D3-CFB Game Preview: Southwestern Pirates (0-0) vs. McMurry War Hawks (0-0)

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Venue & Game Details

Kickoff Time: 4:00 p.m. CDT

Venue: Wilford Moore Stadium, Abilene, Texas

Competition: NCAA Division III – Non-Conference

Weather Forecast (Abilene, TX)

Conditions: Mostly sunny with a few high clouds

Temperature at Kickoff: ~91°F (33°C)

Wind: 6–9 mph from the south-southeast

Impact: Heat could test depth and conditioning; light wind unlikely to affect passing or kicking. Hydration and rotation management will be key.

Injury & Availability Report

McMurry War Hawks

Questionable: WR1 (ankle sprain, limited practice), starting LB (shoulder soreness).

Out: Backup CB (knee).

Southwestern Pirates

Questionable: RB1 (hamstring tightness), starting DE (groin strain).

Out: None reported from preseason camp.

Recent Form & Trends

Southwestern: Alternated wins and losses to close 2024; offense averaged 29.4 PPG in wins.

McMurry: Struggled defensively last season, allowing 35+ points in 6 games; lone bright spot was a 28–21 win over Sul Ross State.

Series History

Last Meeting: Sept. 7, 2024 – Southwestern defeated McMurry 31–7 in Georgetown, TX.

Recent Head-to-Head: Southwestern has won the last two meetings by a combined score of 62–27.

Key Player Matchups

Southwestern QB vs. McMurry Secondary – Pirates’ passing game averaged 235 YPG in 2024; McMurry allowed 240 YPG through the air.

McMurry RB Committee vs. Southwestern Front Seven – War Hawks’ ground game averaged 3.8 YPC; Southwestern allowed 4.0 YPC last season.

Special Teams Edge – Southwestern’s kicker hit 88% of FG attempts in 2024; McMurry’s punt coverage ranked bottom-third in the ASC.

Betting Trends

Southwestern is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games vs. McMurry.

McMurry is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 home games.

The Under has hit in 3 of the last 4 meetings between these teams.

Game Odds

Southwestern Pirates    – 10.5

McMurry War Hawks     48.5

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 5, 2025