Gents Set To Face Austin College For Homecoming
The Centenary football team will face the Austin College 'Roos in a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference contest on Saturday as the Gents celebrate Homecoming with kickoff set for 6 p.m. at Atkins Field.
Shreveport - The Centenary football team will face the Austin College 'Roos in a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference contest on Saturday as the Gents celebrate Homecoming with kickoff set for 6 p.m. at Atkins Field.
Live stats and live video are available for the game at the links below:
STATS: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/fball/2024-25/boxscores/20241026_9ld9.xml
VIDEO: https://www.ktalnews.com/gocentenary/watch-live-centenary-college-sports-2024-2025/
The Gents (3-4, 3-2 SCAC) recorded a thrilling comeback victory over the Lyon College Scots last Saturday in Batesville, Ark. by a score of 28-21 as they scored the winning touchdown with 15 seconds remaining in the game.
Austin College (1-6, 1-4 SCAC) fell 55-17 at home to Texas Lutheran University last Saturday. This marks the second meeting between the two teams this season after the Gents posted a 36-17 win over the 'Roos in Sherman, Texas on Sept. 21.
"It feels great to be back home this week to face a talented and well-coached Austin College team," said Centenary head coach Byron Dawson.
"We need to be prepared to perform at a high level on Saturday. Each week, our aim is to improve on the little things, master the fundamentals, and execute as a team. Now We Go."
A look back at last week:
Facing a seven-point deficit with only 3:35 remaining in the game, the Gents quickly moved 64 yards in only six plays in 1:41 and junior RB Bobby Shanklin Jr. (Macon, Miss.) capped the drive with a 3-yard TD run and sophomore LB/P/PK Vance Feuerbacher (Plano, Texas) added the tying PAT to knot the game at 21-21 with just 1:54 left in the game.
Centenary's opportunistic defense then came up with a game-defining play on Lyon's next possession as freshman DB Jacob Wilson (Shreveport, La.) intercepted Lyon QB Joe Galay and returned it 24 yards. The Gents took over at their own 35-yard line with only 53 seconds left in the game and moved 34 yards in five plays and faced a 2nd down and 10 at the Lyon 26-yard line. Junior QB Zin'Tavious Smith (Coushatta, La.) then connected with junior WR Kobe Chambers (Greenwood, Miss.) for a 26-yard TD with 15 seconds left. Feuerbacher's PAT was good and the Gents led 28-21.
Senior K Enrique Hernandez (Beaumont, Texas) kicked off and it was returned by Javarion Williams 18 yards to the Lyon 40-yard line. Freshman DB Jacob Black (New Orleans, La.) then sealed the comeback win as he picked off Galay on the first play as the Gents earned the comeback win.
The Gents ran 72 plays for 390 yards and had 24 first downs. They rushed 31 times for 80 yards and Smith passed for a season-high 310 yards. Centenary's 390 total yards are the second most in a game this season, behind only the 443 racked up in the first meeting against Lyon (a 35-14 home win on Oct. 5).
Chambers was the Gents' top receiving target as he hauled in nine catches for 134 yards and one TD, junior RB Josh Ware (Shreveport, La.) led the way on the ground with nine carries for 41 yards and one TD, and Smith finished 29-41 with his season-best 310 years and a TD with no interceptions. Feuerbacher led the way on defense with eight solo tackles (10 total tackles with 1 sack and 2 TFL).
Feuerbacher was named the SCAC Football Special Teams Player-of-the-Week on Monday and it marks the second consecutive week he has won the honor. He had another outstanding all-around game for the Gents as in addition to his team-leading 10 tackles, he was 4-for-4 on PAT's, punted four times for 135 yards with a long of 40 and landed one inside the 20-yard line.
Wilson was named the SCAC Football Defensive Player of the Week on Monday as he was recognized for his big INT that led to the Gents' winning TD. He added four total tackles and two pass breakups. Wilson was also recognized nationally as he was named to the D3Football.com Team of the Week on Tuesday. The Team of the Week is D3football.com's weekly honor roll, in its 26th season of recognizing the top performance at each position from the previous week. Players are selected from nominations from their school's sports information directors.
