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Nov. 29, 2009

BUFFS GOING BOWLING - The hottest team in the Lone Star Conference has been rewarded for its strong play down the stretch, as West Texas A&M will face MIAA-member Nebraska-Omaha in the inaugural Lower Kanza Bowl (Lower rhymes with `power'), Saturday, December 5, in Topeka, Kansas. Kickoff at the Hummer Sports Park (cap. 6,000/Turf) is set for 1 p.m. CST.

TICKETS - Tickets for the Kanza Bowl are priced as follows: Adults: $8 in advance, $10 on game day Youth: $5 (12 & under) Students: $8 (With valid ID) Military: $5 (With ID game day only) Tickets are available for advance purchase at the First United Bank Center (806) 651-1414.

THE RECORDS - West Texas A&M compiled 2009 records of 6-5 overall, 6-3 LSC, 4-2 LSC South. Nebraska-Omaha posted records of 7-4 overall, 6-3 MIAA. The Mavericks finished their MIAA schedule in a four-way tie for second place in the conference race.

THE COACHES - WTAMU head coach Don Carthel, the winningest coach in WT football history, has a record of 50-12 (.806) in his fifth season at the helm of the Buff football program and sports a 13-year collegiate career mark of 96-58-1 (.623). He ranks atop all Buffalo football coaches in terms of winning percentage (min. 20 games coached) and stands third on the all-time WT victory list. Nebraska-Omaha is coached by Pat Behms (Dakota State `72), who is 119-61 (.661) in his 16th season as the Maverick's head coach and 155-88 (.637) in 21 years as a head coach.

THE SERIES - This will be the first meeting between the two schools' football programs.

BUFFS AND BOWL GAMES - The 2009 Kanza Bowl will represent WT's fifth bowl appearance in school history, and their first bowl appearance since the 1967 Junior Rose Bowl. The Buffaloes are a perfect 4-0 in bowl games, having won the 1951 Sun Bowl (WT 14, Cincinnati 13), the 1957 Tangerine Bowl (WT 20, Southern Miss 13), the 1962 Sun Bowl (WT 15, Ohio 14) and the 1967 Junior Rose Bowl (WT 35, San Fernando Valley 13).

THE REGULAR-SEASON FINALE - The Buffs' offense closed out the regular season strong, gaining 635 yards and scoring 49 points in their 49-35 win over #7-Tarleton State. Coming into the game, the Texan defense was allowing just 276 yards and 14 points per contest Meanwhile, Nebraska-Omaha upset Missouri Western State, 30-21, on the road in St. Joseph, Mo.

WHAT A RUN! - After starting the season at 1-5, West Texas A&M finished the regular season with the longest winning streak in the Lone Star Conference, going 5-0 over their final five games. In that string were victories over two NCAA Division II Playoff-bound teams, Abilene Christian and Tarleton State.

ANOTHER WINNING SEASON - Despite that 1-5 beginning, West Texas A&M recorded its fifth-consecutive winning season, going 6-5, with the possibility of a game remaining to be played. The Buffs have not suffered a losing campaign under the guidance of head coach Don Carthel.

OH, NO YOU DON'T - For a fifth-consecutive season, the Buffaloes faced Tarleton State in the regular-season finale and, for the fifth consecutive season, took a victory. Buff wins in 2004, 2005 and 2006 kept the Texans out of a potential playoff berth. This year, WT took a 49-35 win in Stephenville, however, the Texans still advanced to the playoffs.

HARRIS RIGHT ON THE MONEY - Quarterback Taylor Harris' performance at Tarleton State was simply unbelievable. He completed his first 17 consecutive passes for 264 yards and had just two incompletions at halftime (completing 20-of-23 with an interception). His game total of 536 passing yards were the most ever allowed by a Tarleton State team, surpassing the previous mark of 473 (also set by West Texas A&M in 1994).

SIMPLY GOLDEN - Just one week after posting his most productive day as a Buffalo, WR Brittan Golden went even better, as he caught six passes for a career-high 201 yards and one TD in the Buffs' 49-35 win at Tarleton State. The Denver City, Texas, native posted TD catches of 92 and 53 yards against the Texans. For the year, he has accounted for seven of the Buffs nine longest TD plays.

IF ONLY... - One can only wonder what the Buffaloes' season may have been had they had the services of RB Keithon Flemming for the duration of the schedule. Playing in just the final five games of the year, the Mesquite, Texas native rushed for 438 yards (including a pair of 100-yard performances) and 11 TDs, while catching 35 passes for 270 yards and 3 TDs. His 14 total touchdowns lead the Buffs in scoring this year.

FINISHING STRONG - Over the course of the Buffs' five-game winning streak, QB Taylor Harris was perhaps the hottest signal-caller in the LSC. Over those five games, the Whitesboro, Texas, native completed 141-of 192 passes (73.4 pct.) for 1,941 yards and 14 TDs. During that time, he became just the seventh WT quarterback to throw for over 4,000 yards during his career.

STEPPING UP - In addition to Harris, the Buffs received sterling efforts from several other players during their stretch run. WR Brittan Golden caught five-game totals of 24 passes for 539 yards and six TDs....an average of 22.4 yards per catch and 107.8 yards per game and WR Tyson Williams responded with five-game totals of 36 catches for 537 yards and three TDs.

DON'T RUSH - Over the second half of this season, the Buffs' defense has made a habit of limiting a potent offensive unit to well below their season average. They did so against Angelo State (just 15 points and 327 total yards) after the Rams had entered the game averaging 414 yards and 32 points per contest. One week prior, they held Abilene Christian to just 301 yards of total offense. The Wildcats had entered the contest averaging 419.5 yards per game. WT also held an ACU offense that ranked 14th, nationally, in scoring, to just 21 points (after averaging 36.4 ppg.). The Buffs also held Eastern New Mexico to just 331 total yards (235.5 below their season average). In doing so, they also limited a squad that was averaged 511.8 passing yards to just 245...a minus-266.8 yard drop. This past week, they held Northeastern State to just 259 yards.