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www.americansouthw.americansouthwestconf.org FOOTBALL ● AUGUST 28, 2003

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE 1221 W. Campbell Rd., Ste. 245 On the Gridiron Richardson, TX 75080 + ASC Game; AFCA/Football Gazette/D3Football.com rankings; Time Local to Site Ph: 972.234.0033 Fax: 972.234.8433 Thursday, September 4 Commissioner: Fred Jacoby Mississippi College vs. Millsaps, 7 p.m. Backyard Brawl IV, Salvation Army College Football Classic (Jackson, Miss./Veterans Stadium) A.S.C.S.C.. MEDIAMEDIA CONTCONTACT Amy Carlton Saturday, September 6 Ph: 972.234.0033 Louisiana College at Belhaven, 7 p.m. E: [email protected] # —/23/5 Howard Payne at # —/15/15 Wisconsin-La Crosse, 6 p.m. # —/3/10 Trinity University at Austin College, Noon

A.S.C.S.C.. FOOTBFOOTBALL PRESS BOX PHONES Saturday, September 13 Austin College: 903-813-2571 # —/23/— Southeastern Oklahoma at East Texas Baptist, 2 p.m. East Texas Baptist: 903-407-8320 # —/21/13 Hardin-Simmons at # —/19/12 Wisconsin-Stout, 1 p.m. Hardin-Simmons: 325-671-2237 or 2238 McMurry at Colorado College, 2 p.m. Howard Payne: 325-641-9384 Texas Lutheran at # —/3/10 Trinity University, 7:30 p.m. or 325-642-7313 # —/18/4 Mary Hardin-Baylor at Willamette, 1:30 p.m. Louisiana College: 318-613-6765 Western New Mexico at Sul Ross State, 7 p.m. Mary Hardin-Baylor: 254-933-4539 or 254-721-8548 McMurry: 325-793-4740, 4741 or 4742 or 817-675-3438 American Southwest Conference Football Standings Mississippi College: 601-259-3099 2002 Season FINAL Sul Ross State: 432-837-8080 or 8081 Games through NCAA Championship Texas Lutheran: 830-305-0771 Conference Overall 2003 FOOTBALL EVENTS W L T For Opp Pct. W L T For Opp Pct. NCAA-III Football Championship Mary Hardin-Baylor 9 0 0 366 106 1.000 10 1 0 446 180 .909 ASC Champion earns automatic berth Howard Payne 8 1 0 361 198 .889 9 1 0 378 205 .900 First Round: November 22 Hardin-Simmons 7 2 0 320 196 .778 8 2 0 362 230 .800 Second Round: November 29 Quarterfinals: December 6 East Texas Baptist 6 3 0 207 158 .667 6 4 0 227 192 .600 Semifinals: December 13 Mississippi College 4 5 0 187 233 .444 4 6 0 201 249 .400 Championship: December 20 Austin College ** 4 5 0 173 228 .444 4 6 0 173 277 .400 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl (Salem, Va.) Louisiana College 3 6 0 219 286 .333 4 6 0 268 307 .400 A.S.C.S.C.. FOOTBFOOTBALL 2002 REVIEW Sul Ross State ** 2 7 0 159 288 .222 2 8 0 182 333 .200 Texas Lutheran 2 7 0 131 280 .222 2 8 0 145 322 .200 ASC Champion University of Mary Hardin-Baylor McMurry ** 0 9 0 128 278 .000 0 10 0 141 302 .000 NCAA-III Championship Participant ASC Champion & NCAA-III Championships Qualifier: Mary Hardin-Baylor University of Mary Hardin-Baylor ** Sul Ross State forfeits wins vs. Austin College & McMurry for use of ineligible player; season records and game statistics stand.

