THE GAME
>>        The OUAZ football team is back at Spirit Field on Saturday when they host crosstown rival and 19th-ranked Arizona Christian in a game that features two of the top offenses in the NAIA.
 
>>        Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Education Appreciation Night where anyone that works for a school can receive a free general admission ticket with proof of employment. 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 will enter Saturday with a 2-3 overall record and 2-1 at Spirit Field. They are seventh in the Sooner Athletic Conference with a 1-3 record in conference games.
 
>>        The Spirit are coming off a 56-34 loss at SAGU on Saturday. In the game they gained 590 yards of offense – including 244 on the ground – but they couldn't overcome six turnovers.
 
>>        Saturday's game starts a stretch of three straight home games for the Spirit. The three games will be played in a five-week window through November 3.
 
>>        OUAZ dropped to No. 7 in this week's NCCAA rankings. The rankings are based on the Massey Computer Rating system and are updated every Monday. The Spirit were No. 5 in the rankings last week.
 
>>        In his fifth season as a head coach, Mike Nesbitt has a 27-20 all-time record and a 2-3 record at OUAZ.
 
ABOUT NO. 19 ARIZONA CHRISTIAN
>>        Arizona Christian will make the journey across the valley with a No. 19 national ranking and a 5-0 overall record. They are tied with Langston atop the SAC standings with matching 3-0 records.
 
>>        The Firestorm are 2-0 on the road this season and are coming off a 31-27 win at Texas College last Saturday. They have won seven straight games dating back to last season.
 
>>        ACU ranks seventh in the NAIA by averaging 497.6 total yards per game and fourth at 345.8 passing yards per game. They score 37.4 points per game and convert 37.8 percent on third down.
 
>>        Jeff Bowen is in his third season as head coach at ACU and brings a 19-6 record into Saturday's game.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>>        OUAZ is averaging 45.4 points per game this season to lead the SAC and rank sixth in the NAIA. They have scored 50-plus points in three of the five games played.
 
>>        The Spirit's 35.6 passing yards per game are second-most in the SAC and fifth in the NAIA. They lead the conference with a 173.7 passing efficiency.
 
>>        OUAZ opponents are scoring 37.4 points per game on 399.0 yards of offense. Last week, the Spirit help SAGU to 90 yards rushing and they are allowing 151.4 rushing yards per game.
 
>>        The Spirit committed six turnovers at SAGU and now have 13 turnovers this season. They are negative-7 in turnover margin on the year and have allowed 42 points from turnovers.
 
>>        OUAZ has 31 scoring drives on 73 offensive possessions this season. They have punted just 18 times with 13 three-and-outs.
 
>>        The Spirit have a 78 percent scoring rate on 18 trips to the red zone. They have scored 13 touchdowns – 72 percent – and kicked two field goals. On defense, OUAZ opponents have scored on 81 percent of their 21 red zone trips with a 71 percent touchdown rate.
 
>>        The Spirit defense ranks second in the SAC and ninth in the country with an average of 3.4 sacks per game. They have recorded at least one sack in every game this season.
 
>>        On the season, OUAZ has recorded three safeties and blocked four kicks.
 
UNDER CENTER
>>        Austin McCullough has thrown for 1,251 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. He completes 61.0 percent of his attempts with six interceptions.
 
>>        McCullough is second in the SAC and fifth in the NAIA at 312.8 passing yards per game and with his 168.8 quarterback rating. He is 10th in the NAIA by averaging 308.5 yards of total offense per game.
 
RUN/PASS OPTION
>>        Marcelous Chester-Riley is coming off the first 100-yard rushing day of his career after posting 114 yards on 17 carries at SAGU.
 
>>        Chester-Riley leads the Spirit with 308 yards rushing while scoring four touchdowns and averaging 5.1 yards per carry.
 
>>        He ranks third in the SAC in total rushing yards and sixth at 61.6 rushing yards per game. His 8.4 points per game are 29th in the NAIA.
 
>>        Chester-Riley also leads OUAZ with 18 receptions which he has turned into 255 yards and three touchdowns. He is 10th in the SAC in catches and eighth in receiving yards.
 
ALL PURPOSE MACHINE
>>        Shamar Moreland enters the week at No. 3 in the NAIA with 1,067 all-purpose yards and second by averaging 213.4 all-purpose yards per game. He leads the SAC in both categories.
 
>>        Moreland has rushed for 291 yards and five scores on 27 carries. He also has nine catches for 104 yards.
 
>>       Moreland leads the NAIA in kick return yards (499) and punt return yards (190). He averages 27.7 yards per kick return – 12th in the NAIA – and ranks second by getting 19.0 yards per punt return.
 
>>        This season, Moreland leads the Spirit with 17 plays of 20-plus yards and he has one of the team's two 100-yard rushing performances.
 
DEEP THREAT
>>        Brandon McLaughlin leads OUAZ in receiving yards with 349 and receiving touchdowns with six. He ranks third on the club with 13 total receptions.
 
>>        He averages 26.8 yards per reception and has totaled eight grabs of 20-plus yards. Five of his six touchdowns are on plays of 20 or more yards.
 
>>        McLaughlin has two 100-yard receiving games this season and had two scoring catches in each of the past two outings.
 
>>        He is fifth in the SAC in total receiving yards and ninth at 69.8 yards per game.
 
OUTSIDE OPTION
>>        Jeremiah Greylock is second in the team with 14 receptions that have resulted in 221 yards and three scores.
 
>>        Greylock finished with five catches for 138 yards and two scores at Langston on September 8.
 
>>        He ranks 11th in the SAC in receiving yards and 13th 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 16 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.
 
>>        He is second in the country in both tackles for loss per game (3.2) and sacks per game (1.9). Steele has recorded multiple TFLs in every games this season and has three games with multiple sacks.
 
>>        His 40 total tackles are second on the team and third in the conference and he has one safety.
 
MAKING THE STOP
>>        Da'Shawn Holcombe leads the Spirit with 44 total tackles and 25 solo stops. His 44 tackles are tops in the SAC and he is 36th in the NAIA at 8.8 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 sixth in the conference with six passes defended.
 
BOHNS AWAY
>>        Austin Bohn is currently the NAIA's leader by averaging 48.1 yards per punt this season. He has punted 12 times with a long of 78 and has five kicks of 50-plus yards.
 
>>        Of his 12 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 29 of 31 attempts with one blocked. He converted all four chances last Saturday and has now made 22 consecutive PAT attempts.
 
>>        Williams also converted field goals of 38 and 25 yards at SAGU for his first made field goals of the season in four chances.
 
>>        With 35 total points, Williams is 49th in the NAIA overall and 16th in kicking points.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
>>        OUAZ remains at home next weekend when they welcome Texas College to Spirit Field on Saturday, October 13. Kickoff for Church Youth Group Night is at 7 p.m. with gates and opening at 6 p.m. More information on tickets is available at OUAZSpirit.com/tickets.