PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University football program impressed while retaining the Border Claw for another season and will look to build off that momentum when the Arkansas Baptist Buffaloes stampede into Pineville for the Sooner Athletic Conference opener.
 
The theme for this weekend's matchup is an ORANGE OUT, encouraging all fans in attendance to wear their brightest orange attire, and First Responders Appreciation Night whereas all first responders along with their families that present a valid ID will receive free admission to the contest.

Know Before You Go:
 

• Time & Date
  • September 9 (6 p.m.)

 

• Watch
  • https://www.lcwildcats.net/sports/2017/11/21/boxcast-stream.aspx (Wildcats Sports Network)

 

• Listen
  • https://streamdb8web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/kezp& (104.3 The Bridge)

 

• Live Stats
  • http://naiastats.prestosports.com/sports/fball/2023-24/boxscores/20230909_xgel.xml

 

• Tickets
  • https://www.lcwildcats.net/sports/2021/8/18/hometown-ticketing-page.aspx

 

• Records
  • (RV) Louisiana Christian (1-0, 0-0 Sooner)
  • Arkansas Baptist (0-1, 0-0 Sooner)

 

• Location
  • Pineville, Louisiana – Wildcat Field

 

• Series History
  • Louisiana Christian Leads 1-0 (100%)

 

• Last Meeting
  • October 8, 2022 | Louisiana Christian 42, Arkansas Baptist 14 | Pineville, Louisiana (Wildcat Field) | 2012 NCAA Playoff 10-Year Celebration

 

• Winning Streak
  • Louisiana Christian (W1) | Arkansas Baptist's Last Win: N/A

 
(RV) Louisiana Christian Wildcats:
 

• The Cats are riding the longest win streak among all four-year colleges in the state of Louisiana at seven straight and have won ten consecutive games inside the friendly confines of Wildcat Field.

 

• The offense ranks seventh in yards per carry (6.9), tenth in rushing yards per game (284.0), 12th in first downs per game (25.0), and 25th in total rushing yards (284), with the final ranking even more impressive by the fact that 18 of the 25 teams slotted ahead of them have played an extra game.

 

• Sal Palermo III was accurate and efficient versus ETBU, completing 70.6% of his passes (12-of-17) for a 134.8 efficiency rating, ranking seventh and 22nd across the NAIA, respectively, while also punching in a pair of scores on the ground. He also passed for 130 yards.

 

• The backfield has not one, but two running backs in the top-25 for rushing yards per contest as Daylon Charles slots at 14th (113.0) and Devin Briscoe comes in at 22nd (101.0), only one of two squads that can boast a pair of 100+ yard rushers on average (Cumberland-Tennessee is the other).

 

• Charles was a big play machine for Offensive Coordinator David Feaster, knocking out an average of 12.6 yards per carry, the second-highest average behind only Aaron Bennett of Olivet Nazarene (14.4).

 

• The defense was just as dominant last Thursday, holding the Tigers to just 14 points and 151 passing yards, both top-20 marks in the NAIA. They also land among the top-15 nationwide regarding total tackles (80) plus sacks (5).

 

• The RRAC Defensive Player of the Week is back to wreak more havoc as Andre Reed secured seven tackles and is 33rd in sacks (1.5) on top of 50th for tackles for loss (2.5).

 

• Kelan Bougere joins "Bubba" in the sack department with 1.5 as well while Kavin Touriac sports the same amount of TFLs (2.5).

 

• Leading all tacklers were the dynamic duo of Logan Brimmer and Ernest Simon who snagged eight apiece with Reed (7), Touriac (7), and Bougere (6) all nabbing at least a half-dozen.

 

• An often-overlooked facet of gameday is the special teams unit where field goal kicker Levi Hilborn, who received one vote for Louisiana's Special Teams Player of the Week, after drilling a pair of field goals from 35 and 27 yards out, on top of all four of his PAT tries.

 
Arkansas Baptist Buffaloes:
 

• Things did not go as planned for ABC in week one, falling by a score of 66-0 at FCS Houston Christian last Saturday. This week's matchup will be the first game in their program's history to be affiliated with a conference as they were in the NJCAA and then an NAIA Independent before joining the Sooner as an associate member this past summer.

 

• The Buffaloes from Little Rock showcase a ground-and-pound offense with six different student-athletes toting the rock at least three times versus the Huskies with Chance Cross and Semaj Peele averaging 5.9 yards per rush over seven attempts.

 

• Arkansas Baptist did pounce on a pair of fumbles by HCU, resulting in an even turnover differential with Anthony Island III being a disruptor with a pair of sacks.

 

• Defensively, there were some bright spots as they managed seven tackles for loss and three QB takedowns as Hollis McCuien led The Herd in total tackles at eight.

 
Follow the football program on Facebook (@LCUWildcatsFootball), Twitter/X (@LCU_Ftball) and Instagram (@LCU_Ftball).
 
Follow the Wildcats on Facebook (@LCUAthletics), Twitter/X (@LCU_Wildcats) and Instagram (@LCU_Wildcats).