LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The University of West Alabama Football team travels to Hickory, North Carolina on Saturday for a 2:00 p.m. CST road test against No. 21 Lenoir-Rhyne.

West Alabama (1-0) enters Saturday's matchup off the heels of a 27-17 Red Tails Classic win over Tuskegee in their season opener. For Lenoir-Rhyne (1-0), they're set to host the Tigers after blowing out Virginia Union, 45-3, in their season opener last Thursday.

Offensively, West Alabama accumulated  411 yards in their season opener and were led by Quarterback Luther Richesson. Richesson was named the Red Tails Classic MVP after recording 309 total yards with 215 coming through the air and 94 yards on the ground. The graduate also added three touchdowns, tossing two to Kaden Cupp. 

The Tigers have an immense amount of options on offense. TD Parker is their WR1 but Cupp, Madixx Morris, and Jaylon York are all dangerous weapons along with Nick Crayton and Torrey Ward who both missed the season opener due to injury. On the ground, Running Backs Brayden Jenkins, Dakarai Shanks, and Michael Dujon are running behind an offense line that's anchored by Ben Newton, Mason Hiller, and Barrett Cain. UWA picked up 196 yards on the ground against Tuskegee last weekend while Shanks was named the GSC Freshman of the Week after recording 62 yards on 14 carries.

Defensively, West Alabama allowed 363 yards against the Golden Tigers in Week Zero. The unit was led by the GSC Defensive Player of the Week, Anthony Oatis, who recorded 5.0 tackles, 1.0 TFLs, and 1.0 sacks. Ayden Gibson was also disruptive on the D-Line, recording 2.0 TFLs. Joseph Harper leads a Linebacker core that includes Kebian Gilmore, Lake Gurley, and Nate Thomason. 

Chrissean Jones, KC Bradford, and Legend Doggett are the stars of the Defensive Back room. Jones recorded a forced fumble last week while Doggett will more than likely get the assignment of Lenoir-Rhyne's WR1 on Saturday. Bradford recorded a team-high 5.0 tackles last week and is looking to build on that performance on Saturday.

In 2025, Lenoir-Rhyne had their worst season in program history in nearly a decade, turning in a 6-5 record. Over the last nine years, the Bears have been one of the top programs in the Region, amassing a 73-20 record since 2017. Five of those losses came in 2025 where the Bears turned in a 6-5 record. 

After an outlier season last year, Lenoir-Rhyne made a statement in their season opener with a thunderous 45-3 victory over Virginia Union who were ranked No. 14 in the country at the time. In that game, the Bears outgained Virginia Union, 505-183, while forcing three turnovers.

Lenoir Rhyne's offense showed balance, rushing for 242 yards on 40 attempts while passing for 263 yards on 30 attempts. Quarterback, Wells Bettenhausen was 18-26 through the air for 261 yards along with a touchdown. Bettenhausen's favorite target proved to be Mikel McClellan who recorded seven receptions for 112 yards while Jarrod Mewborn scored a touchdown along with five catches and 67 receiving yards. Freshman Shamil Saadiq is a matchup nightmare as he stands at 6'3". Saadiq has earned a starting spot and is a player UWA will have to key in on on Saturday.

LJ Turner and Sherman Davis led the ground attack for Lenoir-Rhyne. The duo combined for 170 rushing yards on 24 carries. Davis rushed for a game-high 109 yards on eight carries, averaging 13.6 yards per carry while Turner was the workhouse, accumulating 16 carries for 62 yards.

Defensively, Lenoir-Rhyne flexed their muscle up front as their front seven helped hold Virginia Union to just 26 rushing yards. The Bears are big on the Defensive Line as their starting Nose Tackle, Defensive Tackle, and Defensive End carry an average weight of 296.6 pounds. On top of stopping the run, Lenoir-Rhyne also recorded six sacks last week, showcasing a mix of power, speed, and finesse on the line of scrimmage. 

At Linebacker, Courtney Watson, Agnus Weaver, and Brodie Bradburn all played well in Week Zero while DBs, Duke McClinton, KJ Whitehead, and KJ Makins helps Lenoir-Rhyne solidify a strong defensive unit.

Kickoff for Saturday's matchup between West Alabama and Lenoir-Rhyne is set for 2:00 p.m. CST/3:00 p.m. EST from Helen & Leonard Moretz Stadium. The game will be streamed live on FloCollege.