Angelo State (3-4, 3-4 LSC) at (3)Abilene Christian (8-0, 7-0 LSC)
Date	Saturday, Oct. 30
Location	Shotwell Stadium  Abilene, Texas
Kickoff	2 p.m.
Game Notes	Week 8 Notes
Radio	KIXY 94.7 FM  Jeremy Bryant // Play-by-Play  Randy Ward // Analyst
Live Stats	ACUSports.com

The Game
It may seem a little like deja vu for the Rams as they match-up with their fourth top-15 opponent of the season, but Saturday's contest against No. 3 Abilene Christian at Shotwell Stadium may be a game against the best team in the country. Abilene Christian sits at the top of the Lone Star Conference with a perfect 8-0 record (7-0 in LSC games) and are scoring a robust 44.8 points per game while limiting opponents to just 16.5. Angelo State still has plenty to play for and seem to have new life after a homecoming rout of Incarnate Word that saw the Rams score the second-most points in school history (61), end a four-game losing streak, and tally the team's first win in LSC South Division play.

The Series
Last year's meeting had potential to be one of the classic contests between the two programs as the No. 23 Rams hosted the No. 2 Wildcats at San Angelo Stadium, but instead Abilene Christian outscored Angelo State 17-0 in the first half and rolled to a 38-14 win. It was the fourth consecutive win by ACU and the seventh win in the last eight meetings. Angelo State still holds a lead in the all-time series, 27-20-1, with the team's last win coming in Dale Carr's first year as head coach, a 27-24 win in 2005. JD Williams kicked a 28-yard field goal in that game as ASU rallied from down seven entering the fourth quarter. Angelo State's last win over ACU in Abilene was Oct. 14, 2000, when another late field goal, this time a 23-yarder from George Yunes, gave the Rams a 27-25 victory.

The Coaches
Angelo State: Dale Carr (Colorado State, '76) took over the ASU program in 2005 and has guided the Rams to a 26-35 overall mark, including a NCAA Division II postseason appearance in his first season. Carr was previously head coach at Tyler Junior College.

Abilene Christian: Chris Thomsen (TCU, '93) is a former ACU All-American and former Wildcat assistant coach who is leading the program for the sixth season. Thomsen has led the Wildcats to a combined 37-7 record in the last four seasons with three straight trips to the NCAA Division II national playoffs - although 10 wins from 2007 were vacated due to NCAA violations.

The Program
Angelo State won the NAIA National Championship in 1978 and has won three Lone Star Conference Championships (1978, 1984, 1987). The Rams have seen five NCAA DII playoff appearances and produced 55 All-Americans. Angelo State has sent 11 student-athletes on to successful NFL careers, including Pierce Holt, who earned two Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers in 1988-89, was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and was inducted into the NCAA Division II Football Hall of Fame in 2000. Legendary Baylor head coach Grant Teaff coached at ASU, and has been inducted into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame with Holt and former Ram tackle Rodney Cason.

Player to Watch // Josh Neiswander
Neiswander, a redshirt senior who will earn his MBA in December, has been all business in the Rams last two games with 718 yards. Against then-No. 15 Midwestern State, Neiswander hit 11 different receivers while throwing for 333 yards. The Winnsboro, Texas native then notched the second-highest total in his career with 385 yards in three quarters against Incarnate Word. He needs seven touchdowns, three completions and 705 yards to set a new career marks at ASU.

This Week's Opponent
Abilene Christian University is located in Abilene Texas, and has an enrollment of 5,000. The Wildcats compete as members of the LSC South Division and claimed an undefeated conference crown in 2008. Seventeen starters and 39 letterwinners return from last year's squad that went 9-4 overall, including a 6-3 mark in Lone Star Conference play. Last season, Abilene Christian advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs where they defeated Midwestern State, 24-21, a week after losing to the Mustangs in the final game of the regular season. The Wildcats run was ended on the road against the eventual national champion, Northwest Missouri State, 35-10. This year, the Wildcats are undefeated and ranked No. 3 in the country with today's contest, a road meeting with nationally-ranked West Texas A&M, and a home game against Southwestern Oklahoma left on the schedule. ACU returns 15 All-LSC honorees including eight first team members.

