Canyon, Texas – West Texas A&M Football (3-5, 3-3 LSC) travels to Alpine, Texas on Saturday, October 31 to take on Sul Ross State. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
 
Follow the Buffs
Saturday's game will be streamed live on Flo Sports (registration required). Live stats will be provided by Sul Ross State. 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 and Lucas Kinsey can be heard on the audio broadcast.
 
Last Time Out
West Texas A&M returned to Bain-Schaeffer Buffaloe Stadium this past week to take on Western New Mexico for Homecoming.  
 
Offense Stampedes Mustangs in 69-14 Homecoming Win for Buffaloes- Oct 24, 2026
WT set the tone early as Tory Simmons burst for a 16-yard rush on the opening play of the game. The Buffs quickly marched down into the redzone with a 22-yard catch by Trace Clarkson on the drive. Contae Cason muscled his way into the end on a two-yard run to cap off a four-and-a-half-minute drive as the score was 6-0. On the extra point, the Buffs opted for a fake as James Ingham spun past a defender after catching the snap on the hold and cleanly found the end zone to make it 8-0.
 
Defensively, the Buffaloes forced a three-and-out as their offense got back on the field in under two minutes. Clarkson made his mark on the second drive as he caught three passes for 30-yards including a 23-yard touchdown on a go-route from the slot. Ryan Gafford put the ball right in the bucket for the Aledo, Texas native as an extra point by Alan Anaya made in 15-0.
 
Now holding a two-possession lead, WT's defense put the offense right back on the field following an interception by Quincy Eutsay. On a third and five, WNMU tried a slip screen to their running back. Eutsay made a tremendous play in not only recognizing the screen but realizing he would not reach the quarterback and opted to sink back into coverage. With some help by the defensive line to force pressure, Eutsay leaped up and picked off the pass which he then returned for 12-yards to put the offense in great field position.
 
The offense kept humming for the Buffaloes as they were right back in the red zone. 11-yards out, Cason scored his second touchdown of the evening on a wildcat option play where he jetted up the middle untouched after strong blocks by the offensive line. Anaya tacked home the extra point making it 22-0 in favor of WT as the quarter came to a close.
 
Western New Mexico opened the second quarter with a two-minute drive that resulted in a 12-yard touchdown pass that got upheld after a challenge by the Buffs. WT went three-and-out on their first drive of the second quarter, but a fantastic punt by Ingham pinned the Mustangs on the three-yard line. WNMU ran an outside zone on their first play backed up but Campbell Packebush instantly got off his block and tackled the back in the end zone for the safety making it 24-7.
 
After the teams traded punts, Anaya extended the lead as he sunk a 38-yard field goal after being set up by a 49-yard-deep pass to Clarkson on a post route. That score of 27-7 would hold going into the halftime break.
 
West Texas A&M's defense forced a punt to open the third as they continued to string stops together. The offense kept rolling as Simmons capped off a 54-yard drive with an 18-yard score following a massive hole created by the offensive line. Simmons accounted for all 54-yards on that drive as the score moved to 34-7.
 
A fourth down stop resulted in WT getting the ball back as they continued to thrive in the run game. Isaiah Orlandi took an end-around 44 yards which ultimately set up Cason's third touchdown of 28-yards where he bulldozed a defender and bounced off multiple tackles for the score. WT extended the lead to 41-7.
 
Western New Mexico found the end zone for the second time on a 57-yard run but were answered by the Buffaloes and Joseph White who caught a dime by Colt Mercer on a post route in the end zone for a 32-yard score. The third quarter came to a close with WT leading 48-14.
 
The stampede continued in the fourth quarter as the Buffs put up three more touchdowns, all accounted for by Reid Macon. On his first career pass, Macon found a wide-open Juwan Jones who slipped free off a fake screen for the 20-yard score. His second career pass also resulted in a touchdown after Antoine Sullivan came down with an incredible 29-yard catch off an inside-out double move from a dot by Macon. For the exclamation point, Anthony White picked off an underthrown corner route which would lead to a 70-yard touchdown run by the Amarillo native on a read-option. West Texas A&M built up the score to 69-14 which wound up as the final in a dominant showing by the Buffaloes in front of the homecoming crowd.
 
