THE GAME
The OUAZ football team welcomes Texas College to Spirit Field on Saturday in the second of three straight home games for the Spirit. It's also the first of three straight games for the Spirit against teams with below .500 records.
 
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Church Youth Group Night. The Queso Good Quesadilla Truck will be on hand. The ticket booth and gates will open at 6 p.m. and more ticket information is available at OUAZSpirit.com/tickets.
 
OUAZ will broadcast the game live on their Game Central portal and the NAIA Network for $7.95 with James Poovey (play-by-play) and Vince D'Aliesio (analyst) calling the action. The NAIA Network is available on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Roku devices by searching NAIA.
 
Live stats will also be available during the game. Links for all live features are posted at OUAZSpirit.com/live.
 
SPIRIT NOTES
OUAZ brings a 3-3 overall record and 3-1 home record into Saturday's game. The Spirit are fifth in the Sooner Athletic Conference with a 2-3 mark in conference games.
 
They will be looking for consecutive wins for the first time in school history after recording a 73-28 win over then-No. 19 Arizona Christian last Saturday at Spirit Field.
 
After Saturday, OUAZ will take two weeks off before closing out their home schedule against Wayland Baptist on November 3 at 7 p.m.
 
OUAZ moved up one spot to No. 6 in this week's release of the NCCAA rankings. The rankings are based on the Massey Computer Rating system and are updated every Monday. The team has been as high as No. 4 in the September 10 poll.
 
In his fifth season as a head coach, Mike Nesbitt has a 28-20 all-time record and a 3-3 record at OUAZ.
 
Brandon McLaughlin picked up a pair of player of the week awards on Monday. He was awarded the offensive award from both the SAC and NCCAA after recording three catches – all touchdowns – for 163 yards.
 
John Williams was named the SAC Special Teams Player of the Week after scoring 13 points while converting 10 of 10 PAT attempts against ACU.
 
ABOUT TEXAS COLLEGE
Texas College makes the trip from Tyler, Texas, with an 0-3 overall and SAC record. They are 0-2 in road games.
 
The Steers lost at SAGU last Saturday, 48-28. They have dropped seven straight games dating back to last season.
 
The team ranks sixth in the NAIA by averaging 25.1 yards per kickoff return and they are 15th nationally in rushing for 229.3 yards per game.
 
Opponents are averaging 174.3 passing yards per game to have the Steers 20th in the NAIA in the category.
 
Charles Moss is in his second season as head coach of the Steers with a 2-11 overall record.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
OUAZ enters the week fourth in the NAIA and leading the SAC is scoring at 50.0 points per game. They have scored 50-plus points in four of the team's six games played.
 
The Spirit's 368.7 passing yards per game lead the SAC and rank fourth in the NAIA. They also lead the conference is passing efficiency at 176.1.
 
OUAZ totals a conference-best 535.0 yards per game and they are second in the league by getting 23.0 first downs per outing. The Spirit convert 43.0 percent on third-down and 40.0 percent of fourth-down attempts.
 
OUAZ has 40 scoring drives on 90 offensive possessions, including a 41.1 touchdown percentage. They have only punted 22 times with 15 three-and-outs.
 
In the red zone, OUAZ is scoring on 81 percent of their trips. They score touchdowns on 71 percent of red zone appearances. They have allowed opponents to score on 80 percent of their trips with a 72 percent touchdown rate.
 
The Spirit defense averages 3.2 sacks per game to rank second in the SAC and 13th in the NAIA.
 
OUAZ opponents are averaging 401.3 yards and 35.8 points per game.
 
On the season, OUAZ has recorded three safeties and blocked four kicks.
 
UNDER CENTER
Austin McCullough has thrown for 1,680 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. He completes 58.0 percent of his attempts with seven interceptions and a 173.2 efficiency rating.
 
McCullough leads the conference and ranks third in the NAIA by throwing for 336.0 yards per game. He also the conference leader in total passing yards and passer rating.
 
