SAN ANTONIO -- The University of the Incarnate Word football team travels to Central Arkansas on Saturday for its final Southland Conference game of the season. The contest is slated to begin at 3 p.m. (CT).
 
KICKOFF COVERAGE

• Saturday's game is on the Southland Digital Network and the Southland Conference app. 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.

 
HIGHLIGHTS FROM NO. 22/21 SAM HOUSTON STATE

• UIW forced seven turnovers. This was the second time this season the UIW defense has forced four-or-more turnovers in a game -- four vs. McNeese (Oct. 20). Seven turnovers are the most in a single game this season for any SLC team.
• Freshman quarterback Jon Copeland set a new record for pass completions in a single season (198). This breaks Trent Brittain's record of 183 set in 2015.
• Copeland set a new program record for passing touchdowns in a single season when he connected with Kody Edwards for a 30-yard score late in the second quarter. It was Copeland's 19th touchdown pass of the season, passing Trent Brittain's record of 18 set in 2016.
• The UIW offense totaled 228 yards in the first half, breaking the program record for total offense in a single season. UIW finished with 499 yards of total offense to bring the season total to 4,277 -- topping the previous record of 3,964 set in 2016.
• Copeland threw for his 20th touchdown of the season early in the third on a 71-yard strike to Edwards. This was UIW's longest passing play of the season, surpassing a 60-yard pass against SLU (Oct. 6).
• Edwards finished with 122 yards through the air to tie the program record with three 100-yard receiving games this season.
• Senior running back Ra'Quanne Dickens scored on a two-yard rush in the third quarter; this was his 11th rushing touchdowns of the season. With that, Dickens tied the all-time program record for rushing touchdowns in a single season -- set by Broderick Reeves in 2013.
• Copeland threw for over 300 yards (324). This marks his fifth 300+ yard passing performance of the year.
• Dalvin Fillmore recovered a fumble in the first quarter. With the fumble recovery, the Cardinals have forced a turnover in 10 consecutive games dating back to the 2017 season. This breaks the record for the longest turnover streak in program history -- UIW had turnovers in a stretch of nine games from Oct. 3, 2015, to Sept. 3, 2016.
• Junior defensive back Kyle Covington hauled in his first career interception in the first quarter, returning the pick 23 yards to set up the first UIW touchdown of the game.
• With SHSU threatening to score, senior defensive back Cam Knight forced and recovered a fumble at the UIW 1-yard line. It was his first career forced fumble and his second career fumble recovery.
• Senior linebacker Silas Stewart snagged his third interception of the season in the second quarter. This was the fourth UIW turnover of the afternoon.
• In the third quarter, freshman defensive tackle Lukas Termin forced his first career fumble, recovered by junior safety Javon Burse. It was Burse's first fumble recovery of the season, which he returned 46 yards for a touchdown.
• It was Burse's first touchdown of his career and the fourth score of the season for the UIW defense.
• Senior defensive lineman Justin Alexandre forced a fumble as he sacked the SHSU quarterback in the fourth quarter. It was recovered by Knight (Knight's second recovery of the game).
• Burse grabbed his first interception of the season in the fourth quarter, which was UIW's third interception of the game.
• UIW's four fumble recoveries sets a new program record for fumble recoveries in a single game. Entering play, only five teams in the FCS recovered four or more fumbles in a single game this season.
• The team has forced 25 turnovers this season, the second most in program history. The Cardinals sit just two turnovers shy of tying the program record of 27, set in the team's inaugural season in 2009.
• Alexandre recorded 2.0 sacks today. He now has 8.0 this season, a half a sack shy of the program record for sacks in a single season.
• As a team, UIW tied its season high with five sacks.
• Junior linebacker Mar'kel Cooks led the team with a career-high 12 tackles.

 
UIW AROUND THE CONFERENCE, IN THE NATION

• UIW leads the FCS in turnovers gained (25).
• The Cardinals lead the Southland and are No. 12 in the FCS with an average of 475.2 yards of total offense per game.
• UIW is second in the SLC and seventh in the nation with 311.8 yards of passing offense per game.
• The Cardinals lead the league and rank second in the nation with four defensive touchdowns.
• UIW is second in the SLC and No. 20 in the nation in scoring offense with an average of 33.7 points per game.

