No. 15 Linfield Battles No.19 Hardin-Simmons on Saturday

Hardin-Simmons is 0-1, losing its opening game 47-21 at home to Wisconsin-La Crosse on Sept. 1.

Photo courtesy: Linfield Athletics

McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Linfield and Hardin-Simmons meet for the second time on Saturday in McMinnville. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.

Last Season

Linfield was 6-3 but missed the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

The Wildcats were runners-up in the NWC.

HSU was 8-2 in 2006, finishing second in the ASC.

The Cowboys qualified for the Division III playoffs but lost in the first round to Mary Hardin-Baylor.

The Records

Linfield is 0-1 after falling 32-20 on the road at NCAA Division II Western Oregon.

Hardin-Simmons is 0-1, losing its opening game 47-21 at home to Wisconsin-La Crosse on Sept. 1.

The Streak

Linfield is seeking its 52nd consecutive winning season this fall.

The Wildcats need five wins in the remaining eight games to extend their own all-divisions national record.

The streak began in 1956 under late coach Paul Durham.

Hardin-Simmons ranks 16th on the list of active consecutive winning season streaks.

The Cowboys have 15 straight winning campaigns dating back to 1992.

The Polls

Linfield fell two spots to No. 15 in the most recent D3football.com poll.

HSU is ranked No. 19 in the same poll, up three spots from last week.

The D3football.com Top 25 is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, sports information directors and media members from across the country.

The Series

The Cowboys won the inaugural meeting, 21-6, in Abilene, Texas, in 2006.

Linfield is now 2-2 all-time against teams from the state of Texas.

The Wildcats hold playoff victories over Mary Hardin-Baylor (2004) and Sul Ross State (1965), plus a postseason loss against Texas Lutheran (1974).

On The Air

The game will be broadcast live on radio station KLYC (1260 AM) with Darrell Aune and Dave Hansen calling the action.

Tickets

A limited number of single-game reserved seats remain in the covered grandstand -- reserved tickets are $12 and may be purchased in advance at the athletic department offices or by calling (503) 883-2421.

General admission (bleacher) seating is available only on the day of the game at the ticket booth, located on Lever Street next to the stadium.

Adult general admission is $8, seniors (65 and over) and secondary students with school ID are $5, middle school students (6 to 11 years) are $3, students without school ID are $8.

Last Meeting Cowboys 21, Wildcats 6 (Sept. 16, 2006 at Abilene, Texas)

Hardin-Simmons dealt Linfield its second straight defeat to begin the 2006 season...though they outgained the Cowboys 229-161 in the first half, the Wildcats had only six points to show for it...with 1:01 remaining in the first half, quarterback Tim Benzel methodically moved the 'Cats downfield with four completions.

Benzel found Jared Thomas at the goal line with three seconds to go, pulling Linfield to within one, 7-6...a bad snap on the extra point prevented the Wildcats from tying the game.

HSU took control early in the third quarter, scoring on the first offensive play of the third quarter.

Benzel completed 20 of 34 attempts for 221 yards.

Thomas finished with a game-high 10 catches for 120 yards, and quarterback Jordan Neal passed for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead the hosts.

Quentin Jones rushed 16 times for a game-high 71 yards to pace the Cowboys' ground game.

Linfield linebacker Cam Rogers finished with 10 tackles and Brian Mehl (Sr., Eugene, Ore.) had nine to lead the ‘Cats defensively.

Ryan Caffall was credited with two sacks among his seven tackles.

QUOTING COACH JOE SMITH

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE WESTERN OREGON GAME?

"It was a tough game. We felt like we had a chance to win it in the fourth quarter. I’m very pleased with the character of our team. Our guys never gave up and just kept believing. Defensively, we played quite a few young guys in the interior positions and they played okay. We ran into a very good group on Western’s offensive line. Our cornerbacks made some great plays on long balls and they’ll need to continue to make those plays consistently. Offensively, Trevor Scharer (Sr., Salem, Ore.) played a fantastic game. I am very pleased with our young offensive line. They gave Trevor adequate time to throw the ball. Kyle Otineru (Soph., Honolulu, Hawaii) and Brent Desmond (Jr., Salinas, Calif.) had to battle against some very good defensive linemen. The play of the offensive line gives us reason for optimism."

WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON HARDIN-SIMMONS?

"Coach (Jimmie) Keeling does a tremendous job coaching there. His players are disciplined, play hard and play smart. They have a great tradition and pride in the program. Like we are, Hardin-Simmons is still trying to find themselves a little bit. Mychal Carrillo is a very good football player who really hurt us in our game there last year. He broke some tackles and turned what looked like a five-yard loss into a touchdown. He’s a game-breaker. Quinton Jones is another big factor for them. They will need him to run the football effectively to take the pressure off the quarterback. Their offensive line is athletic and physical. On defense, they are very sound and do a good job of preventing the big play. That forces you put together 10-12 play drives to try and beat them. They are a talented group on defense with an excellent linebacker in Eric Daniels.”

