Football Preview: Winless Lions face struggling Texans in Stephenville

With last week's heartbreaking loss, the A&M-Commerce Lions reached a low point that has not been matched since 1926. The Lions (0-5 overall, 0-3 LSC) will look to turn the page and swing the momentum their way Saturday when they head to Stephenville to face Tarleton State, another team hungry for a win to turn its season around.

Kickoff between the Lions and Texans (1-5, 1-3) is set for 7 p.m., and one team will emerge with a win that breathes some life into a struggling program. For those who cannot make the trip to Stephenville, the game can be heard on 88.9, KETR-FM.

The Lions are still seeking that elusive first win of the season following last week's 23-22 home loss to Incarnate Word, and the Texans are looking to stop a two-game slide, in which they have lost by identical scores of 44-13 to both Midwestern State and West Texas A&M, who jointly sit atop the LSC standings.

This game marks the 19^th time the two teams have faced each other, with the all-time series tied at 9-9. The Texans have won the last two meetings, including a 34-31 win in Commerce last season. The Lions' last win in the series came in 2006, when they beat TSU by a 14-13 score at home. The Lions are 4-5 all-time in Stephenville, but have not won there since 1996.

A&M-Commerce hopes to bounce back from a tough loss to Incarnate Word, in which the Lions fell in a 20-point hole early in the second period, but rallied to take a 22-20 lead in the final quarter. Incarnate Word kicked a field goal with just over a minute remaining to win in front of a disappointed home crowd.

During the game, senior running back Marcus Graham moved even closer to the A&M-Commerce record book, and now needs just 180 yards to move into 10^th-place on the Lions career rushing list. Senior receiver Taylor Fore moved into 10^th all-time in receptions, catching seven passes to give him 99 for his career. Fore leads the Lions receivers through five games with 332 yards on 32 receptions.

Quarterback Nick Stephens leads Tarleton's offensive attack, having thrown for 1,478 yards and eight touchdowns in six games. Freshman receiver Clifton Rhodes ranks among the LSC's top pass-catchers, having caught 30 passes for 530 yards with a pair of scores. Marquis Wadley leads the defense with 72 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss.

The Lions will return home Oct. 22 to celebrate homecoming against Angelo State at 2 p.m. Tarleton state will travel to A&M-Kingsville for a 7 p.m. start.