ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The 11th-ranked Central Washington University Football Team (4-2, 4-0 LSC) heads back on the road this week to face another foe that is currently undefeated in conference play, this time in the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas (4-2, 4-0 LSC). The 'Cats and Javelinas battle it out on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. PST from Pepsi Field at Javelina Stadium.
 
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QUOTING CWU HEAD FOOTBALL COACH SCOTT POWER:
 
"Well, they scored 58 points last weekend, so it's another up-tempo offensive style where they whip it around. They have a wide out that caught 16 passes for over 200 yards last week and I think he's in the top five in the country in a lot of statistical categories. Their style is to be pretty aggressive on offense and put the ball in the air and play with some tempo. Defensively, they play a unique style where it's a three down, three high safety structure, so it's just different than what we've seen from opponents up to this point. Some areas this week in our prep will be a little bit different in terms of how we prepare our guys for this game. Anytime you're 4-0 you have some confidence, you have some belief, so we're expecting a highly competitive game down there Saturday night. We know that anytime you go on the road in this league it's tough to win. It'll be a good one."
 
LAST WEEK:
 
The 'Cats came up with a big defensive play on Midwestern State's opening possession, as King Williams intercepted a pass and returned it 16 yards to set CWU up near midfield. The Wildcats capitalized when Justin Brennan connected with Isaac Torres for a 5-yard touchdown to take a 7-0 lead with 11:06 remaining in the first quarter. After the Mustangs tied the game, Ryder Bumgarner scored on a 2-yard run to put CWU back in front 14-7. Bumgarner added his second touchdown of the game, this time a five-yard run to get the 'Cats back up but right before the Mustangs tied the game up once again 40 seconds later. Brennan found Torres for a 41-yard touchdown pass to give the 'Cats a 28-21 lead. David Weber added a 47-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, sending CWU into the locker room with a 31-21 advantage. The Wildcats extended their lead in the second half with Bumgarner's third rushing touchdown of the night in the third quarter and Brennan's three-yard touchdown run early in the fourth. Midwestern State added a late touchdown and two-point conversion, but the 'Cats' defense held firm to secure the 44-29 Homecoming victory.
 
Brennan turned in another strong performance through the air, completing 20 of 29 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He also added 28 rushing yards and a touchdown on four carries. Bumgarner led the Wildcats on the ground with 89 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries, while Antoine Lee contributed 59 yards on eight attempts, including a long run of 31 yards. Ki'Marree Washington added 19 rushing yards, and Justice Taylor finished with 17 yards on four carries. As a team, CWU rushed for 207 yards and totaled 506 yards of offense while controlling possession for 35 minutes and 10 seconds.
 
Through the air, Torres led the Wildcats with a standout performance, hauling in eight passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns, including a long reception of 56 yards. Mason Juergens added three catches for 45 yards, while Samaje Featherstone contributed one reception for 34 yards. Wiley Donnerberg finished with two catches for 20 yards, and Bumgarner added two receptions for nine yards. Torres' two touchdown catches helped the 'Cats maintain their advantage in a high-scoring first half.
 
Defensively, Brycen Indell and Isaiah Paul led the Wildcats with seven tackles apiece. Indell added half a tackle for loss, while Paul recorded a pass breakup. Kam Watkins-Hunter finished with six tackles and a pass breakup, and King Williams contributed five tackles, an interception returned 16 yards, and two pass breakups. Joseph Jefferson II also recorded five tackles, an interception, and two pass breakups, helping the Wildcats force three turnovers. Omar Lazcano added five tackles and half a tackle for loss, while Cooper MacPherson finished with five tackles, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Up front, Trishion Sullivan recorded three tackles for loss, including two sacks for 17 yards, while Brady Phillips added a 13-yard sack and Chris Hauss recorded a nine-yard sack.
 
On special teams, Weber connected on his lone field-goal attempt, a 47-yarder as time expired in the first half, and made five of six PAT attempts. He also handled all seven kickoffs, averaging 65 yards per kickoff, with five touchbacks. Weber punted twice for 68 yards, averaging 34 yards per punt, with one punt placed inside the 20-yard line. Juergens returned one punt for 14 yards, while Featherstone recorded three kickoff returns for 54 yards, averaging 18 yards per return. The Wildcats' contributions across all three phases helped them earn the 44-29 Homecoming win and remain undefeated in conference play.
 
