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LIVINGSTON, Ala. – It's Homecoming Weekend on the campus of the University of West Alabama, as the Tigers' football program will welcome the University of West Florida to Terry Bunn Field at Tiger Stadium on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.
Live coverage is provided on our website,
uwaathletics.com/live with links for live video, live audio and more.
FloSports and FloFootball will be the exclusive home for all GSC football games during the 2023 season. Fans can subscribe to the streaming service at a special GSC discounted rate, and subscriptions are able to be canceled at anytime. For more information or to signup,
click here.
For each game during the 2023 season, SLYROCK 104.9 FM will be providing an audio-only opportunity for fans. Will Atkinson will provide the play-by-play duties. Fans can click on the link to the right or download the
SLYROCK app to listen on your mobile device.
PREVIEWING THE ARGOS
Playing an undefeated season against Division II opponents, the team's lone loss so far in 2023 came at Florida A&M of NCAA Division I's Football Championship Subdivision. Currently 5-1 on the season, the Argos are ranked in both national polls: sixth in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and seventh in D2football.com's rankings.
One of the top offenses in the nation, UWF is 14th overall with 464.5 total offensive yards per game, 10th in passing offense (286.8) and 43rd in rushing offense (177.7).
Leading the charge with the Argos' passing game is Peewee Jarrett, who is in the top-10 in the country in a number of categories. His 17 passing touchdowns is seventh-best in Division II.
On the other end, John Jiles leads the country in receiving touchdowns with nine and is fourth with 670 yards.
WEST FLORIDA SERIES HISTORY
West Florida started football in 2016, and they have been a force from the start. In six seasons, the program has had one losing season and four seasons of nine wins or more and three with double-digit wins.
In the second year of the program (2017), UWF made it to the NCAA Division II National Championship game. After a 6-5 season in 2018, the Argos finished 13-2 in 2019 en route to the program's first national title in the fourth year of existence.
UWF and UWA will meet for the eighth time in the all-time series. The Argos hold the slight edge, 4-3. However, in Livingston, each team has won two games, including UWA's last win over UWF in 2018, 45-7.
DEFENDING THE PASS
UWA's
Uriah Ratliff, who had an interception against West Georgia, is third in the GSC with five pass breakups.
The Tigers also have
Artavious Washington (3) and
Devonte Harris (2) who are also in the top-25 in the GSC.
INTERCEPTION CITY
So far in six games, UWA has had an interception in each game this season, picked off the opposing quarterback nine times, including three in its win at Limestone in Week 2.
The Tigers are 21st in Division II in team interceptions with nine, trailing the national leaders in Harding, New Haven and Central Missouri.
Leading the charge is
Artavious Washington, who has three of the team's nine interceptions. The senior won the GSC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 5 after his two INTs versus Angelo State. He is 23rd in the nation in interceptions per game.
On the other end of the ball, UWF is also tied for 21st in the country with nine picks. The Argos' Ralph Ortiz leads the team with three INTs, followed by Quincy Milhomme's two.
THREAT ON THIRD DOWNS
UWA leads the Gulf South Conference when it comes to third down efficiency on the defensive side of the ball with a 30.2 percentage. The mark is 23rd nationally in Division II.
In Week 1 versus Angelo State, West Alabama had a 3-of-16 mark for a team that had the ball for nearly 29 minutes.
Last week against West Georgia, UWA held the Wolves to 3-of-14 on third down.
