Game 12:
#16 [3] ANGELO STATE RAMS (9-2, 9-0 LSC) vs. RV [6] BEMIDJI STATE BEAVERS (8-3, 7-3 LSC)
Saturday, Nov. 23, 1 p.m. CT, San Angelo, Texas – LeGrand Stadium at 1CCU Field
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The 16^th-ranked Angelo State football team opens the 2024 NCAA Division II Football Championship at home on Saturday, Nov. 23 as the Rams take on sixth-seed Bemidji State in the opening round at LeGrand Stadium at 1^st Community Credit Union Field with kickoff set for 1 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT:                                                                                                                                                            
ASU finished the Lone Star Conference season undefeated after taking down West Texas A&M 56-19 in the regular-season finale last week. Braeden Fuller racked up seven touchdowns, four passing and three rushing, while totaling over 400 yards of offense. The Rams have won nine games in a row heading into the NCAA Division II playoffs.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Angelo State vs. Bemidji State
All-Time Series: 1-0, ASU
Last Meeting: Nov. 26, 2022 (San Angelo, Texas) – ASU, 33-7
The Rams and Beavers have met only one other time in program history which came during the 2022 season in the second round of the playoffs. ASU came away with a 33-7 win in San Angelo to advance to the Super Region 4 finals.
 
SCOUTING THE BEAVERS:

• Bemidji State earned the sixth seed in the region after going 8-3 overall and 7-2 in the NSIC.
• They ended the regular season on a three-game win streak, including a 17-10 win over No. 15 Augustana last week.
• The Beavers are averaging 26.5 points per game while allowing 15.7 and are totaling 376.5 offensive yards per game with a balanced pass and run attack.
• BSU collected four NSIC First-Team selections on defense and two on offense.
• Marcus Hansen leads the NSIC in sacks with 7.5 and is second in TFLs with 13.5.
• Quarterback Sam McGath has thrown for 2,155 yards with 20 TDs and 10 INTs, while adding 443 yards on the ground and seven rushing touchdowns.
• Jayden Washington is the leading rusher for the Beavers with 695 yards and four scores.
• Colton Hinrichs is the top tackler for BSU with 62 tackles on the year followed by Hansen with 52.
• BSU's defense leads the NSIC in yards allowed with 240.8 per game.
• The Beavers lead their conference in forced fumbles with 11 and are second in sacks with 30.

 
SUPER REGION 4 BRACKET:
The Rams earned a first-round home game in the playoffs after moving up to their third seed in the Super Region 4 rankings. Facing Bemidji State as the sixth seed, the winner of this game will face the winner of No. 2 Western Colorado vs. No. 7 Central Washington while Colorado State-Pueblo earned the top seed.
 
IN THE RANKINGS:
The Rams jumped up to No. 16 in the AFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches' poll while D2Football.com has the ASU at No. 15.
 
FULL(ER) HOUSE – BEST IN THE LSC:
Braeden Fuller was named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in passing yards (2,180) and passing touchdowns (18), adding 648 yards on the ground and 10 rushing scores. He was named the LSC Player of the Week five times this season and accounted for seven touchdowns last week to help the Rams to an undefeated conference season and title.
 
LSC PLAYERS OF THE YEAR:
Along with the Offensive Player of the Year, the Rams tallied several other superlatives from the LSC including Defensive Lineman of the Year Owen Seaver, Defensive Back of the Year Andrew Pitts, and Co-Linebacker of the Year Eric Rascoe.
 
24 ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS FOR THE 2024 CHAMPS:
The Rams collected 24 All-Conference honors this week including six First-Team Offense selections and eight First-Team Defense selections.
 
HEAD COACH PROFILE – JEFF GIRSCH
In his sixth season as head coach of the Rams, Jeff Girsch earned his third LSC Coach of the Year honor after leading the Rams to a 9-2 overall record, going 9-0 in conference play. Girsch holds a .778 winning percentage at ASU and is currently the winningest coach in program history, earning two LSC titles in the last three seasons.
 