Ties with Abilene Christian
• Angelo State wide receiver V'Keon Lacey is from Arlington, Texas, along with Abilene Christian's Drew Cuffee.
• A total of 11 players list Austin, Texas, as their hometown - six from ASU and five from ACU)
• Angelo State defensive back Terrance Preston is from Bryan, Texas, as is ACU's Jordan Lightfoot. • Ten players list Dallas, Texas, as their hometown, including three from Angelo State and seven from Abilene Christian.
• Houston, Texas, is the most well-represented municipality with 21 players on each team. Angelo State has 10 players from Houston and Abilene Christian has 11.
• Angelo State offensive lineman Austin Sumrall and ACU's Connor Key and Adam Traxler are from Katy, Texas.
• There are two players from Klein, Texas - Jake Eannarelli (ASU) and Alexander Muddiman (ACU).
• Abilene Christian's John David Baker is a San Angelo, Texas, native along with five Rams - DJ Clough, Ryan Smith, JD Bales, Donnell Harris and George Shamblen.
• A total of nine players call San Antonio, Texas, home - six from ASU and three from ACU.
• Angelo State's Doug Franklin is from Tyler, Texas, along with ACU's Tarik Spencer.

Nice Game for Neiswander
Angelo State quarterback Josh Neiswander threw for the fifth-highest total in school history with a season-high 385 yards in the Rams' 61-17 win over Incarnate Word Saturday. Neiswander, who surpassed 300 yards for the second consecutive week, completed 24-of-34 passes to move within two of tying ASU's career completions mark held by Ned Cox (589) and hit four different receivers for touchdowns. In all, Neiswander hit nine different receivers, a week after hitting 11 different targets against then-No. 15 Midwestern State. Neiswander's yardage was the second-highest of his career and helped the Rams post their second-highest point total ever in a single game. Neiswander has 16 touchdowns and just five interceptions in seven games this season.

Terrance's Takeaway
Angelo State's Terrance Preston notched an interception for the second time in two games and for the third time this season when he picked off a Thomas Specia pass in the third quarter of Saturday's 61-17 win over Incarnate Word. The Cardinals trailed 45-10 after the first half and were looking to get back in the game on the opening drive out of the break, but Preston ended the charge on the second play. The Rams collected another interception on the next drive and lead the Lone Star Conference with 2.0 interceptions per game. Preston added a career-best six tackles, which tied for second among ASU defenders.

Tidwell Strikes Again
The third time proved to be the charm for Angelo State kick returner Garrett Tidwell, who was held to one yard on two punt returns before busting loose for a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the third quarter. The return was the longest of Tidwell's career, surpassing a 55-yard return earlier this season against then-No. 9 West Texas A&M. Tidwell is averaging a blistering 26.3 yards per punt return, one of the top marks in the country, and leads the Lone Star Conference with 28.4 yards per kick return. The versatile player has contributed 109.7 all-purpose yards per game and added a 15-yard scamper from the wildcat formation in the second quarter against UIW. Tidwell's two scores helped the Rams post the second-highest point total in school history in the 61-17 win.

Piling up the Points
With a 61 point outburst in Saturday's win over Incarnate Word the Rams tallied the second-most points in a single game in school history. The 61-17 final, which gave Angelo State its first LSC South win, is second only to 69 points scored against Fort Lewis (Colo.) in 1993.

Picked Off
Angelo State's secondary notched two interceptions against the Cardinals and has logged at least one interception in each contest this season. Terrance Preston and Markeith Jones both notched takeaways. Jones is tied with Alvin Johnson for the team lead at four interceptions. As a unit, the Rams defense has the best per-game mark in the conference with 2.0 interceptions per game – 14 in seven contests. Jones has nine career interceptions, one short of tying Jonathan Palafox (2002-03) at No. 10 on ASU's career list.

Protecting the Quarterback
ASU's offensive line didn't allow a sack against Incarnate Word and have given up four all season. The Rams were second in the country in sacks allowed per game last week, behind LSC and national leader Central Oklahoma, who allowed one sack in their loss to NSU Saturday.

