BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University faces a tough slate as it prepares for the final stretch run of the 2019 season. With just three games remaining during the regular season, the Cardinals will play two of those final three away from Provost Umphrey Stadium beginning Saturday when they travel to Natchitoches, La., to take on Northwestern State.
 
The Cardinals enter the week with a 4-5 (.444) overall record and eighth in the Southland Conference standings with a 2-4 (.333) mark, just a game and half back of UIW in the standings. The Cardinals are also a game up on Houston Baptist in win column.
 
Saturday's contest will be a battle of two teams trying to make a late climb in the standings. Northwestern State is currently tied for 10^th in the standings (with Stephen F. Austin) at 1-8 (.111) overall and 1-5 (.167) in league play. Despite the 1-8 overall record, the Demons have been playing their best football lately. After opening the year with seven losses, the Demons traveled to San Antonio and handed UIW its first home loss under second-year head coach Eric Morris. Proving that was no fluke the Demons then traveled to Lake Charles, La., and held a lead over the Cowboys late in the contest before McNeese was able to wiggle off the hook.
 
"Northwestern State's record does not reflect just how good they are," said LU head coach Mike Schultz. "If you go back and look at their results, they took a nationally ranked Central Arkansas team right down to the wire, they led for most of the game at McNeese until late and then they go to San Antonio give UIW head coach Eric Morris his first home loss. Their record is not an indicator of how good they are. What it does tell you is there is just a tremendous amount of parity in the league."
 
Led by one of the top signal callers in the Southland – Shelton Eppler – the Demons have one of the league's more potent passing attacks. Northwestern State is currently fourth in the league averaging 299 passing yards per game. That presents and interesting game within a game as the Cardinals own the Southland top pass defense (252.9 ypg).
 
The Cardinals enter the game looking to reverse the trend in series history. LU currently trails 8-11 (.421) in the all-time series, and the majority of those losses have come in Natchitoches. The Cardinals have struggled to a 4-8 (.333) record in the series on the road. The Cardinals have dropped consecutive games in the series and six of the last seven meetings. Big Red has only defeated Northwestern State once since its return to the gridiron (2016). The Red and White hit the road looking for their first victory in Natchitoches since the 1960 season.
 
The Cardinals still have a shot at recording a piece of history this season. If the Cardinals can close the year with three-straight wins it would give them a second consecutive winning season. The last time the Cardinals recorded back-to-back above .500 seasons came in 1966 (6-4) and 1967 (7-3).
 
Saturday's game is slated to kick off at 6:30 p.m. from Turpin Stadium and can be heard live on Newstalk 560 KLVI.