MONROE, La. – ULM
will put its three-game win streak on the line when it battles Western Kentucky
Saturday afternoon at Houchens-Smith Stadium.
The Hilltoppers are riding a four-game win streak and the squad has won
its last nine conference games.
Setting the Stage: ULM vs. Western Kentucky
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First and Ten...
- ULM scored the first points of the game against Florida
Atlantic... Brent Leonard's three-yard reception from Kolton Browning gave ULM
a 7-0 advantage with 9:06 to play in the first quarter... It marked the fifth
time (in six games) that ULM scored first this season.... All five scores have
been touchdowns and the only time ULM didn't score first was at Middle
Tennessee (Oct. 6).
- The 26 plays run by ULM in the first half against
Florida Atlantic were the fewest of the season for the Warhawks.
- With ULM's victory over Florida Atlantic, the Sun Belt
Conference now has five teams with four or more wins in 2012... It is the first
time in conference history that the Sun Belt has had five teams with four or
more wins by the end of week seven.
- ULM is 2-0 in the Sun Belt for the first time since the
2009 season... The Warhawks started the 2009 campagin with a 3-0 record in
league play and finished the season 5-3 in conference play and 6-6 overall.
- ULM finished with 194 rushing yards against Florida
Atlantic... It broke the Warhawks streak of three consecutive games of rushing
for 200 or more yards.
- Brent Leonard's first quarter TD reception was the 3rd
of the season for the senior and the 10th of his career.
- Monterrell Washington's second quarter TD run (36
yards) was the fourth of the season (and career) for the junior... Washington
added another rushing TD in the fourth quarter for his second multiple rushing
TD contest of the season (Baylor, Sept. 21)... Washington finished the game with
four carries for 45 yards (11.2 ypc).
- Harley Scioneaux's TD reception in the third quarter
was his third catch of the season (all three have been touchdowns).
- Kolton Browning completed 10 passes for 147 yards with
two TD passes... He also rushed 10 times for 59 yards.
- The ULM defense tallied 11 tackles for loss in the win
over Florida Atlantic... The stingy defense also recorded five sacks in the
contest... Gerrand Johnson, Mitch Lane, Austin Moss all recorded their first
career sack Saturday night... Ray Stovall recorded his second sack of the
season while Cody Robinson assisted on his first career sack (with Jackson
Randle).
- Mitch Bailey scored his first career defensive TD with
as he recovered FAU punter, Sean Kelly's fumble in the endzone... Bailey's
defensive TD gave ULM a 21-0 advantage with 5:35 to play in the second quarter.
- With a 5-for-5 effort on PATs against Florida Atlantic,
Justin Manton tied his own school record... With 32 consecutive PATs this
season, Manton tied the single-season streak he set as a true freshman in
2011... Manton is 32-for-32 on the season and he is now 66-for-68 on PATs
during his career.
The Series
Saturday's contest between ULM and Western Kentucky will
be the eighth meeting all-time and just the fourth since the series resumed
during the 2009 season. The Warhawks had
won three straight in the series before last season's overtime loss at Malone
Stadium (L, 28-31, Oct. 29, 2011).
ULM Firsts...
Since 2009
ULM is riding a three-game win streak (at Tulane, at
Middle Tennessee, Florida Atlantic) and the Warhawks are currently 2-0 in
conference play.
The last time ULM had a three-game win streak was during
the 2009 season as they defeated Florida Atlantic (Away), FIU (Home) and
Arkansas State (Home). ULM started the
2009 with three-straight league wins and the team finished that season 5-3 in
the conference (T-3rd) and 6-6 overall.
Washington Goes
for Two
Junior Monterrell Washington made the most of his time on
the field as he finished with 45 yards on four carries and two touchdowns. It is Washington's second multiple score game
of the season. He also had two rushing
touchdowns in the 2012 home opener against Baylor.
Streak Snapped
The ULM ground attack was held under 200 total rushing
yards against Florida Atlantic as it finished with 194 net rushing yards. It broke the team's three-game streak of
rushing for 200 or more yards (Baylor,
262; at Tulane, 222; at Middle Tennessee, 204).
17 or Less
During ULM's current three game win streak, the defense
has allowed just 13.7 points per game (41 total points).
Sept. 29 - at Tulane - 10 points allowed - W, 63-10
Oct. 6 - at Middle Tenn. - 17 points allowed - W, 31-17
Oct. 13 - FAU - 14 points allowed - W, 35-14
Defending the
Run
Through ULM's first six games, the Warhawk defense is
allowing just 104.3 rushing yards per game.
In four of the six games, ULM has held its opponents under 100 total
rushing yards.
34 And
Counting...
Dating back to the final game of 2011, ULM's Justin Manton
has connected on 34 consecutive PATs.
Through the first six games of 2012 he is 32-for-32 (vs.
Arkansas, 4-for-4; at Auburn, 4-for-4; Baylor, 6-for-6; at Tulane, 9-for-9; at
Middle Tennessee, 4-for-4; Florida Atlantic, 5-for-5).
He is currently tied with the school record he set a
season ago. As a true freshman, Manton
set a single season school-record by hitting 32 consecutive PATs. He finished the season 34-of-36 on PATs.
The ULM career record for consecutive PATs is 55. Rob Tallent hit 55 straight PATs from 1989-91
(16 over 10 games in 1989, 22 over 11 games in 1990 and 17 over 10 games in
1991).
