RV ANGELO STATE RAMS (0-0) at #21 LINDENWOOD LIONS (0-0)
Thursday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.  – Hunter Stadium – St. Charles, Mo.
Radio: 101.9 KWFR
Live Video: glvcsn.com/lindenwood
Live Stats: lindenwoodlions.com                                                                                                                                                           
 

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The Angelo State football team will open the 2021 season on the road, facing off against Lindenwood on Thursday in St. Charles, Mo. ASU looks to build off of last year's shortened season where the Rams went 2-2, collecting wins over West Texas A&M and NCAA Division I Abilene Christian.
 
LAST SEASON:
Due to the pandemic, the Rams played a shortened four-game season in the fall of 2020, playing one home game and three games on the road. ASU started the year with a win at home against West Texas A&M, defeating the Buffs 21-10 while scoring three rushing touchdowns. ASU suffered a 31-12 loss against Stephen F. Austin, allowing three big plays, all from the same player, to give the Lumberjacks the win. WT evened the record against the Rams, narrowly winning 34-27 in Canyon after a big run late in the game sealed the victory. In the final game of the season, the Rams jumped out ahead of the Abilene Christian, leading 28-7 after one half of play. The Wildcats climbed back before a 68-yard touchdown run by Alfred Grear put the Rams up by two scores late.
 
SERIES HISTORY: RAMS vs. LIONS
All-Time Series: Series tied 0-0
Last Meeting: The will be the first matchup between the Rams and the Lions in program history.
 
SCOUTING LINDENWOOD:
Lindenwood did not compete during the 2020 season and is coming off a 9-4 record during the 2019 campaign where they finished a perfect 7-0 in Great Lakes Valley play and reached the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. The Lions ranked sixth in the conference in scoring, averaging 29.9 points per game while defensively, they allowed 34.9 points per game. Of their nine wins, seven were one-score games. LU picked up three wins over ranked opponents, defeating No. 24 Truman State, No. 8 Indianapolis, and No. 5 Ouachita Baptist. Their season came to an end in the second round of the playoffs, falling to No. 10 Northwest Missouri State 63-7.
 
Quarterback Cade Brister returns for the Lions in 2021 after finishing the 2019 season with 3,779 yards passing with 39 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, and a completion percentage of 63 percent. He was also second on the team in rushing yards with 552 net yards on 158 attempts. The Lions also return their top rusher in Nash Sutherlin who finished with 822 yards and five touchdowns while Payton Rose leads the returning receivers after catching 64 passes for 1,198 yards and 15 touchdowns.
 
The Lions enter the season preseason ranked 21 by the AFCA.
 
QUICK HITS:
RETURNING THE FIELD:
The Rams have high hopes for the upcoming season, returning 21 of 22 starters from last year to go along with a list of returning supporters and several transfers. The experience and discipline of this Rams squad should make them a favorite to make the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
 
RUNNING BACK DUO:
The top running backs for the Rams return in Alfred Grear and Nathaniel Omayebu III who tallied 479 yards and 258 yards respectively while combining for nine touchdowns. Grear finished with the longest run of the season, a 68-yard sprint to the endzone while Omayebu took a majority of the carries with 60 attempts in four games.
 
BACK BEHIND CENTER:
Zach Bronkhorst will lead the Rams again heading into week one after finishing last season with 652 yards on 66 completions and three touchdowns. He also added 155 yards on the ground.
 
PRESEASON RANKINGS:                  
Angelo State has received some recognition heading into the new campaign and is currently receiving votes in the AFCA Preseason Poll while D2Football.com has listed the Rams just inside the top 25 at No. 25.
 
Defensive lineman G'Karri McCoy also earned a preseason honor, being named to the 2021 Preseason All-Texas Small College Team.
 
LSC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL:
Released at the end of July, the Rams were selected to finish second in the Lone Star Conference behind Texas A&M – Commerce who was selected first overall.
 
STRENGTH IN THE DEFENSE:
Leddy French II and Darrick Dickerson Jr. both return in their safety spots along with corners DeShaun Douglas and Devin Washington while Hunter Kyle returns at Linebacker after leading the 2019 season with 101 tackles.
 
2020 RIMINGTON AWARD:
Alfredo Fernandez was selected for the winner of the Rimington Award for the 2020 season which recognizes the top center in each division.