SAN ANTONIO -- The University of the Incarnate Word football team returns to Benson Stadium on Saturday, hosing No. 6 McNeese at 6 p.m. (CT).
 
UIW PROMOTIONS

• Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, and Terrell Hills Community Appreciation Game -  All residents, employees and students of those municipalities receive tickets sponsored by Broadway Bank.
• Sustainability Giveaway - The UIW Office of Sustainability is giving away green UIW towels to the first 500 fans to promote recycling.
• Enhanced Fan Zone - This week's fan zone will include a bounce house, a 45-foot nuclear rush obstacle course, an inflatable football toss, cornhole, giant water pong, giant connect four and more.

 
HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAMAR

• Jon Copeland finished with 515 yards passing, a new program record. That breaks the program record of 411 he set on Oct. 6 against SLU.
• Copeland threw for over 400 yards for the second straight game. He has three games with over 300 passing yards this season, becoming the first quarterback in program history to throw for 300 yards in three or more games in a single season since joining Division I.
• He becomes the first quarterback in program history to throw for 400 or more yards in consecutive games and the first to throw for over 500 in a single game.
• Copeland is the first SLC quarterback to eclipse 500 yards passing in a single game and just the second in the FCS this season (Davlin Hodges -- Samford – 562 yards – Oct. 6).
• UIW had one scoring play of 20+ yards, giving them 12 such scoring plays this season (six games). By comparison, the team had 11 such scoring plays all of last season.
• Senior running back Ra'Quanne Dickens set a new Division I program record for rushing touchdowns in a single season when he scored a 1-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
• The UIW offense had two wide receivers eclipse 150 yards for the second consecutive game.
• Senior defensive linemen Darrius Montgomery forced his first fumble of the season in the first quarter, halting a Lamar drive that had taken the ball into the red zone.
• Junior Mar'kel Cooks recovered the fumble, the third FR of his career (all have occurred this season).
• The UIW defense has forced a turnover in seven consecutive games dating back to the 2017 season. This is the second longest turnover streak since joining DI – the longest was a stretch of nine games from Oct. 3, 2015, to Sept. 3, 2016.
• Senior defensive lineman Justin Alexandre finished the game with 1.5 sacks, giving him 6.0 on the season. He is 2.5 shy of the program record (8.5 held by Myke Tavarres from 2015).

 
UIW AROUND THE CONFERENCE, IN THE NATION

• The Cardinals lead the Southland and are ninth in the FCS with an average of 491.0 yards of total offense per game.
• UIW leads the SLC and ranks No. 18 in the nation in passing yards per completion (14.37).
• UIW is second in the league and No. 10 in the FCS in passing offense (309.0 yards per game).

 
INDIVIDUALS AROUND THE CONFERENCE, IN THE NATION

• Mar'kel Cooks leads the FCS with three fumbles recovered.
• Jon Copeland leads the conference and is No. 6 nationally in passing yards per game, averaging 307.3.
• He also leads the Southland and ranks No. 9 nationally with 316.2 yards of total offense per game.
• Copeland leads the league and ranks No. 10 in the FCS with 14.75 passing yards per completion; he leads the league and ranks No. 25 in the nation with 8.09 yards per pass attempt.
• Justin Alexandre is third in the SLC and No. 8 nationally in sacks with 1.0 per game.

 
CALLING COPELAND

• Freshman QB Jon Copeland threw for 515 yards, a new program record, at Lamar on Oct. 13. That breaks the program record of 411 he set on Oct. 6 against SLU.
• Copeland threw for over 400 yards for the second straight game (vs. SLU and at Lamar). He has three games with over 300 passing yards this season, becoming the first quarterback in program history to throw for 300 yards in three or more games in a single season since joining Division I.
• He becomes the first quarterback in program history to throw for 400-or-more yards in consecutive games, and the first to throw over 500 in a single game.
• Copeland is also the first SLC quarterback to eclipse 500 yards passing in a single game and just the second in the FCS this season (Davlin Hodges -- Samford – 562 yards – Oct. 6).
• When Copeland took the field against New Mexico in week one, it was the first time that a true freshman started at quarterback for the Cardinals in a season-opening game. Previously, UIW had started a redshirt freshman (Trent Brittain, 2013) in a season opener and started a true freshman (Taylor Woods, 2012) in midseason games. In that game, Copeland threw for 328 yards and one touchdown, while running for another.

