BEAUMONT, Texas – When Lamar University steps on the field Saturday it will do so against a former Southland Conference opponent. The Cardinals return from their open week to face Central Arkansas who now represents the United Athletic Football Conference.
 
The No. 22 Cardinals (ranked as high as 13^th in the FCS Nation poll) are 2-1 (.667) on the season and enter Saturday having won consecutive games. Lamar's numbers are trending in the right direction with the offense scoring more points than the week before and the defensive side of the ball holding opponents to fewer points each week. Even Lamar's special teams got in the act in their last outing as LU blocked two punts – both returned for touchdowns – and a field goal while holding Texas Southern to seven points.
 
Lamar's defense has been especially tough in the second half. Having surrendered just 20 points in the last two games, only three of those points have come in the second half of those games. The Cardinals' defense has surrendered an average of just 137.5 yards in the second half during the last two contests.
 
It has been a tough start to the season for Central Arkansas. A historical powerhouse, the Bears enter the week with a 1-3 (.250) record but have faced a daunting schedule to this point. UCA has traveled to Missouri and Sacramento State with home games against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and No. 3 Tarleton State. UCA has dropped consecutive games and is coming off a 45-16 loss at Sac State last week.
 
Historically, the series with UCA has not been kind to the Red and White. Lamar is just 1-10 (.091) in the previous 11 meetings and has never defeated UCA in Beaumont. The Cardinals' lone victory in the series came during the 2018 season when LU went on to qualify for the NCAA FCS playoffs.
 
Saturday's game is slated to kick off at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 and streamed live on ESPN+.
   
LU vs. the Bears
The all-time series history between the two schools has not favored Lamar. The Cardinals are just 1-10 (.091) all-time against UCA in the previous 11 meetings and have never defeated the Bears in Beaumont. The Cardinals' lone win in the series - which dates back to the 2011 season - came on the road in 2018, when the Cardinals went on to the NCAA FCS playoffs. The Cardinals step on the field Saturday looking to put a stop to a three-game slide to Central Arkansas.
 
The Defense (Doesn't) Rests
Lamar's defense has taken its play to another level since the season-opening setback at North Texas. Over the course of the previous two games the Cardinals are allowing just 10 points and 219.5 yards of offense per game (one of those two games was against No. 4 South Dakota). The Cardinals have proven the ability to get stronger as the game goes on, allowing three total points and an average of 137.5 yards per game in the final 30 minutes of the last two contests. In the last two games, Lamar's defense has held opponents off the scoreboard in five of the eight quarters played.
 
Special Teams Being Special
Lamar's victory at TSU came down to special teams. After recording a stop on the first possession, Big Red blocked a punt which was returned for a touchdown. Lanar would go on to block another punt (also returned for a score) and block a field goal. Lamar's special teams were responsible for a 17-point swing in the contest.
 
Southland Superlatives
Following the game at Texas Southern, Lamar received SLC Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week. Kendric Malone earned the special teams nod after blocking both punts while Andrew Huff was named defensive player of the week.