Football 9/30/2021 5:00:00 PM

Football Game Notes -- Week 5

THE GAME
Riding a program-record eight-game winning streak, No. 12 OUAZ (4-0, 4-0 SAC) will host Arizona Christian (3-1, 2-1) on Saturday at Spirit Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on the OUAZ campus.

The game features the past two champions of the Sooner Athletic Conference, and the two teams picked to finish 1-2 in the final standings by the conference coaches in the preseason. OUAZ currently leads the SAC with a 4-0 record to sit one-half game ahead of Langston (3-0) and one game in front of ACU (3-1).

OUAZ leads the all-time series against Arizona Christian 2-1 with a 1-1 record at Spirit Field. After winning the first two games in the series, the Spirit allowed 31 points in the fourth quarter to lose 45-35 last season at Spirit Field. That was the last game the Spirit has lost.

The Spirit is 2-1 all-time in the season's fifth game, and they will be playing on October 2 for the first time in program history. OUAZ is 1-0 in games when they enter with a 4-0 record.

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 84 degrees with partly cloudy 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 13-4 record and winners of four straight at home. They have won eight of the last ten games in Surprise, dating back to the 2019 season. OUAZ outscores its opponents by over 25 points per game at home, and they are plus-129 during the four-game home winning streak.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• With a win, OUAZ will extend its current winning streak to nine straight victories. That would break the tie with the current record that was established during the 2019 season.
• An OUAZ win would give the Spirit its third win in four all-time meetings against its in-state rivals from Glendale. It would also improve the team to 3-1 at home in the series.
• A win on Saturday would improve OUAZ to 7-0 all-time in games played during October.
• During its current winning streak, OUAZ has outscored its opponents 346-162 overall. In the four home games during the winning streak, the Spirit has a 192-63 scoring edge.
• OUAZ has scored at least 30 points in a game 26 times in the program's first 31 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. OUAZ has outscored the opposition 135-20 during the first 30 minutes in the first four games of the season. Those 135 points would rank 28th in the NAIA in total points this season.

SPIRIT NOTES
OUAZ enters Saturday as the No. 4 scoring team in the NAIA at 53.0 points per game. The team's 212 total points scored are fourth-most in the nation.
• The Spirit has scored 40-plus points in the first four games of the season for the first time in program history.
• It's just the second time the Spirit has scored 40-plus points in four straight games in the program's history. They have never reached the mark in five consecutive games.
• OUAZ has scored at least 28 points in each of the team's past nine 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 the No. 3 team in the NAIA in total offense by averaging 529.0 yards per game through the first four games.
• 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 has gained at least 500 yards in three of the four games this season while surpassing 400 yards in every game.
• The team is 15-2 all-time when gaining 500 or more yards, and they have won 13 straight.

The passing game is where OUAZ has done the majority of its damage this season. The team currently averages 344.3 passing yards per game to rank fourth in the NAIA.
• The team has accounted for at least 250 passing yards in each of the first four games while twice throwing for over 300 yards.
• The Spirit helped establish this year's total passing yards 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 184.8 rushing yards per game, ranking 22nd in the NAIA.
• OUAZ ran for a season-high 250 yards in Saturday's win over Louisiana College. It was the first time this season they went over 200 yards in a game.
• The Spirit currently ranks 10th in the NAIA by averaging 5.3 yards per rush while sitting 11th with 12 rushing touchdowns.

Defensively, OUAZ has given up 88 points through four games, and the team ranks 36th in the NAIA in scoring defense at 22.0 points allowed per game.
• The Spirit has held two opponents under 20 points this season, and they are 13-1 all-time when that happens.

The Spirit is allowing 366.5 yards of total offense per game through four games. That has them ranked 50th in the nation in total defense.
• 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.
• Each of the last three opponents has gained over 400 yards of offense. It's only the second time in program history that has happened.

The opposition is currently averaging 171.5 rushing yards per game against the Spirit defense. That ranks OUAZ 70th in the NAIA in rushing defense.
• All four opponents have rushed for over 100 yards, and it's 14 straight games going back to the 2019 season.
• The Spirit has allowed over 200 yards rushing in two games this season, including 204 on Saturday at Louisiana College.
• The 249 rushing yards gained by SAGU were the most allowed by the Spirit since the 2020 season opener.

OUAZ enters Saturday ranked 39th in the country by allowing 195.0 passing yards per game this season.
• After holding Lyon and SAGU to a combined 287 passing yards, OUAZ gave up 291 passing yards to Texas Wesleyan and 202 at Louisiana College.
• Before the Texas Wesleyan game, OUAZ had held four straight opponents – and five of the previous six – under 200 yards passing dating back to last season.
• The opposition is averaging just 6.0 yards per pass attempt and completing 53.1 percent of its pass attempts.
• The Spirit opposing quarterbacks have a quarterback rating of 109.0.

OUAZ is currently plus-3 in turnover margin with ten total takeaways.
• Those takeaways have accounted for 45 OUAZ points while they have allowed 20 points from their seven giveaways.

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