WESTERN OREGON GAME NOTES

Aided by two first-quarter turnovers by Linfield, Western Oregon opened up a 16-0 lead.

The Wildcats responded, scoring the next 13 points and trailed by just five at intermission, 25-20.

Through most of the first three quarters, Linfield struggled to find its offensive rhythm and was outgained in total yards by the Wolves, 396-280, including a lopsided 116-6 edge in rushing.

Wildcats quarterback Trevor Scharer (Sr., Salem, Ore.) completed 24 of 36 attempts to 274 yards and one touchdown to Tyler Kaluza (Sr., Issaquah, Wash.), but he threw a costly fourth-quarter interception at the goal line and was sacked three times.

Kaluza caught seven passes for 66 yards and Josh Vierra (Sr., Kahaluu, Hawaii) pulled in six receptions for 66 yards.

Eight different receivers caught balls, the longest play coming on a 59-yard catch-and-run to Cory Ellis (Jr., Hillsboro, Ore.).

Linfield’s defense forced four turnovers, including interceptions by cornerbacks Bubba Lemon (Soph., Tualatin, Ore.) and Andrew Woods (Sr., Portland, Ore.).

Rover Andrew Bean (Sr., Newcastle, Wash.) and monsterback Keone Tawata (Sr., Honolulu, Hawaii) each were credited with 17 tackles.

Safety Brian Mehl (Sr., Eugene, Ore.) made 10 tackles and added an interception. Defensive end Jeff Denney (Sr., Scottsdale, Ariz.) recorded six tackles, including a sack, and thwarted a Western Oregon extra-point try.

Making his first start, linebacker Jaymin Jackson (Soph., Vancouver, Wash.) made five assisted tackles and returned fumble 74 yards to the end zone.

It was the longest fumble return on record and kept the Wildcats within striking distance.

Western controlled the ball for 38 of the game’s 60 minutes, including 10 minutes of the fourth quarter when the Wildcats were threatening to make a rally.

Punter Stan Fisher (Sr., Kailua, Hawaii) averaged 46.4 yards on four attempts, including a 49-yard effort that place the ball at the Wolves’ 6-yard line.

Kicker Scott Birkhofer (Jr., Boring, Ore.) averaged 68.3 yards on three kickoffs, however, he missed his only field goal attempt from 41 yards away and had an extra point blocked.

HARDIN-SIMMONS GAME NOTES

A stern test awaits Linfield Saturday when visiting Hardin-Simmons of Abilene, Texas, comes to Maxwell Field.

Trying to overcome the loss of numerous all-stars from last season’s playoff team, the HSU coaching staff has had to break in 14 new starters, including eight on defense.

Coming off a 42-21 home-field loss to Wisconsin-La Crosse on Sept. 1, the Cowboys should be well-rested with a full two weeks to prepare for the Wildcats.

Hardin-Simmons stumbled at home against the Eagles in a game that appeared much closer than the final score.

Even though the Cowboys were held to 17 yards of offense before their last drive of the first half, they found their rhythm quickly after that.

Receiver Mychal Carrillo (5-8, 188, Sr., Sweetwater, Texas) pulled in a touchdown to start the second half and following a UW-La Crosse punt, HSU had the ball within striking distance, trailing 27-21.

Soon after, UW-La Crosse turned up the heat with an offensive attack that produced 678 yards of total offense.

Much of Hardin-Simmons’ concern prior to the season centered around which player would earn the starting nod at quarterback.

The Cowboys used three quarterbacks against Eagles but seem to be leaning toward Justin Feaster (6-1, 210, So., Glen Rose, Texas).

Feaster threw for 157 yards against UW-La Crosse, completing 12 of 20 passes. Jordy Bernhard (5-9, 185, Sr., Coppell, Texas) and Clint Bricker (6-2, 230, So., Austin, Texas) also saw action at quarterback.

No matter who plays quarterback on Saturday, Carrillo is expected be the main receiving target.

The senior wideout is coming off an outstanding junior campaign in which he amassed 64 catches and 788 receiving yards.

Getting the lion’s share of carries is talented running back Quinton Jones (5-6, 200, Sr., Greenville, Texas), the fifth all-time leading rusher in Cowboys history.

Jones rushed for 95 yards on 12 carries on opening night. Tackle James Arnold (6-2, 275, Sr., McKinney, Texas) and guard Jordan Daniel (6-3, 315, Sr., Archer City, Texas) anchor the offensive line.

Defensively, linebacker Eric Daniels (6-2, 232, Sr., Rockwall, Texas), an all-American Southwest Conference pick last season, returns as one of the leading tacklers.

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