SCOUTING THE JAVELINAS:
 
The Javelinas are in a similar boat as the Wildcats, dropping both of their nonconference games before rattling off four-straight to start conference play. TAMUK began their season with a 48-3 defeat to then eighth-ranked Northwest Missouri State before traveling to Michigan to face Saginaw Valley State who they feel to by a 41-24 score. They began conference play with a bang, taking down Eastern New Mexico at home by a score of 56-22 before traveling to Western New Mexico who they defeated by a 52-14 score. They continued their winning ways with a tough 28-21 victory over West Texas A&M at home before a huge shootout victory last Saturday at Western Oregon by a 58-51 score.
 
Texas A&M-Kingsville is currently outscoring their opponents by a 36.83 to 32.83 margin. The Javelinas are outgaining their opponents by a 460.5 to 383.2 margin per game. The offense of the Javelinas can hurt you in both ways, they average 287.33 passing yards per game and have combined for a total of 12 passing touchdowns, but their ground game adds 173.2 rushing yards per game and has tallied 15 rushing touchdowns. That's compared to their opponents 197.83 passing yards per game and 11 passing touchdowns and 185.3 rushing yards per game and 12 rushing touchdowns.
 
The Javelinas have been solid when it comes to third down attempts, converting on 40.91 percent of their attempts, however, their opponents have been better, earning a first down on 43.82 percent of their third down attempts. TAMUK has been exception on fourth down attempts, converting on seven of nine on the season while holding their opponents to seven of 15 fourth down conversions. Kingsville has the power to score quickly as their opponents hold onto the ball significantly longer than the Javelinas by a 34:07 to 25:50 margin. The Javelinas are averaging 68.33 penalty yards per game, racking up 48 penalties for a total of 410 yards this season.
 
Mills Dawson has been on fire this season, completing 139 of his 220 passes for 1,691 passing yards, five interceptions, and 12 touchdowns. He's added 83 rushing yards and four more touchdowns on the ground. Edward Chumley has had another standout season so far in the backfield for the Javelinas, rushing for 654 yards and seven touchdowns. Levi Fontenot has added 217 rushing yards and four more touchdowns. Christian Kretz has been the favorite target of Dawson's, making 48 catches for 814 yards and eight of the team's 12 receiving touchdowns. Nate Barnett is next after Kretz, making 27 catches for 261 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Max Alvarez is leading the defense with 42 tackles with Travis Bielefeld and Jeremiah Conaway not far behind at 40 tackles each. Bielefeld is leading the Javelinas with 10.5 tackles for loss for a total of 54 yards including 5.5 sacks that have equated to 40 yards. Julian Payne leads the team with three interceptions while Kadarious Coleman has nabbed two interceptions. Ky Guillory has four pass breakups and is slightly ahead of Payne and Coleman who each have three. Rolland Trent has five quarterback hurries and is tied with Ellis Sanusi with two fumble recoveries while Trent and Sanusi are tied with Conaway with two forced fumbles each. Conaway and Jeremiah Robinson have each blocked a kick this season.
 
Will Hutchison has 24 punts for a total of 973 yards with six landing in the opponents 20-yard line and four sailing for over 50 yards. Daniel Gauna has connected on 10 of his 14 field goal attempts this season with his longest coming from 40 yards out. Angel Lopez has 44 kickoffs for 2,442 yards. Marques Singleton has nine punt returns for a total of 75 yards and is the leader in kickoff returns with 73 yards on three kick returns. AJ Craft also has three kick returns for 53 yards while Brock Chilton has five kick returns for a total of 49 yards.
 
UP NEXT:
 
CWU will head back home in a battle of top-25 teams as the 20th-ranked UT Permian Basin Falcons (5-1, 4-0 LSC) come to Ellensburg for a battle. The 'Cats and Falcons clash on Saturday, October 24 at 6:00 p.m. from Steve Hertling Field at Tomlinson Stadium.