Special Correspondence from UMHB

Fresh off an open week, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team will open American Southwest Conference play with the renewal of an old series this Saturday. The Cru will host the McMurry University War Hawks in a 1:00 PM kick off at Crusader Stadium in the ASC opener for both teams.

This will be the 15th meeting between the two teams, but marks the first time the two programs have faced off since UMHB topped McMurry 49-20 in the Second Round of the 2011 NCAA Division III National Championships. The Cru leads the all-time series between the two teams 12-2 and has won the last 12 meetings between the two teams. UMHB enters the game with a 3-0 overall record after knocking off then 3rd-ranked Linfield College 66-27 two weeks ago. The Cru is ranked third in the country by both D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association.

McMurry comes into Saturday’s game with a 1-1 overall record and had last Saturday’s game with Langston University cancelled after a lightning delay midway through the second quarter. The War Hawks are in the third year of their transition back into the ASC and NCAA Division III after a brief stint in Division II. Games with the War Hawks count in the conference standings, but McMurry cannot compete for the ASC Championship this season. The War Hawks are also one of the youngest teams in the conference with only four seniors on the roster. The Cru may have a few fresh faces hit the field Saturday after working several players into new positions and the rotation during the open week.

“The open date was good for us. We changed up our schedule a little bit and I think our kids really enjoyed that,” Cru football coach Pete Fredenburg said. “We really tried to get back to fundamentals and do some things in a real competitive environment. I think we’ve found a couple of guys who are really going to help us as we move down the road this season.”

Saturday’s game will close out Parent’s Weekend at UMHB and will also be “Hometown Heroes” Day as UMHB football recognizes first responders from across Bell County. There will be several emergency vehicles on display around Crusader Stadium. The Cru coaching staff will also be participating in the AFCA’s Coach to Cure MD campaign to raise funding and awareness for muscular dystrophy during the game. For more information on parking, traffic flow and game day events, please visit the following link: http://www.umhb.edu/stadium/directions-and-parking. McMurry University fans are encouraged to enter the stadium through ticket window #3 at the southeast corner of Crusader Stadium.

Saturday’s game will also be broadcast live on K101.7 FM and through the station’s web site with the pre-game show starting at 12:30 PM. UMHB will provide live video streaming and live statistics for the game with links to both available by clicking here: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/umhb/. Tickets are still available and the ticket windows are scheduled to open at 11:00 AM on Saturday. Reserved tickets are $12. General admission tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for students. The stadium gates will open at 11:30 AM on Saturday. Tickets left at Will Call will be available for pickup at any ticket window on game day.

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