A&M-Commerce Lions vs. Angelo State Rams
Saturday, November 2nd • 2 p.m.
Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas
Records: A&M-Commerce (6-2, 2-2 LSC); Angelo State (2-6, 0-4 LSC)

Video: LionAthletics.com (powered by Stretch Internet)
Radio: KETR 88.9 FM (listen online at KETR.org)
Live Statistics: LionAthletics.com
Twitter Updates: @Lion_Athletics

Opening Kick
A&M-Commerce puts its four-game winning streak on the line when the Lions welcome Angelo State to Memorial Stadium on Saturday, November 2nd. The showdown with the Rams marks A&M-Commerce's 2013 Homecoming game with kickoff set for 2 p.m.

Lions on the Web
Fans unable to make it to Memorial Stadium for Saturday's Homecoming showdown with the Rams can still catch every Lion play. Live video will be available at LionAthletics.com, powered by Stretch Internet and available for a subscription fee. KETR 88.9 FM will carry the game live with Charlie Chitwood and Brock Callaway on the call, and will be streamed online at KETR.org. Live stats will be available at LionAthletics.com while Twitter followers can get in-game updates @Lion_Athletics.

Scouting the Rams
Roster • Statistics
2013: 2-6 overall, 0-4 Lone Star Conference.
Last Week: Lost to 18th-ranked Midwestern State, 49-43, in San Angelo
Last Three Games: L vs. Midwestern State (49-43), L at West Texas A&M (34-30), L vs. Eastern New Mexico (29-28)
Head Coach: Will Wagner (Hardin-Simmons, 1996). Third season at Angelo State (12-18, .400)
Key Offensive Players:
• #7 Kyle Washington (So., QB): 151 of 237 passing (63.7%) for 1,568 yards (196.0 avg.), 10 TDs, 5 INTs; 87 rushes for 747 yards (8.6 avg.), 8 TDs, long of 78
• #34 Jermie Calhoun (Sr., RB): 142 rushes for 741 yards (92.6 avg.), 3 TDs, long of 53
• #4 Joey Knight (Sr., WR): 39 catches for 422 yards (10.8 avg.), 2 TDs, long of 28
• #10 Quinn Reels (Sr., WR): 27 catches for 353 yars (13.1 avg.), 2 TDs, long of 48
Key Defensive Players:
• #40 Rush Seaver (Jr., LB): 80 tackles (50 solo), 9.0 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FR, 3 FF
• #29 Ryan Clapsaddle (So., DB): 57 tackles (39 solo), 1.0 TFL, 3 INTs, 3 PBU, 1 FF
• #8 Blair Smith (Jr., DB): 48 tackles (30 solo), 5.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 FR, 2 FF
• #98 Clayton Callicutt (So., DL): 45 tackles (22 solo), 7.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 1 QBH, 3 FR
• #45 Colt Drennan (Jr., DL): 24 tackles (7 solo), 5.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks
Synopsis: Angelo State enters the week with a 2-6 mark, but have played one of the toughest schedules in the country. The Rams have played two top-five teams, falling to fifth-ranked Colorado State-Pueblo 45-24 before dropping a 37-3 decision to top-ranked Valdosta State. Angelo State's four Lone Star Conference losses have come by a combined 16 points as the Rams led 12th-ranked West Texas A&M late in the fourth quarter before losing 34-30 in Canyon two weeks ago, then rallied to give 18th-ranked Midwestern State a scare in a 49-43 defeat. Angelo State has been solid on the ground, averaging 261.9 yards per game, while throwing for 215.1 yards per game, led by quarterback Kyle Washington, who is the Rams' leader in both passing yard (1,568) and rushing yards (747). Angelo State is averaging 31.0 points per game while giving up 36.6, including 164.1 yards per game on the ground and 272.1 through the air.

Series Information
A&M-Commerce and Angelo State meet for the 43rd time Saturday afternoon as the Rams hold a 26-14-2 edge in the all-time series that dates back to 1970. Angelo State has won the last four meetings, including a come-from-behind 17-16 victory in San Angelo last season and a 45-14 Homecoming rout in Commerce in 2011. The Lions' last victory over the Rams was a 13-10 decision in 2008 as the Lions are 3-7 in the last 10 meetings against the Rams. A&M-Commerce has posted a 9-11-1 all-time record against Angelo State in Commerce.

President's Trophy Resides In Commerce For The First Time
A&M-Commerce notched a 25-yard touchdown on fourth and 13 from Harrison Stewart to Hayden Marsh with 3:06 remaining to take the lead, then watched as Tarleton State's 39-yard field goal attempt to reclaim the lead sailed wide right as the Lions upended the 23rd-ranked Texans 22-20 in Stephenville. With the victory, A&M-Commerce finally got to hoist the President's Trophy, which was insitituted prior to the 2010 season when A&M-Commerce and Tarleton State began resuming their yearly rivalry. The Texans has won the previous three meetings before the Lions finally hoised the trophy over the turf at Tarleton Memorial Saturday evening. It marks the first time in program history that A&M-Commerce is in possession of both the Chennault Cup (A&M-Kingsville) and President's Trophy (Tarleton State) at the same time.

A Long Time Coming
With A&M-Commerce's 22-20 victory over Tarleton State Saturday night, the Lions improved to 6-2 on the season and guaranteed themselves the program's first winning season since 2001 when A&M-Commerce went 7-4 under head coach Eddie Brister. The Lions notched their first victory in Stephenville since a 56-17 decision in 1996 and extended their winning streak to four games, the first time since the final three games of the 2009 season and the first game of the 2010 season that A&M-Commerce has posted a four-game winning streak.

