SAN ANTONIO -- The University of the Incarnate Word football team travels to Lamar on Saturday for a 3 p.m. (CT) game at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
 
KICKOFF COVERAGE

• Saturday's game is on ESPN+. A live streaming link can be found on the schedule page at uiwcardinals.com/football.
• Live audio is available for all football games on Stretch Internet and can be found at uiwcardinals.com/broadcast.
• Live stats can be found on the schedule page at uiwcardinals.com/football.

 
RECEIVING VOTES
Following three-straight victories, the Cardinals are receiving 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

• This is 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).

 
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SLU

• The UIW offense put up 621 yards of total offense, the most in program history.
• Freshman QB Jon Copeland completed 16 of his 27 pass attempts in the first half for a total of 257 yards. This is the most yards he's thrown in a single half this season.
• Copeland completed a career-high 23 passes, breaking his previous record (17) set against New Mexico (Sept. 1).
• Senior WR Phillip Baptiste finished with 174 yards receiving on seven catches, the most yards receiving 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 receiving yards on six catches. This was the third-most receiving yards most in program history.
• Freshman RB Ameer King rushed for 180 yards, the second most by a freshman in program history – behind only Broderick Reeves (244 yards on Nov. 2, 2013) and tied for fifth most by any player in program history.
• The UIW offense put up 52 points, the most points it has ever scored in a Southland Conference game.
• UIW had three scoring plays of 20+ yards, giving it 11 such scoring plays this season (five games). By comparison, the team had 11 such scoring plays in 11 games in 2017.
• The UIW defense tallied 5.0 sacks, the most in a single game since joining division 1 in the fall of 2014.
• Senior DL Darrius Montgomery hauled in a tipped pass and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.
• It was his first career interception and first career touchdown.
• That was UIW's first pick-six of 2018 and the first since Nov. 14, 2015, against Lamar.
• The 55-yard return was the longest return of any kind (fumble, punt, kick or interception) this season.
• Junior DL Lukas Termin recovered a fumbled snap in the end zone for a UIW touchdown in the third quarter. It was the first fumble recovery and first touchdown of his career.
• That was the first fumble return for a touchdown since Nov. 21, 2015, vs. HBU.
• They have now recorded seven interceptions this season. By comparison, the UIW defense tallied nine interceptions the previous two seasons combined.
• Senior DL Justin Alexandre registered 1.5 sacks, giving him 4.5 sacks this season. That total is tied for fifth most in a single season in program history - just four away from tying the all-time UIW record (8.5) held by Myke Tavarres from 2015.

 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE, IN THE NATION

• The Cardinals lead the Southland and are No. 17 in the FCS with an average of 472.2 yards of total offense per game.
• UIW leads the SLC and ranks No. 16 in the nation in passing yards per completion (14.88).
• The Cardinals are second in the conference and No. 25 nationally in scoring offense, amassing an average of 34.6 points per game.

 
RUN LIKE THE DICKENS

• Ra'Quanne Dickens leads conference and is No. 3 in the nation with 9.22 rush yards per carry.
• The Seminole, Florida, native is first in the conference and No. 9 in the nation with 618 rushing yards.
• He ranks first in the SLC and No. 9 nationally with 123.6 rushing yards per game.
• Dickens is second in the conference and No. 18 in the nation with an average of 137.60 all-purpose yards per game.
• Dickens is also first in the conference and No. 4 nationally with eight rushing touchdowns; he is first in the SLC and No. 8 in the nation in total touchdowns.
• 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.

 
CALLING COPELAND

• Freshman QB Jon Copeland threw for 411 yards in UIW's 52-34 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Oct. 6. This broke a program record for both individual and team passing yards in a single game.
• 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.
• Copeland made the most of his initial start against New Mexico, passing for 328 yards and one touchdown, and running for another.

 
SCOUTING LAMAR

• Lamar is 1-4 overall and 0-3 in conference action following a 50-27 loss at Nicholls on Sept. 29. The Cardinals from Beaumont, Texas, are coming off a bye week entering Saturday's game.
• Lamar leads the conference and is 11th in the nation in red zone offense (.941). In 17 red zone attempts, the Cardinals have scored 16 times (12 rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, two field goals).
• Darrel Colbert Jr. is second in the conference and 17th in the FCS with six rushing touchdowns.

 
LAST YEAR'S GAME
UIW won last year's game (Oct. 14), 33-24, at Benson Stadium in San Antonio.
 
SERIES RECORD
UIW has a two-game winning streak in the series with Lamar. The Cardinals won, 35-18, in Beaumont on Nov. 12, 2016, and prevailed, 33-24, in San Antonio on Oct. 14, 2017. Lamar leads the series, 3-2.
 
CARDINALS VS. CARDINALS
UIW and Lamar have both adopted the Cardinal as a mascot, and both universities have a history with predecessor mascots. Before 2004, UIW teams were known as Crusaders. Before 1932, Lamar's athletic teams were nicknamed the Brahmas. UIW's mascot is named Red. Lamar has gendered mascots. Big Red is male; LU (pronounced Lou) is female.
 
CARDINALS FACE THREE FBS OPPONENTS THIS SEASON
With the recent announcement that UIW will play Iowa State on December 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. 8: McNeese (9), Nicholls (11), Sam Houston (14) and Central Arkansas (16). Beginning with an October 20 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 64 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.