Game Notes
Belton, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team will close out the regular season with a chance to lock up a fifth consecutive undefeated regular season on the road at East Texas Baptist University this Saturday. The Cru will take on the Tigers in a 1:00 PM start at Ornelas Stadium in Marshall.
The Cru is 9-0 overall and has a 4-0 mark in the American Southwest Conference following an 84-13 victory over Howard Payne University last Saturday in Brownwood. That victory clinched a playoff bid and at least a share of the ASC title. UMHB is ranked second in the country by both the American Football Coaches Association and D3football.com. East Texas Baptist is 4-5 overall on the year and has a 1-3 mark in ASC play. The Tigers are coming off a 35-19 loss at Hardin-Simmons University last Saturday. ETBU was held to its lowest point total of the season in that loss, but the Tigers boast one of the most explosive offenses in the country this year. Quarterback Josh Warbington leads the nation in total passing yards and average per game. The Tigers also have a pair of 1,000 yard receivers in Tyler Bates and Stephen Alfred. That explosiveness will test a UMHB defense that is allowing just 14 points and 284 yards of total offense per game.
"Their offensive style can really spread the field, literally from sideline to sideline and they throw the ball so fast," Cru Head Coach Pete Fredenburg said. "They have some really skilled receivers and running backs and have a nice system that puts up lots of yards and lots of points. This is going to be a challenge and we will have our hands full trying to stop them on Saturday."
The Cru leads the all-time series with East Texas Baptist 13-1 and UMHB won last year's meeting 65-10 in Belton. The Tigers only victory in the series came in the 2003 meeting when ETBU knocked off the Cru 28-21 in overtime in Belton. That loss cost UMHB a postseason berth, the only time the Cru has missed the playoffs since the 2000 season. The two teams have also played two of the four overtime games in Cru football history. UMHB has won 53 consecutive regular season games and has a 36-game ASC winning streak.
Saturday's game will be broadcast on K101.7 FM in Central Texas with the pre-game starting at 12:30 PM and kickoff set for 1:00 PM. UMHB will also provide live video streaming and East Texas Baptist University will offer live statistics for the contest. You can find links to all of the game coverage, including K101.7's live audio stream, through the UMHB Athletic Department web site at www.cruathletics.com. The 32-team field for the 2014 NCAA Division III National Championships will be announce via webcast on www.ncaa.com at 5:00 PM Central Time on Sunday, November 16th.
