ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Football Team (5-2, 4-1 LSC) will look to keep the momentum from last weekends shutout victory going into a Homecoming matchup against the Midwestern State Mustangs (3-4, 2-3 LSC) on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 6:00 p.m. on Steve Hertling Field at Tomlinson Stadium.
 
THINGS TO KNOW
  

• New to the 2024 home athletics season, ticket sales are cashless and parking for football games will begin at 3:00 p.m. and will be $10. General ADA parking is in parking lot X-12 (dirt parking lot north of Tomlinson Stadium).

 

• Below is a list of prohibited items for home CWU events:
  • Outside food and beverages
  • Weapons of any kind
  • Pets (Service animals are allowed)
  • Alcohol
  • Smoking, E-cigarettes, or vaporizers
  • Bikes, skateboards, or scooters
  • Regular bags, backpacks, tote bags, and any non-clear/see-through bags.
  • Any other item or action deemed dangerous or inappropriate

 

• People can bring the following items into CWU events:
  • Portable chairbacks or soft sided seat cushions
  • Small clear/see-through bags
  • Strollers
  • Blankets
  • Small umbrellas

 

• Starting last home game, Central Washington University Athletics has implemented metal detectors at entrances and enforces a strict clear-bag policy that was just recommended for the last home game against UTPB but officially starts with this weekend's game against Midwestern State.

 

• By adopting a clear bag policy, Central Washington University Athletics aims to enhance safety and streamline the gameday experience for all fans. While it restricts certain bag types, it still allows most items fans typically bring, making security screenings faster and more efficient.

 

• Central Washington University Athletics would like to thank you for your cooperation.

 
GAME INFORMATION
 
WATCH ($): HERE
LIVE STATS: HERE
TICKETS: HERE
 
LAST WEEK
 
The Wildcats took a trip to Kingsville, Texas and came away with their second shutout victory of the season, earning a 31-0 victory at Texas A&M-Kingsville for the Javelinas Homecoming game at Pepsi Field at Javelina Stadium.
 
After a scoreless first quarter that saw Isaac Clark block the Javelinas field goal attempt, the Wildcats struck with 6:42 left in the second quarter when Kennedy McGill connected with Darrien Gaines for a 67-yard touchdown reception. With 2:40 left in the quarter, McGill found Stephen Woodward for the four-yard touchdown pass and with Wyatt Redding making both point after touchdowns, put CWU up 14-0 at half.
 
The Wildcats found the uprights when true freshman Cooper Britton kicked a 27-yard field goal to increase the crimson and black lead to 17-0 with 8:12 left in the third quarter. With 48 seconds left in the third, McGill found Darius Morrison for a two-yard touchdown connection and with the Britton PAT saw the lead balloon to 24-0. With 14:47 left in the game, McGill found Gaines once again for a touchdown pass, this time a 35-yard reception, and with Britton converting the PAT made it a 31-0 victory.
 
McGill finished the game 10/12 for 193 yards and four touchdowns adding 81 rushing yards which helped earn him the LSC Offensive Player of the Week. Tyler Flanagan added 63 rushing yards while Cam Daniels and Beau Phillips each finished with 33 yards. Gaines finished two yards shy of the century mark with 98 receiving yards and two touchdowns while Andrew Molloy added 44 yards. Morrison added 26 receiving yards and a touchdown, Marcus Cook added 21 receiving yards, and Woodward finished with four and a touchdown.
 
Brycen Indell led the 'Cats with six tackles and a sack while Tanner Volk added five tackles. Daniel Matagi, the LSC Defensive Player of the Week finished the game with five tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble while Jalen Webber finished with five tackles and a tackle for loss. Daniel Mendoza finished with two tackles and an interception while Clark had one tackle and blocked the field goal attempt. Dan Stewart finished the night with three punts for 120 yards with one punt landing in Kingsville's 20-yard line. Britton finished the game 2/2 for PAT's and drilled the only field goal attempt by the 'Cats of 27 yards. Redding also finished 2/2 on PAT's and had six kickoffs for 333 yards.
 
ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
 
MSU is 3-4 on the year and 2-3 in LSC play. They started out their season with an 18-11 victory at home over Missouri Southern State before falling on the road in a tight battle at still undefeated eighth-ranked Western Colorado by a 38-33 score to wrap up their nonconference schedule. The Mustangs opened LSC play with a resounding 36-15 victory at Eastern New Mexico before dropping their next two contest, a 27-3 defeat against UTPB followed by a 40-13 setback at Texas A&M-Kingsville. They bounced back for a 40-21 victory over LSC newcomer Sul Ross State at home before falling last week at home to Angelo State 44-7 in their Homecoming game.
 
"It's a new coaching staff," CWU Head Football Coach Chris Fisk said. "Coach Maskill, the winningest coach in LSC history, retired at the end of the year last year. No matter who it is, if you transition in a new coach and a new coaching staff, even if they've been on the staff for a long time, it takes a little bit of time to build their philosophy and shape the team how they want it to be shaped. I have a lot of respect for Coach Renner I think they do a tremendous job. It's a program that plays with tremendous pride with a lot of rich tradition and history at Midwestern State."
 
The Mustangs are currently being outscored by their opponents 21.43 points per game to the 28 points their opponents are averaging. MSU is currently averaging 133.7 rushing yards per game but are giving up 182.3 rushing yards per game to their opponents. The passing game is a bit closer with the Mustangs averaging 181.57 yards per game while their opponents are squeaking a few more yards at 189.86 passing yards per game.
 
Andrew Knebel has been the main quarterback recently for the Mustangs having started the past three games and taking over for the beginning of the year starter Sean Jastrab. Knebel has completed 45/90 passes and thrown for 555 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. Devin Cross and Jalen March have both accumulated over 300 yards on the ground for MSU with Cross having 475 total yards and two touchdowns while March has added 316 yards and one touchdown. Christian Olige leads MSU with three rushing touchdowns adding 81 yards. Justin White Jr. has been the favorite target so far this season being targeted 22 times and racking up 207 yards. Demonte Greene has the most receiving yards with 321 and three touchdowns on 14 receptions.
 
Larry Donnell leads the 'Stangs defense with 44 tackles, two interceptions, and two fumble recoveries while adding two pass breakups. The Mustangs have 8.5 sacks on the season with seven different players accounting for one sack apiece. MSU also has 36.5 tackles for loss with Jayln Thompson leading the herd with 5.5 tackles for loss. Jaylin Broadus leads MSU with four pass breakups while Kam'rin Devault has five quarterback hurries and a safety on the season. Diego Gonzalez has 33 punts for 1,376 yards for an average of 41.7 yards per punt and has punted 10 times into the opponents 20-yard line. Joseph Carlson is 11/13 on field goal attempts on the season with a his season-long 49-yarder coming at Western Colorado. Carlson has added 27 kickoffs for 1,658 yards for an average of 61.4 yards per kick with 11 kickoffs landing for touchbacks. Greene has 11 punt returns for 130 yards for an average of 11.82 yards per punt return. Jaiden Burnett and Cross lead the kick returns for MSU with Burnett returning four kicks for 157 yards and a touchdown while Cross has returned six kicks for 132 yards.
 
"I can promise you that nobody in the Wildcat program is overlooking MSU," Fisk said. "If you remember a year ago, we were lucky to get out of Wichita Falls with a victory at 10-7 and offensively we did not play very well. So, we're excited to get another chance to play Midwestern State."
 
UP NEXT
 
The Wildcats will have a big test next weekend when they travel to Angelo State on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 4:00 p.m. PST from 1st Community Credit Union Field at LeGrand Stadium in San Angelo, Texas. The Rams are currently tied with Western Oregon at the top of the LSC standings with 5-0 conference records.