"I think this is a game that our guys will play well," Crusaders coach Pete Fredenburg said.
No. 12 UMHB will try to keep its postseason hopes alive when it hosts East Texas Baptist at 1 p.m. today at Tiger Field.
With last week's 21-0 homecoming win over Southern Oregon helping to put a stunning upset loss at Mississippi College in the past, the Crusaders (6-1 overall, 4-1 American Southwest Conference) say they're starting to feel like their old selves again.
"Coming off that loss by beating a team that beat us last year, we feel better now," junior defensive end Brenson Bristow said. "It gives us confidence that we're going to be OK."
UMHB needs to win its final three conference games starting today to bolster its chances for an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.
On the other sideline, ETBU (2-6, 2-4) will be looking for a victory that could help it carry some momentum in the offseason. The Tigers have lost four straight games - three of them by two touchdowns or more - and rank next to last in the ASC in total offense (268 yards per game) and scoring (18 points per game).
With the Crusaders holding down the league's top ranking in total offense (435 yards) and total defense (231), it stacks up on paper as a mismatch.
None of that matters to Fredenburg.
"I feel that our guys will be focused on the task at hand," he said. "There's no need for us to look ahead because if we lose this one, that's it. That has to be our mindset the rest of the way."
Junior preseason All-American tailback Quincy Daniels was expected to practice this week after missing two games with a strained hamstring tendon but is listed as questionable.
Senior Bryson Tucker - a converted safety - filled in nicely with a 218-yard performance last week and is listed as today's starter.
Also, freshman LiDarral Bailey and junior Kyle Noack took snaps at quarterback with the starting unit this week, and the team lists today's starter as Bailey or Noack.
edrennan@temple-telegram.com