 
INDIVIDUALS AROUND THE CONFERENCE, IN THE NATION

• Mar'kel Cooks is second in the SLC and third in the FCS with three fumbles recovered.
• Jon Copeland is second in the league and fourth in the FCS with 2,796 passing yards this season. He also leads the league and is No. 3 in the nation with 310.7 passing yards per game.
• Copeland leads the Southland and ranks No. 5 nationally with 318.0 yards of total offense per game.
• Copeland is second in the league and ninth in the FCS with 21 passing touchdowns.
• Ra'Quanne Dickens leads the league and ranks No. 13 in the FCS with 6.57 rush yards per carry; he also leads the league and ranks No. 23 nationally with 841 rushing yards.
• Dickens leads the SLC and is No. 11 in the FCS with 11 rushing touchdowns; the 11 TDs leads the SLC and is No. 20 nationally in total touchdowns.
• Dickens leads the league and is No. 29 in the FCS with 93.4 rushing yards per game.

 
DEFENSES CAN'T COPE

• Freshman quarterback Jon Copeland has broken numerous program records in his first nine games in black and red.
• Copeland set a new record for pass completions in a single season (198) with 16 completions against No. 21 Sam Houston (Nov. 3). This breaks Trent Brittain's record of 183 set in 2015.
• With four touchdowns against No. 21 Sam Houston on Nov. 3, Copeland set a new program record for passing touchdowns in a single season (21). This tops Trent Brittain's record of 18 set in 2016.
• He broke the UIW single-season passing record against #19 Nicholls with a 17-yard pass to senior wide receiver Kody Edwards. Copeland surpassed the record previously held by Trent Brittain (2,274 passing yards in 2016). He now has 2,796 passing yards with two games remaining on the schedule.
• Copeland became UIW's third 2,000-yard passer when he racked up 236 yards against No. 6 McNeese on Oct. 20.
• 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 in two consecutive games (vs. SLU and at Lamar). He has five games with over 300 passing yards this season, becoming the first quarterback in program history to throw for 300 yards in four or more games in a single season.
• He is 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 was 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.

 
RUN LIKE THE DICKENS

• Ra'Quanne Dickens scored on a two-yard rush in the third quarter against No. 21 Sam Houston; this was his 11th rushing touchdown of the season. With that, Dickens tied the all-time program record for rushing touchdowns in a single season -- set by Broderick Reeves in 2013.
• Dickens has 841 rushing yards this season, just 48 yards from breaking the single-season program record (888, Trent Rios, 2010).
• Dickens ran for 220 yards against Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 15. He is one of only three SLC running backs 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 CENTRAL ARKANSAS

• Central Arkansas is 5-4 overall and 4-3 in Southland Conference action after falling, 38-24, to Lamar on Nov. 3.
• Central Arkansas has two quarterbacks -- Luke Hales (1,098) and Breylin Smith (1,009) -- who have thrown for more than 1,000 yards this season.
• The Bears lead the FCS with 14 fumbles recovered.
• UCA leads the all-time series, 2-0. The teams last faced on Nov. 11, 2017, when Central Arkansas captured a 56-10 win.

 
RECEIVING CORPS

• Kody Edwards registered 122 yards through the air against No. 21 Sam Houston on Nov. 3. He now has three 100-yard receiving games this season, which ties a program record.
• Edwards broke the career receiving yards record with a 58-yard touchdown catch at Abilene Christian on Sept. 29. He now has 2,080 yards in his career, becoming the first Cardinal to record 2,000 receiving yards in program history.
• The UIW offense had two wide receivers eclipse 150 yards at Lamar (Oct. 13) for the second consecutive game.
• Junior wide receiver Kam Williams hauled in a team-high 153 yards receiving at Lamar (Oct. 13), 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.

 
RANKED WINS

• The Cardinals secured a dominating, 43-26 victory over 21st-ranked Sam Houston on Nov. 3 for their second ranked win in program history.
• UIW secured its  first win over a ranked foe with a 45-17 victory over the Cowboys at Benson Stadium in a nationally televised contest. UIW held McNeese to just 222 yards of total offense (90 yards below its per game average) and forced four turnovers (three interceptions and a fumble recovery) in the victory.

 
RECEIVING VOTES

• The Cardinals have received votes in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Coaches Top 25 Poll and in the STATS FCS Top 25 Media Poll three times this season: after topping No. 21 Sam Houston, 43-26, on Nov. 3, after defeating sixth-ranked McNeese, 45-17, on Oct. 20, and after capturing a dominating, 52-34 victory against Southeastern Louisiana on Oct. 6.

 
THREE STRAIGHT

• The three victories from Sept. 15-29 (Stephen F. Austin, 31-7, on Sept. 15; Abilene Christian, 44-34, on Sept. 29; Southeastern Louisiana, 52-34, on Oct. 6.) 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. Two schools represented the Southland Conference in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, released on Nov. 5: Nicholls (16) and McNeese (18). The Cardinals defeated McNeese (45-17) on Oct. 20, but fell at Nicholls (48-21) on Oct. 27.
 
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, who turned 33 on Oct. 26, is one of college football's youngest head coaches. 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, 32 years 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 has brought 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 68 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.