Football 9/15/2021 10:00:00 AM

Football Game Notes -- Week 3

THE GAME
OUAZ (2-0, 2-0 SAC) is back at Spirit Field on Saturday, where the 18th-ranked Spirit will host a receiving votes Texas Wesleyan (2-0, 2-0 SAC) team in a key Sooner Athletic Conference game. The second home game of the season for OUAZ will begin at 7 p.m. (Arizona).

The game features two of the three remaining undefeated teams in the SAC, with each team perfect through their first two games. Both teams are coming off road wins last week.

The matchup features an OUAZ offense that passes for 420.5 yards per game against a Texas Wesleyan squad that averages 248.0 rushing yards per outing. Both teams rank in the NAIA top 10 in scoring offense.

OUAZ leads the all-time series with the Rams 2-0, with both games being decided by one score. The Spirit are 1-0 at Spirit Field in the series after holding on for a 42-38 win on September 21, 2019, in the last meeting between the two teams.

GAME DAY INFORMATION
Tickets for Saturday's game are available now through the OUAZ online ticket office at OUAZSpirit.com/tickets. Gates will open at 6 p.m., with kickoff at 7 p.m. Parking is available in the lot adjacent to Spirit Field and the gravel lots lining Tierra Buena Ln. across from the stadium. Gameday temperature is forecasted for 97 degrees with mostly clear skies.

FOLLOWING THE ACTION
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on the all-new OUAZ Digital Network, with Gordon Spencer calling the action. Fans can view the broadcast on their computer or mobile device at OUAZSpirit.com/watch and any Amazon Fire, Android TV, Apple TV, or Roku device by downloading the GSAC Sports Network.

OUAZ AT HOME
The Spirit return to Spirit Field with a 12-4 record and winners of three straight at home. They have won seven of the past nine games in Surprise, dating back to the 2019 season. OUAZ outscores its opponents by nearly 26 points per game at home, and they are plus-115 during the three-game home winning streak.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• With a win, OUAZ will extend its current winning streak to seven straight victories. That would be one shy of the program record of eight consecutive wins established during the 2019 season.
• An OUAZ win would give the Spirit a 3-0 lead in the all-time series against Texas Wesleyan, with the record moving to 2-0 at Spirit Field.
• A win on Saturday would improve OUAZ to 7-3 all-time in games played during September. The Spirit has currently won five straight games played in the month.
• During its current winning streak, OUAZ has outscored its opponents 252-112 overall. The difference is even greater at home, where the Spirit holds a 147-32 advantage.
• OUAZ has scored at least 30 points in a game 24 times in the program's first 29 games. With the 76 points scored in the opener against Lyon, the Spirit has now scored 50-plus points in a game nine times.
• Points have been aplenty for the Spirit in the first half of games this season. Through two games, OUAZ has outscored the opposition 83-7 during the first 30 minutes. Those 83 points would rank 21st in the NAIA in total points this season.

SPIRIT NOTES
OUAZ enters the season's third game as the No. 2 scoring team in the NAIA at 59.0 points per game. Only Morningside at 59.5 points per game averages more than the Spirit.
• The Spirit has scored 40-plus points in consecutive games to start a season for the second time (2018) and in any stretch for the first time since doing four straight times during the 2019 season.
• OUAZ has scored at least 28 points in each of the team's past seven games dating back to the start of the 2020 season. That is the longest stretch of 28-plus points, reaching the mark in each of the team's first 15 games in program history.

The Spirit is also the No. 2 team in the NAIA in total offense by averaging 594.0 yards per game through the first two games of 2021. Morningside also leads the nation in total offense by gaining 615.0 yards per game.
• The team set the program record with 652 yards of offense in the opener against Lyon. It was just the third time in program history they gained 600-plus yards of offense in a game and the first time since the 2018 season.
• OUAZ gained 500-plus yards in both of the team's first two games, and it's just the third time that has happened since doing it five consecutive times during the 2018 campaign.
• The team is 14-2 all-time when gaining 500 or more yards, and they have won 12 straight.

The passing game is where OUAZ has done the majority of its damage this season. The team currently averages 420.5 passing yards per game to rank second in the NAIA behind the 465.5 per game of Morningside.
• The 841 passing yards in the two games are the most for a two-game span in program history.
• The Spirit helped establish that mark by throwing for a program-record 486 passing yards from three different quarterbacks in the season-opening win over Lyon College.

While the passing game gets a lot of the notoriety, the Spirit averages 173.5 rushing yards per game, ranking 22nd in the NAIA.
• OUAZ has picked up 150-plus rushing yards in each of the first two games this season. It's just the third time that has happened since the start of the 2019 season.
• At 5.2 yards per attempt, the Spirit ranks 16th in the NAIA.

Defensively, OUAZ has given up 38 points through two games, and the team ranks 27th in the NAIA in scoring defense. Langston (6.5) in the only team from the SAC ranked higher in scoring defense.
• The Spirit won at SAGU on Saturday despite allowing the Lions to score 28 points. The win improved the Spirit to 6-6 all-time when the opposition puts 28-plus points on the board.

The Spirit is allowing 326.0 yards of total offense per game through two games. That has them ranked 34th in the nation in total defense and third in the SAC.
• OUAZ started the season by holding Lyon to 225 yards of offense. That was the fewest yards allowed in a game since holding Doane to 186 in the 2019 season opener and the third-fewest ever allowed at Spirit Field.
• With SAGU gaining 427 yards of offense, the Spirit improved to 7-6 in program history when the opposition gained at least 400 yards of offense.

The opposition is currently averaging 182.5 rushing yards per game against the Spirit defense. That ranks OUAZ 66th in the NAIA in rushing defense.
• Both Spirit opponents have gained over 100 yards rushing, with SAGU gaining 249 yards on the ground.
• The 249 rushing yards gained by SAGU were the most allowed by the Spirit since the 2020 season opener.

In contrast, OUAZ is 17th nationally in holding its opponents to 143.5 passing yards per game through two games.
• Neither Lyon or SAGU surpassed 200 yards passing against the Spirit defense.
• OUAZ has held four straight opponents –and five of the last six – under 200 yards passing dating back to last season.
• The opposition is averaging just 4.3 yards per pass attempt this season.
• The Spirit opposing quarterbacks have a QB rating of 85.5.

OUAZ is currently plus-3 in turnover margin with four total takeaways.
• Those takeaways have accounted for 14 OUAZ points while they have allowed seven points from their turnovers.

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