Canyon, Texas – West Texas A&M Football (2-5, 2-2 LSC) returns to Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium on Saturday, October 17 as they take on Western New Mexico for Homecoming. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. The game will be sponsored by First United Bank. 
 
Follow the Buffs
Saturday's game will be streamed live on Flo Sports (registration required). Live stats will be provided by West Texas A&M. The game will also be broadcasted on KGNCNewsNow.com as well as locally in the Texas Panhandle on 710 AM and 97.5 FM. Kent Johnson, Lucas Kinsey, and Brice Sheets can be heard on both broadcasts. Tickets for the game can be purchased here.
 
Gameday Promotions
Saturday's game will serve as Homecoming for West Texas A&M. At halftime, the finalists for the 2026 Homecoming Court will have an on-field presentation where the King and Queen will be crowned.
 
Last Time Out
West Texas A&M traveled to Portales, New Mexico last week to compete in the 38th Wagon Wheel Game against the Greyhounds.
 
Strong Rushing Attack Pushes Buffs to 41-27 Victory in Wagon Wheel Game- October 17, 2026
WT instantly found energy in the game as Isaiah Orlandi took the opening kickoff 53 yards to the Greyhounds 23-yard line to put the offense in great position for early points. Alan Anaya would make a 29-yard field goal for the early 3-0 lead. On their opening defensive drive, WT made a splash play of their own as Caleb Giles picked off a pass following a tip as they shutdown ENMU's drive that neared the red zone. West Texas A&M would punt on their ensuing drive, but the defense forced an incomplete pass on fourth down to get the ball right back.
 
The start of WT's third drive in the first quarter saw the Buffs play with pace and attack the Greyhounds on the ground. 48 of their 56 yards on that drive came on the ground as Contae Cason and Tory Simmons had rushes of 11 yards (twice by Cason) and 16 yards (Simmons) to get into the red zone. At their eight-yard line, Jayden Macedo fired a strike to J.B. Mitchell III in the back left corner for the touchdown as WT took a 10-0 lead.
 
The Buffs defense got off the field early on their next drive as it only took 57 seconds from their five plays. Back on the field facing a tired defense, West Texas A&M was able to capitalize as Trace Clarkson caught a 69-yard touchdown on a crossing route where he outran a pair of defenders on 40+ yards of YAC for the touchdown. Anaya made the extra point as WT led 17-0. That score would hold at the end of quarter one as the Buffs defense consistently shutdown ENMU's offense.
 
On their drive to start the second quarter, sniffed out a quarterback sneak in the red zone on fourth down and made another key defensive stop. WT got back to running the rock on their ensuing drive as Simmons ripped off a big 64 yard run as multiple offensive lineman reached the second level on their blocks. Simmons cutaway past the defense and ran all the way down to the 10-yard line. His running mate in Cason would sub in and score on the next play with a rush where he broke multiple tackles and weight-roomed his way into the endzone. Leading 24-0 and playing with great confidence, the defense again made a fourth down stop as Miles Hill broke up a pass for an incompletion as the energy continued to flow for the Buffaloes.
 
The offense continued to roll on their next drive as WT marched down to the red zone. On a shotgun pass at the 14-yard line, Macedo dropped a dime to the end zone for Geramyah Porter who toe-tapped in for the touchdown as the lead grew to 31-0. The Buffs found the end zone one more time before the end of the half as Langston Anderson came away with a back-shoulder touchdown on a tremendous catch and throw by Colt Mercer. West Texas A&M would lead 38-0 and take that lead into the halftime locker room.
 
Out of the break, Eastern New Mexico produced a 75-yard touchdown drive as they put their first points on the board as the score moved to 38-7. On their first drive of the half, a 34-yard run by Cason would lead to an 18-yard field goal by Anaya. The Greyhounds would score two-more touchdowns in the quarter as the score was set at 41-21 headed into the fourth.
 