McCullough has thrown for multiple touchdowns in every game he has played this season, including six against Arizona Christian on Saturday.
 
ALL PURPOSE MACHINE
Shamar Moreland enters the week at No. 2 in the NAIA with 1,317 all-purpose yards and by averaging 219.5 all-purpose yards per game. He leads the SAC in both categories.
 
Moreland is second in the SAC with 403 total rushing yards – 49th in the NAIA – and his 67.2 rushing yards per game is fourth in the conference. He has his second 100-yard game on Saturday with 129 yards against ACU.
 
Moreland leads the NAIA in kick return yards (551) and punt return yards (259). He averages 26.2 yards per kick return – 17th in the NAIA – and ranks second by getting 23.5 yards per punt return.
 
RUN/PASS OPTION
Marcelous Chester-Riley is second on the team with 336 rushing yards – fifth in the SAC – and he leads OUAZ with 21 receptions.
 
He has scored eight touchdowns and ranks fifth in the conference and 20th in the NAIA with 48 points scored.
 
Chester-Riley is seventh in the SAC with 344 yards receiving and sixth with 680 all-purpose yards.
 
DEEP THREAT
Brandon McLaughlin leads OUAZ in receiving yards with 512 and receiving touchdowns with nine. He ranks third on the club with 16 total receptions.
 
He averages 32.0 yards per reception and has totaled 11 grabs of 20-plus yards. Eight of his nine touchdowns are on plays of 20 or more yards.
 
McLaughlin has three 100-yard receiving games this season and had at least two scoring catches in the past three games.
 
He ranks third in the SAC in receiving yards and receiving yards per game (85.3). His 54 points scored ranks 15th in the NAIA.
 
OUTSIDE OPTION
Jeremiah Greylock is second in the team with 18 receptions that have resulted in 269 yards and four scores.
 
Greylock finished with five catches for 138 yards and two scores at Langston on September 8.
 
He ranks 12th in the SAC in receiving yards and 11th in catches.
 
IN THE BACKFIELD
Kenneth Steele Jr. has made a habit of making plays in the opponent's backfield this season. The senior leads the NAIA with 17 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
 
He is tied for the lead in the NAIA by getting 2.8 tackles for loss per contest and leads the country at 1.7 sacks per game.
 
He is second in the country in both tackles for loss per game (3.2) and sacks per game (1.9). Steele has recorded a TFL in every game this season and has posted multiple sacks in a game three times.
 
His 45 total tackles are second on the team and sixth in the conference and he has one safety.
 
MAKING THE STOP
Da'Shawn Holcombe leads the Spirit with 50 total tackles and 29 solo stops. His 50 tackles are third in the SAC and he is 50th in the NAIA at 8.3 tackles per game.
 
Holcombe has twice made double-digit tackles this season, including a 15 tackles performance at Langston.
 
He has added two tackles for loss while ranking seventh in the conference with six passes defended.
 
BOHNS AWAY
Austin Bohn is currently the NAIA's leader by averaging 47.2 yards per punt this season. He has punted 16 times with a long of 78 and has six kicks of 50-plus yards.
 
Of his 16 total punts, Bohn has placed three inside the 20-yardline and has two touchbacks.
 
PUT IT ON THE BOARD
John Williams has become automatic on PAT attempts this season, converting 39 of 41 attempts with one blocked. He converted all 10 chances last Saturday and has now made 32 consecutive PAT attempts.
 
Williams has also connected on three straight field goal attempts over the past two weeks. He is 3 of 5 on the season with makes from 25, 26, and 38.
 
He is the SAC leader with 48 points scored kicking – sixth in the NAIA – while ranking tied for first in the SAC and ninth nationally at 8.0 kicking points per game.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
OUAZ will take the next two weeks off before returning to action by hosting Wayland Baptist in the home finale on Saturday, November 3, at 7 p.m. Tickets information is available by visiting OUAZSpirit.com/tickets.