Football | 10/18/2019 12:12:00 PM
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Oklahoma Panhandles State University football team will make the trek to Arizona this Saturday to face Arizona Christian University in a Sooner Athletic Conference game. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. MT/8 p.m. CT from Cactus High School Stadium.
The Aggies (2-4, 2-2 SAC) currently sit in fifth in the SAC standings. The Firestorm (2-3, 2-1 SAC) is just ahead of OPSU in the fourth slot.
Links for both live statistics and video – as well as schedule and roster information - can be found on the Aggie Athletics web site: opsuaggies.com.
GAME NOTES:
*ROAD WARRIORS: Saturday will be Panhandle State's fifth road game – in seven outings – of the 2019 season. Travel has not been too kind to OPSU, either, going 1-3 in those bouts.
*THE SERIES: This will be the third meeting between the schools in as many years. Panhandle State has won both of the previous meetings. The Aggies won the first-ever game, in 2017, by a 33-28 score in Phoenix, as well as last year's meeting in Goodwell, 21-14.
*LAST MEETING: The Aggies earned their fourth Sooner Athletic Conference win on Saturday by a score of 21-14, holding their opponents scoreless through the entire second half of the game. Panhandle's defense entered the contest with a business-like mentality that carried throughout the game, getting their respective jobs done during crucial situations. The Aggie defense held the Firestorm to their lowest rushing yardage allowed (34 yards), and capped ACU's average of 440 total yards of offense per game to their third lowest of the season at 363 to that point. The Aggies presented a balanced offense obtaining a total of 355 yards, with 161 yards rushing and 194 yards passing.
Diamante Pounds had six tackles, while
D'Darin Primes added five tackles and two sacks.
*CLOSE SHAVES: In the two previous meetings between the teams, the games have been decided by one score.
*FIRESTORM AT-A-GLANCE: ACU is coming off of a 34-16 loss at No. 16 Langston last Saturday. The Firestorm's victories came back-to-back against Wayland Baptist and SAGU in September. ACU has also lost to Montana State-Northern and NCAA Division 1 foe Abilene Christian.
*AGGIES AT-A-GLANCE: Panhandle State has won two of its last three contests, topping Texas Wesleyan last Saturday (24-28) in double overtime and Texas College (34-8) two weeks before that. Like ACU, the Aggies have losses to both an NCAA Division I foe (Sam Houston State) and to Langston (35-14) on their ledger. OPSU also fell at Hastings in its opener and to then-No. 20 Ottawa-Arizona (47-7) in Goodwell.
*TEAM SAC STATS: Both ACU and OPSU rank in the bottom half of SAC scoring (ACU- 22.2 ppg and OPSU- 18.5 ppg). The Aggies' rushing offense is No. 2 (190.5 ypg) in the SAC, while ACU is second-to-last on the ground (65.6 ypg). Conversely, ACU is No. 4 passing (223.8 ypg) and the Aggies last (111.2 ypg). It may come down to the defenses, where OPSU is No. 4 (170.7 ypg) versus the rush and the Firestorm No. 7 (183.8 ypg). In passing yards allowed, Panhandle is No. 6 (223.7 ypg) and ACU No. last (260.4 ypg).
*DOWNTOWN TONY BROWN: Aggies sophomore quarterback
Tony Brown ranks second in the SAC in rushing yards per game (114.2) and is No. 5 in total offense per game (183.3 ypg).
*POUNDS FOR POUNDS: Senior all-American linebacker
Diamante Pounds is second in the SAC in tackles per game, averaging 9.3 stops per contests. He is also 10th in tackles for loss per game (1.3 pg).
*WHAT "BROWN" CAN DO FOR THE AGGIES: In last week's double-overtime Homecoming win versus Texas Wesleyan, if your name was "Brown" and on the Aggie roster last week, you really delivered for OPSU!
Tony Brown carried the ball 35 times for 155 yards and a TD, while also completing 10-if-28 passes for 84 yards and two more touchdowns. Receiver
Jaishone Brown had three catches for 17 yards, including the game-tying TD to send the contest to overtime.
Malik Brown had an interception in the end zone in the first overtime to thwart the TWU efforts at the win.
*NEXT UP: The Aggies will have a bye week next Saturday and return to action on November 2 at Wayland Baptist University.