NCAA-III Football Championship First-Round: Trinity (Texas) 48, Mary Hardin-Baylor 38 American Southwest Conference / FOOTBALL REPORT / Page 2 / August 28, 2003

NATIONAL POLLS ASC END ZONE REPORT

Street & Smith’s Preseason Top 25 Ready for Game Time: As soon as the calendar turns to September, it will be time for No. School No. School the 10 American Southwest Conference football teams get down to business on the field. 1. Mount Union 14. Lycoming Four squads get the 2003 season underway over the September 4-6 stretch with the other 2. St. John’s (Minn.) 15. Augustana (Ill.) six awaiting a September 13 starting date. 3. Rowan 16. Wisconsin-Stout 4. Wabash 17. Muhlenberg 5. Wheaton (Ill.) 18. Hanover Full Force for NCAA Berth: For the first time in the eight seasons of ASC play, all 10 6. Baldwin-Wallace 19. Wittenberg league football-playing schools are eligible for a spot in the postseason NCAA Division 7. Wash. & Jefferson 20. Central (Iowa) 8. Trinity (Texas) 21. Hardin-Simmons III Championship. Louisiana College completes the list of NCAA-eligible squads when 9. Brockport State 22. Widener it becomes an active Division III member on September 1. . . . The conference champion 10. Linfield 23. Alma earns the ASC automatic berth into the national playoffs, with the remaining teams vy- 11. Wis.-La Crosse 24. Worcester State ing for an at-large spot. 12. Bridgewater 25. Ohio Northern 13. Wartburg Best of the Rest (ASC ): 30. UMHB Choctaws Lead Off Nation’s D-3 Schedule: A facility scheduling conflict in Jackson, Miss., has paid off for Mississippi College as the Choctaws face crosstown archrivals Millsaps College Thursday night (Sept. 4) in the first NCAA Division III game sched- Lindy’s Preseason Top 25 uled in the 2003 season. Played at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, the Backyard No. School No. School Brawl IV is garnering national attention with D3Football.com duo Pate Coleman and 1. Mount Union 14. Pacific Lutheran Keith McMillan webcasting the action live starting with a 6:30 p.m. CDT pregame analysis. 2. St. John’s (Minn.) 15. Baldwin-Wallace The schools received a date exemption from the NCAA for the special Thursday night 16. UMHB 3. Rowan game when Veterans Stadium became unavailable for Saturday, September 6. . . . The 4. John Carroll 17. Wittenberg 5. Bridgewater 18. Central (Iowa) Backyard Brawl is formally called the Salvation Army College Football Classic. The 6. Wabash 19. Widener rivalry between the schools — separated by nine miles — was suspended for 40 years 7. Trinity (Texas) 20. Wartburg after tension between the two student bodies reached the breaking point in early 1960 21. Wis.-Stevens Pt. 8. Hanover following a basketball game. The football series was revived in 2000 with Millsaps hold- 9. Wash. & Jefferson 22. Howard Payne 10. Linfield 23. Brockport State ing a 2-1 advantage in the first three games. 11. Wisconsin-Stout 24. Alma 12. Wheaton (Ill.) 25. St. Norbert National Preseason Buzz: A trio of ASC teams earned preseason notice from four pub- 13. Hardin-Simmons lications. Defending champion Mary Hardin-Baylor snagged the league’s highest rank- ing with a No. 4 spot in the D3Football.com poll, and earned two Top 20 and a Top 30 placings. Howard Payne, runner-up to the Crusaders a year ago, was slotted at No. 5 by Sports Illustrated Preseason Top 10 D3Football.com with Top 25 spots in two other lists. Two polls put Hardin-Simmons at No. School 13th while a second set of pollsters had the Cowboys 21st. 1. St. John’s (Minn.) 2. Mount Union ASC Composite Preseason National Rankings 3. Rowan D3FB NWFG S&S LIN SI 4. Wabash Hardin-Simmons ...... 13 ...... 21 ...... 21 ...... 13 ...... NR 5. Washington & Jefferson Howard Payne ...... 5 ...... 23 ...... NR ...... 22 ...... NR 6. Wheaton (Ill.) 7. Bridewater Mary Hardin-Baylor ...... 4 ...... 18 ...... NR ...... 16 ...... NR 8. Baldwin-Wallace KEY: D3FB=D3Football.com; NWFG=Don Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette; 9. Hanover S&S=Street & Smith’s; LIN=Lindy’s, SI=Sports Illustrated. 