Top Buffs

• Contae Cason rushed for 71 yards and three scores while averaging 7.9 yards per carry. Cason recorded his second straight multi-touchdown game  
• Trace Clarkson snagged seven balls for 127 yards and his fourth touchdown of the season. This was Clarkson's fifth game with 7+ receptions and third game above 100 receiving yards.
• Reid Macon completed all three of his passes for 55 yards and two touchdowns while adding a 70-yard rushing score in his first career game.

 
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 715 and 462. Clarkson has the second highest total in the conference while Mitchell III is eighth. They are one of four duos in the top 10 in receiving yards.
 
Miles, Not Yards
With nine total tackles against Western New Mexico, defensive back Miles Hill is the second leading tackler in the conference with 77 total tackles (52 solo). Hill has five games with 9+ tackles to go with three tackles for loss, two pas breakups, and a quarterback hurry.  
 
You Say?
With his tackle for loss against Western New Mexico, defensive lineman Quincy Eutsay continued his streak of having a tackle for loss in every game. Eustay is up to seven TFL's which is tied for the fifth highest mark in the conference. The Roxbury, Massachusetts native is also tied for sixth in sacks with four. His TFL's, sacks, and quarterback hurries (10) are all team-highs.
 
Full Steam Ahead
Over the past two games, the Buff's rushing attack has been on full display with 659 yards on the ground and averaged 7.24 yards per carry. Running backs Tory Simmons and Contae Cason have led the charge as each have rushed for 71+ yards during the stretch. Simmons has 207 yards (9.0 ypc) with a touchdown while Cason has totaled 171 rushing yards (5.89 ypc) and four touchdowns. Simmons ranks seventh in the conference with 520 rushing yards while Cason is 14th with 364.
 
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 (520-65.0)
• Yards per carry- Tory Simmons (6.6)
• Rushing touchdowns- Tory Simmons (6)
• Receptions- Trace Clarkson (55)
• Receiving yards- Trace Clarkson (715-89.38)
• Yards per catch- Antoine Sullivan (17.0)
• Receiving touchdowns- Joseph White (5)
• Solo tackles- Miles Hill (52)
• Total tackles- Miles Hill (77.0)
• Tackles for loss- Quincy Eutsay (7.0)
• Sacks- Quincy Eutsay (4.0)
• Interceptions- Dayton Navy & Ian Amegatcher (2)
• Pass breakups- Ian Amegatcher (7)
• Quarterback hurries- Quincy Eutsay (10)
• Fumbles recovered- Phineas Allen (2)
• Forced fumbles- Herschel Craig III, Dayton Navy, SaMaury Alexander, and Lucas Jarnagin (1)
• Yards per punt- James Ingham (44.72)
• Field goals made- Alan Anaya (5/6: long of 38-yards)
• Extra points made- Alan Anaya (22/22)
• Yards per kickoff- Drew Cox (60.6)
• Return yards per punt- Joseph White (8.89)
• Return yards per kickoff- Isaiah Orlandi (30.38)

 
West Texas A&M Team Statistics (LSC Ranking)

• 30.1 points per game (8^th) | 32.6 points per game allowed (5^th)
• 412.1 yards per game (7^th) | 490.3 yards per game allowed (8^th)
• 254.8 passing yards per game (5^th) | 296.9 passing yards per game allowed (9^th)
• 157.4 rushing yards per game (8^th) | 193.4 rushing yards per game allowed (6^th)
• 16.0 sacks (4^th) | 19.0 sacks allowed (8^th)
• 7 interceptions (5^th) | 4 forced fumbles (7^th) | 4 fumbles recovered (7^th)
• 21.6 yards per kickoff return (6^th) | 8.9 yards per punt return (5^th)
• 42.0 net kickoff yards (1^st) | 39.7 net punt return yards (1^st)
• 21.8 first downs per game (6^th) | 24.6 opponent first downs per game (7^th)
• 46.6 third down conversion percentage (3^rd) | 44.4 opponent third down conversion percentage (8^th)
• 35.3 fourth down conversion percentage (9^th) | 50.0 opponent fourth down conversion percentage (8^th)
• 57.9 penalty yards per game (2^nd)
• 80 red zone scoring percentage (8^th) | 76.5 red zone scoring percentage allowed (3^rd)
• 25:56 average time of possession (9^th)

