BEAUMONT, Texas – As we roll into the second week of November, the 7^th/8^th-ranked Lamar University Cardinals are preparing for a Senior Day showdown against East Texas A&M. The Cardinals enter the week as the Southland's hottest team. Winners in seven of the past eight games, Lamar currently sits in a tie for first place in the Southland standings.
 
The Cardinals are coming off a 45-28 victory last week at home against No. 2 Stephen F. Austin. The victory was LU's second against a nationally ranked foe this year, which is the second consecutive year that Lamar has defeated at least two nationally ranked schools.
 
Big Red enters the Saturday afternoon contest with an 8-2 (.800) overall record and are 6-1 in the Southland Conference (.857). East Texas A&M heads to Beaumont on the backend of what has been a roller coaster season. The Lions (3-7/3-4 SLC) are currently tied for fifth in the standings but have a chance to make a late surge in the final two weeks of the season.
 
In conference play, the Lions have recorded some impressive results with recent wins over UT Rio Grande Valley and Southeastern Louisiana. In both contests, East Texas' defense rendered the two high-powered offenses ineffective. The Lions defeated UTRGV, 20-17, and posted a 10-7 victory over Southeastern. The Cardinals need only to look at the previous two match ups against East Texas to know just how tough they are. While Lamar has won the past two games, both victories have come on the final possession and last season Big Red didn't take its first lead of the game until that last possession.
 
A win Saturday would also give Lamar another program milestones. A win and Lamar would set a new single season record for wins (as a four-year institution) and be one win shy of tying the overall record (with one game remaining on the schedule).
 
The history between the two schools is all tied up at, 8-8 (.500). Oddly, the Cardinals trail the all-time series when the two schools meet in Beaumont, 4-5 (.444), but East Texas A&M heads to Beaumont looking for its first win since 1963.
 
Prior to kick off, Lamar will be honoring its 18 seniors. The contest is set for a 3 p.m. kick from Provost Umphrey Stadium. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 and streamed live ESPN+.
   
 
LU vs. the Lions
The series between Lamar and East Texas A&M is tied up, 8-8 (.500). The Cardinals actually trail the series in Beaumont, 4-5 (.444), but LU has won three straight and five of the last six. ETAMU is looking for its first win in the series since 1963. Each of the past two contests have been decided by 10 points or fewer. Saturday's contest will be the first meeting in Beaumont since 2023.
 
In Pursuit of More Big Wins
With Saturday's victory against No. 2 Stephen F. Austin, the Cardinals have tied the school record for wins (as a four-year institution) for a second-straight year. The Cardinals need just one more win to keep a unique run in place for head coach Pete Rossomando. Since his first year with the team, the Cardinals have increased their win total from the year before culminating in last season's eight-win campaign that led to the playoffs. The Cardinals need just two more wins to tie the school's all-time single-season record for wins – 10 in 1949 (as a junior college).
 
Being Offensive
Since their game at Nicholls to close out September, the Cardinals have been on fire offensively. In the team's past seven games, the Cardinals have scored at least 42 point four times and are averaging 41.7 points per game.
 
Chasing Down History
Senior tight end Davin Driskell hauled in two touchdown passes Saturday, for his third multi-touchdown game of the season. With his second TD catch last Saturday, he became just the fourth Cardinal to record at least 10 touchdowns in a season. He needs just three more to tie the school record which was set back in 2014 (Mark Roberts).
 
Successful Runs
Lamar's 16 wins the past two seasons equals the best two-year stretch in school history (as a four-year program). LU needs two more wins to equal the best two-year stretch in school history (regardless of division or level), two more to set the best three-year stretch and two more to equal the best four-year stretch in program history.