Noteable Night for Norcott
John Norcott burst through the line for a 27-yard touchdown in the first quarter Saturday and nearly had an 82-yard reception for a score in the third quarter, but it was pushed back due to a block in the back. Norcott finished the game with 30 yards rushing and 70 yards receiving.

Streak Stopped
ASU ended a four-game skid and a four-game losing streak on homecoming with the lopsided victory over Incarnate Word.

Aerial Assault
Blake Hamblin's first career pass was a memorable one as he hit Joey Knight for an 86-yard gain in the fourth quarter Saturday. Hamblin's only throw of the game was also Knight's first career catch, and is the longest play from scrimmage this season for the Rams. In fact, the pass is tied for fourth-longest in ASU history. That yardage, combined with Josh Neiswander's 385 yards, the second-highest of his career and fifth-best effort ever by a Ram quarterback, put ASU four yards short of tying the school mark for passing yards. The duo combined for 471 yards, just short of the 475 yards ASU accumulated against Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1986. ASU's third quarterback, Michael Cochran, saw his first game action since 2008 when he filled in for the injured Neiswander, but did not attempt a pass.

Hitting a Target, or Two, or Nine
Neiswander's favorite route is, "The open one." He showed no discrimination against Incarnate Word as he hit nine different targets, a week after hitting 11 different receivers against Midwestern State. V'Keon Lacey was his top choice against the Cardinals with eight catches for 96 yards.

It's Good!
Angelo State freshman Jacob Decker kicked field goals from 21 and 25 yards Saturday, snapping a streak of four consecutive misses by ASU's specialists. The successful kicks were the first of Decker's career. The two makes for Decker are the most by any Angelo State kicker this season, not only for a single game, but for the entire year.

The Kid Can Run
Michael Connor, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Colorado State, carried the ball for the first time Saturday. Connor, who played in the team's first six games as a member of the special teams, gained 59 yards on 14 attempts to help Angelo State to 179 yards as a unit, the third time the Rams have rushed for more than 150 yards in a contest this season. Connor also registered a career-long 26-yard kickoff return as the Cardinals tried to keep the ball away from Dakarai Pecikonis and Garrett Tidwell.

The Not-So-New-Guy
Excelle Osborne caught two passes for nine yards in his first action of the 2010 season against No. 15 Midwestern State and caught his first touchdown pass of the season against Incarnate Word Saturday. The sophomore from Houston gives ASU another option at wide receiver in the second half of the season. Osborne caught 13 passes for 200 yards and a score as a freshman in 2009. A combination of early season injuries and a response to reconsideration of his initial eligibility certification has limited his time on the field.

Not Bad for a First Timer
CJ Akins made the most of his first career start with six catches for 146 yards against Midwestern State, both career highs. Akins also pulled in the longest catch of his career, a quick grab behind a defender he took 67 yards down the field. Akins also carried the ball once for 12 yards. His receiving yardage was the second-most by an Angelo State receiver this season.

Carter Provides Boost to Running Game
Tristan Carter rumbled for a 33-yard gain with his first career carry and signaled that Angelo State's rushing attack would be improved this season. Through seven games Carter has 101 carries for 484 yards, a 4.8 yard average, and five rushing touchdowns. Carter is averaging 69.1 yards per game and needs 40 yards to surpass Dwight Pete's 2009 team rushing high (524). The Rams are averaging 137.3 rushing yards per game.

Greatest Show on Turf?
The Rams are scoring 33.7 points per game, the most for an Angelo State team since the 1997 team averaged 34.1 per contest. The Rams have scored 30 or more in four different games this season, with their lowest point total at 21 in each of the team's losses to No. 10 Texas A&M-Kingsville and No. 15 Midwestern State.

SHAM-wow!
Angelo State punter George Shamblen produced some booming, As-Seen-On-TV punts this season, including a career-best 66 yarder against Texas A&M-Commerce. Thanks to Shamblen, the Rams have been successful at giving opponents unfavorable field position and the team is second in the nation in net punting at 40.28 yards per punt. ASU's punt coverage has been great in recent history as the Rams have not allowed a punt return for a touchdown since 2004.

