ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The 12th-ranked Central Washington University Football Team (2-2, 2-0 LSC) will turn toward a big test this Saturday when they make their first LSC visit. They travel down to San Angelo, Texas to face the Angelo State Rams on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. PST from 1st Community Credit Union Field at LeGrand Stadium.
 
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QUOTING CWU HEAD FOOTBALL COACH SCOTT POWER:
 
"I've known Coach Girsch for quite some time and have some familiarity with their program. I think this is one of the most consistent and stable programs in the league. Whether or not they win the fight every year, they're always in the fight or in the mix. So, you will see returning experience. They have guys that have been in these types of games before, so they won't be new to this arena Saturday night. They've earned some confidence now, some belief in themselves, it's not like they've gotten blown out in those first three games either. They were in a really tight game with Western Colorado who's a top 10 team, they outgained West Texas A&M by almost 200 yards, but they turned the ball over. They have our full attention and our full respect, and we know what we're going to get into Saturday night down there."
 
LAST WEEK:
 
The 'Cats jumped out to an early lead after Hudson Hardy recovered a fumble on Sul Ross State's opening possession, setting up Ryder Bumgarner's 21-yard touchdown run just 18 seconds into the game. The Lobos answered with a 22-yard touchdown run by Will Howell, but David Weber connected on a 38-yard field goal before Bumgarner added his second touchdown of the quarter on a six-yard run to put CWU ahead 16-6. Sul Ross State responded with a two-yard touchdown pass from Howell to Aaron Martinez, cutting the Wildcat lead to 16-13 heading into the second.
 
CWU opened the second quarter with Antoine Lee's two-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 23-13, but the Lobos answered with a 24-yard field goal. The Wildcats then scored twice in less than three minutes, with Ki'Marree Washington scoring on a 12-yard run and Justin Brennan connecting with Samaje Featherstone for a six-yard touchdown to make it 37-16. Sul Ross State added a 10-yard touchdown pass from Howell to Ronald Bell with 41 seconds left, but Weber answered with a 39-yard field goal as time expired to send the 'Cats into halftime with a 40-22 advantage.
 
The Wildcats continued to pull away in the second half, opening the third quarter with a seven-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Bumgarner's third touchdown of the game, a 1-yard run, to make it 47-22. After a scoreless remainder of the third, Peyton Cunningham opened the fourth quarter with a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown, extending the lead to 54-22. Chace Webster then capped a 79-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run to give the 'Cats the final 61-22 margin and his first collegiate touchdown.
 
Bumgarner led the way on the ground with a career-high 196 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries, including a long run of 55 yards. Lee added 114 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while Washington finished with 85 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts. Webster added 24 yards and a touchdown on six carries in his collegiate debut. As a team, the Wildcats piled up 443 rushing yards on 51 attempts, averaging 8.7 yards per carry and scoring six rushing touchdowns.
 
Through the air, Brennan completed 9 of 16 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown without an interception, while Caleb Christensen completed two passes for 62 yards. AJ Perez led the receiving corps with two catches for 62 yards, including a long reception of 37 yards. Mason Juergens added four catches for 48 yards, while Bumgarner contributed one reception for 25 yards. Featherstone's six-yard touchdown reception was CWU's lone passing touchdown of the game.
 
Defensively, Cale Allen led the 'Cats with eight tackles and forced a fumble, while Isaiah Paul added five tackles and a tackle for loss. Keenan Landry also recorded five tackles in his Wildcat debut and added half a tackle for loss. Brycen Indell finished with four tackles, half a tackle for loss and a pass breakup, while King Williams added four tackles, a 10-yard sack and a pass breakup. Ty Evans contributed four tackles and half a tackle for loss, and Brady Phillips recorded three tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Cunningham had the only interception of the game.
 
On special teams, Weber connected on two of three field-goal attempts, including a long of 39 yards, and made five of six PAT attempts. He also handled eight kickoffs for 520 yards. Austin Ferencz added two kickoffs for 130 yards and went 2-for-2 on PAT attempts. Juergens returned one punt for 14 yards, while Bumgarner returned three kickoffs for 71 yards and Featherstone added two kickoff returns for 58 yards.
 
