LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The University of West Alabama Football team is set to take on No. 17 Delta State on Homecoming Saturday with kickoff set for 2:00 p.m.

No. 11 West Alabama (5-1, 0-1 GSC) enters Saturday's matchup after a 23-16 loss to No. 3 West Florida. As for No. 17 Delta State (6-1, 0-0 GSC), they come into the weekend after a 51-10 win over Ferrum College. 

The Tigers are salivating to get back on the field on Saturday after their tough loss to the Argos. In that game, UWA's offense got off to a slow start, before finding their flow in the second half. Going forward, it's key that West Alabama comes out of the gates fast, especially on Saturday with one of the top defenses in the country coming to town.

Offensively, Spencer Arceneaux leads the way as the senior remains in the top-10 in a handful of offensive categories. Now through six games, the Quarterback has 1,287 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns, 411 rushing yards, and seven rushing touchdowns. The senior totaled 280 yards last week against West Florida's defense that features one of the top front sevens in the nation. Arceneaux is the engine to the Tigers' offense and must be on his 'A' game against Delta State in order for UWA to return to the win column. 

Arceneaux's top targets in the passing game continues to be Dearrius Nelson and TD Parker. The duo combined for 140 receiving yards last week, with Parker registering a career-high 102. Tight End Jaxon Colvin has emerged as a reliable pass catcher for the Tigers as he hauled in his second touchdown of the season against the Argonauts. On the ground, UWA will be without one of their top rushers in Contravious Blanks this weekend due to a season ending lower body injury. With Blanks out, Brayden Jenkins and Michael Dujon will likely receive most carries while Tyler Smith continues to work his way back into the Running Back rotation.

West Alabama's defense comes into the weekend after turning in a solid performance against West Florida. JT Hooten continues to impress as the sophomore was named the GSC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after a 14-tackle performance against the Argonauts. Hooten's combination of speed, size, and technique separates him as he's quickly become one of the top Linebackers in the GSC. The sophomore now leads the conference in tackles per game with a 8.5 mark. 

Up front, Marquis Robinson is UWA's best run stopper. The Defensive Lineman recorded nine total tackles last week, moving his season total to 30.0. In the secondary, Issac Williams is the leader. Williams's ability both as a run stopper and in coverage, makes him an irreplaceable player for UWA. 

After holding UWF to a season-low 23 points last week, West Alabama is locked in on a new challenge, Delta State, who's averaging 37.4 points per game. 

The leader of the Statesmen's offense is their QB and Preseason All-GSC selection, Cole Kirk. Similar to UWA's Arceneaux, Kirk possesses that dual threat ability, making him a tough player to contain. DSU has been more of a run heavy team this season, resulting in Kirk's passing numbers being a bit down. Through seven games, the Quarterback has thrown for 985 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 227 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Over the last three games, Kirk has thrown two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Through the air, Kirk spreads the ball around. Curtis Rearden and Lawrence Armstrong are the Statesmen's big play receivers. Rearden leads the team in receiving yards and touchdowns with 283 yards and three scores on 12 catches. As for  Armstrong, he's recorded 13 receptions, 243 yards, and one touchdown thus far. 

DSU's offensive line and rushing attack is their bread and butter. Delta State is averaging 192.9 yards per game on the ground, led by their featured back, Nick Clark. Clark leads the Statesmen with 371 rushing yards and a GSC leading 10 touchdowns on 78 carries. The redshirt freshman has scored seven touchdowns over the past three games, including a pair of three-touchdown performances against Barton College and Erskine. Alongside Clark, Qualon Farrar, Marlon Palmer, and Davion Alston have all received significant carries.

Defensively, DSU is tough to crack. The Statesmen are allowing 11.8 points per game which leads the GSC and ranks fifth nationally. Delta State is strong at all three levels but their passing defense has stood out as they've only allowed four passing touchdowns through seven games. Tye Hosley and Jairus McFarland have led the secondary. Hosley comes into Saturday's game with 43.0 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, and an interception. As for McFarland, he's registered a team-high eight pass breakups along with 30 total tackles. 

While speaking highly of their passing defense, DSU's rush defense has also been stellar. Led by a Linebacker crew of William Carter, Joshua Phillips, and Tavian Moore, the Statesmen have held opponents to 2.5 yards per carry and 93.4 yards per game. 

Saturday's matchup between No. 11 West Alabama and No. 17 Delta State is another intriguing GSC battle. Kick-off is set for 2:00 p.m. from Tiger Stadium.