COMMERCE - The fifth-ranked Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions' football team kicks off its 2017 season this Thursday with one of the top matchups in Division II this season, traveling to Florence, Ala., to take on defending national runner-up and sixth-ranked University of North Alabama.

WHO: Texas A&M University-Commerce at University of North Alabama
WHERE: Florence, Ala. | Braly Municipal Stadium
WHEN: 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 31
RECORDS: This is the first game of the season for both teams.
RANKINGS: Texas A&M-Commerce is ranked No. 5 in the AFCA Coaches' Poll and No. 6 in the D2Football.com Media Poll. North Alabama is ranked No. 6 in the AFCA Coaches' Poll and No. 5 in the D2Football.com Media.

LIVE AUDIO: Lion Sports Network -- KETR 88.9 FM, Commerce (http://www.ketr.org)
LIVE VIDEO: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/una/
LIVE STATS: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/una/

OPENING UP WITH A BANG
• The A&M-Commerce Lions come into the 2017 season as the favorite to win the Lone Star Conference championship and will test themselves right out of the gate with the North Alabama Lions.
• This is a matchup of two teams ranked in the top six of the AFCA preseason poll, both with significant success in 2016.
• A&M-Commerce advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, while North Alabama is the defending NCAA Division II national runner-up.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
• This is the first meeting between the two schools.
 
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
• With an 8-1 conference record, the Lions won the 2016 Lone Star Conference championship outright.
• This marked the third consecutive LSC championship for A&M-Commerce.
• In LSC history, a three-year championship run has happened 12 times since the league's founding in 1932.
• A&M-Commerce has had a three-year championship streak four times.
• This is the first since 1957-59.
• ET won five straight championships from 1951-55, which was the beginning of eight championships in nine seasons in the 1950s.
 
LOOKING FOR NUMBER FOUR
• The Lions are now on the prowl for their fourth straight LSC title, which would be the first such streak for the school since the 1951-55 run of five straight titles.
• The last time an LSC team won four straight titles was Texas A&M-Kingsville from 2001-04. The 2001 title was shared.
• Texas A&M-Kingsville's run of five outright titles from 1993-97 is the only time an LSC team has won four straight outright titles in the league's history.
 
LIONS RIDING HOT HAND
• In the four seasons under head coach Colby Carthel, the Lions have rattled off the second-best four-year streak in school history
• Over the last four seasons, the Lions have won 35 games against only 14 losses.
• The school record for a four-year span is 36 wins, from 1951-54.
• Eight or more victories in 2017 would tie or pass the 36-win mark for four seasons.
 

Years	Record
1951-54	36-5-2
2013-16	35-14
1957-60	34-7
1972-75	32-13-1
1936-39	31-8
1990-93	31-16-1

 
LIONS EARN FIRST PLAYOFF WIN IN 25 YEARS
• A&M-Commerce's 34-23 first round playoff victory over Colorado Mesa gave the Lions their first playoff win since 1991.
• That 1991 win was also the last time A&M-Commerce hosted playoff action.
• A&M-Commerce is now 4-1 all-time in postseason games in Memorial Stadium.
• The Lions have made 13 overall trips to the postseason with a 9-7-1 record.
 
ELEVEN WINS TIES SCHOOL'S BEST
• The 11th win of the season on November 19 put the 2016 Lions' squad in a tie for the most wins in a season in school history.
• The 1952 ET team went 11-0 with a win in the Tangerine Bowl.
• Perhaps the most dominant team in Lion history, that 1952 squad won every game by at least 20 points.
 
CARTHEL 5TH IN SCHOOL HISTORY IN WINS
• Head coach Colby Carthel now ranks fifth in A&M-Commerce history in coaching wins with 34 wins.
• However, he will be in fifth for a while, as his 34 wins are just over half of J.V. Sikes' 63 wins in fourth place.
 

