LSC week 5 power rankings: Angelo State continues to climb

Angelo State is off to its first 4-0 start since 2015. [Provided photo]

1. Tarleton (4-0, 2-0): Huge news broke Monday that Tarleton will be leaving the Lone Star Conference, making the jump to Division I to join the Western Athletic Conference. Through four games, Tarleton looks like a D1 team. Offensively, Tarleton leads the nation in total offense averaging 583 yards a contest. Tip of the cap to coach Todd Whitten on becoming the program’s all-time wins leader with 72 victories.

2. Angelo State (4-0, 2-0): The Rams proved to be contenders in the LSC, dominating MSU-Texas at home last Saturday, 28-6. ASU is off to its first 4-0 start since 2015, and will get another huge test at Tarleton on Saturday night.

3. MSU-Texas (3-1, 1-1): A 28-6 loss to Angelo State marks the first time since 2014 the Mustangs haven’t started a season 4-0. MSU-Texas was held to 214, but more concerning was the (-)3 yards rushing for the game. Coach Bill Maskill will make tweaks before Eastern New Mexico visits Saturday.

4. A&M-Commerce (3-1, 1-0): It wasn’t the Lions night during a 24-17 loss at Colorado State-Pueblo last Saturday. No flow offensively on top of 11 penalties sent TAMC to its first loss of the season. The Lions get a chance to regroup on the road at Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday.

5. E. New Mexico (3-1, 1-1): Ground and pound. That’s what the Greyhounds did time and time again to earn a 48-31 home win against Texas A&M-Kingsville. ENMU totaled 515 yards on the ground led by LSC rushing leader and Randall graduate Paul Terry’s 179 yards with a TD. Terry now has 662 yards through four games.

West Texas A&M quarterback Nick Gerber has thrown for 696 yards with five touchdowns this season. [John Moore/ Press Pass Sports]

6. W. Texas A&M (3-1, 1-1): The Buffs bounced back thanks to a fast start downing winless Western New Mexico, 45-21. Quarterback Nick Gerber had his best game to date, throwing for 233 yards with two touchdowns while rushing for another. WT plays host to Central Washington for Homecoming on Saturday.

7. UTPB (2–2, 0-2): It may not show it with an 0-2 start to conference play but the Falcons are a much improved football team. They’ll get a chance to prove it at Western New Mexico on Saturday.

8. A&M Kingsville (1-3, 0-2): The Javelinas offense kept them in the game against ENMU until the fourth quarter. It’s been a rough start to 2019 for coach Daren Wilkinson and his team, and the schedule doesn’t get easier with Texas A&M-Commerce visiting this weekend.

9. W. New Mexico (0-4, 0-1): The Mustangs couldn’t recover from a 17-0 first quarter deficit at West Texas A&M, falling 45-21. WNM hopes to end its losing ways with UTPB at home Saturday.

LSC Standings

Team   LSC  Overall

Tarleton   2-0   4-0

Angelo State 2-0   4-0

A&M-Commerce    1-0   3-1

MSU-Texas 1-1   3-1

E. New Mexico  1-1    3-1

West Texas A&M   1-1   3-1

W. New Mexico   0-1   0-4

UT Permian Basin  0-2   2-2

A&M-Kingsville    0-2    1-3

Week 5 games

Saturday’s games

Central Washington at W. Texas A&M, 5 p.m.

Angelo State at Tarleton, 6 p.m.

A&M-Commerce at A&M-Kingsville, 7 p.m.

Eastern New Mexico at MSU-Texas, 7 p.m.

UT Permian Basin at W. New Mexico, 7 p.m.