WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Midwestern State is back on the gridiron this Saturday night following a bye week, and the Mustangs host Western New Mexico at Memorial Stadium in the Lone Star Conference opener. The Family Weekend kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Midwestern State (1-1) split a pair of non-conference games. The Mustangs held off Missouri Southern in the season opener at Memorial Stadium, 30-23, but could not overcome five turnovers at Michigan Tech two weeks ago and fell to the Huskies, 48-27.

The Mustangs are rolling up 462 yards of offense per game and has the second-most prolific aerial attack in NCAA Division II with 361 yards of passing per game. MSU is 22nd in the nation — fourth in the conference — in total offense, and the Mustangs are fifth in the conference with 28.5 points per contest. 

Quarterback Caden Brown leads the league and is second among NCAA Division II quarterbacks with 359 yards passing per game. Brown is completing 69 percent of his passes, which is second in the league and 11th in the nation. His 29 completions per game are the most among NCAA Division II signal callers. The junior quarterback from Midlothian, Texas, is responsible for 15 points per game, which is second most in the LSC and 34th in the nation.

Five different receivers are averaging 45 yards or more per game, led by Dominic Cox, who is averaging 6.5 receptions per game for 66.5 yards receiving. Fabian Baez is also making 6.5 grabs per game and is fourth on the team with 48 yards receiving per contest. Aanjay Feliciano is averaging 53.5 yards per game, and Dalton Bailey is averaging 51 yards per outing. 

The Mustangs are leading the conference on third-down conversions at 53.1 percent (17 of 32), which is 13th best in the country. However, MSU is 0-for-4 on fourth down this season. 

Joseph Dodds leads the rushing attack for the Mustangs with 70 yards per game and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry. MSU is rushing for 101 yards per game, which is seventh in the league.

Midwestern State is fourth in the conference in total defense, allowing 394 yards per game, but the Stangs are sixth in scoring defense, allowing 35.5 points per game.

Opponents have scored seven touchdowns in nine trips to the Red Zone, but MSU is holding teams to a 37.5 conversion rate on third down (9 of 24).
Nathanael Hall leads the MSU defense with 12 tackles, including five solo stops. Ronald Manning has 2.5 tackles for loss and has two of the four sacks through two games. Manning, Oliver Jack and Charles McKnight lead the team in tackles for loss. Jack and McKnight have both dropped ball carriers for a loss twice this season. 

Brycen Lewis has intercepted two passes, and the junior from Dallas, Texas, has also broken up two passes this season. 

Midwestern State leads the all-time series with Western New Mexico 9-3 and has won nine of the last 10 meetings. Midwestern State quarterbacks threw for 515 yards and eight touchdowns in a 70-23 win at Ben Altamirano Field in Silver City, New Mexico, last season. 

MSU is 5-1 when hosting the Western Mustangs, who have lost their last five visits to Memorial Stadium, including a 52-24 loss in the 2024 season finale. The game was tied 14-14 at halftime, and MSU led 28-24 entering the fourth quarter. The MSU Mustangs erupted for 24 points over the final 15 minutes of action. The two teams combined for 677 yards of total offense. Midwestern State finished with 362 yards of total offense and averaged 5.5 yards per play. WNMU averaged 4.1 yards per play and finished with 315 yards of total offense.

Western New Mexico (1-2, 0-1) opened conference play last Saturday at UT Permian Basin, and the Falcons flew past the Western Mustangs, 69-14. WNMU was undone by five turnovers and were held to 176 yards of total offense. UTPB rolled up 554 yards of offense and chalked up 25 first downs, gaining 7.6 yards per play. The Falcons rushed for 330 yards and passed for 224 yards. WNMU trailed at the end of the first quarter, 27-0.

Western New Mexico won its season opener at Adams State, 62-45, rushing for 485 yards and seven touchdowns. Devon Nofoa-Masoe was the leading rusher for WNMU with 205 yards and two touchdowns. Jase Ashley rushed for 146 yards, while Joshua Gaines gained 94 yards on the ground and scored four touchdowns for the Western Mustangs.

New Mexico Highlands defeated Western Mexico in the La Batalla Bowl at Ben Altamirano Field in Silver City, 55-32. The two teams combined for 1,111 yards. Western New Mexico outgained the Cowboys 578 yards to 533. New Mexico Highlands ran the ball for 457 yards, averaging 10.6 yards per carry.

Western New Mexico is rushing for 268.3 yards per game, which is second in the LSC and 12th among NCAA Division II programs. WNMU is scoring 36 points per game, which third most in the conference and 35th in the nation. 

Nofoa-Mason, a junior running back from Tacoma, Washington, is the leading rusher with 123.5 yards per game, and he is averaging 13 yards a carry in two games. Nofoa-Mason did not play last week at UTPB.

Ashley is rushing for 83 yards per game, and the redshirt freshman quarterback from Phoenix, Arizona, has completed 37-of-75 passes (49.3 %) for 506 yards. He has thrown five touchdown passes and three interceptions through three games.

The leading receivers for WNMU are Demarion Postell and Zakkarii Black, who have both accounted for 128 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Postell has caught seven passes, and Zakkarii has hauled in five receptions. 

The WNMU defense is allowing 571.3 yards per game, which is 10th in the conference, but the Western Mustangs lead the league and are sixth in the nation with seven forced turnovers. Opponents are scoring 56.3 points per game and rushing for 421 yards per game.

Clayton Zentner, a senior defensive back, leads the Western Mustangs with 39 tackles, including 21 solo stops and 3.5 tackles for loss. Clayton Neal, a freshman linebacker, has made 14 tackles, including nine solo stops, and he has one quarterback sack. Anthony Coleman, a junior linebacker from Louisiana, has a team-leading two sacks.

Midwestern State travels to Canyon, Texas, next week to renew the Route 287 Rivalry with West Texas A&M at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.