1	Ernest Hawkins	1964-85	132-92-6
2	Eddie Vowell	1986-98	74-71-1
3	Bob Berry	1935-41, 46-50	72-34-8
4	J.V. Sikes	1954-63	63-34-4
5	Colby Carthel	2013-pres.	34-14
6	M.A. Smith	1951-53	30-2-1

 
LION FANS TURN OUT IN RECORD NUMBERS
• Bolstered by a stadium-record 9,629 attendance in the Homecoming win over West Texas A&M and over 9,000 fans for the Midwestern State game, the Lions' attendance achieved new heights in 2016.
• In only four regular season home dates counted by the NCAA, A&M-Commerce drew 34,379 total fans. That total attendance ranked 14th in Division II.
• In terms of average attendance, the Lion faithful turned out at a rate of 8,595 per game. That ranked seventh nationally.
• Over the last four years (available in the NCAA rankings database), the Lions have nearly doubled their average turnout since the 2013 season. The next closest season since 2009 was over 2,400 fans per game fewer.
• Just six years ago, A&M-Commerce drew less than 1,500 fans per game.
 

Year	Home Gms	Total	Rank	Average	Rank
2016	4	34,379	14th	8,595	7th
2015	7	40,049	12th	5,721	19th
2014	6	36,757	11th	6,126	18th
2013	5	21,673	40th	4,335	42nd
2012	5	11,774	-	2,355	95th
2011	4	9,002	-	2,251	98th
2010	5	7,352	-	1,470	125th
2009	4	13,640	-	3,410	56th
2008	5	12,504	-	2,501	88th

 
LIONS PREDICTED TO WIN FOURTH STRAIGHT LSC TITLE
• At Lone Star Conference Media Day in Odessa in July,  the Lions picked up 21 of 26 available first place votes, earning the top spot in the LSC Preseason Poll.
• Each school has their head coach, SID, and one media member vote on the poll.
 

2017 LSC Football Preseason Poll
No.	Team	1st	Total
1	A&M-COMMERCE	21	229
2	Midwestern State	2	192
3	Texas A&M-Kingsville	1	177
4	Eastern New Mexico		136
5	Tarleton State	1	135
6	Angelo State		114
7	West Texas A&M		97
8	Western New Mexico		45
	UT Permian Basin	1	45

 
PEREZ IS LSC PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• At Lone Star Conference Media Day, A&M-Commerce quarterback Luis Perez was named the LSC co-Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
• Perez shared the honor with Eastern New Mexico running back Kamall Cass.
• Perez was named the first team all-Lone Star Conference quarterback following the completion of the regular season.
• He was announced as a nominee for the Harlon Hill Trophy and an honorable mention All-American by Don Hansen's Football Gazette.
• Perez is the first A&M-Commerce quarterback to earn first team all-LSC honors in 20 years. A Lion quarterback has earned first team all-LSC honors a total of 16 times since the league's formation in 1931.
• He has a chance to become the Lions' fourth quarterback to repeat as a first team all-LSC selection, joining Bobby Bounds (1990-91), LSC Hall of Honor member Wade Wilson (1979-80), and R.A. Hitt (1933-34), who was the second-ever all-LSC quarterback.
 

LION FIRST TEAM ALL-LSC QUARTERBACKS
2016	Luis Perez
1996	Cole Cayce
1990, 1991	Bobby Bounds
1982	Kyle Mackey
1979, 1980	Wade Wilson
1977	Terry Skinner
1972	Will Cureton
1960	James Williams
1959	Sam McCord
1954	Bobby Fox
1953	Jim Gray
1948	Bobby Griffin
1933, 1934	R.A. Hitt

 
• Perez threw 32 touchdown passes in 2016, which is a single season record at A&M-Commerce.
• Tyrik Rollison had 31 passing TDs in 2014, followed by Harrison Stewart with 30 in 2015.
• Perez also became the third Lion trigger man with 3,000 passing yards in a season.
• His 3,326 passing yards in a season ranks second in A&M-Commerce history, behind Rollison's 3,764 yards in 2014.
• This also ranks 11th in A&M-Commerce history for passing yards in a career.
• The school career record for yardage is 5,955 yards, set by Bob Bounds from 1987-91.
• He was exceptional in terms of interceptions, throwing only five picks during the 2016 season.
• He had eight games of over 250 yards passing and five games of over 300 yards passing, with a season-best 396 yards at Panhandle State. He had five touchdown passes in wins at Eastern New Mexico and UT Permian Basin.
• Perez also featured prominently in the NCAA Division II and Lone Star Conference statistical rankings
 