WT punted on their first drive of the quarter. ENMU would drive back into the red zone, but a six-yard sack by Dominick Toulon was crucial in pushing them back and would lead to a turnover on downs after a fourth down stop. While the Buffaloes would be kept off the scoreboard the rest of the way, they would eat up time defensively as games end approached. ENMU scored once more, but had their extra point blocked as the score set at 41-27. That score finalized as the Buffaloes snapped their three-game losing streak and took down their rival to bring home the Wagon Wheel once again.
 
Top Buffs

• Contae Cason produced 115 yards (100 rushing, 15 receiving) and a rushing touchdown in the game. He added a rushing score and ran 5.0 yards per carry. This was a season-high in rushing and all-purpose yards for Cason and his second straight game with a touchdown.
• Tory Simmons led the Buffs in yards with 117 as all 117 came on the ground. Simmons added a 64-yard rush as he ran 10.6 yards per carry. This was Simmons' second game over 100 rushing yards this season.
• Caleb Giles led the Buffs defense with 14 solo tackles, a sack, and an interception. This was a season-high in tackles for Giles and his first sack and interception of the season.

 
Dynamic Duo
Coming into this game, the wide receiver duo of Trace Clarkson and J.B. Mitchell III both rank inside the top 10 in the Lone Star Conference (LSC) in receiving yards with 588 and 450. Clarkson has the second highest total in the while Mitchell III is eighth. They are one of three duos in the top 10 in receiving yards.
 
Miles, Not Yards
With 14 solo tackles each against Eastern New Mexico, defensive backs Miles Hill and Caleb Giles lead the team in tackles while ranking in the top 10 in the LSC. Hill has 68 tackles (50 solo) to rank second in the conference while Giles has 49 (30 solo) to sit in ninth. They are one of two duos to rank inside the top in the conference in tackles.
 
Get Over Here
After his two-sack performance against Eastern New Mexico, Quincy Eutsay is tied for fourth in the conference in sacks with 4.0 while sitting in sixth in tackles for loss with 6.5. Eutsay has a sack in four games with a tackle for loss in every game.
 
West Texas A&M Statistical Leaders (Amount- Per Game)

• Passing yards- Knox Porter (1487-212.43)
• Passing touchdowns- Knox Porter (10)
• Rushing yards- Tory Simmons (440-61.43)
• Yards per carry- Tory Simmons (6.4)
• Rushing touchdowns- Tory Simmons (5)
• Receptions- Trace Clarkson (48)
• Receiving yards- Trace Clarkson (588-84.0)
• Yards per catch- J.B. Mitchell III (15.59)
• Receiving touchdowns- Joseph White (4)
• Solo tackles- Miles Hill (50)
• Total tackles- Miles Hill (68.0)
• Tackles for loss- Quincy Eutsay (6.5)
• Sacks- Quincy Eutsay (4.0)
• Interceptions- Dayton Navy & Ian Amegatcher (2)
• Pass breakups- Ian Amegatcher & Cam Manahan (6)
• Quarterback hits- Quincy Eutsay (9)
• Fumbles recovered- Phineas Allen (2)
• Forced fumbles- Herschel Craig III, Dayton Navy, SaMaury Alexander, and Lucas Jarnagin (1)
• Yards per punt- James Ingham (44.33)
• Field goals made- Alan Anaya (4/5)
• Extra points made- Alan Anaya (14/14)
• Yards per kickoff- Drew Cox (59.5)
• Return yards per punt- Joseph White (14.5)
• Return yards per kickoff- Isaiah Orlandi (30.38)

 
West Texas A&M Team Statistics (LSC Ranking)

• 24. 6 points per game (10^th) | 35.3 points per game allowed (5^th)
• 370.1 yards per game (10^th) | 511.4 yards per game allowed (8^th)
• 248.1 passing yards per game (6^th) | 323.6 passing yards per game allowed (9^th)
• 122.0 rushing yards per game (10^th) | 187.9 rushing yards per game allowed (5^th)
• 15.0 sacks (3^rd) | 19.0 sacks allowed (8^th)
• 5 interceptions (7^th) | 4 forced fumbles (5^th) | 3 fumbles recovered (7^th)
• 22.0 yards per kickoff return (6^th) | 14.5 yards per punt return (1^st)
• 42.3 net kickoff yards (1^st) | 39.4 net punt return yards (1^st)
• 20.1 first downs per game (10^th) | 26.0 opponent first downs per game (8^th)
• 44.9 third down conversion percentage (3^rd) | 45.5 opponent third down conversion percentage (8^th)
• 31.3 fourth down conversion percentage (9^th) | 55.0 opponent fourth down conversion percentage (9^th)
• 58.4 penalty yards per game (2^nd)
• 75 red zone scoring percentage (8^th) | 80.6 red zone scoring percentage allowed (3^rd)
• 26:15 average time of possession (9^th)

