A head-to-head United Athletic Conference game tops the schedule for Week 4 action as No. 16 Tarleton State returns from its bye week to play at North Alabama in both squad’s 2024 league debuts. A trio of Big Sky Conference foes also dot the schedule with Southern Utah opening the day with a game at Idaho State, while Utah Tech is slated fo visit No. 12 UC Davis and No. 19 Abilene Christian hosts No. 4 Idaho in a battle between Top 20 squads. No. 8 Central Arkansas meets Arkansas-Pine Bluff and EKU hosts Morehead State in a pair of in-state non-conference clashes. Austin Peay welcomes Alabama A&M for the final match-up on the UAC docket.
NOTEWORTHY
– West Georgia is the lone team off from competition this week as 8 of the 9 squads are set for action highlighted by one conference contest and four home games
-Tarleton State and North Alabama open their UAC schedules for 2024 leaving just Southern Utah and Utah Tech without a league game under their belt thus far
– RANKED TEAMS: For the second consecutive week, a trio of UAC teams were ranked in one or both of the FCS national polls with Central Arkansas (#8), Tarleton State (#16) and Abilene Christian (#19) all listed on the Stats Perform Top 25… UCA (#8), TSU (#17) and ACU (#23) were also ranked in the latest AFCA FCS poll with Southern Utah and EKU among the others receiving votes… Thru three full weeks of games, 7 of 9 UAC squads have received votes in a national ranking poll
– RANKED FOES: Saturday’s schedule features a pair of games for UAC squads against ranked opponents as the Wildcats will host #4 Idaho and the Trailblazers head to California for a match-up against #12 UC Davis… The UAC is searching for its first win over a ranked opponent in 2024, as EKU defeated #16 Southeast Missouri last season for the conference’s first and only win over a ranked opponent in its two-year history
– EYE ON THE (BIG) SKY: For a second straight Saturday three UAC teams are pitted against members of the Big Sky Conference (one of the premier FCS conferences)… Opponents this week include: Idaho State (SUU), Idaho (ACU) and UC Davis (UT)… League teams went 2-3 against the Big Sky last season but are just 1-3 so far this season
– The UAC “Game of the Week” pits both of the league’s Week 0 participants against each other in their conference debuts for 2024… Tarleton State is ranked nationally (No. 16/17) with a 2-1 mark on the season having only dropped a decision to FBS opponent Baylor… North Alabama is playing for the fifth consecutive week and are still in search of their first victory… The Texans are playing their third straight road contest but are undefeated (2-0) in games played at UNA’s Braly Stadium… This marks the fifth all-time meeting of the pair with TSU holding a 3-1 edge in the series including a 52-31 victory last year in Stephenville
– On Sept. 7, Southern Utah topped UTEP earning the league’s first victory versus an FBS opponent… The Thunderbirds, former members of the Big Sky, are slated to face their second consecutive former league foe on Saturday… Last week versus #12 UC Davis, the T-Birds suffered a hard fought 24-21 loss
– Abilene Christian faces its first ranked opponent of the season when No. 4 Idaho visits Wildcat Stadium… ACU is a failed two-point conversion away from being 3-0 with a win over Texas Tech (FBS) but the Wildcats have won two in a row heading into their battle with the Vandals
– Austin Peay will be facing a team from the SWAC for just the third time with hopes of continuing their dominating performances as the Govs have yet to surrender a touchdown to a SWAC foe and have outscored their previous two opponents 69-3… Central Arkansas will also square off with a SWAC member when they stay in-state for a tilt at Arkansas-Pine Bluff… The Bears are 11-2 all-time against the Golden Lions with a current 11-game win streak in the series
– For the second game in a row, EKU will participate in a “Bluegrass State” battle as they host cross-state opponent Morehead State for the 74th time… The Colonels earned their first win of the season last week, defeating West Georgia in their conference opener… EKU and MSU last met in 2018 (EKU won 49-23) and the Colonels have claimed the last nine meetings in the series
– Utah Tech heads to the West Coast for its final non-conference contest of the season with a game at No. 12 UC Davis on the ledger… The Trailblazers are playing their third game versus a Big Sky member and second time facing a ranked opponent… Tech is searching for its first win of the 2024 campaign
MILESTONE WATCHES:
– Will McElvain (UCA QB) needs 312 yards to reach 6,000 career passing yards
– Maverick McIvor (ACU QB) needs 784 yards to reach 6,000 career passing yards
– Kayvon Britten (TSU RB) needs 186 yards for 3,000 career rushing yards
– Darius Hale (UCA RB) needs 319 yards for 3,000 career rushing yards
– Derrel Kelley III (TSU RB) needs 7 yards for 2,000 career rushing yards
– Caleb Lewis (TSU RB) needs 142 yards for 2,000 career rushing yards
– Targhee Lambson (SUU RB) needs 141 yards for 1,000 career rushing yards
– Darius Cooper (TSU WR) needs 64 yards for 2,000 career receiving yards
– David Walker (UCA DL) needs 1.5 TFLs for 50 career TFLs
– Elijah Moffett (ACU LB) needs 5 tackles for 200 career stops
– Southern Utah Head Coach DeLane Fitzgerald has 98 career coaching victories
Milestones Reached
– Maverick McIvor (ACU QB) surpassed 5,000 career passing yards on Sept. 14
– ShunDerrick Powell (UCA RB) surpassed 3,000 career rushing yards on Sept. 14
– Takairee Kenebrew (UNA WR) reached 2,000 career receiving yards on Sept. 14
SATURDAY SLATE | Sept. 21
4 PM MT | SOUTHERN UTAH at Idaho State (ESPN+)
6 PM ET | EKU vs Morehead State (ESPN+)
6 PM CT | AUSTIN PEAY vs Alabama A&M (ESPN+)
6 PM CT | #8 CENTRAL ARKANSAS at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (ESPN+)
6 PM CT | #16 TARLETON STATE at NORTH ALABAMA* (ESPN+)
7 PM CT | #19 ABILENE CHRISTIAN vs #4 Idaho (ESPN+)
8 PM MT | UTAH TECH at #12 UC Davis (ESPN+)
