Football Game Preview – UWA at UWF

WEST ALABAMA (5-3, 5-1) vs WEST FLORIDA (5-3, 3-2)
Oct. 29, 2016 l Blue Wahoos Stadium | Pensacola, Fla. | Noon l ESPN 104.9

THE SERIES
This is the first meeting between the Tigers and the Argonauts. This is the first season for UWF to field a football team.

WEST ALABAMA
West Alabama is 5-3 overall, 5-1 in the GSC after a 45-35 win over No. 19 Florida Tech at home last week.

WEST FLORIDA
West Florida is 5-3 overall, 3-2 in the GSC after beating Shorter, 36-0, last week.

THE COACHES
Brett Gilliland is 17-13 in his third season at UWA, his third as a head coach. Pete Shinnick is 5-3 in his first season at UWF, 108-49 in his 15th year as a head coach.

COVERAGE
Radio: ESPN 104.9 or www.espn1049.com
Twitter: @UWAAthletics
Live Video: http://blabtv.com/watch-live/

FOUR IN A ROW
West Alabama is currently riding a four-game winning streak for the second time in Coach Brett Gilliland's tenure as head coach at UWA. The Tigers won four straight to open the 2015 season.

LAST TIME TO FIVE
The 2011 team that lost to North Alabama in the first round of the playoffs was the last Tiger team to win five consecutive games.

THE RECORD
The school record for consecutive victories is nine, set by the 1971 NAIA National Championship Team. Seven UWA teams (2016, 2015, 2013, 1991, 1983, 1982, 1975) have won four straight, five have won five straight (2011, 1974, 1973, 1972, 1969), two have won six in a row (1949, 1940) and the 1968 team won eight consecutive games.

POLL BUSTERS
The Tigers' win over Florida Tech marked the second consecutive week that a UWA victory has dismissed a nationally ranked team from the AFCA Top 25. No. 24 West Georgia dropped out after losing, 31-7, to the Tigers. No. 19 FIT was dismissed from the national rankings after UWA beat the Panthers 45-35.

TAKING NOTICE
After a 1-3 start to the season, West Alabama has won four straight and is beginning to get some national notice. The Tigers received five votes in this week's AFCA poll.

DAYTIME ON THE ROAD IN GSC
UWA is 3-0 in both daytime games and 3-0 in Gulf South Conference road games.

SHOOTOUT IN PENSACOLA?
West Alabama averages 33.1 points per game, putting the Tigers sixth in a high-scoring GSC. West Florida is second, averaging 39.6 points per game. Both teams give up 28 points per game.

EVERY WEEK IS A PLAYOFF GAME
After a 1-3 start, every week is now a playoff game for West Alabama. The Tigers play each week knowing a loss can likely dash playoff hopes.

STILL UNBEATEN IN BLACK
West Alabama is 3-0 in the black pants donated to the Tigers by former Tiger and current New England Patriot Malcolm Butler. UWA beat Mississippi College and Florida Tech in black pants and red jerseys and took care of West Georgia in black pants and white jerseys.

COREY AND TAE
Twelve UWA receivers have caught passes this season, but receivers Donta Armstrong and Corey Davis have combined for 99 of West Alabama's 214 catches (46%). Armstrong has 57 receptions in eight games, Davis 42 in six games.

7TH IN SUPER 2 REGION
West Alabama is seventh in the first NCAA Division II Super Region 2 rankings that were released Oct. 24. The Tigers are one of five GSC teams in the regional top 10. The top seven earn a playoff berth.

AUSTIN DURING THE STREAK
During UWA's four-game winning streak, quarterback Austin Grammer has completed 70 percent of his passes (119-171) for 1,334 yards and 12 touchdowns.

TOP TWO QBs IN THE GSC
Saturday's game features the top two quarterbacks in the GSC. UWF signal caller Kaleb Nobles leads the league with 2,785 yards passing, 348.1 per game. UWA's Austin Grammer has thrown for 1,995, 279.3 per game.

THREE OF TOP FIVE
The UWF-UWA game features three of the top five pass catchers in the GSC. West Florida's Ishmel Morrow leads the league with 59 receptions, while UWA's Donta Armstrong is second with 57. The Tigers' Corey Davis is fifth with 42 receptions.

CHASING 1,000
Tiger running back Lakendric Thomas ran for 86 yards in the Tigers win over Florida Tech last week, giving him 648 rushing yards with three regular season games to play. At the current pace he would need to average 117.3 over the last three games to hit the 1,000-yard mark. LT has run for more than 117 yards in three games this season, with his best game being 150 against Delta State.

PERMANENT CAPTAINS
The Tiger football team has elected permanent captains for the 2016 season. Teammates elected quarterback Austin Grammer, strong safety Felix Woods and special teams guru Bob Myers. All three are seniors.

HOMECOMING FOR RASHAAD AND COACH G
The game at West Florida is a homecoming of sorts for Tiger running back Rashaad Lee. A junior, Lee played at Pine Forest High School, where he earned Panhandle Super 60 honors after rushing for 1,139 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior quarterback. Tiger head coach Brett Gilliland also returns to his hometown for the first time as a collegiate coach.

NEXT WEEK
UWA returns home to face Valdosta State in the Florida's Space Coast GSC Football Game of the Week featured live on ESPN3.

TIGERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @UWAathletics
Facebook: www.facebook.com/UWAathletics

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Players Mentioned

#6 Rashaad Lee: RB; 5' 7"; Junior

#38 Felix Woods: SS; 5' 11"; Senior

#17 Donta Armstrong: WR; 5' 10"; Junior

#11 Corey Davis: WR; 6' 2"; Junior

#1 Austin Grammer: QB; 6' 2"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#6 Rashaad Lee
: 5' 7"; Junior
: RB

#38 Felix Woods
: 5' 11"; Senior
: SS

#17 Donta Armstrong
: 5' 10"; Junior
: WR

#11 Corey Davis
: 6' 2"; Junior
: WR

#1 Austin Grammer
: 6' 2"; Senior
: QB