SAN ANGELO, TX — The Angelo State Rams’ goal of winning the Lone Star Conference will face its first big test Saturday when they travel to play defending LSC champ UT Permian Basin.
UTPB ran the table last year to win the conference, which included a 28-23 win over ASU in San Angelo.
UTPB has already stumbled this year with a loss to Texas A&M-Kingsville — along with a nonconference loss to Colorado State-Pueblo — so the Falcons likely view this as a must-win game.
ASU began the year with back-to-back losses, but has bounced back with a 2-0 start in LSC play to revive its hopes.
This game has the feel of a make-or-break matchup for both teams.
“You know it’ll be a good football game. That’s what it comes down to,” ASU head coach Jeff Girsch said. “It’ll be exciting. It’ll be a matchup of two good football teams, and you’ll see a great football game on Saturday.”
The game is set for 6 p.m. Saturday at Astound Broadband Stadium in Midland.
The matchup to watch may be UTPB’s wide receivers against ASU’s secondary. In particular, last year’s conference Receiver of the Year, Jeremiah Cooley, taking on the Rams’ All-American cornerback, Andrew Pitts, should be an awesome battle.
Pitts broke ASU’s program record with his 19th career interception two weeks ago against Western New Mexico.
“They’re the best group of wide receivers we’re going to see all year, hands down,” Girsch said. “Having a guy like Andrew in the back end helps, but it’ll have to be more than Andrew this week. They have four or five guys they roll out there, and they’re all very capable players, so it’s going to take a group effort across the board.”
Girsch said UTPB’s “mammoth” defensive line will also be a problem, though ASU’s offensive line is one of the Rams’ strengths.
ASU is coming off a bye week following its 21-0 win over Western New Mexico, giving the Rams an extra week of preparation and a chance to get healthy.
“I’ve said that I hate bye weeks in the past, but we needed it,” Girsch said. “ We’ve got a couple D linemen that have been out the last couple weeks that we’re hoping to get back this week. We’ll see how it goes. But overall health-wise, I think we’re in good shape.”
This will be the Rams’ fourth road game this season, while they’ve had only one home game.
If they can come away with a win Saturday, they’ll set themselves up for a favorable finishing schedule with four of their last six games at home.
ASU will host Texas A&M-Kingsville next week at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12.
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