10. Wisconsin-Stout Players Rate National Honors: Seven ASC players were named to 2003 Preseason All- America teams by four different publications. Hardin-Simmons DB Alex Hansen and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football East Texas Baptist P Scott Verhalen each garnered three First Team awards while Cow- ASC 2003 Preseason Ranking boys’ TE Matt Moskosky was awarded one First Team and two Second Team citations. 1. Mary Hardin-Baylor 2. Hardin-Simmons Also chosen for Preseason All-America honors were WR Walter Hays, Howard Payne; 3. Howard Payne OL Adam Hernandez, Hardin-Simmons; AP Shaun Rochon, Mary Hardin-Baylor; and 4. East Texas Baptist OL Matt Miller, Louisiana College. 5. Louisiana College 6. Austin College 7. Mississippi College 8. Texas Lutheran 9. Sul Ross State 10. McMurry American Southwest Conference / FOOTBALL REPORT / Page 3 / August 28, 2003

ASC Composite Preseason All-America Listings NATIONAL POLLS D3FB NWFG S&S LIN Alex Hansen, DB, Hardin-Simmons ...... 1st ...... 1st ...... -- ...... 1st Nat’l Weekly Football Gazette Top 40 Walter Hays, WR, Howard Payne ...... 1st ...... 3rd ...... -- ...... 1st Preseason (July 17) Adam Hernandez, OL, Hardin-Simmons ...... -- ...... 3rd ...... -- ...... 2nd No. School Record Matt Miller, OL, Louisiana College ...... -- ...... 3rd ...... -- ...... -- 1. Mount Union Matt Moskosky, TE, Hardin-Simmons ...... 2nd ...... -- ...... 1st ...... 2nd 2. St. John’s (Minn.) Shaun Rochon, AP, Mary Hardin-Baylor ...... -- ...... -- ...... -- ...... 2nd 3. Trinity (Texas) Scott Verhalen, P, East Texas Baptist ...... 1st ...... -- ...... 1st ...... 1st 4. Wabash KEY: D3FB=D3Football.com; NWFG=Don Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette; 5. Rowan S&S=Street & Smith’s; LIN=Lindy’s 6. Linfield 7. Wheaton (Ill.) Crusaders Top ASC Pick: Defending American Southwest Conference football cham- 8. Brockport State 9. Bridgewate pion University of Mary Hardin-Baylor has been projected to repeat as league champs in 10. Baldwin-Wallace 2003, edging Howard Payne University in preseason polling of the conference head 11. Wittenberg coaches, sports information directors and media. The Crusaders, who are looking to earn 12. Wartburg a third consecutive berth in the NCAA Division III Football Championship, collected 13 13. Hanover first-place votes and totaled 239 points. Howard Payne trailed UMHB by eight points 14. Muhlenberg (231 pts.) while taking six first-place votes. Five-time ASC champion Hardin-Simmons 15. Wisconsin-La Crosse 16. Washington & Jefferson University finished third in the balloting with 217 points. . . . Upper-division finishes 17. John Carroll were predicted for East Texas Baptist University (192) and Mississippi College (138) 18. Mary Hardin-Baylor who were picked fourth and fifth, respectively. First-year NCAA-III eligible Louisiana 19. Wisconsin-Stout College was slotted at sixth (127), followed by Austin College (109), Texas Lutheran 20. Augustana (Ill.) University (75), Sul Ross State University (60) and McMurry University (42) in the 21. Hardin-Simmons seventh through 10th spots. 22. Alma 23. Howard Payne 2003 American Southwest Conference Preseason Football Coaches Poll 24. Coe (Iowa) Rank Team (first place votes) ...... Points ...... 2002 Records 25. Lycoming 1. Mary Hardin-Baylor (13) ...... 239 ...... 10-1, 9-0 ASC 26. Ohio Northern 2. Howard Payne (6) ...... 231 ...... 9-1, 8-1 ASC 27. Widener 3. Hardin-Simmons (4) ...... 217 ...... 8-2, 7-2 ASC 28. King’s 4. East Texas Baptist (3) ...... 192 ...... 6-4, 6-3 ASC 29. Rensselaer Tech 5. Mississippi College ...... 138 ...... 4-6, 4-5 ASC 30. Hartwick 6. Louisiana College ...... 127 ...... 4-6, 3-6 ASC 31. Central (Iowa) 7. Austin College ...... 109 ...... 4-6, 4-5 ASC 32. Redlands 8. Texas Lutheran ...... 75 ...... 2-8, 2-7 ASC 33. Johns Hopkins 9. Sul Ross State ...... 60 ...... 2-8, 2-7 ASC 34. Wisconsin-Eau Claire 10. McMurry ...... 42 ...... 