Stat	LSC	D2	Stat
Completion Pct	2	29	62.7%
Completion/Gm	3	33	20.33
Pass Efficiency	2	16	159.1
Pass TDs	1	10	32
Pass Yds	1	12	3,326
Pass Yds/Gm	1	18	277.2
Pass Yds/Att	2	20	8.55
Pass Yds/Cmp	2	40	13.63
Pts Responsible	1	21	194
Pts Responsible/Gm	1	28	16.2
Total Offense	2	32	276.5

 
• Perez has also earned multiple awards in 2017 prior to the season.
• He has been named a preseason All-American by Lindy's college football preview magazine.
 
• In July, Perez was named as a nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®.
• Perez is one of 70 scholar-athletes from the Combined Divisions (FCS, Division II, Division III, & NAIA) vying for 11 spots on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®.
• In 2016-17, Perez contributed 32 hours of community service and engagement in the City of Commerce and on the A&M-Commerce campus.
• He is also a representative on the A&M-Commerce Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which ranked near the top of Division II in community service and engagement during the 2016-17 academic year.
• These events have included "Education Days" on campus, where student-athletes have hosted elementary school students at events, the Clothe-A-Child clothing drive, the Feed My Starving Children food drive, the A&M-Commerce Holiday Market, the City of Commerce "Big Event" spring cleanup, which is the largest community service event in the City of Commerce, childrens' football camps, assisting with various athletics events on campus, and reading to children at Commerce Elementary School.
 

PEREZ GAME-BY-GAME
2016
Opponent	Cmp	Att	Int	Yds	TDs
at Delta State	17	23	0	322	2
at Eastern New Mexico	24	31	0	342	5
TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE	10	19	0	133	1
at Panhandle State	34	48	1	396	3
MIDWESTERN STATE	18	34	0	243	2
at Western New Mexico	22	35	2	319	4
at Angelo State	20	33	0	270	3
WEST TEXAS A&M	17	23	0	230	1
at UT Permian Basin	18	25	0	273	5
TARLETON STATE	22	35	0	274	1
COLORADO MESA P	17	33	0	205	2
at Grand Valley State P	25	50	2	319	3
2016 TOTALS	244	389	5	3,326	32

 

CAREER PASSING YARDAGE LEADERS
1.	5,955	Bob Bounds	1987-91
2.	5,800	Kyle Mackey	1980-83
3.	5,635	Terry Skinner	1973-77
4.	5,362	Tyrik Rollison	2013-14
5.	5,016	Harrison Stewart	2013-15
6.	4,616	Wade Wilson	1977-80
7.	4,529	Jim Dietz	1967-70
8.	4,378	Royce Slechta	1985-88
9.	3,913	Adam Farkes	2009-10
10.	3,763	Cole Cayce	1993-96
-	3,326	Luis Perez	2016-pres.

 

CAREER PASSING TOUCHDOWN LEADERS
1.	51	James Gray	1951-53
2.	48	Harrison Stewart	2013-15
3.	43	Jim Dietz	1967-70
	43	Tyrik Rollison	2013-14
5.	42	Kyle Mackey	1980-83
6.	34	Wade Wilson	1977-80
7.	33	Royce Slechta	1985-88
	33	Terry Skinner	1973-77
9.	32	Bob Bounds	1987-91
	32	Luis Perez	2016-pres.

