FORT WORTH, TX – No. 7 Texas Wesleyan will close out its regular season on Saturday in a highly anticipated showdown against Louisiana Christian University in Pineville, Louisiana.
The Rams, remain undefeated at 9-0 and are aiming to secure a strong finish as they await the NAIA playoff selection show and continue their pursuit of the program's first Red Banner.
In their previous game, Texas Wesleyan put on a dominant performance with a decisive 56-7 win over Langston University. The Rams set the tone early, with a solid opening return by Mark Benjamin leading to an 11-yard touchdown run by Ernest Ceasar.
The Rams defense stepped up, forcing a three-and-out on Langston's first drive, and quarterback Cole Francis capped off a subsequent 12-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0.
Ceasar continued his standout season by notching three additional rushing touchdowns, including a 20-yarder that set a new single-season program record with 33 rushing touchdowns, surpassing the previous mark of 32. Texas Wesleyan's defense held firm and helped maintain a perfect record.
Louisiana Christian enters the matchup riding a two-game winning streak, most recently defeating Arkansas Baptist 66-12. In that game, the Wildcats were fueled by a 51-yard punt return touchdown by Trent Ginn and a season-best 79-yard rush by Jayce Johnson.
Running back Daylon Charles also contributed with 135 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. Quarterback River Thompson threw three touchdown passes, completing 7-of-12 attempts, and Ethan Christman added two touchdowns on 82 receiving yards.
Defensively, Louisiana Christian recorded nine tackles for loss, with Trace McHugh recovering two fumbles and Jaden Jones leading in tackles.
Texas Wesleyan and Louisiana Christian have met three times since 2021, with Louisiana Christian holding a 2-1 edge in the series. Texas Wesleyan won the first game in 2021, but the Wildcats responded with wins in 2022 and 2023.
Kickoff on Saturday will be Texas Wesleyan's final chance to end the regular season undefeated before the NAIA Football Selection Show on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m., where the Rams will learn their first playoff opponent.