SCOUTING THE RAMS:
 
Angelo State is 1-3 on the season and is currently 1-1 in LSC play. They began their season with a home setback against Fort Hays State by a 35-14 score before traveling to then 11th-ranked Western Colorado, battling the Mountaineers in a 23-21 loss. They fell to 0-3 in their LSC opener when they fell at home to West Texas A&M by a 27-19 score, but they bounced back in upset fashion last week when they traveled to the Pacific Northwest and upset then 17th-ranked Western Oregon in overtime, making the two-point conversion to win 29-28.
 
ASU is currently averaging 20.75 points per game, but are giving up 28.25 points per game to their opponents. The Rams have been outgaining their opponents in the air, averaging 212.75 yards per game and adding seven touchdowns while only giving up 178 passing yards to their opponents and seven passing touchdowns. ASU is no slouch on the ground averaging 138.8 yards per contest and have added five rushing touchdowns while their opponents have outgained them on the ground with 178.5 rushing yards per game while adding eight rushing touchdowns.
 
The Rams have had a solid showing on third down, converting on 41.82 percent of their third down attempts, but opponents have the slight advantage, converting on 44.83 percent of their third down attempts. The Rams are just 1-8 on fourth down attempts while opponents have converted 2-4 of their fourth down attempts. The Rams have accumulated 23 penalties this season for a total of 223 yards for an average of 55.75 penalty yards per game while opponents have earned 22 penalties for 180 yards for an average of 45 penalty yards per game. ASU holds the slight advantage in time of possession, holding onto the ball for 30:27 minutes per game compared to the 29:33 minutes per game they allow their opponents with the ball.
 
Ayden Arp has been the starting quarterback for the Rams this season, averaging 212.75 passing yards per game for a total of 851 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions while completing 76 of 121 passes. Arp is second on the team in rushing with 127 yards on 47 attempts. Leading the ground game is Cameron Dischler who has accumulated 230 rushing yards and all five rushing touchdowns this season for the Rams on 61 attempts. Alan Dobbins and Donny Bishop have been the primary targets for Arp this season, racking up 19 and 18 catches already this season, respectfully. Dobbins has added 235 receiving yards and three touchdowns while Bishop has added 202 receiving yards and two touchdowns while Kegan Stelmazewski is the only other Ram over the 100-yard mark this season at 146 yards and one touchdown.
 
KJ Penson has led the tackling for the ASU defense, racking up 24 tackles and a pass breakup with Hunter Boudreaux not far behind with 21 tackles while adding an interception and two pass breakups. Zach Burton has been the best on the Rams defense at getting through the offensive line, accumulating 14 total tackles with 2.5 coming as tackles for loss including two sacks, out of the teams three total sacks this season, for a total of five yards, and has added a pas breakup. Shamareon McKinnon joins Boudreaux as the only other Ram to snag an interception this season while Dabrein Moss and Eugene Liger also join Boudreaux as leaders on the Rams defense with two pass breakups. Brody McGee and Greg Salazar each have one quarterback hurry to their name this season while Thomas White and Josiah Wells have each forced a fumble with Jeff Isenhart recovering one.
 
Jeremy Ramirez has 20 punts to his name this season for a total of 834 yards with five landing inside the opponents 20-yard line and three sailing for over 50 yards. Paden Maass has been the primary kicker for the Rams this season, going 0-3 on field goal attempts this season but has 15 kickoffs for 906 yards. Bishop has all eight punt returns this season for a total of 49 yards. Dischler has four kick returns for a total of 86 yards while Trevor Winn has two kick returns or a total of 41 yards.
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Wildcats will head back to the Pacific Northwest and look towards Homecoming where the Wildcats will host the Midwestern State Mustangs (3-1, 2-0 LSC). The 'Cats and 'Stangs will clash on Steve Hertling Field at Tomlinson Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 6:00 p.m.