Hardin-Simmons (7-1, 4-0 ASC) vs. Austin College (1-7, 0-4 ASC)
Nov. 4, 2023 | 1 p.m. | Apple Stadium | Sherman, Texas
Game Notes | Broadcast
The Teams
Hardin-Simmons comes into the game with a 7-1 record after a 24-14 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor on Saturday at Shelton Stadium. HSU is alone at the top of the ASC standings and is looking for its first ASC outright title since 2004. Austin College comes into the game with a record of 1-7 overall and 0-4 in conference play.
The Coaches
Jesse Burleson is in his 13th season as the head coach for the Cowboys and has posted a 95-32 record at HSU. He has led the Cowboys to the NCAA playoffs on five different occasions. Tony Joe White is in his first season as the head man for the Kangaroos. He came to Austin College from Birmingham Southern where he was head coach for 2017-2022.
In The Polls
The Cowboys are ranked No. 20 in the D3football.com poll and No. 19 in the American Football Coaches Association poll. Austin College is not ranked. The Cowboys have been ranked for 89 straight weeks and in the top 10 for 56 of those weeks.
Gunning for ASC Title
The Cowboys have an outright lead in the ASC with two games to play in the conference season and could wrap up the league title and automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs this weekend with a win over Austin College and an East Texas Baptist loss to Mary Hardin-Baylor. The Cowboys have not won an outright ASC title since 2004. They last shared a crown in 2015. It would snap an 18-year streak of Mary Hardin-Baylor winning at least a share of the conference title.
Regional Rankings
The Cowboys were listed in the initial Region III rankings this week by the NCAA. The first ranking is alphabetical.
Broadcasts
The broadcast for Saturday's game can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@acroostv
Last Time Out
The Cowboys overcame a 7-3 halftime deficit with a strong second-half showing and beat rival Mary Hardin-Baylor, 24-14. It was the first win in the series since 2015. The game turned around on a fumbled punt in the third quarter by the Cru that the Cowboys quickly converted into points. Brock Bujnoch had a big interception for the Cowboys in the fourth quarter to stop a Cru drive.
Next Up
The Cowboys will close out the regular season with a game at East Texas Baptist and depending on this weekend could have huge implications on the postseason. If the Cowboys win this week and ETBU loses at Mary Hardin-Baylor, then the Cowboys are the ASC champion and could rest some of its banged up players before the playoffs against ETBU. If the Cowboys lost this week or the Tigers upset UMHB, then next week's game in Marshall would be a winner take-all-battle for the ASC crown.
A Cowboy Win Would
? Be the 508th win in school history.
? Give Jesse Burleson win No. 96 as the Cowboys' head coach.
? Be the 19th straight against Austin College.
? Give the Cowboys at a minimum a share of the ASC title.
? Mark the ninth straight full-season with at least eight wins.
Double Trouble
HSU's senior linebacking duo of Cade Michna and Matt Mitchell started together for the first time since the second game of the year at UW-La Crosse. They both dominated on Saturday and each picked up recognition for their performances. Michna was named the ASC defensive player of the week. He had 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and a pass break up. Mitchell was named to the D3football.com national team of the week. Mitchell also had 12 tackles, three tackles for loss, a half-sack, broke up two passes and had a quarterback hurry.
Century Mark
Sophomore Noah Garcia had his fourth 100-yard rushing effort of the season on Saturday. He finished with 124 yards and scored a touchdown. He has a rushing TD in five straight games and seven of eight on the season. It was the sixth 100-yard game of his career. He leads the conference with 710 yards and has nine rushing touchdowns on the year.
Play of the Game
The whole tenor of the game changed when the Cowboys Jaymarcus Wilson hit Kenneth Miller just after he received a punt at the 10 yard-line and the Cowboys' DeKeidris Bedford recovered it at the 2-yard line. HSU scored three plays later and took a lead it would not relinquish in the game.
Sack Party
HSU had just six sacks going into last week on the season but the Cowboys found a way to the backfield against the Cru. Cade Michna had a pair of sacks, Jim Hitchcock and Braden Hargrove had one sack each and Matt Mitchell and Colton Grimes shared a sack. HSU now has 11 sacks on the season.
Turnover Machine
The Cowboy defense continues to turn opponents over at a high rate. HSU has received 17 turnovers from its opponents this season. HSU has won the turnover battle in all but two games this season (Endicott and TLU). The Cowboys have turned the ball over 11 times on the year give HSU a +6 turnover margin on the year. In the five game winning streak, HSU has forced 11 turnovers and committed just five.
Continuing To Climb
Colton Marshall scored two more touchdowns to give him 11 rushing TDs on the year and now has 27 career rushing touchdowns which moved him up to sixth all-time in school history. He is now one behind Tevin Mitchell for fifth place. He leads the conference in touchdowns and is second in rushing with 513 yards.
Legacy Game
Like it or not the quarterback takes too much blame for losses and gets too much credit for the win in a team game. However, two-time team captain Gaylon Glynn told his teammates before last week's game that this was a legacy game for the program and especially the 24 seniors. Since UMHB's first win in the series in 2002, HSU has three wins against the Cru. Here is the list of the three winning quarterbacks against UMHB since 2002.
2004 Jordan Neal
2015 Ryan Breton
2023 Gaylon Glynn
Welcome To The Club
Senior Andy Prazak has stuck it out and finally got his chance to be the starting placekicker for the Cowboys in the eighth game of his senior year. He delivered by hitting a 32-yard field goal in the first half against UMHB and went 3-for-3 on PATs. He is 9-for-9 on PATs over the last two games.
Big Bodies
The Cowboy front line doesn't get the credit it deserves on a weekly basis. The unit of James Sandifer, Khalil Spivey, Hayden Philpot, Miguel Valdez, Bryce Hernandez and Brock Gibson allowed just one sack on the day against the Cru and paved the way for 143 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Athletic Pick
Safety Brock Bujnoch made a big interception in the fourth quarter and it was unbelievably athletic play. He knocked the ball away and up into the air then dove over the receiver and caught the ball before it hit the ground. It was the first interception of the season for Bujnoch and eighth of his career. He needs one more interception to get into the top 10 in career interceptions and would move up quickly. He is four picks away from third place.
About The Kangaroos
Austin College comes into the game averaging a league low 14.5 points per game and also are last in the league allowing 35 points per contest. They are averaging 257.5 yards per contest and are allowing 408 yards per game. Christian Johnson leads a rushing attack with 213 yards on the year. Jaylon Talton has completed 62-of-139 passed for 750 yards and four TDs with six interceptions. Colin Mushinski and Dakota Lowery each have 23 catches on the season. Colton Gerken leads the defense with 67 tackles, including a team-best six for losses. He also had five pass break ups.