0-10, 0-9 ASC 35. McDaniel 36. Cortland State 37. Hobart Conference Players to Watch: Three all-conference players were voted to ASC Pre- 38. Lake Forest (Ill.) season Player of the Year honors. Quarterback Adam King (Amarillo, Texas) of Howard 39. Capital (Ohio) Payne was named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, cornerback Alex Hansen 40. Worcester State (Southlake, Texas) of Hardin-Simmons was selected Preseason Defensive Player of the Next Poll: September 7 Year and East Texas Baptist punter Scott Verhalen (Marshall, Texas) Preseason Spe- www.donhansen.com cial Teams Player of the Year. King, the league’s 2002 Offensive Player of the Year, set season pass completion percentage record (.646, 245-of-379) a year ago while Hansen Tracking the ASC: NWFG holds the season interception record with nine in 2002. Verhalen averaged a league-best Date Poll Team(s) ...... Rank 45.2 yards a punt in 2000 and has been the top punter in NCAA-III the past two seasons. July Pre Mary Hardin-Baylor ...... 18 Hardin-Simmons ...... 21 Howard Payne ...... 23 American Southwest Conference / FOOTBALL REPORT / Page 4 / August 28, 2003

HASH MARKS NATIONAL POLLS Bulldog Coaching Legend Passes: Jim Wacker, coach of Texas Lutheran’s 1974 and D3Football.com Top 25 1975 NAIA National Championship teams, died August 26 from complications of can- Preseason cer. Wacker, who was 37-17 at TLU and produced 14 All-Americans, completed suc- No. School Previous cessful coaching stints at North Dakota State, Southwest Texas State, Texas Christian 1. Mount Union 2. Wheaton (Ill.) and Minnesota. Wacker was recognized for his faith and commitment to the Lutheran 3. Baldwin-Wallace Church with the TLU Distinguished Church Service Award in 1991. Current Bulldog 4. Mary Hardin-Baylor head coach Tom Mueller coached beside Wacker for 21 seasons. Texas Lutheran foot- 5. Howard Payne ball is one of several memorials designated by the Wacker family. 6. St. John’s (Minn.) 7. Linfield Keeling Honored: Hardin-Simmons football coach Jimmie Keeling was presented the 8. Rowan Johnny Vaught Head Coach Award by the All-American Football Foundation in late 9. Ithaca 10. Trinity (Texas) July. Keeling, who opens his 14th season with the Cowboys on September 13, was joined 11. Wartburg by former coaches Gene Stallings of Texas A&M and Alabama and James Dickey of 12. Wisconsin-Stout Kansas State on the awards platform. The AAFF is in its 10th year of presenting awards 13. Hardin-Simmons to football coaches, support staff and administrators from across the nation. 14. Bridgewater 15. Wisconsin-La Crosse Fans in the Stands: The ASC finished the 2002 season ranked ninth in NCAA-III atten- 16. Lycoming dance. The league teams averaged 1,999 fans a game (97,955 for the 49 contests), an 17. Ohio Northern 18. Wabash increase of 14,124 total fans from the 2001 season. The average also placed the ASC 19. Hanover 21st in combined NCAA Division II and III conference attendance. . . . Mississippi Col- 20. Hampden-Sydney lege ranked 11th among all Division III teams, averaging 3,529 fans over its five home 21. Wisconsin-Stevens Point contests. 22. Central (Iowa) 23. Washington & Jefferson ASC Coaches Among NCAA-III Winners: Five ASC football coaches are ranked among 24. Augustana (Ill.) the winningest active NCAA-Division III coaches in both career win percentage and 25. Wooster Next Poll: September 10 number of wins (minimum five years as head coach, record at four-year colleges only). www.d3football.com Coach, Team Yrs W-L-T Pct. Rnk Win % Rnk Wins Jimmie Keeling, HSU ...... 13 ..... 109-34-0 ...... 76224...... 9 ...... 23 Vance Gibson, HPU ...... 11 ...... 76-35-0 ...... 68468...... 30 ...... 49 Tracking the ASC: D3Football.com Steve Keenum, McM ...... 11 ...... 33-72-0 ...... 31429...... 128 ...... 111 David Norman, AC ...... 9 ...... 36-52-0 ...... 40909...... 118 ...... 104 Date Poll Team(s) ...... Rank Aug Pre Mary Hardin-Baylor ...... 4 Pete Fredenberg, UMHB...... 5 ...... 34-17-0 ...... 66667...... 32 ...... 108 Howard Payne ...... 5 Hardin-Simmons ...... 13 King, Verhalen Lead Nation: Howard Payne QB Adam King and East Texas Baptist P Scott Verhalen return to defend their NCAA-III statistical titles. As a sophomore in 2002, King topped the national total offense list, averaging 361.3 yards a game. Verhalen collected his second straight Division III punting title, averaging 43.3 yards on 39 punts as a junior. Verhalen’s kicks also gave ETBU the national team net punting title (38.60 ave. net yards). Verhalen won the 2001 national punting title with a 43.7-yard average. . . . Graduated Sul Ross State WR Luis Uresti was the nation’s leader in receptions per game, averaging 9.7 catches in nine games last season.

