BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University football team heads to Natchitoches, La. Saturday with an opportunity to win consecutive games for the first time this season, but to do that the Cardinals will have to get by Northwestern State. The Demons (0-5/0-3 Southland) are one of two conference teams the Cardinals have not beaten since bringing the sport back. Saturday's contest will be the first meeting between the two teams since 2013.
"Northwestern State presents a lot of challenges for us," said LU head coach
Ray Woodard. "For starters, they are a team that we have not beaten since we brought the program back. When you have nine conference games during the season every week is very important. We still have a lot to play for this season, but it starts with this game Saturday."
Big Red enters the week in a two-way tie (Southeastern Louisiana) for fourth in the league standings just a game back of Sam Houston State in the win column. The top two teams in the league – McNeese State and Central Arkansas – the Cardinals will face later in the season. In fact, the Cardinals will be looking for their first win over Northwestern State since the 1979 season, and their first win in Natchitoches since 1960.
Although LU hasn't defeated the Demons since the sport's resurrection, they do have had some success this year putting an end to those streaks. Big Red rolled into Huntsville, Texas earlier this season and recorded a three-point victory over then No. 3 Sam Houston State for their first win over the Bearkats since the program was restarted.
LU brings the league's top rush offense (268.2 ypg) to Natchitoches, led by junior running back
Kade Harrington. The Kingwood, Texas native leads the nation averaging 166 yards per game. He also ranks among the national top five in rushing touchdowns (8). The Demons have struggled to stop the run at times this season and come into Saturday's contest ranked last in the league surrendering 312 rushing yards per contest, but Woodard believes those numbers might be a misleading.
"There is something folks need to realize about those stats when talking about Northwestern," said Woodard. "They opened the season against a really good rushing attack in Southeastern (Louisiana), then they played two very good FBS schools and then played a Central Arkansas team that runs the ball very well. They started the year with a very tough first four games, and then walked into a buzz saw in San Antonio. I think their stats are a little misleading, and that would happen to anyone who played a first five games as tough as they have."
A majority of the headlines this season have gone to the Big Red rushing attack, and Harrington who has already been named Southland Offensive Player of the Week three times and FCS Offensive Player of the Week twice this season. A healthy Harrington, to go along with arguably LU's strongest offensive line since the sport's return has helped create the Cards lethal ground attack.
"I can't really take credit for those stats," said Harrington. "Those stats all go to the offensive line. It is the best line I've had to run behind since I've been here. They make my job easy because they do all the work."
The line has not only been getting the job done in run blocking, but protecting the quarterbacks as well. The Cards' offensive front has surrendered only one sack through the first five games and ranks third nationally in pass protection.
"I think our line is a little better than what people were giving them credit for early on," said Woodard. "These guys work really well together, and (Chuck) Langston has done a very good job coaching them. Also, those guys have a lot of 'want to,' they take a lot of pride in what they do on the field."
Saturday's game is slated to kick off at 6 p.m. from Turpin Stadium. It can be heard live on Newstalk 560 AM, with Harold Mann and Bo Brown on the call.
-LU CARDINALS-