 
RECEIVING CORPS

• The UIW offense had two wide receivers eclipse 150 yards at Lamar for the second consecutive game.
• Junior wide receiver Kam Williams hauled in a team-high 153 yards receiving at Lamar, marking his second career game of 150+ yards through the air. Kody Edwards made 10 catches for 150 yards, which marks a new season high for the senior.
• In the game against Southeastern Louisiana on Oct. 6, senior Phillip Baptiste finished with 174 yards on seven catches, the most yards of any UIW receiver this season, and the second most in a single game by any UIW receiver (two tied for first with 188 yards) in program history. Junior WR Kam Williams put up 163 yards on six catches. This was the third-most receiving yards in program history.

 
RUN LIKE THE DICKENS

• Ra'Quanne Dickens leads conference and is No. 4 in the nation with 8.04 rush yards per carry.
• The Seminole, Florida, native is first in the conference and No. 12 in the nation with 675 rushing yards.
• He ranks first in the SLC and No. 13 nationally with 112.5 rushing yards per game.
• Dickens is third in the conference and No. 34 in the nation with an average of 126.33 all-purpose yards per game.
• Dickens is also first in the conference and No. 4 nationally with nine rushing touchdowns; he is first in the SLC and No. 10 in the nation in total touchdowns.
• Dickens' nine rushing TDs ties the UIW Division I program record for rushing touchdowns in a single season.
• He is two touchdowns away from tying the all-time program record of 11 rushing touchdowns in a single season (set by Broderick Reeves back in 2013).
• Dickens ran for 220 yards against Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 15. He is the only SLC running back to surpass 200 yards in a single game this season.
• Dickens recorded the longest run from scrimmage in program history on Sept. 1 against New Mexico with a 90-yard touchdown run. He then added the fourth longest run from scrimmage in program history in the home opener, vs. SFA on Sept. 15, when he scampered for a 79-yard touchdown run.

 
SCOUTING MCNEESE

• McNeese is 5-1 overall and 4-0 in Southland Conference action after a 24-21 victory over Abilene Christian on Oct. 6. The Cowboys are ranked No. 6 in both the AFCA Coaches Poll and the STATS FCS Poll.
• James Tabary leads the Cowboys with 95 completions for 1,137 yards and eight touchdowns, in addition to one rushing touchdown. He has thrown four interceptions, but leads the conference and is No. 14 nationally with a .660 completion percentage (95-144).
• The McNeese defense leads the conference and ranks No. 4 nationally in rushing defense, allowing an average of 83.0 yards per game.

 
LAST YEAR'S GAME
McNeese won last year's game, 55-7, on Oct. 21 at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles.
 
SERIES RECORD
UIW strives for its first win against McNeese. The Cowboys have won the four previous games.
 
NOTABLE CARDINAL PERFORMANCES AGAINST McNEESE

• Jordan Scelfo passed for 260 yards in the Nov. 1, 2014, game.
• Joe Zema launched a 69-yard punt in the Oct. 14, 2017, game.
• Desmond Hite had a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Nov. 21, 2017, game.
• Hite had 147 yards in kickoff returns in the 2017 game.
• Cam Knight had 11 tackles in that same 2017 game.
• Down by 28 points in the third quarter, UIW stormed back with three fourth-quarter touchdowns -- a reception by Kody Edwards, a 53-yard run by Dorland Field, and a quarterback keeper by Trent Brittain -- but the Cowboys recovered the ensuing on-side kick and preserved victory in the Sept. 24, 2016, game.
• Brittain passed for 209 yards in the 2016 game.
• Kicker Ramon Coto Jr. recovered his own on-side kick in the Oct. 25, 2014, game.

 
RECEIVING VOTES
Following three-straight victories, the Cardinals received votes in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Coaches Top 25 Poll and in the STATS FCS Top 25 Media Poll, both released Oct. 8. UIW defeated Stephen F. Austin, 31-7, on Sept. 15 in its home opener. The Cardinals followed that with a 44-34 road victory at Abilene Christian on Sept. 29 before returning home and capturing a dominating 52-34 against Southeastern Louisiana on Oct. 6.
 
THREE STRAIGHT

• The three victories from Sept. 15-29 marks the first time the Cardinals have won three consecutive games since 2013 (HBU, 24-3, Oct. 26; McMurry, 47-43, Nov. 2; Abilene Christian, 34-31, Nov. 9).
• This is just the third time in program history the Cardinals have won three consecutive games (also Oct. 3-Oct. 24, 2009).

 
CARDINALS FACE THREE FBS OPPONENTS THIS SEASON
With the announcement that UIW will play Iowa State on Dec. 1, the Cardinals now play three Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponents this season. UIW opened its season with games against FBS opponents New Mexico and North Texas. The Iowa State game will be the sixth FBS opponent in UIW football history, and the first game against a proverbial "Power Five" conference school.
 
