SAN ANTONIO -- With its momentum shifting upwards, the University of the Incarnate Word football team has a great chance to win a third-consecutive game.

The Cardinals, who are 4-4 overall with a 3-2 mark in the Southland Conference, host Northwestern State at 1 p.m. Saturday in the final outing of a three-game home stretch. 

With a win, UIW would move above .500 for the first time since week three. Likely needing to win out to have a chance at the FCS playoffs, the Cardinals will be heavily favored in three of the final four weeks of the regular season, including Saturday against a Demon team that has lost 19 consecutive games.

Saturday's game can be streamed at ESPN-Plus.

LAST TIME OUT: UIW 38, MCNEESE 6

For the first time all season, the Cardinals finished a game without a turnover. After being minus-12 in the turnover battle in the first six games, they are plus-four in the last two.

That efficiency helped the offense thrive, as quarterback Emmett Brown had 283 yards passing, 79 yards rushing and five total touchdowns on his way to earning Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Brown, who threw four touchdowns passes to four different receivers against the Cowboys, is seventh in the FCS with 2,204 passing yards.

Fresh off his second three-sack performance of the season, defensive end Jeremiah Young is currently fourth in the country in sacks (7.5) and ninth in tackles for-loss (12). He is one sack away from equaling the program's single-season record, which is currently shared by three players.

Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium has been very friendly to the Cardinals this year. UIW is 4-0 at home, winning by an average of 30.5 points

ABOUT THE DEMONS

Wins have been very hard to come by for Northwestern State for nearly four years now. In their last 40 games, the Demons have been victorious just once, a 20-10 victory over Alcorn State on Aug. 28, 2025.

No team in the FCS has allowed more points than NSU, which is surrendering 44 per-game. Part of that stems from a lack of pressure, as only three FCS teams have fewer sacks than the seven recorded by the Demons.

They have struggled to run the ball as well, averaging an SLC-low 111.9 rushing yards per-game.

The passing game has faired slightly better. Quarterback Zach Wilcke, who also has a team-best 317 rushing yards, has thrown for 1,290 yards and 12 touchdowns while top wideout Mzaaz Eugene is 10th in the SLC with 367 receiving yards and fifth in yards per-reception at 17.5.

MATCHUP HISTORY

A once even matchup has slanted heavily in UIW's favor in recent years, with the Cardinals winning the last four meetings to take a 6-3 series lead. This includes a 38-3 win in Natchitoches last season.

Saturday will mark the first time the teams have played in San Antonio since 2021. A scheduled 2023 game was called off after Northwestern State canceled its season prematurely.