Neiswander Notes
• Neiswander sits two completions from tying ASU's career completions mark held by Ned Cox (1983-1986). He has 587 career completions entering the State Farm Big Country Concho Valley Shootout with Abilene Christian.

• With four touchdown passes against Incarnate Word, Neiswander reached 50 touchdown throws for his career. Neiswander is chasing Cox in this category as well, needing six to tie for the all-time mark.

• Neiswander surpassed 6,000 yards for his career with a 234-yard effort against Tarleton State. The Winnsboro, Texas, native is second on ASU's career passing list with 7,139 yards. Neiswander took a Sharpie to the Rams' single season record book last season, setting new highs for pass completions (242), pass attempts (388), passing yards (2,933), touchdowns (25) and completion percentage (62.4). He passed Erik Hartman (1994-97) for second all-time in yardage and has his eyes on the top spot held by Ned Cox (1983-86), who passed for 7,843 yards in his career

Player	Career Passing Yards
1. Ned Cox (1983-86)	7,833
2. Josh Neiswander (2006-present)	7,139
3. Erik Hartman (1994-97)	6,006
4. Mickey Russell (1986-89)	5,081
5. Trey Weishuhn (2003-06)	4,974

• It takes more than a couple good games to move into third all-time on a school's passing charts and Neiswander has had certainly had his share. Neiswander posted the third-highest single-game passing effort in school history at Eastern New Mexico (Oct. 3) last season, completing 29-of-47 attempts for 403 yards. Neiswander posted another top-10 performance with 349 against the Greyhounds to open the 2010 season (Sept. 9) and threw for 385 in last weekend's contest with Incarnate Word. In all, Neiswander has seven of the top 20 single-game passing efforts in ASU history.

Yards	Year	Passer vs. Opponent
475	1986	Ned Cox vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville
425	1989	Mickey Russell vs. Eastern New Mexico
403	2009	Josh Neiswander vs. Eastern New Mexico
396	2005	Trey Weishuhn vs. West Texas A&M
385	2010	Josh Neiswander vs. Incarnate Word
383	1996	Erik Hartman vs. Tarleton State
359	1989	Mickey Russell vs. Lamar
354	1985	Ned Cox vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville
349	2010	Josh Neiswander vs. Eastern New Mexico
341	2009	Josh Neiswander vs. Southeastern Okla
338	2004	Trey Weishuhn vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville
335	1992	Wilbur Odom vs. Central Oklahoma
335	1997	Erik Hartman vs. Northeastern State
333	2010	Josh Neiswander vs. Midwestern State

• Neiswander threw five touchdown passes with no interceptions in the Rams' 41-38, season-opening win over Eastern New Mexico. It was the second time in Neiswander's career that he's thrown for five or more touchdowns. The senior signal caller notched a career-best six touchdowns against Southwestern Oklahoma in the third game of the 2009 season (Sept. 12). Neiswander's 349 yards through the air against Eastern New Mexico were also the second-most he's ever thrown for and he was one shy of tying his career high in completions with 28.

Oldies But Goodies
These notes may be day-old, but they're still delicious:
• With four consecutive losses, Angelo State surpassed its longest losing streak from 2009, and the villains are mostly the same. The 2009 Rams started 6-2 only to see losses to West Texas A&M, Tarleton State and Texas A&M-Kingsville dash the team's playoff hopes. This year's schedule featured the same order and results, only earlier in the season and with two different teams in the national rankings. ASU snapped the streak with a 61-17 win over Incarnate Word.

• Angelo State had moderate success running the football against the nation's top rush defense with 61 yards in the first half against No. 10 Texas A&M-Kingsville. The first half total was more than any other team had accumulated against the Javelinas in an entire game. Angelo State was limited to 15 yards on seven carries in the second half and finished with 76 yards on the ground. Tristan Carter rushed for a team-high 46 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

• Defensive tackle Devin McDonald registered a game-high 10 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss, and was part of a Rams defensive effort that sacked Texas A&M-Kingsville quarterback Nate Poppell four times. Trailing 7-0 late in the first quarter, McDonald helped the Rams send a message that they weren't intimidated by the No. 10 team in the country with an assisted tackle for loss and a sack on a three-play drive that went for negative eight yards. McDonald helped stall another drive in the fourth quarter by batting down a pass from Daniel Ramirez on third and four.

