CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M opens up their final season at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 8, at 6 p.m. CT against Oklahoma Panhandle State. The Buffs will look to bounce back after a 17-7 loss to Azusa Pacific this past Saturday in Glendora, Calif.

FIVE KEY STORYLINES
West Texas A&M returns home in search of their first win of the season after dropping last week's season opener to Azusa Pacific, 17-7. The Buffs defense forced four Cougar turnovers, including two interceptions by freshman Tobias Harris. Mitch Hood got into a groove in the second half to throw for 229 yards completing 23 of 39 passes. He also had a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

The Buffs are 16-1 all-time against Oklahoma Panhandle State including a 42-14 victory in their last meeting on Oct. 15, 2016. Saturday's game will be the first meeting between the two programs in Canyon since 2003. Overall, WT has outscored OPSU 736-153 in the series including a 104-13 decision in their first meeting back in 1922.

Oklahoma Panhandle State allowed 438 total yards against Hastings College in their season opener including 186 yards on the ground.  The Buffs will rely heavily on the two-man backfield of Duke Carter IV and Logan Vallo to exploit the Aggies defense and take pressure off redshirt junior quarterback Mitch Hood.

Freshman Tobias Harris had quite the debut for the Buffs on Saturday with a pair of interceptions and seven tackles, five solo. The Pflugerville, Texas product recorded his first career interception in the final minute of the first half before picking off Azusa Pacific's Tyrone Williams Jr. again in the fourth quarter.

The duo of Markel Steward and Semaj Mitchell combined for 149 yards receiving on 14 receptions in Saturday's season opener against Azusa Pacific. Mitchell had a team-high eight catches for 64 yards while Steward pulled in 85 yards on six catches including a 24-yard reception in the second quarter that set up the Buffs first touchdown.

SCOUTING OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE STATE
The Aggies enter this week's matchup 0-1 on the season after losing their season opener to Hastings College on Sept. 1. The Aggies led by as much as 14 in the second quarter after returning a blocked field goal 70-yards for a touchdown. But the Broncos stormed back in the second half scoring 23 unanswered points.

Oklahoma Panhandle State is led by Russell Gaskamp who is now in his seventh season with the Aggies. In 2017, he led his team to a 7-3 record with wins over No. 16 Arizona Christian and securing four Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) top-ten rankings. 

Brandon Ramon went 10 of 30 for 142 yards with a touchdown in the season opener while four running backs combined for 133 yards on the ground. Defensively, DeAdryelle Fites had 17 tackles, 11 of those solo and a tackle for a loss.

A LOOK AT THE SERIES
The Buffs have dominated the all-time series winning 16 of the 17 games including the past seven. Saturday's game will be their first meeting at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium since Aug. 30, 2003.

After allowing 13 points in their first ever meeting, the Buffs held the OPSU for the next games while outscoring them 313-0.

WT is 3-0 against the Aggies at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium including a 69-8 win in their first meeting back in Sept. 18, 1993. 

After a 33-0 victory in 1937, the two teams didn't play for the next 55 years until playing on Nov. 14, 1992 in Goodwell, Okla.

A LOOK BACK AT AZUSA PACIFIC
The Buffs dropped to the season opener to the Cougars, 17-7, on Saturday night in Glendora, Calif. A Mitch Hood rushing touchdown with a little more than a minute left in the first half cut the deficit to 14-7. Tobias Harris would pull in his first career interception on APU's next play but WT was unable to turn into points before the halftime whistle.

WT's offense started to move the ball better in the second half but missed opportunity held them back from cutting into the deficit as they dropped a fifth straight season opener.

Overall, Hood threw for 229 yards completing 23 of 39 passes While Duke Carter IV and Logan Vallo ran for a combined 88 yards. Semaj Mitchell was Hood's favorite target with eight catches for 64 yards.

James Clark led the defense with eight total tackles with Eric Collins recording 7.5 tackles from his linebacker position. John Cummings had another solid game in the special teams with five punts for 198 yards.

BUFFS PLAN TO HONOR FORMER PLAYERS
Entering its final season in Kimbrough Memorial Stadium, WT Football announced a season-long recognition for former Buffs who played in the original Buffalo Bowl that opened in 1959. Saturday's game will honor the era of head coaches Hunter Hughes, Mike Nesbitt and Don Carthel.

Prior to each home game, former players and coaches will gather from 12:30 - 2 p.m. in the football locker room in the Bain Athletic Center for a private meet and greet with coach Hunter Hughes and his staff, to view new facilities and the construction site of the new Buffalo Stadium. At 3 p.m., the Buffalo Club tailgate party will begin at Kimbrough Stadium, and former players and coaches will be on hand to reminisce with the Buff fans and alumni.

BACK IN THE GAME
Former Buff legends Dustin Vaughan and Khiry Robinson have signed professional contracts wit the San Antonio-based team of Alliance of American Football. The Alliance features eight teams, under a single entity structure, playing a 12-week season kicking-off February 9, 209 on CBS.

The duo will play under former Pac-10 Coach of the Year, Mike Riley. He was most recently the head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers for three seasons that included trips to the Foster Farms Bowl and Music City Bowl. Former Buff wideout Riley Smith (2016) also signed to play under Riley. 

WT HEAD COACH HUNTER HUGHES
WT head coach Hunter Hughes, the 2011 FootballScoop.com Division II Coordinator of the Year, is now in his second season at the helm of the Buffs. He went 3-8 in his first season in 2017 including win over nationally ranked Colorado-State Pueblo.

LIVE COVERAGE
The West Texas A&M Athletic Media Relations Department will provide live stats and webstreaming for all games during the 2018 season. The webstream is free of charge and can be viewed on mobile devices. For more information, visit the Football Schedule Page at GoBuffsGo.com.

AFCA DIVISION II  POLL
The Buffaloes have five opponents that are ranked or receiving votes in the latest AFCA Division II Poll. Texas A&M-Commerce holds steady at No. 1 with MSU Texas moving up one spot to 10th. Central Washington dropped to 16th while Tarleton and Texas A&M-Kingsville are receiving votes.

2018 LSC PRESEASON POLL
Texas A&M-Commerce were picked to finish first receiving 13 of the possible 24 votes for a total of 201 points. MSU Texas was picked second with 10 first place votes for a total of 200 points. Eastern New Mexico ranked third with 142 points followed by Angelo State (136), Tarleton State (130), Texas A&M-Kingsville (104), West Texas A&M (73), UT Permian Basin (one first place, 57) and Western New Mexico (37).

MSU Texas' Layton Rabb was tabbed as the LSC's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while Angelo State's Markus Jones was named the preseason Defensive Player of the Year.