SAN ANGELO, TX — Coming off its biggest win of the season, the No. 23-ranked Angelo State University football team needs to refocus this week for a new set of challenges.
The Rams have to travel across the country to take on Western Oregon at 1:05 p.m. Saturday in what could be a rainy, muddy game.
ASU knocked off preseason favorite No. 17-ranked Central Washington 17-16 last week to take command of the Lone Star Conference title race.
If the Rams win this week, they’ll return home as LSC champs.
That could all slip away, however, with a loss.
Western Oregon (6-3 overall) has been under the radar all season while quietly compiling a 6-1 LSC record. The Wolves were only picked to finish eighth in the LSC preseason poll.
Yet with an upset win Saturday, Western Oregon could move into a tie with ASU for first place, and the Wolves would own the tiebreaker.
“They’ve got a good football team,” ASU head coach Jeff Girsch said. “They have one of the top running backs in the conference that we’re going to have to handle, and his backup is pretty good, too.
“Their quarterback can run around with it … and their offensive line is mammoth.”
Western Oregon is led by running back Dominique Loggins, who has 675 yards and five TDs while averaging five yards per carry.
With the exception of Eastern New Mexico, ASU has fared better against every common opponent with Western Oregon.
To their credit, the Wolves have found ways to win close games, including a 21-16 victory over Midwestern State last week.
Western Oregon’s only conference loss was a 21-14 setback against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Western Oregon will end its season against Central Washington, so the Wolves still have two significant roadblocks in the way of an LSC title.
Last week’s win over Central Washington was the Rams’ first close game since Week 3. They hung on after the Wildcats missed an extra point in the final minute.
Girsch said ASU’s losses the first two weeks to Fort Hays State (21-7) and Emporia State (17-12) helped prepare the Rams for these big games down the stretch.
ASU has won seven games in a row since those losses.
“I think playing a very good nonconference schedule, we’re a different football team because of it,” Girsch said. “Our players are starting to realize this team can be special.”
The Rams are at No. 5 in the Super Region Four rankings with two games left in the regular season. The top seven teams will advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Central Washington is No. 6, while Western Oregon is No. 8.
The Rams missed out last year despite a 7-3 record. They don’t want to allow the possibility for a similar outcome again, and continuing to win is the only way to guarantee that.
ASU will finish the regular season at home at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, against West Texas A&M.
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