Bobby Bowden Headed to MC: Legendary Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden will be the featured speaker at the Second Annual Mississippi College Wild Game Din- ner on September 29. The Choctaw Athletic Department fundraiser will also feature world famous wild game chef Billy Joe Cross. Details about Bowden’s appearance and the dinner can be accessed at the MC website, www.mc.edu. American Southwest Conference / FOOTBALL REPORT / Page 5 / August 28, 2003

WEEKEND SCOUTING REPORT, Games of September 4-6 UPCOMING GAMES SEPTEMBER 4 (Thursday) Saturday, September 13 Southeastern Okla. at East Texas Baptist, 2 p.m. Hardin-Simmons at Wisconsin-Stout, 1 p.m. Mississippi College Choctaws (0-0, 0-0 ASC) McMurry at Colorado College, 2 p.m. vs. Millsaps College Majors (0-0, 0-0 SCAC) Texas Lutheran at Trinity University, 7:30 p.m. Kickoff: 7 p.m. (Jackson, Miss./Veterans Memorial Stadium) Mary Hardin-Baylor at Willamette, 1:30 p.m. Western New Mexico at Sul Ross State, 7 p.m. Coverage: D3Football.com Webcast: 6:30 p.m. CST (www.d3football.com) Team Websites: www.mc.edu/athletics (MC), www.millsaps.edu/athletics (Millsaps) Saturday, September 20 The Mississippi College-Millsaps game — the Backyard Brawl IV — is the first in NCAA- + Howard Payne at Mississippi College, 2 p.m. + Mary Hardin-Baylor at Austin College, 2 p.m. Division III for the 2003 season, thanks to a scheduling conflict at Veterans Stadium and + Hardin-Simmons at Texas Lutheran, 2 p.m. an exemption from the NCAA. . . . Mississippi College will unveil a new starting QB + Sul Ross State at Louisiana College, 6 p.m. with the preseason battle close between the lone returning QB sophomore David Chaney + East Texas Baptist at McMurry, 3 p.m. (2002: 5 games, 0-1 passing) and East Mississippi Junior College transfer Scotty Elliot. Saturday, September 27 . . . WR is the most experienced position for MC, including the return of leading receiver + Mississippi College at Sul Ross State, 2 p.m. sophomore Ian Warkentein who led the team in receptions, touchdowns and receiving + Louisiana College at Hardin-Simmons, 2 p.m. yards. The defensive secondary, which nabbed an ASC-high 22 interceptions a year ago, + Texas Lutheran at Mary Hardin-Baylor, 7 p.m. + Austin College at McMurry, 2 p.m. has seniors John Whitehead and Josh Chaney back. . . . MC was picked to finish fifth in + Howard Payne at East Texas Baptist, 2 p.m. the 2003 ASC race. . . . Millsaps (3-6, 1-5 SCAC) was slotted at sixth-place in the South- ern Collegiate Athletic Conference preseason poll. . . . The Majors’ defense is led by Saturday, October 4 + Hardin-Simmons at Mississippi College, 2 p.m. 2002 SCAC Defensive Player of the Year and 2003 All-America candidate LB Matt + Sul Ross State at Howard Payne, 2 p.m. Bryant. . . . LAST MEETING (Sept. 7, 2002): Millsaps 16, Mississippi College 14. . . . + McMurry at Texas Lutheran, 2 p.m. Millsaps built a 16-7 lead midway through the third quarter then withstood a furious MC + UMHB at Louisiana College, 2 p.m. + East Texas Baptist at Austin College, 2 p.m. fourth quarter comeback to preserve the win. . . . QB Payton Perrett tossed a 43-yard TD pass to Chris Jones with 1:43 left to bring MC within two points, but a Millsaps punt Saturday, October 11 pinned MC at its own 2-yard line to end the rally. + Howard Payne at Hardin-Simmons, 2 p.m. + Mississippi College at UMHB, 2 p.m. + Texas Lutheran at Austin College, Noon SEPTEMBER 6 (Saturday) + Louisiana College at McMurry, 2 p.m. + East Texas Baptist