Another full slate of head-to-head United Athletic Conference (UAC) Football games highlights Week 9 action as teams continue to battle for the league title and postseason consideration. 

SATURDAY SLATE | Oct. 26
2 PM ET  | SOUTHERN UTAH at WEST GEORGIA* (ESPN+)
3 PM ET  | UTAH TECH at EKU* (ESPN+)
3 PM CT  | #8 TARLETON STATE at AUSTIN PEAY* (ESPN+)
4 PM CT | NORTH ALABAMA at #10/12 CENTRAL ARKANSAS* (ESPN+)
* UAC Conference Game

GAME OF THE WEEK: With both team coming off byes following important conference victories, the clash between #10 Central Arkansas and North Alabama on "The Stripes" in Conway pits a pair of conference championship contenders, each with just one UAC loss, against each other... UNA looks to post back-to-back upsets of Top 10 ranked opponents and extend its current win streak to four games while remaining in the chase for the crown... UCA turned back a late upset bid by West Georgia in their last outing and now turn their attention to "Homecoming" and remaining undefeated at home this season... The Lions leads the all-time series with a 15-7 advantage, but the Bears have won the last two matchups in 2022 and 2023

HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE
- At the midway point of the 2024 season, a trio of UAC squads are still undefeated on their home fields as Central Arkansas (3-0), EKU (3-0) and Tarleton State (3-0) have successfully defended their homes

BORN TO RUN 
-The UAC is home to the TOP THREE running backs in FCS rushing with TSU’s Kavyon Britten (1,160 yds), UCA’s ShunDerrick Powell (1,107 yds) and SUU’s Targhee Lambson (1,093 yds)... In all of Division I Football (FCS & FBS) only Heisman hopeful Ashton Jeanty (1,248 yards) of Boise State has more yards

NOTEWORTHY
- Week 9 sees only ACU on a BYE with four teams (UCA, UNA, SUU and TSU) returning from a week off
- 3 of the 4 games will be “Homecoming” contests for their hosts as the Govs, Bears and Colonels will welcome back alumni
- Stats Perform named a trio of UAC rookies to the “Watch List” for the Jerry Rice Award, presented to the FCS Freshman of the Year... Honorees: UNA’s Josh Anglin and Jalen Fletcher, SUU’s Jayden Robertson
- Oct. 5 clash between #5 Central Arkansas and #16 Abilene Christian was just the second head-to-head UAC battle of ranked squads in league history... UCA has been part of both competitions, having faced #12 Austin Peay, ranked 20th last season
- With Southern Utah’s 27-24 OT win over UTEP on Sept. 7, the T-Birds secured the league’s first victory against an FBS foe... Abilene Christian (52-51 loss at Texas Tech) and Central Arkansas (34-31 loss at Arkansas State) both nearly accomplished the feat as well this season
- UCA’s 34-14 victory over #19 Lamar (Sept. 29) marked just the second UAC win against a ranked non-conference foe... EKU topped #16 Southeast Missouri, 41-38, last year
- Thunderbirds head coach DeLane Fitzgerald earned the 100th of his career with SUU’s victory over EKU... Fitzgerald joined TSU’s Todd Whitten (135 wins) in the Century Win Club 

HOW DO WE STACK UP?
- A trio of UAC teams were again ranked in the Top 25 nationally as ACU, UCA and TSU were all recognized. The Texans were listed 8th (STATS & AFCA), the Bears were 10th (AFCA)/ 12th (STATS) while the Wildcats were 17th (STATS)/ 19th (AFCA)
- In the Sept. 30 STATS Ranking, Central Arkanasas was listed No. 5, marking the highest ever rank for a UAC program
- The league has seen three teams ranked in the Top 25 for six consecutive weeks... Three teams ranked in one week is a league high benchmark
- Including the Preseason Poll, eight of the nine teams in the conference have received votes for the Top 25 in one or both of the National Rankings (STATS Peform & AFCA)

WHAT TO WATCH FOR...
- Following an impressive out of conference win last Saturday, West Georgia steps back into league play as they welcome Southern Utah to the "Peach State"... The Thunderbirds are coming off a bye last week and look to collect a second straight UAC win and keep pace in the race for the championship... The Wolves are still seeking their first league victory but have been close in their last two games, losing by just a combined five points

- EKU hosts Utah Tech for "Homecoming" with the Colonels striving to stay undefeated (3-0) at Roy Kidd Stadium this season... The Trailblazers are in search of their first win of the year and in UAC play as they make the cross country trip... EKU posted a 34-30 win at Utah Tech in the inaugural match-up of this series

- In the day's final "Homecoming" clash, #8 Tarleton State returns from a bye with a road trip to the "Volunteer State" and a game versus Austin Peay... The Texans are undefeated (3-0) in UAC play and have won five games in a row as they continue to climb the national rankings... The Govs, the defending UAC Champions, are back in "The Fort" following a pair of hard fought UAC road victories the last two games

MILESTONE WATCHES:
- ShunDerrick Powell (UCA RB) needs 215 yards for 4,000 career rushing yards
- Darius Hale (UCA RB) needs 152 yards for 3,000 career rushing yards
- Rajaez Mosley (UWG RB) needs 96 yards for 2,000 career rushing yards
- Caleb Lewis (TSU RB) needs 142 yards for 2,000 career rushing yards
- Maverick McIvor (ACU QB) needs 264 yards for 7,000 career passing yards
- Will McElvain (UCA QB) needs 381 yards for 7,000 career passing yards
- Romon Copeland Jr. (APSU WR) needs 403 yards for 2,000 career receiving yards
- Mark Bails Jr. (SUU WR) needs 413 yards for 2,000 career receiving yards
- Adrian Guzman (TSU P/K) needs 5 FGM to reach 50 career FGM
- Ritse Vaes (ACU PK) needs 6 FGM to reach 50 career FGM
- David Walker (UCA DL) needs 3 sacks for 40 career sacks
- Demetrias Charles (UCA DB) needs 1 tackle for 200 career stops
- Kohner Cullimore (SUU LB) needs 12 tackles for 200 career tackles
- Dion Hunter (AP DB) needs 17 tackles for 200 career stops

Milestones Reached in 2024
- Southern Utah Head Coach DeLane Fitzgerald earned 100th win of his coaching career on Oct. 12
- Patrick Nations (EKU PK) connected on his 50th FGM on Oct. 12
- TaMuarion Wilson (UCA DB) surpassed 300 tackles on Oct. 12
- Maverick McIvor (ACU QB) surpassed 6,000 career passing yards on Oct. 5
- ShunDerrick Powell (UCA RB) surpassed 3,000 career rushing yards on Sept. 14
- Takairee Kenebrew (UNA WR) reached 2,000 career receiving yards on Sept. 14
- Kayvon Britten (TSU RB) reached 3,000 career rushing yards on Sept. 21 (*had UAC record 273 rushing yds vs UNA)
- Derrel Kelley III (TSU RB) surpassed 2,000 career rushing yards on Sept. 21
- Targhee Lambson (SUU RB) reached 1,000 career rushing yards on Sept. 21
- Will McElvain (UCA QB) surpassed 6,000 career passing yards on Sept. 28 (*at UCA)
- Darius Cooper (TSU WR) surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards on Sept. 28
- David Walker (UCA DL) reached 50 career TFLs on Sept. 28
- Elijah Moffett (ACU LB) eclipsed 200 career tackles on Sept. 28
- Donta Stuart (TSU DB) reached 200 career tackles on Sept. 28