OUTSCORING THE LSC:
During conference play, the Rams have outscored the opposition 333-95, allowing only 10.6 points per game. ASU leads the LSC in points per game, averaging 404.1 yards of offense per game while giving up only 254.4.
 
DEFENDING THE PYLONS:
The Rams are allowing only 12.1 points per game this season with two shutouts. They are second in the Lone Star in points allowed and rank ninth overall in Division II. ASU has also allowed the second-fewest yards per game in the conference (265.2) which ranks 17^th in Division II.
 
BALL HAWKIN:
ASU's defense extended its interception streak against the Buffs, picking off opponents at least once in each game this season, leading the Lone Star with 15 interceptions. The Rams have now recorded at least one interception in 13 of their last 14 games going back to last season.
 
CHANGING POSSESSION:
ASU's defense has collected 24 turnovers this season, ranking eighth in Division II, and has the fourth-best turnover margin in the country at plus-1.55. The Rams are holding opponents to a 3^rd down conversion percentage of .264, the lowest in the conference, and have allowed 154 first downs all season which is 13^th in Division II.
 
LONE STAR CONFERENCE WEEKLY HONORS:
Offensive Player of the Week:
Sept. 23 | Braeden Fuller – 23-of-38, 222 passing yards, 2 TDs; 74 rushing yards, 1 TD
Oct. 7 | Braeden Fuller – 9-of-15, 112 passing yards, 1 TD; 154 rushing yards, 3 TDs
Oct. 14 | Braeden Fuller – 18-of-33, 332 passing yards, 4 TDs; 1 rushing TD
Nov. 11 | Braeden Fuller – 13-of-25, 315 passing yards, 3 TDs; 1 rushing TD
Nov. 18 | Braeden Fuler – 13-of-23, 238 passing, 4 TDs, 167 rushing yards, 3 TDs
 
Defensive Player of the Week
Oct. 7 | Kenton Allen – 12 tackles, 10 solo, FR, TD
Nov. 4 | Kenton Allen – 13 tackles, 4 solo, INT
Nov. 11 | Eric Rascoe – 11 tackles, FR, INT, .5 sack
 
Special Teams Player of the Week
Oct. 14 | Cade Fuller – 49.9 yards per punt, 8 punts, long of 71
 
NEW INTERCEPTION CROWN:
Andrew Pitts recorded his 19^th career interception against Western New Mexico, setting a new program record for the Rams for interceptions in a career. He brought his career total to 22 after returning an interception for a touchdown against the Buffs.
 
THREE RAMS ON D2FOOTBALL.COM ELITE 100 WATCHLIST:
The Rams had three players named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watchlist, cornerback Andrew Pitts, offensive lineman Noah Plsek, and placekicker Bradley Larson.
 
#2 IN LSC PRESEASON POLL:
With 260 total points and six first-place votes, the Rams were selected second overall in the LSC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Central Washington was picked first overall while UT Permian Basin came in at three.
 
QUICK HITS:

• ASU's offensive line collected four all-conference honors, three on the First-Team in Jacob Long, Noah Plsek, and Connor Fisher.
• Eric Rascoe earned his third First-Team All-Conference honor of his career.
• Fuller's LSC Offensive Player of the Year honor was the first for the Rams since 2015 (Kyle Washington).
• Dylan Neeley ranks fifth in the LSC in tackles for loss with 11 on the year and is third in sacks with 5.5.
• Pitts is tied for first in the LSC with six interceptions and is second in pass deflections with 14.
• Kyle Bradford leads the Rams with 346 receiving yards on 17 catches, averaging 20.4 yards per catch.
• Cameron Dischler has recorded the most receiving touchdowns with four and has three rushing TDs on the year.
• Kenton Allen leads the Rams with 102 tackles on the year and ranks fifth in the LSC.