For the first time in three weeks, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team is not preparing to face a nationally-ranked opponent. But that certainly doesn’t mean the Cru can relax as UMHB travels to Alpine to face a resurgent Sul Ross State team this Saturday. In fact, Saturday’s game matches the two teams with the longest active winning streaks in the American Southwest Conference. The game will kick off at 2:00 PM at Jackson Field in Alpine.
The Cru is 7-0 overall and 4-0 in ASC play after overcoming its first fourth-quarter deficit of the season and knocking off 8th-ranked Hardin-Simmons University 20-15 last Saturday in Belton. UMHB is now 3-0 on the season against ranked opponents and has sole possession of first place in the ASC and controls its own destiny in the race for the outright conference title. The Cru’s seven-game winning streak is the longest in the conference.
Sul Ross State is 4-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play after recording a come-from-behind 35-21 victory over McMurry University last Saturday in Abilene. The Lobos have won three in a row after opening the season 1-3 and have the second longest active winning streak in the league. Sul Ross pairs a balanced and potentially explosive offensive with the with a rapidly improving defense and is 2-1 on its home field this season. The Lobos only home loss came in a 30-27 overtime defeat at the hands of NAIA program Arizona Christian in week three of the season.
“Sul Ross State has more upperclassmen than they’ve had in a long time and that experience is showing,” Cru Football Coach Pete Fredenburg said. “They are very well coached and are doing some nice things on both sides of the ball. They have a talented quarterback who can really make plays with his legs, too. That always creates challenges when you start game-planning for them. We know it is going to be a struggle and we have to play with great effort on Saturday.”
UMHB will enter the contest ranked #3 in the country by both the AFCA and D3football.com. The Cru leads the all-time series with Sul Ross State 18-0. UMHB can also clinch at least a share of the ASC Championship with a victory over the Lobos on Saturday.
