October is here, which means the Lone Star Conference football championship race is about to kick into high gear. The Week 5 schedule features a quartet of LSC clashes throughout Saturday, promising some early-season separation. 

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Angelo State is back in action after its Week 4 bye, and the Rams have a UT Permian Basin bunch waiting for them. The Falcons look to ride the momentum of a statement win on the road last week, as they dominated Midwestern State on the defensive end en route to a 27-3 decision. 

Meanwhile, Central Washington has been rolling against Div. II competition. The Wildcats look to stay perfect against D-II teams and continue setting the pace in the LSC this week when they return to the road. 

Check out the complete slate of LSC action in Week 5 as October gets underway. 

Western Oregon at Western New Mexico 

Since opening with a pair of losses to Div. I opponents, Western Oregon has rebounded with a pair of LSC victories. The Wolves followed their 39-17 Week 3 rout of Sul Ross State with a 24-16 defeat of West Texas A&M in WOU's home opener last Saturday. 

Western Oregon rode another strong defensive performance against LSC combination, most notably its ability to get into the WTAMU backfield. Behind Malcom Liufau's 3.5 tackles for loss, the Wolves racked up nine TFL and four sacks. 

Liufao lead the Wolves with 25 tackles on the season and five tackles for loss. He's also delivered three quarterback hurries and forced a fumble as a linchpin in Western Oregon's pass-rush defense. With the Wolves front seven providing consistent pressure,  WOU have four interceptions in four games with Tyler Copeland's two setting the pace. 

It's another stiff challenge for the Western New Mexico offense, which has gone two straight weeks without scoring a point. The Mustangs dropped shutout decisions of 21-0 to Angelo State and 36-0 last week visiting powerhouse Central Washington. 

WNMU flourished offensively in non-conference play, both wins, outgunning Adams State, 46-36 and New Mexico Highlands, 36-33. The story has been much different for the Mustangs in LSC play, however, totaling three points in three games. They managed a field goal in a Week 0 loss at UTPB. 

PREDICTION: Western Oregon 28, Western New Mexico 10 

Angelo State at UT Permian Basin 

UT Permian Basin going on the road in Week 4 and shutting down Midwestern State marked a significant bounce-back for the Falcons after a 20-14 loss the previous week to Texas A&M-Kingsville. 

UTPB now enters into a pivotal stretch with Angelo State coming to Midland in Week 5 and a showdown with Central Washington looming in Week 6. The Falcons cannot look ahead to their trip to the Pacific Northwest, however. The Rams come in 2-0 in LSC play after holding off Eastern New Mexico in a 26-20 win on Sept. 14 and shutting out Western New Mexico the following week. 

Angelo State's defense ranks No. 19 in Div. II at 14.5 points allowed per game. The Rams have been bend-don't-break, ranking 56th against the pass and 55th against the run — respectable numbers, particularly vs. the rush with a 3.1 yard per carry yield. But opponents have been able to get some yardage without cashing in for points. 

UTPB aims to change that after a strong showing at Midwestern State. MSU had been stingy before Week 4, but the Falcons were able to bruise the Mustangs on the ground with Kory Harris going for 148 yards; and through the air, as Dylan Graham passed for 241 yards and a pair of touchdowns. 

Graham ranks sixth in Div. II with 1,365 passing yards. He's thrown for 13 touchdowns as well, spread among seven different receivers. Jeremiah Cooley has 22 receptions including four touchdowns, while La'Quan Wells hauled in his third scoring reception in last week's win. 

If the Falcons can recreate the offensive and defensive effort it put together in Week 4, they have the all-around firepower to score a signature win ahead of next week's huge matchup with Central Washington. 

PREDICTION: UT Permian Basin 28, Angelo State 21 

Midwestern State at Texas A&M-Kingsville

Texas A&M-Kingsville brings a three-game winning streak, including a pair of LSC victories, into its Champions Night contest with Midwestern State. The Javelinas will recognize past championship-winning squads, including the program's four NAIA national champions from 1959 to 1979, and the four LSC title winners from 1984 through 2009. 

A win over Midwestern State will position the 2024 Javelinas in favorable position to contend for a fifth LSC championship. They're looking to move to 3-0 in conference play, already sporting wins over UT Permian Basin on the road and over Sul Ross State in a 56-21 romp last week. 

The Javelinas offense received a jump-start commensurate with the start of its winning streak, courtesy of quarterback Teague Sedtal. Sedtal is completing almost 65 percent of his pass attempts, and against Sul Ross State erupted for four touchdown throws. 

His passing adds another dimension to the Texas A&M-Kingsville offensive attack, which features a multifaceted rushing approach behind Roger Hagan (83 yards per game) and Santana Scott (41.5 yards per game). Coupled with a defense holding opponents to 14.5 points per game, the Javelinas are clicking heading into October. 

A&M-Kingsville's defense features a fearsome pass-rush tandem in Demarcus Hendricks, who has four sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss in four games; and Xavier Henderson, with 2.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. The duo will lead the charge to extend Midwestern State's offensive challenges from last week's loss to UTPB into Week 5. 

The Mustangs hosted the Falcons last weeek having put together three strong performances on both sides of the ball in amassing a 2-1 record, the lone loss coming to a ranked Western Colorado bunch in a 38-33 shootout. Against UTPB, however, Midwestern State amassed just 87 rushing yards and 253 yards in total. 

Whether Week 4 was an aberration or indicative of larger concerns for the Mustangs as conference play continues will be evident by game's end on Saturday. 

PREDICTION: Texas A&M-Kingsville 24, Midwestern State 20 

Central Washington at Eastern New Mexico 

Another dominant showing in Week 4 saw Central Washington move to No. 9 in the D2Football.com Top 25. The Wildcats are allowing just 10.3 points per game to rank seventh in Div. II. Take out a Week 1 loss to Div. I opponent San Diego in which CWU allowed 26 points, and the Wildcats are holding opponents to all of five points per game. 

Chase Loidhamer had a monster Week 4 for CWU with three sacks in the 36-0 shutout of Western New Mexico. His standout performance continues the Wildcats trend of different playmakers stepping up each week throughout this initial stretch of the season. Offensively, Tyler Flanagan and Kennedy McGill have been consistent in their production with more than 600 combined rushing yards. 

Flanagan has also scored a touchdown every week. Each of McGill's three touchdown passes have come in the last two weeks, including a pair vs. WNMU. 

The Wildcats head to Eastern New Mexico to face a Greyhounds team looking to avoid an 0-3 hole in LSC play. ENMU opened with wins over New Mexico Highlands and Sul Ross State, the latter in a non-conference tilt. 

The Greyhounds last two outings resulted in a 26-20 decision against Angelo State when, after cutting a two-score deficit to six points, ENMU could not force a stop to regain possession. The next week, the Greyhounds dug an early 16-0 hole and never receovered in a 36-15 loss. 

They face an uphill climb against a Central Washington team that looks like the class of the LSC through the first month. 

PREDICTION: Central Washington 35, Eastern New Mexico 10 

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