Wildcats Take on #8 Cowboys

9/15/2017 11:46:00 AM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

LIVE VIDEO (HSU)
LIVE STATS (HSU)
LIVE AUDIO (LC)

After a convincing 59-20 season opening victory over Wayland Baptist two weeks ago, the Louisiana College Wildcats return to the game field this weekend as they travel to Abilene, Texas for a date with the No. 8 team in the latest d3football.com poll, the Hardin-Simmons Cowboys. Both teams enter Saturday's matchup with 1-0 records on teh year, as the Cowboys handled Texas College last week 74-0 in their season opener. This will be the first American Southwest Conference games for both teams this season.

"Of course it's a big conference game," head coach Justin Charles said, "but we're taking it one step at a time. Hardin-Simmons is a great opponent, they're well-coached and are always going to be were they're supposed to be on the field. We're going to bring out A-game and we think they'll bring theirs, and it should be a great match."

Both teams had easy wins in their opening games of the season. the Wildcats racked up almost 500 yards of offense and scored 59 points while Hardin-Simmons flirted with 600 yards in their 74-0 pounding of Texas College last week. The biggest difference this week is that both teams will be facing a much better defensive unit than what they have seen through one game thus far this year. The experience on both defenses could play a factor, especially for the two freshmen quarterbacks that will see action during the game.

The Wildcats still plan to employ their two quarterback rotation of junior D'Ondre Joseph and freshman Wayne Griffin in the game against the Cowboys. For HSU however, they are putting all their chips in the hands of their true freshman signal caller Landry Turner, who had an impressive opener, throwing for 246 yards and four touchdowns, on 15-of-18 passing. For both teams, though, one thing will be the same, doing what they can to get the ball into the hands of their best play makers.

Held to just a single catch in week one, the Wildcats Shed Davis is poised to have a much bigger impact on the game thanks to the emergence of transfer Leondre James, who caught three touchdowns in the week one win. When you add six more experience threats both down the field and on the short to intermediate routes, whomever is taking the snaps for the Wildcats on any particular drive will have plenty to work with. Hardin-Simmons has no shortage of talent at the skill positions either, especially preseason special teams player of the year Alex Bell and all-conference receiver Reese Childress. Those two players alone accounted for 10 catches for 177 yards and three touchdowns against Texas College.

"They've got three really good players on offense, with their tail back and two receivers," Charles said. "They try and get them the ball and so we've got to be able to rally to the football, the whole game, but especially when they get their touches."

Both teams will find out plenty about the makeup of their team after this weeks game but the mantra for Coach Charles and the staff continues to be, "Just go 1-0", despite the implications of actually going 1-0 to start conference play for the second year in a row, and knock off a top 10 team in the process.

Saturday's game can be live streamed via the link provided above courtesy of Hardin-Simmons University. The game can also be heard locally and via live stream on 104.3 FM The Bridge and online at www.1043thebridge.net with Rich Dupree. You can also follow Louisiana College football on Twitter for live updates during each game at @LC_ftball.

AROUND THE ASC

THIS WEEK'S GAMES
Louisiana College vs Hardin-Simmons - Abilene, TX - 1pm
Mary Hardin-Baylor vs Linfield - McMinnville, OR - 3:30 p.m
Howard Payne vs McMurry - Abilene, TX - 6pm
Belhaven vs Texas Lutheran - Seguin, TX - 6pm
ETBU vs Southwester - Georgetown, TX - 7pm

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Fred Hover, QB, Sr., Southwestern
Southwestern University junior quarterback Fred Hover (McAllen, Texas / McAllen HS) helped engineered a new school record of 472 rushing yards with 23 carries for 134 yards and two touchdowns. He also went 9-for-14 through the air for 113 yards and another two TDs in the Pirates' 56-12 win over the War Hawks.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Ty Parsons, LB, Jr., East Texas Baptist
East Texas Baptist University junior linebacker Ty Parsons (Dallas, Texas / Dallas Christian) tallied 19 tackles – nine solo, with two for a loss of 10 yards and a sack for a loss of seven. He also forced a fumble in the Tigers' 59-17 win over Southwestern Assemblies of God.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kentavious Miller, RS, Fr., East Texas Baptist
East Texas Baptist freshman return specialist Kentavious Miller (Orange, Texas / West Orange Stark HS) returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter of the Tigers' 59-17 victory at Southwestern Assemblies of God. Miller also had a kick return of 51 yards.

Print Friendly Version