at Sul Ross State, 2 p.m. Louisiana College Wildcats (0-0, 0-0 ASC) Saturday, October 18 at Belhaven College Blazers (0-0, 0-0 MSFC) + McMurry at Mississippi College, 6 p.m. Kickoff: 7 p.m. (Jackson, Miss. / Newell Field) + Mary Hardin-Baylor at Howard Payne, 2 p.m. Team Websites: www.lacollege.edu/athletics/ (LC); www.belhaven.edu (BC) + Hardin-Simmons at Sul Ross State, 2 p.m. + Austin College at Louisiana College, 2 p.m. Louisiana College looks to make it two in a row against Belhaven in this 2003 season- + Texas Lutheran at East Texas Baptist, 2 p.m. opening game for both squads. . . . The Wildcats (’02: 4-6, 3-6 ASC), picked to finish sixth in the ASC race, are in their first season as an active NCAA-III member. . . . LC boasts five starters back on its offensive line, including Preseason All-American Matt Miller, as well as the team’s top rusher Wayne Davis who had seven TDs and averaged DIVISION III 2003 KEY GAMES Street & Smith’s (ASC only) 4.5 yards a carry a year ago. . . . Belhaven (2002: 5-6, 4-4 MSFC) brings a pass-oriented Nov. 1: UMHB @ Hardin-Simmons offense to the field, leading the Mid-South Football Conference with just under 3,500 aerial yards last season. . . . The Blazers were picked to finish sixth in the MSFC, a Lindy’s (ASC only) league which has produced a pair of NAIA champions and the 2002 national runner-ups. Sep. 13: Hardin-Simmons @ Wisconsin-Stout . . . LAST MEETING (Sept. 6, 2002): Louisiana College 49, Belhaven 21. . . . Wildcat Oct. 11: Howard Payne @ Hardin-Simmons reserve QB Jet Carriker tossed four TD passes, including three to WR Schyler Anderson, to lead LC to a season-opening win. Carriker completed 22-of-37 passes for 283 yards. ANNUAL ASC FOOTBALL CHAMPION Michael Moore had a pair of QB sacks among his team-leading 12 tackles. Year Champion ASC Record 1996 ...... Hardin-Simmons ...... 3-1 1997 ...... Mississippi College ...... 4-1 1998 ...... Hardin-Simmons ...... 7-0 1999 ...... Hardin-Simmons ...... 7-0 2000 ...... Hardin-Simmons ...... 9-0 2001 ...... Hardin-Simmons ...... 8-1 2002 ...... Mary Hardin-Baylor ...... 10-0 American Southwest Conference / FOOTBALL REPORT / Page 6 / August 28, 2003

# —/23/5 Howard Payne Yellow Jackets (0-0, 0-0 ASC) UPCOMING GAMES at # —/15/15 Wisconsin-La Crosse Eagles (0-0, 0-0 WIAC) Saturday, October 25 Kickoff: 6 p.m. (La Crosse, Wis. / Veterans Memorial Stadium) + Sul Ross State at Mary Hardin-Baylor, 2 p.m. Coverage: TeamLine live, 6 p.m. (http://perth.uwlax.edu/Athletics/Football/) + Mississippi College at Austin College, 2 p.m. Team Websites: www.hputx.edu/Faculty/athletic/home/index.htm (HPU); + Louisiana College at Texas Lutheran, 2 p.m. + Howard Payne at McMurry, 3 p.m. www.uwlax.edu/Athletics/ (UW-L) + East Texas Baptist at Hardin-Simmons, 2 p.m. Each team opens its 2003 schedule playing in one of Div. III’s early-season interregional Top 25 battles. . . . HPU is in the south region and UW-L the west region in the NCAA- Saturday, November 1 + Texas Lutheran at Mississippi College, 2 p.m. III alignment. . . . Howard Payne (’02: 9-1, 8-1 ASC), ASC runner-up last season and + Austin College at Howard Payne, 2 p.m. preseason second-place pick, received national notice in three different publications af- + McMurry at Sul Ross State, 2 p.m. ter narrowly missing the national playoffs a year ago. . . . ASC 2002 Offensive Player of + Mary Hardin-Baylor at Hardin-Simmons, 2 p.m. the Year junior QB Adam King is back after leading the nation in total offense (361.3 + Louisiana College