Kickoff: 6:00 PM EDT
Venue: Pen Air Field, Pensacola, Florida
Broadcast: Gulf South Conference Network / ESPN+
Game Overview
The 2025 Division II season kicks off with a top-20 showdown as the No. 8 West Florida Argonauts host the No. 17 Lenoir-Rhyne Bears in Pensacola. Both squads enter 0-0 after stellar 2024 campaigns: UWF went 7-3 and narrowly missed the playoffs, while Lenoir-Rhyne reached the national semifinals and earned a No. 17 final ranking. Friday’s opener will test UWF’s home-field advantage and L-R’s national pedigree.
West Florida Argonauts (0-0)
2024 Record: 7–3 overall (4–2 Gulf South Conference)
Head Coach: Kaleb Nobles (3rd season)
Offensive Scheme: Up-tempo spread/RPO emphasizing tempo and play-action
Defensive Scheme: 4–2–5 nickel built for speed and takeaways
Key Returners
QB Marcus Stokes (Sr.): 1,540 passing yards, 14 TDs in 2024; now a veteran field general
RBs TJ Lane & Jay Sharp: Combined for over 1,200 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns last season
WRs Corey Scott & Javon Swinton: Both earned 2025 Gulf South preseason honors, poised as go-to targets
Outlook: Nobles primed his squad with high-heat summer practices to exploit early-season Florida temperatures. With an experienced offensive line and proven weapons around Stokes, the Argos aim to seize momentum with quick strikes and force L-R into adverse down-and-distance situations.
Lenoir-Rhyne Bears (0-0)
2024 Record: 10–3 overall, national semifinalist
Head Coach: Doug Socha (2nd season)
Offensive Scheme: Balanced attack mixing power runs and intermediate throws
Defensive Scheme: 4–3 base front emphasizing gap control and third-down resilience
Key Returners
RB L.J. Turner (Sr.): Palm Bay native on the D2Football Elite 100 watch list, ran for 1,100 yards in 2023
DB Desmond Greene (Sr.): Wakulla product, tied for team lead with 6 interceptions in 2024
DL/OL Accent: Carryover toughness from a program that made the 2013 title game and ’23 semifinals
Outlook: Socha’s NAIA championship pedigree has translated into playoff success at L-R. The Bears return 22 Florida-born starters who know the heat and humidity, and they’ll look to control the line of scrimmage, sustain long drives, and bend UWF’s faster tempo to their grind-it-out style.
Key Storylines
Top-20 Opener: Rare DII matchup pitting two ranked teams in the season’s only Friday-night kickoff.
Florida Influx: L-R’s roster features 22 former Florida prep stars—an X-factor in handling sultry early-season conditions.
Coaching Showdown: Kaleb Nobles vs. Doug Socha represents rising young coaches with contrasting backgrounds: GSC stalwart vs. NAIA champion.
Tactical Matchup
Tempo vs. Control: Argos will snap quickly; Bears will huddle and manage the clock to counter.
Line of Scrimmage: UWF’s athletic front five vs. L-R’s power blockers sets early tone.
Playmakers on the Edges: Greene’s ballhawking against Scott/Swinton’s route precision could swing field position.
West Florida’s up-tempo efficiency and third-down prowess should prevail in a close contest. L-R will punch back with power runs and timely turnovers, but UWF’s home advantage and veteran QB play tip the scales.
Game Odds
Lenoir-Rhyne Bears 57.5
West Florida Argonauts – 10.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Thursday, August 28, 2025