 
MACHORRO IS TOP RETURNING LINEMAN
• The Lion offensive line was led by Gene Upshaw Award nominee Jared Machorro, who was also named first team all-Lone Star Conference at tackle to lead honors for one of the top units in the land.
• Machorro earned five All-America honors following the 2016 season:
• AFCA Division II Second Team All-American
• D2CCA Second Team All-American
• Associated Press' Little All-America Second Team
• Don Hansen Division II Third Team All-American
• D2Football.com Honorable Mention All-American
• He also earned two all-region honors, being named D2CCA First Team All-Super Region and Don Hansen's Football Gazette Second Team All-Super Region Four.
• This preseason, he was named a preseason  All-American by Street & Smith's college football preview magazine.
• Also on the Lion offensive line, center Jon Aguilar, and tackles Malik Ellis and Poet Thomas, are returning after earning all-LSC honorable mention.
•  In addition to blocking for one of the nation's top rushers and the one of the top offenses in the Lone Star Conference, the Lion offensive line prided itself on its protection of Perez.
• The Lions ranked 2nd nationally in sacks allowed per game (0.42), with five total sacks allowed.
• Even more impressive - the Lions allowed their five sacks on 425 pass dropbacks.
• Averaging it out, the Lions allowed a sack every 85 dropbacks.
 
HOOKS' RETURNS SPARK LIONS
• Prior to Lone Star Conference Media Day, Shawn Hooks was named to the College Football America 2017 Yearbook Division II Starting Lineup - CFA's version of an All-America team.
• This is his first preseason All-America honor, joining Perez & Machorro.
• For an exceptional season of punt returning, Shawn Hooks earned multiple postseason honors.
• He was named a D2CCA Second Team All-American and a Don Hansen's Football Gazette Division II All-American Honorable Mention.
• Within the region, he was named D2CCA First Team All-Super Region and Don Hansen Second Team All-Super Region Four.
• At the conference level, he was named First Team All-Lone Star Conference and was a two-time conference Special Teams Player of the Week.
• Hooks sealed the LSC Championship with a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Lions' 30-10 victory over Tarleton State.
• That was his third punt return for a touchdown in 2016.
• He is one of three players in all four divisions of NCAA football with three punt returns for touchdowns last season.
• Hooks is joined by Texas A&M's Christian Kirk and James Madison's Rashard Davis (4) in the club of players with three punt return TDs in 2016.
 
YOU SHALL NOT PASS
• The Lions led the conference and ranked 4th nationally in interceptions as a team, picking off 23 of their opponents' passes.
• While this is impressive, perhaps more impressive is that 16 different players notched interceptions, including five linebackers and two defensive linemen.
• The Lions' four picks vs. West Texas A&M were their most in one game in 2016.

WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE
• The Lions led the nation in turnovers gained, and finished second in the nation in turnover margin.
• In addition to the 23 interceptions gained by the defense, the Lions also recovered 15 fumbles, which ranked eighth in the nation.
 

Rk	Team	G	W-L	FR-INT	Plus	FL-INT	Minus	Mgn	Avg
1	Indiana (Pa.)	12	10-2	11-24	35	6-4	10	25	2.08
2	A&M-COMMERCE	12	10-2	15-23	38	7-7	14	24	2.00
3	Azusa Pacific	12	9-3	11-23	34	10-4	14	20	1.67
4	Virginia St.	11	9-2	14-11	25	5-4	9	16	1.45
5	Emporia St.	13	11-2	11-21	32	5-10	15	17	1.31
6	Miles	10	5-5	14-16	30	9-8	17	13	1.30
7	Winona St.	11	8-3	13-15	28	4-11	15	13	1.18
	Shippensburg	11	7-4	9-14	23	1-9	10	13	1.18
9	Grand Valley St.	13	12-1	12-19	31	7-10	17	14	1.08
10	Tarleton St.	11	5-6	14-16	30	8-11	19	11	1.00
	Northern St.	11	6-5	10-16	26	8-7	15	11	1.00

 
REALLY SPECIAL TEAMS
• The Lions were exceptional in the kicking and coverage phases, ranking highly in the nation in all punt and kickoff categories.
 

