COMMERCE - After a narrow defeat in an exciting game, the No. 9 Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions head to another new conference opponent this week with a rebound win in their sights against the Western New Mexico University Mustangs.

WHO: Texas A&M University-Commerce at Western New Mexico University
WHERE: Silver City, N.M. | Ben Altamirano Field
WHEN: Noon MDT (1 p.m. CDT) on Saturday, October 15
RECORDS: Texas A&M-Commerce is 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the Lone Star Conference after a 26-25 loss to Midwestern State. Western New Mexico is 2-4 overall and 2-3 in the LSC after a 44-41 loss at Tarleton State.
RANKINGS: Texas A&M-Commerce is ranked No. 9 in both the AFCA Coaches' Poll and the D2Football.com Media Poll. Western New Mexico is unranked.

LIVE AUDIO: Lion Sports Network -- KETR 88.9 FM, Commerce (http://www.ketr.org), Thunder Country KRVA 101.7 FM, Sulphur Springs (http://www.mythundercountry.com/)
LIVE VIDEO: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/wnmu/
LIVE STATS: http://wnmumustangs.com/custompages/livestats/xlive.htm

LIONS STAY IN TOP TEN
• The Lions are now ranked No. 9 in the nation in Division II according to the American Football Coaches Association Coaches Poll this week.
• A&M-Commerce has now been ranked in 20 straight AFCA polls, dating back to the 2015 preseason poll.
• This is A&M-Commerce's 26th all-time appearance in the AFCA poll since its inception in 2000.
 
DAS BOOT
• Kristov Martinez connected on 4-of-5 field goal attempts in the Midwestern State game, marking the seventh time in school history a kicker made four field goals.
• This was the first such occasion since Ha'a Bento did so in consecutive weeks during the 2004 season.
 

Leonard Allen	vs. Prairie View A&M	1974
Billy Watkins	vs. Central Oklahoma	1992
	vs. Eastern New Mexico	1994
David Dell	vs. Harding	1995
Ha'a Bento	at Northeastern State	2004
	vs. S'western Oklahoma	2004
Kristov Martinez	vs. Midwestern State	2016

 
SPREADING THE LOVE
• The Lions are second in the conference in interceptions as a team, picking off eight of their opponents' passes at this point in the year.
• While this is impressive, perhaps more impressive is that all eight interceptions have been made by a different player.
 

Hatari Byrd	at Delta State
Garrett Blubaugh	at Delta State
D.J. White	at Delta State
Anthony Smith	at Eastern New Mexico
Chris Smith	at Eastern New Mexico
Brent Walker	at Eastern New Mexico
Trey Porter	at Panhandle State
Danny Huckaby	vs. Midwestern State

 
HANGIN' WITH MR. COOPER
• Lone Star Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Richard Cooper continues his march upwards in the all-time A&M-Commerce rushing record books.
 

Rk	Yards	Player	Years
1.	4,285	Arthur James	1966-69
2	3,757	Aundra Thompson	1972-75
3.	3,268	Cary Noiel	1978-81
4.	3,191	Ricky Dirks	1982-84
5.	2,726	Richard Cooper	2013-pres.

 
• Cooper also leads the LSC in yards per carry (6.25 yards), which ranks 27th in the nation.
• His 111.2 rushing yards per game rank second in the conference and 22nd nationally.
 
PEREZ CONTINUES TO IMPRESS
•Texas A&M-Commerce quarterback  Luis Perez has been fantastic in his introduction to the Lion lineup.
• Perez is featured prominently in the NCAA Division II and Lone Star Conference statistical rankings
• He leads the LSC in five categories - completion percentage, pass efficiency, passing yards per game, passing yards per attempt, and total offense.
 

Stat	LSC	D2	Stat
Completion Pct	1	15	66.5%
Completion/Gm	3	35	20.6
Pass Efficiency	1	10	170.7
Pass TDs	4	32	13
Pass Yds	3	46	1,433
Pass Yds/Gm	1	19	287.2
Pass Yds/Att	1	12	9.26
Pass Yds/Cmp	2	38	13.94
Pts Responsible	4	59	78
Pts Resp/Gm	4	35	16.0
Total Offense	1	31	287.0

 
HOOKS ON THE RUN
• Shawn Hooks has proven to be a dangerous weapon for the Lions in the punt return game.
• He is now second in the LSC in punt returns at 15.4 yards per punt return.
• Oklahoma Panhandle State did not allow Hooks to factor in that game, as the Aggies punted eight times, all away from Hooks, who had no return yardage.
• He had one return for 15 yards in the loss to Midwestern State.
• He ranks 11th nationally in punt return average.
 
THE HOG MOLLIES
• In addition to blocking for one of the nation's top rushers and the top  gaining offense in the Lone Star Conference, the Lion offensive line has prided itself on its protection of Perez.
• The Lions rank 10th nationally in sacks allowed per game (0.60), with three total sacks allowed.
 
SEASON-OPENING STREAK SNAPPED
• The Lions started the season with five consecutive wins for the first time since 1980, when ET won the first six games of the year on the way to a Lone Star Conference championship and the NAIA National Semifinals.
• The 2016 squad is the ninth team in the storied history of A&M-Commerce football to win its first four games. Six teams have won their first five games.
 
GO WEST YOUNG MAN!
• The Lions' trip to Silver City is the first-ever meeting between A&M-Commerce and Western New Mexico and is the third-farthest westerly trip in Lions' history.
• The furthest west of any series regularly played by the Lions was the Sul Ross State series, which is led by the Lions 19-5-3. ET's last trip to Alpine was in 1974 in the Lobos' next-to-last year in the LSC.
•The most westerly trip in the history of Lion football was the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1995. ETSU traveled to Portland, Ore., and was beaten 56-35 by the Portland State Vikings despite a late comeback effort.
• The furthest west the Lions have traveled in the regular season was the 1999 season opener, when A&M-Commerce went to Davis, Calif., and lost a 36-0 game to UC Davis. That game was the back end of a home-and-home series with the Aggies. The game in Davis was the first game under head coach Eddie Brister.
• This is the Lions' 16th game all-time in the Mountain Time Zone. The other 15 have been played against Eastern New Mexico.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
• The Lions return to the road this week for the fourth of six road games, all of substantial distance.
• This is the longest road trip this year for the Lions by 370 miles.
• With the addition of Oklahoma Panhandle State, Western New Mexico and UT Permian Basin to the Lone Star Conference, A&M-Commerce will visit all three new schools.
 

Opponent	1-way mileage
Delta State	362
Eastern New Mexico	476
Oklahoma Panhandle State	483
Western New Mexico	853
Angelo State	341
UT Permian Basin	418
TOTAL	2,933

 
DOUBLE DIP
• Darby Smith had 131 yards receiving in the game against Midwestern State.
• He was joined in the century club by Richard Cooper, who rushed for 128 yards.
• This was the third time the duo has gone over 100 yards each in their respective categories in the same game.
 

Game	Year	Cooper	Smith
Midwestern State	2016	128	131
Angelo State (LSC Playoff)	2015	116	138
Delta State	2015	135	110