CANYON, Texas – Midwestern State renews its rivalry with West Texas A&M on Saturday night as the Lone Star Conference foes meet at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Midwestern State (2-1. 1-0) opened conference play on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium and overwhelmed Western New Mexico, 84-17, setting a school record for points scored in a game. The Mustangs rolled up 708 yards of total offense, completing 26-of-37 passes to 11 different receivers for 446 yards. Kaden Brown completed 15-of-19 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns. Sean Jastrab completed 10-of-17 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Ten different ball carriers rushed for 277 yards, led by Kenji Johnson, who gained 72 yards on six carries. 

The Mustangs have the most prolific passing offense among NCAA Division II schools, averaging 389.3 yards per game. Midwestern State is third in total offense with 544 yards per game, and is the sixth highest-scoring team in the country with 47 points per game. MSU quarterbacks are completing 69.7 percent of their passes, which is second in the conference and seventh in the nation.

Kaden Brown is second in the LSC and 10th among D2 quarterbacks in completion percentage, connecting on 73 of 103 passes (70.3 %). The junior from Midlothian, Texas, leads the league with 324.3 yards passing per game, which is second in the nation, and he leads the LSC with seven touchdown passes. Brown leads the conference and is third in the nation with 334.3 yards of total offense per game.

Dominic Cox has caught 18 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown. Cox is fourth in the LSC with six receptions per game and fifth in the league with 74.3 yards receiving per outing.  Dalton Bailey leads the conference with three touchdown catches, and he is sixth in the league with 70.7 yards receiving per game. Bailey has 11 receptions for 212 yards. Anjay Feliciano is leading the LSC and is sixth in the nation with 26.7 yards per reception. Feliciano has caught six passes for 160 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown at Michigan Tech.

Joseph Dodds is the leading rusher for MSU with 156 yards on 35 carries, and he has scored three touchdowns for the Mustangs. Dodds is averaging 4.5 yards per carry and 52 yards per game. The Mustangs have had 12 different ball carriers this season and are averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

The Mustangs lead the conference and are fourth in the nation in third-down conversions. MSU has converted 23-of-40 third downs (57.5%), but the Stangs have only been successful on 1-of-5 fourth-down conversion attempts.

Midwestern State has scored a touchdown on 15 of its 16 trips into the red zone. The Mustangs have nine rushing touchdowns in the red zone and have completed six touchdown passes inside the opponents 20-yard line. The Mustangs have the most successful red zone offense in the LSC and rank 22nd in the nation.

The Mustangs have the third-ranked scoring defense in the LSC, allowing 29.3 points per game, and they are fourth in the league in total defense, allowing 397.3 yards per game.  MSU is second in the league and 13th in the nation with five interceptions.

Brycen Lewis is one of seven defenders leading Division II with three interceptions, and he is fourth in the nation with two passes defended.

Midwestern State is fifth in the conference in passing defense, allowing 227 yards per game, and fourth in rushing defense with opponents gaining 170.3 yards on the ground per game.

Nathanael Hall is the leading tackler for Midwestern State with 15, including six solo tackles. Tyler Cooks and Trevor Brook have each been in on nine tackles this season. 

Ronald Manning leads the team and is third in the LSC with 2.5 sacks. Oliver Jack has 3.5 tackles for loss and Manning has three, while Charles McKnight has recorded 2.5 tackles for loss. The Mustangs have 20 tackles for loss as a team this season, which is second-most in the conference.

The Mustangs are third in the nation and leading the conference with three blocked kicks this season, and MSU is one of 43 teams that have blocked a punt this season. 

Louis Hickman leads the LSC with 238-return yards this season, and he is second in the league with a kickoff return average of 34.6 yards per return.

Kohen Maroney is 19-for-19 on extra points this season, but the sophomore from Wichita Falls has not attempted a field goal through the first three games.

Jorge Mendoza has punted eight times this season and averages 38.5 yards per punt. He has hemmed the opponent inside its own 20-yard line twice and has a long punt of 52 yards.

Midwestern State is 15-23 in the all-time series with West Texas A&M, and the Mustangs have lost the last six meetings, including a 56-42 loss at home last season. MSU is 8-12 when visiting the Buffaloes and have lost their last six visits to Canyon. Two years ago, West Texas A&M defeated MSU 17-12, and the Mustangs fell to 0-4 at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium, which opened in 2019.

West Texas A&M (1-2, 1-0) overcame a 12-0 deficit in the third quarter to win its conference opener at Angelo State last week, 27-19. Senior running back Tory Simmons rushed for 133 yards on nine carries and scored three touchdowns for the Buffaloes. Knox Porter completed 23-of-35 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown. The sophomore from Celina, Texas, threw one interception.

The Buffaloes opened the season with losses to No. 11-ranked Western Colorado and No. 7-ranked Grand Valley State. The Mountaineers dictated field position in a 52-21 victory, recovering two fumbles and recording three sacks. Four turnovers proved costly for the Buffaloes in a 56-14 loss at Grand Valley State as the Lakers rolled up 541 yards of total offense.

West Texas A&M is ninth in the conference in total offense and total defense. The Buffaloes are averaging 364.7 yards of total offense, while opponents are averaging 503.3 yards against the WT defense. 

Porter is leading the LSC with 24.7 completions a game, which is fourth among D2 quarterbacks. He is completing 60.7 percent of his passes for 241.7 yards per game. Porter has thrown four touchdown passes, including two to Joseph White.

Trace Clarkson and JB Mitchell III are third and fourth in the LSC in receiving yards per game. Clarkson is second in the league with 8.3 receptions per game for 83 yards, while Mitchell is fifth in the league with five receptions per game for 80.7 yards. 

Simmons is the second leading rusher in the LSC with 70.7 yards per game, and he leads the league with 7.1 yards per carry. The senior from Pompano Beach, Florida, has rushed for four touchdowns, including a 49-yard run to paydirt against Angelo State.

Junior defensive back Miles Hill is the leading tackler for the Buffaloes with 24, including 14 solo stops. Sophomore linebacker Lucas Jarnagin has 23 tackles, including three tackles for loss. Senior defensive lineman Johnny Taylor has a team-leading 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks this season.

Dayton Navy, a freshman defensive back, has the only interception for WT, which has forced three fumbles and recovered one this season. 

Punter James Ingraham leads the LSC and is eighth in the nation with an average of 46.4 yards on 12 punts this season. He has four punts of more than 50 yards, including a 63-yarder. Five times he has forced the opponent to start from inside its own 20-yard line.

Drew Cox missed his only field goal attempt this season, but he has made all eight extra points and has six touchbacks on 10 kickoffs for the Buffaloes.

Midwestern State returns to Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas, for Maroon Day on Oct. 3. The first 250 fans in attendance get a free MSU reversible bucket hat sponsored by Pepsi, and the Mustangs will tangle with Western Oregon at 2 p.m.