with senior day festivities set to begin at approximately 12:30 pm.

Despite a career day for freshman quarterback Wayne Griffin, who threw for 384 yards and five touchdowns, adding another on the ground, the turnovers the Wildcats committed in the game prevented further scoring chances and put the defense in extremely difficult scenarios throughout the game. LC still finished with more than 500 yards of offense, for the third time this season, and rank just out of the top half of the conference in total yards with an impressive 447.5 output per game. Their sixth straight game with 30 or more points leaves them at fourth in the ASC in points per game at 37.1.

Against Belhaven, Doriel Yeager got his third interception of the season, tying him with Orel Ledet Jr. for the team lead and fellow corner Willie Smith added two more pass breakups to his conference best 18 on the season. With only one interception this year, Smith has broken up 17 total passes to opposing receivers, the second hight total in Division III. With 2.0 sacks last week, senior defensive end Cade Maxwell moved into second place in school history in that category with 17.0, needing just 3.5 to break the LC sack record held by Phil Ford.

The Wildcat offense has their work cut out for them against the Cru defense this year. Mary Hardin-Baylor has only allowed five touchdowns this season and are holding teams to 173.8 yards per game, the lowest number in the country and one of just two teams holding opponents under 200 yards of offense per game. No team has gained over 300 yards in a game against UMHB, with Southwesten getting the closest at 290 total yards at the end of September.

The Cru are led offensively by running back Markeith Miller who has 615 rushing yards this season, fourth in the ASC with only a 76.9 per game average. On the outside, UMHB does not have a receiver that ranks in the top 10 in either receptions or yards per game this year. Their top catch guy is Bryce Wilkerson with 32 grabs and 394 yards, but T.J. Josey leads the team in yards at 454, a 56.8 per game average.

This will be the 18th meeting all-time between the Wildcats and the Cru, with Mary Hardin-Baylor holding a perfect 17-0 record against the Wildcats. In last year's season finale in Belton, the Cru defense was dominant for four quarters, holding the potent LC offense to just a single first half touchdown. The stout defensive front held then ASC leading rushed Aurren Cooksey to just 14 total yards rushing in the game. Easton Melancon threw for 332 yards, giving him enough to eclipse 10,000 yards for his career, becoming just the second quarterback in school history to reach that mark.

The closest the Wildcats have ever come to defeating UMHB was during the 2010 season, a 42-38 final in Pineville. Current offensive coordinator Ben McLaughlin threw for 368 yards and five touchdowns, completing over half of his 30 passes to Jordan Rideaux and Darnell Williams for all five scores and 267 total yards. LC had the ball 4th-and-2 at the Cru three yard line with less than a minute remaining in the game. Down by four, the Wildcats were forced to go for the touchdown and potentially their first win over Mary Hardin-Baylor. McLaughlin's pass was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback allowing the Cru to kneel the ball and run the final seconds off the clock.

The parking lot between the stadium and Cottingham Hall is reserved for season ticket holders, LC Board of Visitor members, and LC trustees. General parking is available throughout campus on a first come, first serve basis. Gates open one hour before kickoff and general admission tickets are available for $10 or $8 for non-LC students, children 12 and under get in for free. Reserved chair back seats are also available for purchase at the gate for $25. Senior recognition will begin at approximately 12:30 pm, prior to kickoff..

Saturday's game will be live streamed under the supervision of Mr. Jeff Young by students in the Louisiana College Convergence Media Department. The game can also be heard live on 104.3 FM "The Bridge" with the voice of LC football Rich Dupree, along with Doug Gann and Al Quartemont. Pregame coverage begins at 12:30.


QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH JUSTIN CHARLES

ON PLAYING THE #1 TEAM IN THE COUNTRY...We have no pressure on us. And that's what I've told the guys. All eyes are going to be on this game because when you look at the scores after Saturday Mary Hardin-Baylor is the first one you see. We've just go to come out and perform to the best of our ability. I've said and the guys have said it multiple times this week that this is a challenge, a great challenge. If you want to be the best, you want to see what the best looks like and compete against them.

ON THE MAKEUP OF UMHB...There's no secret that they're the best team in the country. Defensively they're a great football team, offensively they do some things that are very methodical and make you think why and then you eventually see the point. They make a lot of plays on special teams too, and we can't allow any of those things to happen. 

ON THE SENIOR CLASS...It's bittersweet with these guys, they've worked hard on the field, in the classroom, and been staples in the community. I'm more excited about what these guys have to contribute in life down the road. These are guys that lead in the classroom, we've got some great spiritual leaders in this class, they lead on the field verbally and with their actions. They're an amazing, tight-knit group that have poured so much into Louisiana College football during their time. One of our mottos is 'Leave it better than you found it' and I believe these guys have done that not only with this program but their teammates and this school.

AROUND THE ASC

THIS WEEK'S GAMES
Belhaven vs #5 Hardin-Simmons - Abilene, TX - 1pm
Mary Hardin-Baylor vs Louisiana College - Pineville, LA - 1pm
Howard Payne vs Southwestern - Georgetown, TX - 1pm
McMurry vs East Texas Baptist - Marshall, TX - 2pm
Texas Lutheran vs Sul Ross State - Alpine, TX - 6pm

WEEK 9 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Hunter McEachern, QB, So., Belhaven
Belhaven University sophomore quarterback Hunter McEachern (Keller, Texas / Keller HS) broke two school records in the Blazers' 63-46 win over Louisiana College. He led the offense to 681 yards of total offense while throwing 32-of-53 for 501 yards and a record seven touchdowns. He also rushed for 45 yards and a score.

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Markeith Miller, RB, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor junior running back Markeith Miller (Garland, Texas / Garland HS) set a single-game school record with five rushing touchdowns as the top-ranked Cru defeated McMurry 62-0. Miller finished with 69 yards on 10 carries and sat out most of the second half.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Justis Kelly, LB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
Mary Hardin-Baylor senior linebacker Justis Kelly (Lovelady, Texas / Lovelady HS) tallied four tackles, three solo, as the top-ranked Cru limited McMurry to just four first downs, nine rushing yards and 70 yards of total offense in their 62-0 victory. Kelly also returned an interception for a 42-yard touchdown.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – John Mowery, K, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
Mary Hardin-Baylor senior kicker John Mowery (Cedar Park, Texas / Leander HS) scored 11 points in the top-ranked Cru's 62-0 victory over McMurry. He was 8-of-8 on extra point attempts and hit a 29-yard field goal to win ASC Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time in his career.