After five weeks of games, Tarleton State and Texas A&M-Commerce top the Lone Star Conference standings at 3-0 and 2-0, respectively.
This week features four LSC games and one non-conference contest. The Midwestern State at A&M-C match-up in Commerce, Texas, will be featured as part of the 2019 Division II football showcase schedule on ESPN3.
LSC football teams are 27-17 overall this season. The squads are 6-2 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 FOOTBALL ON ESPN3
A pair of Lone Star Conference games will be featured as part of the 2019 Division II football showcase schedule on ESPN3.
The Midwestern State at Texas A&M-Commerce match-up on October 12 in Commerce, Texas, and the Texas A&M-Commerce at West Texas A&M contest on November 2 in Canyon, Texas, were selected to be streamed on ESPN3, and available on the ESPN App.
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.
LSC FOOTBALL ON NEXSTAR
The Lone Star Conference and Nexstar Media Group, Inc. announced a new partnership to bring college football fans exclusive coverage of multiple matchups featuring NCAA Division II teams via live television broadcast and streaming online video.
Four LSC games - Western New Mexico at Texas A&M-Commerce (Oct. 26), Midwestern State at Tarleton State (Nov. 2), West Texas A&M at Texas A&M-Kingsville (Nov. 9), and Texas A&M-Commerce at Angelo State (Nov. 16) - will air via live television broadcast and/or streaming online video exclusively on network-affiliated stations and/or websites owned by Nexstar and select broadcast partners including: KTAB (Abilene), KASY (Albuquerque), KCPN (Amarillo), KBVO (Austin), KVEO (Brownsville), KTSM (El Paso), KLBK (Lubbock), KMID (Midland/Odessa), KSAN (San Angelo), KTPN (Tyler), KWKT (Waco) and KJBO (Wichita Falls).
LSC TO HOST 2019 DIVISION II FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Following a tremendous experience in 2018, the NCAA Division II Football Committee has chosen McKinney Independent School District Stadium in McKinney, Texas, as the host site of the 2019-21 Division II football national championship games.
The 2019 title game is set for 2 p.m. CST on Saturday, Dec. 21 and will be televised live by ESPNU.
The Lone Star Conference in conjunction with McKinney ISD hosted the 2018 championship game.
McKinney ISD Stadium and Community Event Center, a 12,000-seat facility built primarily for football, will host the Division II Football Championship games on Dec. 21, 2019, Dec. 19, 2020 and Dec. 18, 2021.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Paul Terry, Eastern New Mexico, SR, Business Administration, RB, Amarillo, Texas, Randall HS
Terry matched the school record with 40 carries in Eastern New Mexico's 27-24 win at Midwestern State. The senior ran for 225 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Terry has now rushed for 100 or more yards in every game this season and leads the LSC in rushing by nearly 300 yards. The Amarillo, Texas native scored from three yards out in the second quarter and then served as the main offensive weapon for the Greyhounds as they scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to come from behind to win.
DEFENSIVE
B.J. Jefferson, Tarleton State, SR, Kinesiology, DE, Acres Home, Texas, Acres Home HS
Jefferson continued to dominate the defensive side of the ball as the senior totaled 13 tackles, including five solo stops while leading #4 Tarleton past #23 Angelo State 30-13 in a battle of the last remaining Lone Star Conference unbeatens. Jefferson’s biggest play of the night came in the third quarter when he forced a strip-sack fumble that was picked up by Tank Morgan. Tarleton turned that into three points, which made it a two-possession game. Jefferson had 3.0 tackles for a loss, including 1.5 sacks, and a pass breakup to go along with his forced fumble.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Justin Manyweather, Eastern New Mexico, JR, Physical Education, PR/KR, Fullerton, Calif., Salesian HS
Manyweather returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown to put the first points on the board in Eastern New Mexico's 27-24 win at Midwestern State on Saturday night. The junior weaved straight through the Mustang punt coverage and kick-started a first half in which the Hounds jumped out to a 17-3 advantage.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Offensive
S-9 Daniel McCants, Tarleton State
S-16 Wyatt Strand, Eastern New Mexico
S-23 Miklo Smalls, Texas A&M-Commerce
S-30 Zimari Manning, Tarleton State
O-7 Paul Terry, Eastern New Mexico
Defensive
S-9 Melik Owens, Midwestern State
S-16 Quincy Arceneaux, Eastern New Mexico
S-23 B.J. Jefferson, Tarleton State
S-30 Josh Quinton, Angelo State
O-7 B.J. Jefferson, Tarleton State (2)
Special Teams
S-9 Jaron Imbriani, Midwestern State
S-16 Tobias Harris, West Texas A&M
S-23 Dominique Ramsey, Texas A&M-Commerce
S-30 Donte Ross, Texas A&M-Kingsville
O-7 Justin Manyweather, Eastern New Mexico
SELECTED NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Daniel McCants, Tarleton State, got the Tarleton offense rolling with a 48-yard touchdown run to begin the scoring in #4 Tarleton’s 30-13 win over #23 Angelo State Saturday night. McCants was featured early-and-often as the senior carried the ball 23 times for 158 yards and the first-quarter score. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry.