Stewart Stepping In
Junior quarterback Harrison Stewart has settled into the starting role nicely for A&M-Commerce as the Yucaupa, Calif. native made his second career start Saturday against the Texans. Stewart completed 24 of his 35 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns, including a pair of key completions on fourth down on the Lions' touchdown scoring drive late in the fourth. On the season, Stewart has completed 65.7 percent of his passes, throwing for 763 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 324.5 yards in his two starts on the year.

Johnson Remains Electrifying
Junior wide receiver Vernon Johnson remains one of the most electrifying players in the Lone Star Conference and has already made his mark on the Lion record books. Johnson caught seven passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns against Tarleton State Saturday, his fifth 100-plus yard receiving game on the year. He set a new career-long with an 88-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter as he now has three touchdown strikes of 75-yards or more on the season. On the season, Johnson has 43 catches for 857 yards, which ranks seventh in program history for receiving yards in a season, surpassing Tom Black's 849 yards in 1968. He sits just over 200 yards shy of passing James Epps' single-season receiving record of 1,058 yards in 1996, meaning he needs to average 67.3 receiving yards in each of the Lions' final three games to set the mark.

Garrett Emerging As Backfield Threat
Freshman running back Ki-Janaven Garrett has started to settle into his role as the Lions' top rushing threat as the Center, Texas native just missed posting back-to-back 100 yard rushing performances. Garrett finished with 97 yards on 18 carries against the Texans, averaging 5.4 yards per rush, and has now carried for 514 yards on the season off 117 attempts with three touchdowns.

Davis Strikes Again
Junior quarterback Deric Davis is proving that it's not the quantity of snaps you take, but the quality. Davis was on the field for just three plays against Tarleton State, but launched a 27-yard touchdown pass to Johnson in the second quarter to put the Lions on top 14-10 late in the first half. He also rushed twice for 10 yards, including picking up a key first down conversion. The LSC Co-Offensive Player of the Week last week, Davis leads the Lone Star Conference in passing efficiency (264.4) and has accounted for eight of A&M-Commerce's 40 touchdowns on season, throwing for three while rushing for five.

Ford Notches Career Night in Stephenville
Senior linebacker Stephen Ford has quietly emerged as one of the constants in the A&M-Commerce defensive backfield, but made sure his presence was felt Saturday night. Ford led the Lions with 13 tackles in the win over Tarleton State, including seven solo stops and 0.5 tackles for loss. It shatters his previous career-high of seven tackles, which he has achieved twice, as he has posted 32 stops on the year, including 15 solo and 3.0 tackles for loss including 2.5 sacks.

Don't Mess With The Pitt-Bull
One of the most impressive performances of the season thus far has been the play of sophomore linebacker Cole Pitts. After playing primarily on special teams as a freshman, Pitts has earned a spot as a starter for the Lions and is tied for the team lead in tackles with 44. 27 of those stops have been unassisted as the Alvin, Texas native has shown his ability to make open field stops, notching 4.5 tackles for loss with three pass breakups.

Claggett Closing in on 200
With his five tackles against the Texans Saturday night, senior linebacker Matt Claggett continues to inch closer to an impressive career milestone. The fifth-year senior has now posted 196 career tackles, looking to become just the third player in the past five  years to surpass 200 career tackles, joining former teammates Danny Mason and Cory Whitfield.

Outkicking Mount Everest
Senior punter Cameron Frosch, who earlier this season became the program's all-time leading punter, sits on the verge of another impressive career milestone. With his six punts for 254 yards in Stephenville Saturday, the fifth-year senior has racked up 9,822 punting yards for his career, sitting just 178 shy of eclipsing 10,000 yards. To put that in perspective, he has racked up enough yards during his career to clear Mount Everest's 29,029 foot summit, punting the football just over five and a half miles.

Lions On Homecoming
Saturday's game against Angelo State marks the 78th Homecoming game for A&M-Commerce as the Lions have posted a 44-32-1 (.578) all-time record in Homecoming matches. The Rams have been the Lions' Homecoming foe six times previous to this weekend's games as the two teams have split the series by notching three wins apiece. Angelo State last served as A&M-Commerce's Homecoming opponent in 2011 as the Rams raced out to a 35-0 lead in the third quarter before cruising to the 45-14 victory.  

Lions Among Lone Star Conference Leaders
A&M-Commerce continues to rank among the Lone Star Conference leaders in both the team and individual standings in a handful of categories. As a team, the Lions rank first in the LSC in rushing defense (108.9 ypg), PAT percentage (100.0%) and sacks (36) while sitting second overall in kickoff returns (24.7) and interceptions (nine) and ranking third in five other categories. Individually, 12 Lions rank among the Lone Star Conference leaders in 15 categories, highlighed by Charles Tuaau leading the LSC in both tackles for loss (2.07) and sacks (1.43) per game with Tevin Moore ranking second and third in the respective categories. Vernon Johnson is among the LSC leaders in five different categories, ranking first in receiving yards (122.4) and all-purpose yards (178.9), second in kick return average (35.9) and third in receptions per game (6.1).  Ronald Fields continues to lead the LSC in passes defended (1.50) while Deric Davis leads the LSC in passing efficiency (264.4), a category in which all three A&M-Commerce quarterbacks rank among the top-five.

Looking Ahead
A&M-Commerce hits the road for the final time next week, looking for another milestone victory in the magical 2013 season. The Lions head south to face Division I FCS opponent Houston Baptist on Saturday, November 9th. The Huskies, a member of the Southland Conference, are in their inaugural season of football as the game against the Lions marks HBU's first-ever Homecoming game. Opening kick is set for 3 p.m. at Strake Jesuit High School.