 
(all stats accumulated 10/22/26)
 
Series History
Saturday's game against Western New Mexico will be the 16th meeting between the Buffaloes and Mustangs with WT leading the series 11-4. The Buffs have won three straight games over WNMU including their matchup last year in Silver City, New Mexico.
 
Buffs Leave Silver City with a Big 58-27 Conference Win- September 13, 2025
The first quarter commenced with WT making a decisive statement, as RJ Martinez orchestrated an efficient drive capped by a 40-yard touchdown pass to Trevin Edwards at 12:48. Martinez continued to exploit Western New Mexico's defense, connecting with C'ing Blanton on a 50-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 14-0 with 9:07 remaining. Although Western New Mexico responded with a touchdown at 1:32, WT promptly answered back, with Edwards securing another touchdown on a 62-yard pass from Martinez, closing the quarter 21-7.
 
In the second quarter, the Buffs dominated, extending their lead with a series of strategic plays. Cam Wiley's impressive ground performance at the 6:30 mark resulted in a critical 18-yard gain, setting the stage for his touchdown that punctuated a methodical drive. Martinez demonstrated precision through the air, including a 59-yard pass to Tory Simmons, which led to Jamir Roberts' touchdown reception with 17 seconds left, capping a 21-point quarter.
 
The third quarter began with the Buffs extending their lead through a strategic offensive drive, highlighted by Martinez's 46-yard touchdown pass to Sean Johnson at 11:16. The team maintained their momentum with Knox Porter's 54-yard touchdown pass to Blanton at 5:27, further solidifying their advantage. Despite a response from the Mustangs, WT concluded the quarter firmly in the lead with a score of 55-20.
 
In the fourth quarter, the Buffs maintained their momentum, driven by Porter's efficient passing, including a 13-yard completion to Cade Figg and a critical 17-yard gain that advanced them deep into WNMU territory. Despite a fumble recovery by the opposition early in the quarter, the Buffs capitalized on a strong 68-yard kickoff return by Blanton, leading to a successful 22-yard field goal by Levi Crowder at 9:18, reinforcing their lead. The defense solidified their dominance with sacks by Jahmek Armstrong and Hayden Jansky, closing the game with a confident 58-27 victory.
 
Martinez led the Buffs with a standout performance, completing 19 of 28 passes for 388 yards and five touchdowns. Edwards was pivotal in the receiving corps, collecting 137 yards on seven receptions and scoring two touchdowns. Blanton contributed significantly as well, with two receptions totaling 104 yards and two touchdowns. On the defensive side, Armstrong delivered an impactful game by recording two sacks and four total tackles.
 
WT put up 684 yards of total offense on Saturday night to mark the most by the Buffs since October 26, 2013 (693 vs. McMurry), 514 of those came thru the air for the most passing yards by WT since November 13, 2010 (605 vs. East Central).
 
Scouting Western New Mexico
The Western New Mexico University Mustangs come into this game holding a 3-4 record with 2-3 record in the conference. They are currently on a two-game win streak having defeated Eastern New Mexico (61-55) and Sul Ros State (48-41) over the past two weeks. Their conference losses have come against UT Permian Basin (69-14), Midwestern State (84-17), and Texas A&M-Kingsville (52-14). The Mustangs are coming off a 2025 season where they went 2-9 with a 1-8 record in the LSC. Coming into this season, Western New Mexico was picked to finish ninth in the LSC Preseason Poll.
 
