Your No. 18 TAMUC Lions host the No. 10 Delta State Statesmen of the Gulf South Conference on Saturday night at 7 P.M. This game marks the first time since 1991 that two ranked opponents will face off at Memorial Stadium.

TAMUC (1-0, 0-0 LSC) enters this weekend’s matchup after handling Adams State 48-17. QB Harrison Stewart struggled early, showing off his impressive arm yet frequently overthrowing receivers. However, he quickly found his stride in the second quarter and ended up throwing for 254 yards and 3 scores. For a guy who hasn’t played in 2 years, he looked exceptional. If he can improve his accuracy he has a chance to be one of the better quarterbacks in this league. The Lions also ran the ball extremely well, as Richard Cooper rushed for 149 yards and Theo Wofford ran for 97. Heading into Delta State, Commerce’s number one approach needs to be to find consistency. Although the offense performed spectacularly in bursts last week, there were sputters and bumps in the road. With game one in the books, expect that to be an area they improve in. The scariest thing about this Lions team is that they can get a LOT better, and that will be interesting to watch as the season unfolds.

Delta State (1-0, 0-0 GSC) is coming off of a 48-7 drubbing of Fort Valley State. Junior dual-threat QB Tyler Sullivan had a stellar performance, completing 16 of 25 passes for 293 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing, with 5 attempts for 50 yards. Shutting him down will be the Lion defense’s top priority. He is a key success to Delta State’s efficient offense, and if Commerce’s defense finds a way to contain him, it will significantly contribute towards a Lion victory. Worth noting: Delta State only converted 2 of their 10 3rd-down attempts against FVSU, but also only committed 3 penalties the entire game.

Delta State and A&M-Commerce last squared off on September 13, 2013, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Lions won 45-37.

Post game comments from QB Harrison Stewart after TAMUC’s win over Adams State:

“I feel like we did a lot of things that we wanted to attack with. We were able to get our running game established, but I don’t think by any means we’re happy with where we’re at right now. We have a lot of room for improvement, and hopefully we just go from there next week.”

Post game comments from head coach Colby Carthel:

“I feel like we have a lot to work on. We got a lot of young guys… that’s why we sputtered and weren’t really consistent. As coaches, we’ve got a lot of work to do between now and next Saturday.”