 (all stats accumulated 10/29/26)
 
Series History
Saturday's game against Sul Ross State will be the 11th all-time meeting between the programs with WT holding an unbeaten record of 8-0-2. The Buffs are 2-0 since the Lobos have been in the LSC with a win in Canyon last year.  
 
Buffaloes Start Fast and Roll Past Sul Ross State, 56-7- October 4, 2025
WT opened the first quarter assertively, quickly establishing their momentum with an efficient drive. RJ Martinez connected with Drew Zamar for a 19-yard gain, setting the stage for a precise passing game. The drive culminated in a 24-yard touchdown pass to Trevin Edwards, followed by Drew Cox's successful extra point, putting the Buffs ahead 7-0.
 
Continuing their offensive rhythm, the Buffs' Gene Sledge pushed through for a 1-yard touchdown run after a series of strategic plays, extending the lead to 14-0 with another extra point from Cox. Defensively, the Buffs held the Lobos scoreless, including a key turnover on downs at their own 10-yard line. The quarter closed with the Buffs leading 14-0, maintaining strong control over the game.
 
WT opened the second quarter with a scoring drive, as Martinez connected on a 52-yard touchdown pass to Zamar, increasing their lead. Following a defensive stop, Martinez again led the offense downfield, culminating in a one-yard touchdown run after a 51-yard completion to Jamir Roberts. The score moved to 28-0.
 
The Buffs continued their offensive momentum with Martinez finding Edwards for a 22-yard touchdown, and later connected with Zach Phipps for a 45-yard score. Their defense held strong, highlighted by a sack from Andre Johnson and Campbell Packebush, forcing a punt that was blocked by Kadyn Waites. The period ended with Jayden Hibbler rushing for a one-yard touchdown, closing the half at 49-0.
 
The third quarter began with WT defense setting the tone, as Caydin Blakely and Jahmek Armstrong combined for a key sack. This momentum continued as Hayden Jansky and Packebush delivered another critical sack, stalling the opponent's drive and leading to a missed 49-yard field goal attempt. The Buffs capitalized on the defensive stop with a methodical drive led by Jamaal Joseph's effective rushing, culminating in a 5-yard touchdown run with 1:22 remaining in the quarter. The Buffs maintained control, extending their lead to 56-0 as the quarter concluded.
 
Sul Ross State opened the fourth quarter with an effective drive, moving 75 yards in just under five minutes. Jose Trevino contributed significantly, scoring on a 1-yard rush to narrow the gap, followed by a successful extra point. The Buffs responded with a lengthy possession, highlighted by Knox Porter's rushing efforts and Contae Cason's consistent gains, but an unsuccessful 30-yard field goal attempt by Cox ended the drive scoreless.
 
The period concluded with Sul Ross State gaining possession, but the Buffs' defense held them to minimal yardage. The game ended with WT maintaining a commanding 56-7 lead, effectively closing out the contest.
 
Martinez posted an efficient performance, completing 19 of 22 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns, and added a rushing touchdown. Zamar contributed with 71 receiving yards on two catches, including a touchdown reception. Edwards made an impact with 56 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions over three catches. On defense, Packebush led with five total tackles and recorded a sack.
 
Scouting Sul Ross State
The Sul Ross State University Lobos come into his game holding a 2-6 record with a 1-5 mark in LSC play. They are on a three-game losing streak have lost to Angelo State (64-0), Western New Mexico (48-41), and Midwestern State (71-0). SRSU's lone conference win has come against Eastern New Mexico in which they beat the Greyhounds 56-43. The Lobos are coming off a 2025 season where they went 0-11. They came into this season projected to finish last in the LSC Preseason Poll.
 