• Dekarai Pecikonis logged a career-best 257 all-purpose yards against No. 10 Texas A&M-Kingsville (Oct. 9). He caught six passes for 104 yards, carried the ball twice for eight yards, and returned four kickoffs for 145 yards, including a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The all-purpose yardage was the most by a Ram since Kyle Fox rumbled for 265 all-purpose yards in the 2005 playoffs against Northwest Missouri State.

• Garrett Tidwell has provided some exciting plays this season. With ASU trailing Tarleton State, 10-0, late in the first quarter Tidwell returned a kickoff 80 yards to set up a 10-yard touchdown run by Dekarai Pecikonis. Later in the first half, Tidwell dove over the pile on an extra-point try to give the Rams two points. The all-purpose player wasn't done scoring as he connected with Pecikonis on a 17-yard wide receiver reverse pass to give the Rams a 14 point lead late in the third. A week earlier, Angelo State was looking for a spark in the second half against No. 9 West Texas A&M and the Boyd, Texas native returned the opening kickoff of the second half 41 yards, then later in the third quarter scored on a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown off a reverse from Dekarai Pecikonis.

• Tristan Carter ran for a career-best 129 yards and Angelo State rushed for 201 yards as a team in Angelo State's loss to No. 9 West Texas A&M. It marked the first time since Oct. 4, 2008, that the Rams rushed for over 200 yards. In that contest nearly two years ago, Angelo State carried the ball 51 times for 285 yards against Eastern New Mexico. ASU went the entire 2009 campaign without a 200-yard rushing effort.

• V'Keon Lacey and Dekarai Pecikonis both went over 1,000 career receiving yards in the Rams' win over Texas A&M-Commerce in the Harvey Martin Classic. The catches to put the pair over a grand were also memorable, as Pecikonis scored on an 83-yard strike and Lacey on a 33-yard pass from ASU QB Josh Neiswander.

• Dekarai Pecikonis has earned two Lone Star Conference Player of the Week awards this season. Pecikonis only got his hands on the ball three times on offense during the Rams' 31-10 win over Texas A&M-Commerce in the Harvey Martin Classic, but he turned those three catches into 111 yards and a critical score. For his efforts, he was tabbed the LSC South Division Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 13). He was named the LSC South Special Teams Player of the Week after returning a kickoff 97 yards for a score in Angelo State's 28-21 loss to No. 10 Texas A&M-Kingsville (Oct. 11).

• A trio of Rams combined to wrack-up a good portion of the team's yards in the Rams' 41-38 win over Eastern New Mexico (9/4) during the first week of the season. Quarterback Josh Neiswander threw for 349 yards, Dekarai Pecikonis had 161 yards receiving, and Tristan Carter rushed for 118 yards. The last time Angelo State had a player with more than 300 yards passing, a player with more than 100 yards, and another player with more than 100 yards rushing in the same game was nearly five years ago. On Oct. 22, 2005, Trey Weishun threw for 396 yards and six touchdowns, Justin Carter had five catches for 106 yards and three scores, and Kyle Fox went off for 281 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

• Austin Benson has a new role this season and is making the transition look easy. The Del Rio High School product rushed for 156 yards and five touchdowns for the Rams last season, but moved to the other side of the ball as a linebacker and is tied for the team lead with 46 tackles. Benson notched his first career interception against Eastern New Mexico.

• Nate Bayless, a redshirt junior tight end, missed the 2009 season while battling non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but he's back to 100 percent and contributing as a starter for the Rams. Bayless has 16 catches for 169 yards and three touchdowns. He caught a career-best four passes in the game against then-No. 15 Midwestern State, a homecoming of sorts for the Burkburnett native.

• Angelo State's corner backs have benefitted from a man that once intercepted Brett Favre, defensive backs graduate assistant coach Kevin Thomas. Thomas, a former standout at UNLV, was drafted in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft and played three seasons for the Buffalo Bills. Thomas tallied 83 tackles, 10 pass break-ups, a forced fumble in 38 career NFL games, and notched his only regular-season career interception against Favre. A knee injury ended Thomas' playing career.