Stat	LSC	Nation	Stat
Kickoff Return Defense	1	2	12.78
Punt Return Defense	1	18	4.5
Net Punting	2	22	36.48
Punt Returns	1	8	16.96
Kickoff Returns	4	76	20.90

 
MARTINEZ LEADS LSC KICKERS IN SCORING
• In only his sophomore season, kicker Kristov Martinez led the conference in scoring for kickers and was named honorable mention All-American by Don Hansen's Football Gazette and second team all-Lone Star Conference.
• In his sophomore season, Martinez connected on 18-of-24 field goals with a long of 46 yards. He also made 55-of-58 point after touchdown attempts. He recovered his own onside kick against Tarleton and had 20 touchbacks on 80 kickoffs.
• His 109 points was the second-most in the Lone Star Conference, and the most amongst kickers.
• That 109 points ranks as the fourth-most in a season in A&M-Commerce history.
• He has scored 201 points in his career, which currently ranks eighth in A&M-Commerce history.
• The A&M-Commerce all-time leader in scoring is Billy Watkins, who scored 281 points from 1990-93 on 134 PATs and 49 field goals.
 

CAREER SCORING LEADERS
1.	281	Billy Watkins (134 PAT, 49 FG)	1990-93
2.	224	David Dell (104 PAT, 40 FG)	1995-98
3.	222	Aundra Thompson (37 TD)	1972-75
4.	219	Saul Martinez (126 PAT, 31 FG)	2013-14
5.	216	Marvin Brown (36 TD)	1951-52
6.	210	Ricky Dirks (35 TD)	1981-84
7.	208	Leonard Allen (121 PAT, 29 FG)	1973-76
8.	201	Kristov Martinez (111 PAT, 30 FG)	2015-16
9.	180	Cary Noiel (30 TD)	1978-81
	180	Gary Compton (30 TD)	1986-90

 

CAREER PATs MADE LEADERS
1.	134	Billy Watkins (134-143)	1990-93
2.	126	Saul Martinez (126-130)	2013-14
3.	121	Leonard Allen (121-134)	1973-76
4.	111	Kristov Martinez (111-117)	2015-16
5.	105	Kevin Garman (105-113)	1981-84
6.	104	David Dell (104-111)	1995-98
7.	93	Mark Regian (93-70)	1968-71
8.	55	Randy Weston (55-62)	1999-02
	55	Lloyd Corder (55-69)	1951-52
10.	51	A. Abo-Mahmood (51-55)	2009-10

 

CAREER FIELD GOALS MADE LEADERS
1.	49	Billy Watkins (49-84)	1990-93
2.	40	David Dell (40-61)	1995-98
3.	31	Saul Martinez (31-38)	2013-14
4.	30	Kristov Martinez (30-43)	2015-16
5.	29	Ha'a Bento (29-44)	2004-05
	29	Leonard Allen (29-52)	1973-76
7.	26	Randy Weston (26-37)	1999-02
8.	21	Kevin Garman (21-41)	1981-84
9.	16	Mark Regian (16-29)	1968-71
10.	14	A. Abo-Mahmood (14-20)	2009-10

 
LUCE, MARTINEZ NAMED ALL-ACADEMIC
• In addition to his second team all-conference laurels, Martinez was named Lone Star Conference All-Academic.
• He was joined on the All-Academic list by wide receiver Chochy Luce.
• The All-Academic Team is selected by the league's sports information directors, who vote on the basis of both academic and athletic achievement.
• To be eligible for LSC academic honors, student-athletes must have played in at least 50 percent of team's contests, reached sophomore athletic and academic standing (true freshmen and redshirt freshmen are not eligible), completed at least one full academic year at the nominating institution, and have a minimum 3.30 cumulative grade point average based on the 4.0 system for his/her entire collegiate career.
 
GARRIGAN EARNS NFL BILL WALSH DIVERSITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP
• Defensive backs coach Darren Garrigan received the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship for the second consecutive year.
• He worked with the Kansas City Chiefs as part of the Fellowship from July 22-August 11 as the staff prepared for training camp at Missouri Western State in St. Joseph, Mo.
• This is Garrigan's second year in a row earning the Fellowship, after working with the Detroit Lions in 2016.
• The program's objective is to use NFL clubs' training camps, offseason workout program and minicamps to give talented coaches opportunities to observe, participate, gain experience, and ultimately gain a full-time NFL coaching position.
• Garrigan has coached at A&M-Commerce since 2014, with his secondary producing 10 All-Lone Star Conference and three All-Region players, including 2016 LSC Defensive Back of the Year Uriah Harris. In three seasons, the Lion defense has intercepted 52 passes and caused 102 pass breakups. During the 2016 season, the Lions led the LSC and were fourth in the nation with 23 interceptions. Nine different defensive backs recorded at least one interception on the season. This bolstered the Lion defense that led all of Division II in takeaways with a staggering 38 takeaways.
 