vs. East Texas Baptist, 7 p.m. (State Fair Classic, at Shreveport, La./ ypg) and has two of his top targets, receivers Walter Hays and Tres Poyner, and RB Rico Independence Stadium) Gardner back on offense. . . . The Yellow Jacket kicking game is solid with PK Drew McMaster and P Brian Loper while the defense replaces only two players from a unit Saturday, November 8 + Sul Ross State at Austin College, Noon which gave up 112 rushing and 245 passing yards a game. . . . Wisconsin-La Crosse (’02: + Howard Payne at Texas Lutheran, 2 p.m. 7-4, 6-1 WIAC) has 16 starters returning from a team which won the Wisconsin Intercol- + Mississippi College at Louisiana College, 6 p.m. legiate Athletic Conference title and advanced to the first round of the NCAA-III Cham- + Hardin-Simmons at McMurry, 2 p.m. + East Texas Baptist at Mary Hardin-Baylor, 2 pionship. . . . The biggest question mark for UW-L is the replacement of All-WIAC p.m. signal-caller Matt Makaryl, but the return of five OL starters should give the new quar- terback some protection early. . . . FIRST MEETING. Saturday, November 15 + Louisiana College at Howard Payne, 2 p.m. + Sul Ross State at Texas Lutheran, 2 p.m. #—/3/10 Trinity Tigers (0-0, 0-0 SCAC) + Austin College at Hardin-Simmons, 2 p.m. at Austin College Kangaroos (0-0, 0-0 ASC) + McMurry at Mary Hardin-Baylor, 2 p.m. + Mississippi College at East Texas Baptist, 1 p.m. Kickoff: Noon (Sherman, Texas / Jerry E. Apple Stadium) Coverage: Webcast or TeamLine links at www.austincollege.edu/athletics/index.htm Team Websites: www.austincollege.edu/athletics/index.htm (AC); www.trinity.edu (TU) 2003 NCAA Division III Championship Austin College opens its 2003 schedule with back-to-back nationally ranked opponents, Nov. 22: First Round Nov. 29: Second Round starting with Trinity (’02: 14-1, 6-0 SCAC), a squad found among the preseason Top 10 Dec. 6: Quarterfinals in four different listings. . . . AC puts a young squad on the field, but has experience at Dec. 13: Semifinals key positions with the return of the conference’s top rusher in junior QB Brian Womack Dec. 20: Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl (Championship Game) (94.4 ypg), senior RB Will Shelton, junior WR Ross Reedy and four starters on the offensive line. . . . The ‘Roos are picked to finish seventh in the ASC race. . . . Trinity has 10 straight Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference titles to its credit and is picked to ASC Homecoming Games October 11 win an 11th despite losing 11 starters from its national runner-up squad of last season. . McMurry (vs. Louisiana College) . . The play of the Tigers’ “Black Flag” defense is considered key with senior DBs Kenny October 18 Brunette, Matt Woodchick and Spencer Chase bringing experience. . . . LAST MEET- Howard Payne (vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor) Louisiana College (vs. Austin College) ING (Sept. 6, 2002): Trinity 49, Austin College 0. . . . Trinity exploded for 28 second Mississippi College (vs. McMurry) quarter points and kept the Austin College offense out of the red zone the entire game in October 25 recording its first season-opening shutout in seven years. . . . ‘Roos QB Brian Womack Austin College (vs. Mississippi College) Hardin-Simmons (vs. East Texas Baptist) ran for 74 yards in the loss. Texas Lutheran (vs. Louisiana College) November 1 Sul Ross State (vs. McMurry) November 8 Mary Hardin-Baylor (vs. East Texas Baptist) November 15 East Texas Baptist (vs. Mississippi College)