BEAUMONT, Texas – Following Lamar University thrilling victory over UT Rio Grande Valley Saturday, the Cardinals have climbed to 15^th in both the STATS Perform and AFCA Coaches Top 25 polls which were released Monday morning. The Cardinals have also climbed as high as 11^th in the FCS Nation poll and 13^th in the FCS Triumvirate poll.
 
The Cardinals notched their sixth-straight win Saturday with a thrilling 23-21 victory over UT Rio Grande Valley. Senior kicker Ben Woodard was named SLC and STATS Perform National FCS Player of the Week for his efforts in the contest. Woodard was 3-of-3 on field goals including two makes of at least 53 yards. His second kick of 50-plus tied a school record of 57 yards and came with 63 seconds remaining to secure the victory.
 
The Cardinals (6-1/3-0 SLC) are off to their best start since 1974 as they prepare for a road game at Northwestern State. A win Saturday could secure quite a bit of history for the Red and White, but to do so they will have to go through a vastly improved NSU squad. Lamar travels to Natchitoches – a place where Big Red has won only five times in program history – looking for their best start to a season since 1967 and the best start in conference play since 1960 (when LU was part of the Lone Star). A win would also secure the Cardinals of a winning season in three-straight years which would be its longest run of success since the 1965 through 1967 seasons.
 
Saturday's contest is set for a 4 p.m. kick off from Turpin Stadium. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 and streamed live on ESPN+.