SAN ANGELO, TX — The Angelo State Rams and Central Washington Wildcats have been on a collision course all season.
The two football teams were picked to go 1-2 in the Lone Star Conference preseason poll, and that’s exactly where they stand heading into their showdown at 6 p.m. Saturday at LeGrand Stadium at 1st Community Credit Union Field.
Preseason favorite Central Washington is ranked No. 17 in the nation in NCAA Division II, but the Wildcats are in second place in conference after they slipped up with a one-point loss to UT Permian Basin
ASU is unranked, but the Rams are undefeated in conference play and can take a huge step toward winning the LSC title with a win over Central Washington.
Both teams have a 6-2 overall record, both have a top 10 defense in the country (ASU is No. 6, CWU is No. 9), and both have an offense scoring just over 30 points per game.
San Angelo football fans should be in for a treat with this matchup.
“They’re a really good football team, and we’ve got to slow down the quarterback. He’s the No. 1 thing,” ASU head coach Jeff Girsch said about Wildcats QB Kennedy McGill, who leads the LSC with 247 yards of total offense per game.
The Rams are also focused on CWU defensive back Tanner Volk, who was the national Defensive Player of the Year last season.
Volk had 13 interceptions last year, including two against ASU, one of which he returned 81 yards for a touchdown.
The Wildcats beat the Rams 27-24 last season, blocking a potential game-tying 54-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining.
That game was played about 1,800 miles away in Ellensburg, Washington.
“I’m really glad to have them here in San Angelo this time,” Girsch said.
ASU is riding a six-game winning streak after last week’s 57-10 win over Sul Ross State.
The Rams’ defense has allowed an average of 7.3 points per game in those six wins.
“We’re led by (defensive coordinator Gary) Salgado and our coaching staff with that defense. But the players in that room — Jordan McKinney, Eric Rascoe, Dylan Neeley, Owen Seaver, Stephen Woods, Andrew Pitts — I could go on and on about guys that just go out and play really hard and prepare like champions.”
ASU sophomore quarterback Braeden Fuller was 17-of-23 passing for 287 yards and a TD last week as he continues to look more and more comfortable operating the Rams’ offense.
Canon Wiese, who played six-man football at nearby Water Valley High School, also scored his first college TD in the game on an 8-yard run.
“Those are the fun ones, man. Those are the ones you love to see,” Girsch said. “He walked on to Angelo State, and he’s continued to get better and better each year. …
“He’s a worker. He’s behind some really good, talented running backs, but the kid runs really hard. He’s a physical football player, and playing six-man, you’ve got to do a lot of that.”
ASU has three games remaining in the regular season. The Rams will travel to play Western Oregon next week before closing out the regular season at home against West Texas A&M on Nov. 16.
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