As for this week - the Crusaders should enjoy some nice scenery.
Third-ranked UMHB will make the 1,581-mile flight from Belton to Ashland, Ore., to face NAIA opponent Southern Oregon at 3 p.m. Saturday in a game that seems somewhat out of place on the schedule.
This marks the third straight year the Crusaders (6-0) have ground through the first 1½ months of the American Southwest Conference season, then faced a non-conference opponent before wrapping up ASC play.
The difference is that the battles with Whitewater had major postseason implications in regard to playoff seedings. This week’s tilt will have no bearing on the D-III playoffs.
“You like playing a Division III school in a game with playoff implications like Whitewater did,” said UMHB coach Pete Fredenburg, whose attempt to keep the Warhawks on the schedule was shot down by UWW. “That was fun, and we will get back to that one of these days, I hope.
“But our thought pattern all year long has been to just get better as a football team. That’s still our goal. And all you have to do is watch some film and see how huge these Southern Oregon guys are to know that this game will test us and give us a chance to take a step forward.”
The Raiders (2-5) will be the second NAIA team the Crusaders have faced this year. UMHB opened the season at home with a 30-7 victory over Southern Nazarene (Okla.). Saturday’s game will kick off at 1 p.m. Pacific time at Raider Stadium.
Weekly honor
UMHB’s Alan Munoz was named ASC Special Teams Player of the Week.
The sophomore kicker out of Ferris nailed all three extra-point attempts and booted a 47-yard field goal in Saturday’s 26-14 win over Mississippi College.
Out in front
UMHB leads the ASC in several statistical categories and ranks second in a handful of others.
The Crusaders are tops in scoring offense (36.7 points per game), scoring defense (9.3), total defense (274.2 yards), rushing defense (74.5), rushing offense (263.7), kickoff returns, punt returns, kickoff coverage, fourth-down conversions and red-zone defense.
UMHB ranks second in total offense (411.2 yards), third-down conversions and red-zone offense.