Wilson, who also made the team last month after week one of the season, is the first SCAC football athlete to appear on multiple national team of the week squads in the same season since Austin College's Kyle Crawford in 2014.
The Gents are averaging 303.3 yards per game on offense – 206.3 passing and 97.0 rushing and 20.7 PPG.
Gents' Individual Season Statistical Leaders
PASSING: Smith – 67-110 for 791 yards (6 TD and 4 INT)
RECEIVING: Chambers – 35 catches for 441 yards and 3 TD
RUSHING: Smith – 58 attempts for 264 yards and 3 TD
TACKLES: Feuerbacher – 39 total tackles (32 solo) with 6.5 TFL and 1 sack
Smith is fourth in the conference in passing yards per game (113.0) and Chambers is second in receiving yards/game at 63.0.
Wilson is tied for third in INT's with three and his teammate, sophomore DB Bryan Washington (Wylie, Texas) is fourth with two.
Sophomore DL D'Qavion Lemons (Shreveport, La.) ranks fourth in the league in tackles for loss (6.0) and is tied for fifth in sacks (3.0).
A Glance at the 'Roos:
Austin College was picked to finish fourth in the preseason SCAC poll, only head of Lyon College. The 'Roos are currently in fourth place, ahead of fifth-place Lyon.
The 'Roos are averaging 353.3 yards per game on offense and average 20.7 PPG. They have been very balanced on offense as they are averaging 178.3 yards rushing and pass for 175.0.
QB Jaylon Talton ranks second in the conference in passing yards/game at 174.9, RB Barrett Hudson leads the league in rushing yards/game (96.7), and WR Jacob Brewer is fourth in receiving yards/game (55.0).
PK Caleb Balderas is fourth in the league in scoring (37), just ahead of Brewer (36).
Defensively, Colton Gerken and Brady Dygert are the conference's top two tackles with 68 and 66 stops respectively, and DE Ian Sharpshair is tied for third in sacks (4.0) and tied for fourth in TFL (6.0).
Tony Joe White, in his second season, is the head coach of the 'Roos.
Take a look back at the first meeting between the teams last month which was a historic moment for the Gents: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/fball/2024-25/releases/20240921wlrjfi
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
Parking
- Student, faculty, and staff must park on the north side of Kings Hwy.
- Handicap parking will be available in Lot 17
- Lot 16 will be reserved for those who purchased a VIP pass.
- Lot 18, the gravel lot, and the Porter's Building parking lot will be open parking. Once that area is full, the lots and turn off from Kings Hwy will be closed and people will be directed to park on the north side of Kings Hwy. There will be limited cart service once this lot closes.
Tickets
Tickets can only be purchased online anytime or on game day upon arrival at the stadium on your mobile device. All tickets are digital, there are no physical (paper) tickets. Tickets can be purchased online anytime at centenary.edu/footballtickets or https://fan.hudl.com/usa/la/shreveport/organization/69826/centenary-college-of/tickets
Bags
At the point of entry, please be prepared to have your bag checked, or bring a clear bag.
Other info
- Gates open at 4:30 p.m.
- No pets, lawn chairs, or outside food and beverage are allowed inside the stadium.
GAMEDAY TIMELINE
5:10 PM GENTS WALK – THROUGH MAIN GATE
5:50 PM GENTS TAKE THE FIELD
5:53 PM INVOCATION/PRAYER & NATIONAL ANTHEM
6 PM KICK OFF – GENTS VS. 'ROOS
HALFTIME – C.E. BYRD HS MARCHING BAND & HOMECOMING COURT RECOGNITION
For more information about becoming a Centenary football season or per game sponsor, please contact Assistant AD/Strategic Communications Patrick Meehan at 318-865-5092 or pmeehan@centenary.edu OR Collin Taylor, Development Officer for Athletics, at 318-869-5052 or cbtaylor2@centenary.edu
See the complete Gents' season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/fball/2024-25/schedule
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