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A first-place showdown pitting Central Washington University and Azusa Pacific University will take place when the Wildcats host the Cougars in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at Tomlinson Stadium on Saturday.

CWU and APU both come into play today with identical 5-2 records overall and 5-1 marks in GNAC play. The Wildcats' only conference loss of the season came on Sept. 21 against Simon Fraser University (21-14), while the Cougars' lone GNAC defeat was a week later versus CWU by a score of 7-3.

These two teams, along with third-place Western Oregon University (4-2 GNAC, 4-3 overall) are vying for the top spot in the conference standings with four weeks remaining. WOU hosts Simon Fraser University today.

The top two defenses in the conference will be on display this afternoon, with CWU remaining among the best teams nationally in NCAA Division II by allowing 14.7 points and 314.0 yards per game. Both of those numbers currently lead the GNAC, as does the Wildcats' stout rushing defense that gives up just 87.4 yards per contest.

Azusa Pacific, which leads the conference with an average of 227 yards of rushing offense per contest, trails only CWU in each of the defensive categories. The Cougars surrender just 21.1 points and 352.6 yards per game. Running back Terrell Watson has run for a combined 581 yards over the past two weeks, and recently broke the school's career rushing record (held previously by former NFL star Christian Okoye).

CWU has shown significant improvement in the scoring column over the past two weeks, combining for 81 points over that span. The Wildcats had accumulated just 76 points in its first five games of the 2013 campaign.

SERIES HISTORY
CWU has won six of the first eight football series meetings against Azusa Pacific. The Wildcats have won two of three match-ups since the Cougars begin their affiliate membership in the GNAC last season, claiming a 41-17 win when the two teams met in Bothell last September. CWU has won both previous meetings between the two schools here at Tomlinson Stadium – a 51-17 decision in 1998 and a 42-10 triumph in 2009.

LAST SEASON'S FINISH & THIS YEAR'S PROJECTIONS
Central Washington claimed the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title with a 7-3 league mark (7-4 overall) last season, but the Wildcats were projected to finish second in this year's GNAC pre-season poll. CWU received two first-place votes but was ranked behind Humboldt State in the ranking of conference coaches.

Azusa Pacific, in its second year as a provisional member of the NCAA Division II, was tabbed to tie for third in the pre-season poll. The Cougars won their final four conference games a year ago – and owned a streak of six straight GNAC wins prior to a loss to CWU in September 2013.

DOWN THE STRETCH
CWU plays the last of six home games in 2013 next Saturday, taking on Humboldt State University on Senior Day. The Wildcats then travel to Western Oregon University on Nov. 9 and Dixie State University on Nov. 16 to conclude the regular season.

Azusa Pacific plays two of its final three games of the season at home at Citrus Stadium in Glendora, Calif., hosting Western Oregon and Dixie State each of the next two weeks. The Cougars visit Simon Fraser for their season finale on Nov. 16.

THE FIRST MEETING
CWU claimed victory in a defensive showdown between the two schools on Sept. 28, taking a 7-3 win. A four-yard touchdown pass from Jake Nelson to Adam Schechter late in the first quarter proved to be the game-winning score for the Wildcats, whose defense surrendered just 171 yards of offense and a second-quarter field goal to the Cougars. The CWU offense accumulated just 240 yards, of which 191 were on the ground by sophomore JORDAN TODD. The seven points scored by the Wildcats in the victory were their lowest single-game total in a win since 1968.

FOUR-AND-O IN OCTOBER?
A win today by the Wildcats would give them their first undefeated month of October since 2009. CWU suffered three losses in four starts last October, while going 3-2 in the month in 2011 and 4-1 in October 2010.

A BALANCED EFFORT
The Wildcats' 40-point victory at Simon Fraser last Saturday was the team's largest margin of victory this season, and they can thank every facet of their game – offense, defense, and special teams – for the large cushion. After holding just a two-point lead midway through the first quarter, CWU scored the game's final 38 points and won by a 54-14 count.

Central Washington scored its points in just about every way possible. The Wildcats had two rushing touchdowns from Jordan Todd  two passing touchdowns (of which one came on a fake punt), a punt return for a touchdown, a kickoff return for a touchdown, an interception return for a touchdown, a safety, and a field goal.

PICKED APART
Four different CWU players had an interception in last week's win over Simon Fraser, with redshirt freshman Blake Williams-Miller scoring on a 64-yard INT return for a touchdown in the third quarter to highlight the Wildcats' takeaways in the game. Also picking off passes against the Clan were sophomores Isaiah Davis, Cole Graves, and Mitch Haldane.

MORE KUDOS FOR THE 'CATS
CWU had two newcomers on the honor roll for Great Northwest Athletic Conference/Red Lion Hotels Player of the Week this past week. Senior defensive tackle Austin Schnizler corralled Defensive Player of the Week honors after recording five tackles – including four for losses with three sacks – in the win at Simon Fraser. One of those tackles for losses came in the end zone, resulting in the Wildcats' first safety of the season. In addition, senior punter Matt Burke picked up Special Teams Player of the Week accolades after a season-best punting average of 43.3 yards per punt, in addition to executing a fake punt with a 54-yard touchdown pass to Deionte Gordon.

BIG NUMBERS CONTINUE FOR MR. TODD
CWU sophomore running back Jordan Todd currently ranks second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in rushing yards, and the former Interlake High School product has been a busy back for the Wildcats this season. Todd is tops in the conference with 192 total carries, which, through seven games, is on pace for a total of 302 carries over the course of the Wildcats' 11-game season. The most carries by a CWU player in a single regular season is 300 by Emilio Iniguez in 2004, while Bryson Kelly was the last Wildcat to average better than 20 carries per game in a single season (22.6 carries per game in 2008). Todd needs just 111 yards to break the 1,000-yard plateau for the first time in his young career, having totaled 555 yards last season as a true freshman.

THE EMERGENCE OF ZALK
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Jesse Zalk has emerged as an all-around threat for the Wildcats as the 2013 season has progressed. The former Prairie High School standout has racked up a team-leading 32 pass receptions for 282 yards as a slot receiver, while also providing CWU an additional weapon returning kicks and punts. Zalk is averaging 37.5 yards per return on six kickoff returns this season, including a kick return touchdown last Saturday against Simon Fraser. He, along with sophomore ISAIAH DAVIS (527 kick & punt return yards), give the Wildcats a formidable one-two punch in the returns department.

THIRD-QUARTER SUPREMACY
Central Washington has owned the third quarter of games this season, at least when it comes down to keeping opponents off the scoreboard. The Wildcats have allowed just three points in the third quarter of a game – a field goal at Humboldt State three weeks ago – while scoring 34 points of their own in the period. CWU has also been especially effective in the second period of games, outscoring opponents by a 45-23 count in such quarters. The Wildcats have outpointed their foes by a combined 157-103 mark in seven games this season.

HELMET STICKERS TO COMMEMORATE COACH MIKE DUNBAR
The CWU football team is wearing "MD" stickers on the back of their helmets for the remainder of the 2013 season to honor former Wildcat coach Mike Dunbar. A CWU Athletics Hall of Famer who spent six seasons as the head coach of the football program, Dunbar passed away on Sept. 13 at the age of 64. Dunbar compiled a 54-9-1 record – for a school-record .852 winning percentage – while guiding the Wildcats in 1983 and from 1987-91.

The game can be tracked via live video, live stats, and live audio at the links above.