Offensively, the Mustangs boast the top rushing offense in the conference with 282.1 yards per game. They are led by the LSC's leading rusher in running back Devon Nofoa-Masoe who has accumulated 735 yards on 8.6 per carry while tallying 147.0 yards per game. Quarterback Jase Ashley and backup RB Josh Gaines are also strong contributors in the running game with 514 and 367 respective rushing yards. Those numbers rank fourth and 12th among the conferences rushing leaders and are helped by a formidable offensive line. WNMU is first in yards per carry at 6.3 while controlling time of possession with an average of 32. 21 minutes per game. With their ground and pound offense, the Mustangs have the lowest passing attempts and completions in the conference.
 
In their three conference losses, the Mustangs have been held below their season average in rushing yards with 55 (UT Permian Basin), 173 (Midwestern State), and 257 (Texas A&M-Kingsville).
 
Defensive back Clayton Zentner commands the defense as he is the leading tackler in the LSC with 83 tackles (54 solo). He is also fourth in tackles for loss with 7.0. Linebacker Anthony Coleman leads the team in sacks with 3.5 to go with five tackles for loss, two interceptions, and 47 tackles. The Mustangs defense ranks at the bottom in multiple statistical categories including points per game, yards per game, rushing yards per game, and sacks.
 
Head Coach Billy Hickman enters his sixth season with Western New Mexico in 2026.
 
Western New Mexico Statistical Leaders (Amount- Per Game)

• Passing yards- Jase Ashley (905-129.29)
• Passing touchdowns- Jase Ashley (9)
• Rushing yards- Devon Nofoa-Masoe (735-147.0)
• Yards per carry- Jase Ashley (8.9)
• Rushing touchdowns- Devon Nofoa-Masoe (8)
• Receptions- Demarion Postell & Joshua Gaines (13)
• Receiving yards- Demarion Postell (286-40.86)
• Yards per catch- Zakkarii Black (28.50)
• Receiving touchdowns- Demarion Postell (5)
• Solo tackles- Clayton Zentner (54)
• Total tackles- Clayton Zentner (83)
• Tackles for loss- Clayton Zentner (7.0)
• Sacks- Anthony Coleman (3.5)
• Interceptions- Anthony Coleman (2)
• Pass breakups- Clayton Zentner & Tyvel Calloway (5)
• Quarterback hits- Clayton Zentner & Clayton Neal (2)
• Fumbles recovered- Clayton Zentner, Clayton Neal, Anthony Coleman, & Troy Filo (1)
• Forced fumbles- Clayton Zentner, Clayton Neal, & Troy Filo (1)
• Yards per punt- Conor Martinez (45.06)
• Field goals made- Nathan Flores (2/2)
• Extra points made- Nathan Flores (20/20)
• Yards per kickoff- Karsten Dombrovski (59.2)
• Return yards per punt- Isaiah Abeyta (11.0)
• Return yards per kickoff- Zakkarii Black (21.50)

 
Western New Mexico Team Statistics (LSC Ranking)

• 35.4 points per game (6^th) | 57.3 points per game allowed (10^th)
• 447.9 yards per game (5^th) | 602.9 yards per game allowed (10^th)
• 165.7 passing yards per game (10^th) | 280.0 passing yards per game allowed (8^th)
• 282.1 rushing yards per game (1^st) | 322.9 rushing yards per game allowed (10^th)
• 5.0 sacks (10^th) | 7.0 sacks allowed (1^st)
• 5 interceptions (8^th) | 3 forced fumbles (8^th) | 5 fumbles recovered (4^th)
• 17.5 yards per kickoff return (8^th) | 3.2 yards per punt return (10^th)
• 33.4 net kickoff yards (8^th) | 35.1 net punt return yards (7^th)
• 22.3 first downs per game (6^th) | 28.3 opponent first downs per game (10^th)
• 35.7 third down conversion percentage (9^th) | 43.5 opponent third down conversion percentage (7^th)
• 44.4 fourth down conversion percentage (6^th) | 52.6 opponent fourth down conversion percentage (5^th)
• 62.9 penalty yards per game (4^th)
• 92 red zone scoring percentage (2^nd) | 90.9 red zone scoring percentage allowed (10^th)
• 32.21 average time of possession (2^nd)

 
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