Sul Ross State's offense is a pass heavy offense led by quarterback Will Howell and receivers Will Craven and Taribbean Ramirez. Howell is third in the LSC in passing yards per game with 247.9 and has thrown for 15 touchdowns. The Lobos are third in passing attempts and fourth in pass yards per game. Receiving those passes is Craven and Ramirez who are sixth and 10th in the conference in receiving yards. Craven has 567 yards on 42 receptions while Ramirez has tallied 447 with 43 receptions. They are one of four wideout duos to rank in the top 10 in receiving yards. With their air-raid style of offense, they have given up the second most sacks in the conference with 23 and are last in rush yards per game (106.3) and yards per carry (3.2). Howell leads the Lobos in rushing with 340 yards.
 
On the defensive side, the Lobos are the top ranked passing defense allowing a conference low 177.3 pass yards per game with the lowest completion percentage at 54.7%. Inside the trenches, SRSU allows the most rushing yards per game at 333.1 along with the highest yards per carry at 7.7. Linebackers Byron Carter and Emmanuel Osom lead the Lobos defense. Carter has 59.0 tackles (36 solo) and 5.5 tackles for loss while Osom is second in sacks in the conference with 5.5 and leads the LSC with 10.0 tackles for loss.
 
Head Coach Lee Hays enters his second season with Sul Ross State in 2026.
 
Sul Ross State Statistical Leaders (Amount- Per Game)

• Passing yards- Will Howell (1983-247.88)
• Passing touchdowns- Will Howell (15)
• Rushing yards- Will Howell (340-42.50)
• Yards per carry- Rashad Madden (6.1)
• Rushing touchdowns- Will Howell (6)
• Receptions- Taribbean Ramirez (43)
• Receiving yards- Will Craven (567-70.88)
• Yards per catch- Ryan Van Roekle (23.44)
• Receiving touchdowns- Ronald Bell (5)
• Solo tackles- Byron Carter (36)
• Total tackles- Byron Carter (59.0)
• Tackles for loss- Emmanuel Osom (10.0)
• Sacks- Emmanuel Osom (5.5)
• Interceptions- Byron Carter, Jason Sanford, Jai Williams, Amari Welch, Maurian Mishaw, & Javien Powell (1)
• Pass breakups- Jaede Servantez (9)
• Quarterback hurries- Emmanuel Osom (4)
• Fumbles recovered- Grant Williams (2)
• Forced fumbles- Grant Williams & Jaedan Cobb (2)
• Yards per punt- Marcos Garcia (34.86)
• Field goals made- Marcos Garcia & Jason Maltos (3/5 & 3/3, long of 36-yards for both)
• Extra points made- Jason Maltos (13/19)
• Yards per kickoff- Marcos Garcia (52.60)
• Return yards per punt- Taribbean Ramirez (13.50)
• Return yards per kickoff- Kyree Payton (31.31)

 
Sul Ross State Team Statistics (LSC Ranking)

• 24.9 points per game (10^th) | 51.6 points per game allowed (9^th)
• 362.3 yards per game (10^th) | 462.5 yards per game allowed (6^th)
• 256.0 passing yards per game (4^th) | 177.3 passing yards per game allowed (1^st)
• 106.3 rushing yards per game (10^th) | 285.3 rushing yards per game allowed (9^th)
• 13.0 sacks (7^th) | 23.0 sacks allowed (9^th)
• 6 interceptions (8^th) | 7 forced fumbles (3^rd) | 5 fumbles recovered (6^th)
• 23.5 yards per kickoff return (3^rd) | 13.5 yards per punt return (1^st)
• 26.4 net kickoff yards (10^th) | 30.4 net punt return yards (10^th)
• 21.3 first downs per game (9^th) | 22.1 opponent first downs per game (5^th)
• 33.6 third down conversion percentage (9^th) | 40.0 opponent third down conversion percentage (5^th)
• 21.7 fourth down conversion percentage (10^th) | 47.8 opponent fourth down conversion percentage (7^th)
• 71.0 penalty yards per game (7^th)
• 80 red zone scoring percentage (7^th) | 88.1 red zone scoring percentage allowed (9^th)
• 30:00 average time of possession (5^th)

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