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Tarleton State remains atop the Lone Star Conference standings and is the lone unbeaten team at 7-0 overall and 6-0 in league games.
Action continues with four LSC games this week: Tarleton State at Midwestern State, West Texas A&M at Texas A&M-Commerce, UT Permian Basin at Eastern New Mexico, and Western New Mexico at Texas A&M-Kingsville. Adams State is at Angelo State in non-conference play.
LSC football teams are 35-34 overall this season. The squads are 5-4 combined versus the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and Great Northwest Athletic Conference teams, which are also in NCAA Super Regional Four.
LSC schedule and results available here: http://www.lonestarconference.org/calendar.aspx?path=football
LSC SELECTED TO HOST 2018 DII FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
The NCAA Division II Football Committee has selected the city of McKinney, Texas, and the Lone Star Conference as the host of 2018 Division II football national championship game.
The committee’s recommendation for the game at McKinney Independent School District Stadium and Community Event Center on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018, was approved by the NCAA Division II Championships Committee on Thursday (Oct. 4). The new location for the Division II national championship game opened earlier this year and is a 12,000-seat facility built specifically for football. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT.
LSC FOOTBALL ON ESPN3
The Lone Star Conference game between Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas A&M-Commerce on Thursday, August 30 was featured as part of the Division II Football Showcase schedule.
The first 19 games of the football showcase are predetermined games, 17 of which are conference matchups. An additional three flex games — intended to highlight crucial matchups — will be finalized later in the season and played in November.
ESPN3 is ESPN’s live multiscreen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of exclusive sports events annually. It is accessible on computers via ESPN.com/watch and on smartphones, tablets and streaming devices through the ESPN app. The network currently is available nationwide at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. It also is available at no cost to U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to on-campus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Xavier Turner, Tarleton State University, SR, Kinesiology, RB, North Richland Hills, Texas, Birdville HS
Turner continued to dominate the ground game as the senior from Birdville tied the school record with four non-passing touchdowns in a single game Saturday night. Turner’s big night lifted No. 9 Tarleton past Texas A&M-Kingsville 59-21 for their seventh straight victory. He was explosive every time he touched the ball as it only took 10 carries for him to rack up 164 rushing yards and four touchdowns. All of Turner’s touchdowns came in consecutive order for the Texans as he turned a 21-14 game with 4:20 left in the opening half into a 49-14 lead with 6:34 left in the third quarter. It was Turner’s third consecutive 100-yard rushing performance.
DEFENSIVE
Noah Sweitzer, Eastern New Mexico University, SO, Electronic Engineering, LB, Rio Rancho, N.M., El Dorado HS
Sweitzer led a Hounds defense that forced the first shutout (28-0) over West Texas A&M in the annual Wagon Wheel Game since 1992. That defensive effort allowed just 134 total yards throughout the game and did not concede a point despite facing drives that started on their own side of the field three separate occasions. Sweitzer led the way individually with 10 total tackles, six of which were solo tackles and 2.5 for a loss. The Rio Rancho, N.M. native also forced and recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter that put the exclamation point on their best performance of the season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Connor Flanigan, Angelo State University, JR, Mathematics, K, Austin, Texas, Bowie HS
Flanigan was perfect on the night in a 44-20 win over UT Permian Basin, going three for three on field goal attempts and hitting all five of his PATS. He was one field goal shy from matching the ASU record for field goals in a single game. Flanigan set a season high for points in a game with 14.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Offensive
S-3 Layton Rabb, Midwestern State
S-10 Layton Rabb, Midwestern State (2)
S-17 Vincent Johnson, Midwestern State
S-24 Layton Rabb, Midwestern State (3)
O-1 Duke Carter IV, West Texas A&M
O-8 E.J. Thompson, Texas A&M-Commerce
O-15 Juwan Johnson, Midwestern State
Xavier Turner, Tarleton State
O-22 Xavier Turner, Tarleton State (2)
Defensive
S-3 Hunter Kyle, Angelo State
S-10 Paul Manus, Midwestern State
S-17 Prince Robinson, Tarleton State
S-24 Dante Urrea, Eastern New Mexico
O-1 Chris Hoad, UT Permian Basin
O-8 Brucks Saathoff, Texas A&M-Commerce
O-15 E.J. Speed, Tarleton State
O-22 Noah Sweitzer, Eastern New Mexico
Special Teams
S-3 Kristov Martinez, Texas A&M-Commerce
S-10 Larry Johnson, Angelo State
S-17 Daniel McCants, Tarleton State
S-24 Dominique Ramsey, Texas A&M-Commerce
O-1 Tyler Vargas, Eastern New Mexico
O-8 Kristov Martinez, Texas A&M-Commerce (2)
O-15 Larry Johnson, Angelo State (2)
Reggie Kincade, Texas A&M-Commerce
O-22 Connor Flanigan, Angelo State