By: Kyle Piercy, Director of Athletics Communications
No. 19 Centre Colonels (2-0) at Austin Kangaroos (1-1)
Date: Saturday, September 21
Site: Sherman, Texas
Stadium: Jerry Apple Stadium
Kickoff: 1 p.m. CT / 2 p.m. ET
Centre:
Schedule |
Roster |
Stats
Austin:
Schedule |
Roster |
Stats
On Tap
- Centre football begins Southern Athletic Association action Saturday, traveling to face associate-member Austin in Sherman, Texas.
Series History
- Centre is 8-1 all-time against Austin, winning each of the last eight meetings, including a 38-20 victory a season ago (more below).
- The first five meetings between Centre and Austin were all decided by a touchdown or less, but the Colonels outscored Austin by a combined 138-23 margin in their previous four games.
The Last Meeting
Centre 38, Austin 20 (10.6.18)
- The Colonels built a 24-7 halftime lead against the Kangaroos and never looked back during the 2018 victory – a game that featured 23 combined penalties and nearly 800 yards of offense.
- Despite being outgained in the game, the Colonels took advantage of their opportunities to score, putting points on the board all six times they entered the red zone. Austin only converted half of its red zone chances into points.
- Austin quarterback Colt Collins accounted for 207 passing and 105 rushing yards in the loss.
- Defensively,
Connor John,
Carter Smith and
Ryan Smith all led Centre with seven tackles.
Carter Smith's six solo tackles were a team high.
Nate Johnson recorded an interception, as well.
Last Time Out
Centre 27, Maryville 22 (9.14.19)
- Centre's home-opener last Saturday against Maryville was no cakewalk, but the Colonels escaped victorious nonetheless.
- The Colonels found themselves down 16-0 in the second quarter, before outscoring the Scots 27-6 the rest of the way to improve to 2-0.
- The defense held Maryville to just 54 passing yards and a paltry 1-for-13 effort on third down conversions. Centre also finished with six sacks as a team, with
Clayton Bell's two leading all individuals.
-
Dameon Jones Jr. shined offensively, carrying the ball 16 times for 103 yards and a touchdown.
Ground Game
- Jones Jr. (175 yards) and
Patric Edwards (174) rank second and third, respectively, among SAA rushing leaders. Jones Jr. is averaging a conference-best 6.0 yards per carry, while Edwards is third at 5.5.
Conference Champs
- The Colonels earned a SAA Co-Championship last season, finishing 7-1 in the league to match Berry atop the standings.
- Last year's conference title was the program's 17th overall and two since joining the Southern Athletic Association.
In the Polls
- Centre dropped a spot from No. 18 to No. 19 in the latest D3football.com Top 25.
Scouting the 'Roos
- Austin is coming off a narrow 27-26 comeback victory at Southwestern Assemblies of God, getting a late touchdown pass from Collins to Adonis Martin to seal its first win of the season.
- Through two weeks, the Kangaroos' defense has surrendered 37 points per game – ranking near the bottom of the SAA – and has allowed 268 passing and 176 rushing yards per game.
- Collins trails only Centre's
Clark Payne in passing yards per game (250.5), throwing four touchdowns against two interceptions. On the ground, however, the 'Roos average just 94 yards per game, compared to the Colonels' league-best 211.
- Austin linebacker Keegan Nichols has 24 tackles through two games to lead the Kangaroo defense.
Next Week
- Next week, the Colonels return home for Family Weekend to meet Trinity at 12 p.m. ET inside Farris Stadium.
- Trinity leads the all-time series over Centre, 15-11, but the Colonels have won three in a row, including last season by a 33-28 final at home
- The two programs were former competitors in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), and each represented the league in the 2011 NCAA Tournament.
