Game Day - Sept. 26 vs. SWOSU

STEPHENVILLE - The Tarleton Texan football team enters Saturday's contest No. 14 in the nation in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 Poll after posting a 4-0 start to the 2009 season.
   
Saturday's game is the final Lone Star Conference crossover game for both the undefeated Texans and the 0-4 Southwestern Oklahoma Bulldogs.  Tarleton is tied atop the LSC standings while SWOSU is tied among four teams that are winless in the LSC rankings.
   
With a win over Southwestern Oklahoma, Tarleton is looking to begin it season 5-0 for the third straight year.  The program has just four prior 5-0 starts (1978, 1990, 2007 and 2008).  The Texans have recent history on its side as Tarleton has won the last five meetings between these two teams.
   
In the second half of last week's contest at Central Oklahoma, the Texan offense found its rhythm, racking up 72 percent of its 434 yards of total offense in the 35-17 win.  
   
Devin Guinn tied Will Moody (2000-03) for second on the career receiving touchdowns on Saturday with 20 in his career after the senior had two touchdown catches at UCO.  He finished with eight receptions for 116 yards.  Jahmeel Hobson had seven catches for 114 yards as the Texan offense moved at will in the second half.  Quarterback Scott Grantham returned to his freshman form from 2005 by throwing for 310 yards and three touchdowns.  Grantham was 18-of-32 with two interceptions – both in the first half. 
   
Evan Robertson had a rushing touchdown while carrying the ball 22 times for 86 yards.  Grantham added 23 yards rushing and a touchdown as well.
   
The Texan defense has held opponents to less than 100 yards rushing, including  UCO which garnered just 87 yards on the ground.  The Bronchos had just 287 yards of total offense.
   
This season, the Texans are averaging 31.8 points per game while giving up just 8.8.  Tarleton is averaging 374.5 yards of total offense per game this season, including 196.8 yards on the ground and 177.8 yards through the air.
   
Roderick Smith needs just one touchdown to set the new career touchdown mark which he now holds along with Gaylon Bowser (1984-87).  He has five touchdowns this season and 33 overall in his career.  Smith is averaging 114.0 yards per game and has 43 carries for 342 yards, but he did not carry the ball last week at UCO.  Robertson is second in rushing with 53 carries for 317 yards, an average of 79.2 yards per game. 
   
Grantham is 42-of-32 with three interceptions.  He has thrown for 670 yards and five touchdowns with an average of 167.5 yards per game.     
   
Guinn leads the receiving corps with 17 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns.  He is averaging 72.0 yards per game while Hobson has 13 catches for 200 yards.  Hobson has one touchdown and is averaging 50.0 yards per contest.
   
The defense is allowing just 209.5 yards of total offense to opponents this season, including 71.8 yards rushing and 137.8 yards passing.  The defense has allowed jus three red-zone scores in eight tries while allowing just 25 percent of the third-down conversions faced.  Opponents have scored just four touchdowns this season.
   
The Texan defense is led by Marcus Phillips with 25 total tackles, including 14 solo and 11 assisted stops.  He also has two interceptions this season. Matt Knicky is second with 22 tackles, including five solo and 17 assisted stops.  Ben Taifane has six tackles for minus-20 yards and Jamaal Steamer with five and a half tackles for a loss of minus-31 yards.
   
Tarleton has recorded 41 tackles for a loss of minus-154 yards, including six sacks for minus-54 yards. 
   
The Bulldogs are coming off a 41-51 loss at home to West Texas A&M, giving the Buffaloes their first win of the season. 
   
SWOSU is averaging 197.8 yards of total offense this season, including 162.0 through the air and 35.8 yards on the ground.  The Bulldogs are being outscored 47.2 to 12.2 in 2009.
   
J.R. Hammond has 32 rushes for 108 yards and a touchdown to lead the Bulldogs while Steve Day's 648 yards passing is tops on the squad.  Day is 84-of-160 with 11 interceptions and two touchdowns.  He is averaging 162.0 yards per game in the air.
   
Johnathan Haggerty has 19 receptions for 252 yards and a score to lead the Bulldog receivers while Bruce Hatton also has 19 catches.  He has 103 yards for SWOSU.
   
The Bulldog defense is allowing an average of 555.5 yards per game to opponents this season, including 216.0 yards rushing and 339.5 yards passing.
   
Shane Scott leads the team with 34 total tackles, including 20 solo and 14 assisted stops.  The Bulldogs have 25 tackles for loss and just five sacks on the season.
   
The two teams have met 23 previous times, and Tarleton leads the all-time series, 13-10.  The Texans have won nine of the last 10 meetings with the last Bulldog victory coming on Nov. 8, 2003.  SWOSU won that contest 21-17 in Weatherford, Okla.  Tarleton had won four straight prior to that SWOSU win.
  
Last year, the Texans needed a 64-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds left from Scott Grantham to Eric Foreman to down the Bulldogs, 24-21.  However, Tarleton has outscored SWOSU 153-77 in the last five contests between the two squads.
   
Saturday, fans will hopefully watch Smith break a record and head coach Sam McElroy, the winningest football coach in Tarleton history, lead the Texans to three straight 5-0 starts.
   
The game can be heard on the official station of the Tarleton Athletics Radio Network, 93.1 FM KSTV.  Fans can also watch the LIVE video feed on Tarleton Access and live stats on the Tarleton Athletics website.