Antonio Lealiiee, Texas A&M-Commerce, was a dominant force in the Lions' 33-6 win over A&M-Kingsville for A&M-Commerce's eighth straight win of the Chennault Cup. His 56-yard touchdown carry in the third quarter was the longest touchdown run by a Lion since the 2015 season. He averaged 10.8 yards per carry with 141 scrimmage yards as the Lions ran for 248 total yards in the rout.
Jarrod Compton, West Texas A&M, had a breakout game for West Texas A&M in their 48-41 win over Central Washington on Saturday evening at Buffalo Stadium. The redshirt freshman rushed for a career-high 117 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries as the Buffs improved to 4-1 for the first time since 2013. He scored his first touchdown of the game in the first quarter on a 44-yard run down the middle of the field followed by a 14-yard run in the fourth quarter. He is the fourth different Buff to rush for 100 yards under third-year head coach Hunter Hughes.
Chazz Slatinksy, West Texas A&M, had arguably his best game as a Buff on Saturday as West Texas A&M defeated Central Washington 48-41 on Saturday evening in the first-ever homecoming game at Buffalo Stadium. The senior recorded a career-high 16 tackles, 11 of those of the solo variety, along with a tackle for loss and two breakups as the WT defense forced a season-high two interceptions.
Roosevelt Calhoun Jr., Western New Mexico, the Mustang defense was a key factor in their 47-28 win over UT Permian Basin Saturday. Leading the way was senior linebacker Roosevelt Calhoun Jr. The Reno, Nevada native totaled 12 tackles on the night, on top of two sacks, one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles and an interception. One of Calhoun's forced fumbles immediately gave possession back to WNMU, as they went on to score in the following drive to take a 13-0 lead in only two and a half minutes of play. As a team, the Western defense caused UTPB to turn the ball over seven times throughout the night.
Noah Sweitzer, Eastern New Mexico, recorded 10 tackles in Eastern New Mexico's 27-24 win on the road at Midwestern State. Sweitzer had seven solo tackles and helped limit Midwestern State to just 343 total yards for the game and just two yards in the fourth quarter as the Hounds pitched a shutout in the frame to come from behind and win.
Jaylon Hodge, Texas A&M-Commerce, was a disruptive force in the backfield as the Lions limited A&M-Kingsville to 3.3 yards per play in a 33-6 win for their eighth straight Chennault Cup. He had two forced fumbles, one of which snuffed out a Javelina drive in the red zone. He had two sacks, both with losses over 10 yards, including a strip sack in the second quarter.
Andrew Gomez, Texas A&M-Commerce, flipped the field at every opportunity in the Lions' 33-6 win over A&M-Kingsville for their eighth straight Chennault Cup win. He now leads the conference and ranks fifth nationally in punting at 44.0 yards per punt. He had two punts downed inside the Javelina 20, including one at the TAMUK 4-yardline.
Christian Hernandez, Tarleton State, converted three PATs and a 23-yard field goal in Tarleton’s win over Angelo State Saturday night.
Donevin Manuel, West Texas A&M, blocked his third career punt on Saturday in West Texas A&M’s 48-41 win over Central Washington in the first-ever Homecoming game in Buffalo Stadium. With three seconds left in the first quarter, Manuel blocked Patrick Hegarty’s punt before recovering it at the 3-yard line and returning it for a touchdown.