The 18th-ranked Texas Wesleyan (TXWES) Rams will take on the 8th-ranked Ottawa University Arizona (OUAZ) Spirit at 7 p.m. on Sept. 17 at Farrington Field in Fort Worth. The top-25 matchup will be the marquee matchup in Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) play this weekend.

The Rams and Spirit are the two only ranked teams in the SAC in the most recent NAIA rankings. TXWES, OUAZ and Langston University are currently the only undefeated teams in the SAC and occupy a three-way tie for first place in the conference. The Spirit and the Rams were picked first and second respectively in the SAC preseason poll.

The Rams are riding a three-game winning streak and coming off a 52-0 rout of Oklahoma Panhandle State University (OPSU) led by quarterbacks junior Dalton Dale and freshman Carson Rodgers. The duo went 15-30 through the air for 297 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers. The receivers were led by senior Brandon Rolfe, who recorded three receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown.

On the ground, the Rams used a balanced attack, with four players rushing for 127 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Ty Williams totaled 31 yards and two touchdowns on six attempts, while sophomore Ernie Ceasar III added 26 yards and a touchdown. Ceasar currently holds second place in SAC rushing yards per game with 108.

The Rams defense is one of the top in the SAC — leading the conference in yards allowed per game (146.3), sacks (14), and coming in a close second in points allowed per game (7.0) to OUAZ. The Rams have given up just 21 points this season, including two shutouts of Arkansas State University – Campus Querétaro in the Global Clasico and OPSU.

The OUAZ Spirit have been ranked in 31 consecutive polls, representing the 9th-longest active NAIA rankings streak in the country. Led by quarterbacks Isaiah Randlle and Carter Freedland, the Spirit lead the SAC in scoring offense with an average of 54.5 PPG while holding their opponents to just 28.8 PPG. They also lead the SAC in offense, racking up 562 yards per game. In their last game, the Spirit defeated the Southwestern Assemblies of God Lions 39-12. Junior kicker Landon Reeves is the reigning SAC Special Teams Player of the Week, going 3-3 FG and 4-4 XP in the victory over the Lions.

Texas Wesleyan supports our educators and is offering free admission for all teachers, instructors, professors and school administrators that show their ID at the gate. Tickets are available at ramsports.net.