JAMES THROWER IS 2017 INDUCTEE TO LONE STAR CONFERENCE HALL OF HONOR
• The 2017 inductee to the Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor is former Texas A&M University-Commerce three-sport standout James Thrower.
• Thrower is the sole inductee to the 2017 class of the LSC Hall of Honor, which recognizes outstanding individuals who have brought pride and honor to the conference through their contributions as an athlete or who have demonstrated a long-term commitment to the betterment of the conference as a coach or administrator.
• Thrower, who is the 12th Lion to be enshrined, was chosen by a panel of athletic administrators throughout the league.
• Thrower, class of 1970, was a three-sport athlete at East Texas State University, where he participated on the Lions' football, basketball and track and field teams, and majored in English and physical education.
• The Camden, Ark. native came to ETSU on a basketball scholarship, but it was on the football field that he truly excelled. As a three-year starter on the football team, he intercepted 12 passes for 135 yards. He also earned a varsity letter in basketball and two in track and field as a member of the 440-yard relay team and in the high jump.
• Following his playing days at ETSU, Thrower went on to a six-year career in the NFL. He spent three seasons as a defensive back with the Philadelphia Eagles, and an additional three seasons as a defensive back for the Detroit Lions.
• After a knee injury in 1975, Thrower transitioned into corporate America serving as a loan executive and as an executive assistant to the board chairman of the NAACP. Thrower formerly served on the City of Detroit Board of Water Commissioners and is the president and CEO of Jamjomar, Inc.  He and his wife, Marla, are both owner/operators of numerous McDonald's franchises - Marla in the Detroit metropolitan area and James in the New Orleans area. 
• The Throwers are very active in other corporate and community groups including the McDonald's Operators National Advertising Committee, National Black McDonald's Association, Ronald McDonald Children's Charities, National Football League Alumni Players Association, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Golden Heritage, and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. They are members of Oak Grove African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, and have four children, James II, Jamar, Joni, and Marissa.  Each of the Thrower children are also McDonald's owners/operators, totaling 29 franchises owned and operated in the family.
• Thrower and his wife Marla are proud to have provided the leadership gift to the Thrower Student-Athlete Success Center, which is the premier academic and success support center for student-athletes in all of Division II. He was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus at A&M-Commerce in 2012, and was inducted into the Lion Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.
 

TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE INDUCTEES TO THE LSC HALL OF HONOR
Inductee	Sport	Induction Year
Jesse Hawthorne	Administrator	1996
Delmer Brown	Coach/Trainer	2000
Wade Wilson	Football	2003
Ernest Hawkins	Coach	2004
Lewis Ingraham "L.I." Smith	Administrator	2005
Sam McCord	Football	2006
Dr. Bill Crabtree	Coach	2007
Arthur James	Football	2008
Harvey Martin	Football	2010
Dwight White	Football	2011
Autry Beamon	Football	2012
James Thrower	Football, Basketball, Track & Field	2017

 
OUT OF CONFERENCE SUCCESS UNDER CARTHEL
• In out-of-conference Division II games in the regular season under head coach Colby Carthel, the Lions are 4-1.
• The only Division II non-conference regular season loss in that time was at home to No. 10 Delta State in 2015.
 
LIONS IN THE YELLOW HAMMER STATE
• This is A&M-Commerce's fourth trip to the state of Alabama, having ventured to the 22nd state for three games against Livingston University (now West Alabama) in 1998, 1989, and 1981.
•The Lions are currently undefeated in Alabama.
 

Sept 3, 1988	at Livingston	W	25-14
Sept 2, 1989	vs Livingston (Mobile, Ala.)	W	41-24
Sept 7, 1991	at Livingston	W	44-6

 
A&M-COMMERCE vs the GULF SOUTH
• This is the 31st time the Lions have played against a Gulf South opponent since the GSC was founded in 1970.
• A&M-Commerce currently sports an even .500 record against those teams with 15 wins and 15 losses.
 