SPEAKING OF A CHALLENGING SCHEDULE
UIW also plays top-notch Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponents. Four schools represented the Southland Conference in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, released on Oct. 15: McNeese (6), Sam Houston (10), Central Arkansas (15), and Nicholls (22). Beginning with Saturday's game against McNeese, the Cardinals play these schools on consecutive weekends.
 
10TH YEAR: CARDINAL FOOTBALL
This is UIW's 10th year of college football. The Cardinals won their inaugural game on Aug. 29, 2009, by a score of 42-39 against Monterey Tech. In that first year, UIW competed as a Division II independent. For the next four seasons, UIW played in the Division II Lone Star Conference. The Cardinals joined the Division I ranks as an independent in 2013 before becoming a member of the Southland Conference in 2014.
 
138th YEAR: THE UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD
In 1881, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, an order of Catholic nuns based in Paris, founded UIW as a center of higher education for young women. In 1970, male students first enrolled in undergraduate programs. UIW is the largest Catholic school in Texas and the fourth-largest private university in the state. Enrollment is approaching 11,000, which includes off-campus learning programs in Texas and international locations.
 
COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHING PRODIGY
Eric Morris, at age 32, is one of college football's youngest head coaches. Born on October 26, 1985, he is more than two years younger than another coach who has received a lot of attention for his youth, 34-year-old Lincoln Riley of Oklahoma. Morris is not the youngest head coach in college football, however. Sean Lewis of Kent State, another 32-year-old, is more than six months younger.
 
HEAD COACH: DEEP TEXAS TIES
UIW's new head coach, Eric Morris, comes to UIW from Texas Tech and has deep Texas ties. He played at Tech before spending five years as its offensive coordinator, and he plans to bring the same exciting style of offense to Benson Stadium. He was also a graduate assistant under University of Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin, who later went on to coach at Texas A&M. Additionally, Morris coached at Washington State under former Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach.
 
ASSISTANT COACHES: MORE TEXAS TIES
Only one of Eric Morris' 11 position coaches/coordinators does not have a Texas background as either a player, coach, scholar, or native-born son.
 
PASSION FOR CHANGE
The Cardinals have an all new staff filled with young coaches who have a ton of energy and passion. Throughout the spring and in fall camp, they worked to change the culture of the team and will look to sustain that momentum throughout the season. Many of the players have remarked that they can relate to a youthful coaching staff that seems to have boundless energy.
 
SIX YEARS WITHOUT NATURAL TURF FOR THE CARDINAL GRIDDERS
UIW has played 65 consecutive football game on an artificial playing surface. The Cardinals last played on natural grass on Oct. 13, 2012 at Texas A&M-Kingsville's Javelina Field. All Southland Conference football teams play home games on artificial turf. The Cardinals' streak of consecutive games on a synthetic playing surface will come to an end on Dec. 1, 2018, when they play on natural grass at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa.
 
SPEAKING OF PLAYING SURFACES
UIW enjoys the Southland Conference's newest crop of artificial turf. Benson Stadium received new Field Turf over the summer, replete with a camouflaged end zone pattern in school colors of red and black with white lettering. The installation of the field turf garnered national attention from social media, Sportscenter, and more.
 
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
When new UIW head football coach Eric Morris held spring football drills in March, he had a roster that numbered in the sixties. When fall drills began in August, those numbers had increased to 105. The new roster included a 20-player recruiting class announced on Feb. 7 (19 high school prospects and one transfer), plus numerous recruited and walk-on players who joined the team later.
 
MAKING THE GRADE
Since UIW head coach Eric Morris took charge of the Cardinal football team in December 2017, his student-athletes have increased the team GPA -- previously under a 2.5 -- through hard work and dedication. The emphasis that Morris and his assistant coaches placed on classroom attentiveness paid off in one semester. When spring semester grades arrived in late May, the team achieved a collective GPA of 3.2.
 
TEAM CAPTAINS
Five team captains, chosen by their fellow student-athletes, will provide leadership on and off of the field for the Cardinals this season. Center Tyler Preston from Georgetown and wide receiver Kody Edwards from Mesquite, both seniors, represent the offense. Senior linebacker Silas Stewart, from Wilmington, Delaware, and junior linebacker Mar'kel Cooks, from Irving, Texas, will lead the defense, while special teams members will look to senior kicker Cody Seidel, from Keller, Texas.