Sept 8, 1973	at Northwestern State	L	0-24
Sept 9, 1978	DELTA STATE	W	17-6
Sept 22, 1979	at Delta State	L	19-31
Sept 4, 1986	LIVINGSTON	W	9-2
Sept 3, 1987	LIVINGSTON	L	0-8
Sept 3, 1988	at Livingston	W	25-14
Sept 2, 1989	vs Livingston (Mobile, Ala.)	W	41-24
Sept 1, 1990	LIVINGSTON	W	45-6
Sept 7, 1991	at Livingston	W	44-6
Sept 4, 1993	CENTRAL ARKANSAS	W	16-13
Sept 18, 1993	at Henderson State	L	0-7
Oct 16, 1993	DELTA STATE	W	19-14
Sept 4, 1994	at Central Arkansas	L	6-20
Sept 17, 1994	HENDERSON STATE	W	25-13
Oct 16, 1994	at Delta State	L	14-19
Sept 2, 1995	CENTRAL ARKANSAS	L	20-27
Sept 16, 1995	at Henderson State	W	6-3
Sept 14, 1996	HENDERSON STATE	W	19-14
Sept 1, 2001	HARDING	W	14-11
Sept 8, 2001	at Southern Arkansas	W	17-13
Sept 14, 2002	SOUTHERN ARKANSAS	L	23-27
Sept 6, 2003	ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO	L	29-33
Sept 13, 2003	at Southern Arkansas	L	0-34
Aug 26, 2004	SOUTHERN ARKANSAS	L	19-21
Aug 27, 2005	at Southern Arkansas	L	7-14
Sept 1, 2007	OUACHITA BAPTIST	L	27-29
Sept 22, 2011	OUACHITA BAPTIST	L	33-39
Sept 13, 2013	vs Delta State (Arlington)	W	45-37
Sept 12, 2015	DELTA STATE	L	44-51
Sept 10, 2016	at Delta State	W	40-28

 
ROARING SERIES
• This is the 11th time ET/TAMUC has played against another opponent with the Lion nickname. A&M-Commerce has a 5-4-1 record in these games.
• Of the 10 previous battles, nine came against Southeastern Louisiana (4-4-1), with the other against Arkansas-Pine Bluff
 

Sept 28, 1957	at Southeastern Louisiana	W	25-7
Sept 27, 1958	at Southeastern Louisiana	W	35-20
Sept 26, 1959	SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA	W	21-10
Sept 24, 1960	at Southeastern Louisiana	L	0-7
Sept 23, 1961	SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA	L	6-20
Oct 4, 1963	at Southeastern Louisiana	T	13-13
Sept 26, 1964	SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA	W	22-8
Sept 24, 1983	at Southeastern Louisiana	L	23-31
Sept 28, 1996	at Arkansas-Pine Bluff	W	20-7
Sept 5, 2009	at Southeastern Louisiana	L	7-41

 
NICKNAME BATTLE
• There are seven "near match" games in Division II this season in terms of the opponents' nicknames. Tonight's game is one of two exact matches this year.
Both matches are teams nicknamed "Lions".
 

Aug 31	A&M-Commerce Lions at North Alabama Lions
Aug 31	S'eastern Okla. St. Savage Storm at Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm
Sept 23	Harding Bisons at Oklahoma Baptist Bison
Oct 7	Tuskegee Golden Tigers vs Morehouse Maroon Tigers
Oct 14	Livingstone Blue Bears at Shaw Bears
Oct 21	Benedict Tigers at Morehouse Maroon Tigers
Nov 4	Lindenwood Lions at Missouri Southern St. Lions

 
FOUR LIONS NAMED D2FOOTBALL.COM PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
• Four A&M-Commerce Lions earned Preseason All-American honors from D2Football.com, as announced late Monday.
• Quarterback Luis Perez and offensive lineman Jared Machorro earned first team All-American honors.
• Cornerback Yusef Sterling-Lowe and SAM linebacker Travon Blanchard were named second team preseason All-Americans.