August 26th, 2026 5:00am
LSC Week Zero Preview
OK, why do they call this “Week Zero”? Does it mean that this week doesn’t really exist, so therefore all the games played this week don’t really matter, and no losses count toward playoff standings for anybody?
These next couple weeks are some of my favorite weeks of the entire season – the non-conference games. While going through the grind of conference play to find out who’s best is still paramount in terms of earning playoff spots, it’s in the non-conference schedule where you find out how you stand in the region, and in some cases, nationally, so in that aspect it can even be more important than conference position.
The season starts on Thursday, August 27 with the renewal of the New Mexico Three-Way Dance of Doom with ENMU heading to New Mexico Highlands in Art Briles’ return to coaching college football after over a decade away. Angelo State and Fort Hays State meet for the third straight season, and West Texas A&M begins a brutal non-conference schedule at home against Western Colorado. Western New Mexico makes a return trip to Adams State hoping to keep the Adams State losing streak going.
On Saturday, August 29, Western Oregon starts a season with high expectations and a road trip to a Colorado Mines team that wants a return to past glory. UTPB starts the Chris Softley era with a trip to Division 1 UTRGV. Sul Ross State hosts Wayland Baptist in a rematch of a shootout from two years ago. In return visits from last year, Missouri Southern visits Midwestern State and Northwest Missouri State visits Texas A&M-Kingsville.
And for Central Washington, new head coach Scott Power’s team waits another week before starting a non-conference schedule that’s a bit ambitious, to put it lightly.
OK, enough of the talk, let’s get to the games!
Now some notes if you’re new to this column:
All game times are listed in the Central time zone as that is the time zone where the LSC home office is located (Richardson, Texas specifically). If you’re not in the Central time zone, here’s the math for you:
Also, any and all national rankings listed in this column are current D2Football.com rankings.
All right, let’s get to the games!
The following games are on Thursday, August 27.
Eastern New Mexico at New Mexico Highlands (RMAC), 7:00 PM
Series History: Eastern New Mexico leads 38-15-1
Last meeting: 2025 (New Mexico Highlands won 34-28)
LSC versus RMAC – Round 1.
Time for the opener of the New Mexico Three-Way Dance of Doom, this time with a new twist – the arrival of Art Briles to the college sideline.
Highlands was picked sixth in the RMAC preseason poll, at the top of the bottom tier of RMAC teams. Star running back Jeffery Jones Jr. left after the 2025 season and transferred to Stephen F. Austin, and filling that hole in the offense will clearly not be easy. The Cowboys do have some important pieces returning on offense, including running back Tevita Valeti and quarterback Collin Stucki. On defense, linebackers Dawson Chapman and Dontavious Nelson were picked the RMAC preseason defensive first team.
Highlands won a close one last year but it remains to be seen how they make up for losing Jones (you really can’t). ENMU is an even bigger question mark, not just due to having a new head coach, but also with that coach bringing in a very different offensive system. They tried to go to a spread offense between Kelley Lee’s two runs as ENMU coach, and it didn’t work out well. But this time the ENMU coach is quite different. There are likely some growing pains here for the Greyhounds, and I think this one might be a bit sloppy on both sides. Highlands seems slightly more stable (and less likely to be sloppy) to me, so I’ll go with the home team here. New Mexico highlands by 3 points.
Western New Mexico at Adams State (RMAC), 7:00 PM
Series History: Adams State leads 39-29-3
Last meeting: 2025 (Western New Mexico won 35-21)
LSC versus RMAC – Round 2.
Adams State has lost 28 straight games, and have gone 0-11 the last two seasons, the 2025 season being the first for head coach Levi Gallas. The Grizzlies were outscored by an average score of 49-12 in 2025. They have a familiar LSC face in the backfield, with TAMUK transfer Andre Branch as their most experienced rusher. Transfer Frank Arcuri is their most experienced quarterback, but it isn’t known if he will start. Garrett O’Brien is the top returning receiver, with 8 catches for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2025. Roscoe Taylor (40 tackles) is the top returning defender.
This could be a fun one. Neither WNMU nor Adams Sate has been picked very high in their respective conferences (WNMU ninth in the LSC and Adams Sate tenth in the RMAC), so a game like this could very well be a mountain shootout. The WNMU game was the only game the Grizzles were truly competitive in during the 2025 season, and their main goal should be to have some competitive games, including the WNMU game again. This should be a close game, but until they prove me otherwise, I can’t pick a team that is arguably having a more difficult time than even WNMU (but ASU’s game next week might change my mind if their losing streak happens to continue…wonder why?). Western New Mexico by 3 points in what might be a shootout.
Fort Hays State (MIAA) at Angelo State, 7:00 PM
Series History: Series tied 1-1
Last meeting: 2025 (Angelo State won 28-7)
LSC versus MIAA – Round 1.
Fort Hays State looks quite a bit like Angelo State. The Tigers, like Angelo State, are coming off a 6-5 season and, like Angelo State, were picked fourth in the MIAA coaches poll and fifth in the media poll. Despite having a winning record in 2025, they gave up 263 points and only scored 211 points. The offense has already had issues as 2025 MIAA offensive player of the year Jackson Berry, who transferred to FHSU from Pittsburg State, decided to retire from football. Mason McMinn is the most experienced returning quarterback and will start for the Tigers. Curtis Douglas (418 yards and 3 touchdowns), is the team’s leading returning rusher. Their receiving room was completely redone, with no leading receiver from 2025 returning. The Tigers have some more stability on defense, where they return top tacklers in safety Jaxon Kolzow, linebackers Shadryon Blanka and Gavin Meyers, and defensive lineman Gavin Haselhorst. It seems pretty clear that FHSU wants to lean on their defense to keep Ayden Arp, Cameron Dischler, and the Angelo State offense in a meat grinder of a game. I think the Rams get ahead early and keep the Tigers at arm’s length as their offense won’t be able to keep up with Angelo State.
Angelo State by 10 points.
https://angelosports.com/news/2026/8/25/football-game-1-preview-rv-rams-open-2026-campaign-against-rv-fort-hays-state.aspx
https://hayspost.com/posts/c6cd2062-7f65-4138-bdce-0f38e657238a
#11 Western Colorado (RMAC) at West Texas A&M, 7:00 PM
Series History: West Texas A&M leads 7-3
Last meeting: 2025 (Western Colorado won 45-28)
LSC versus RMAC – Round 3.
Bad news – LSC teams still get to see Drew Nash wearing a Western Colorado uniform. Good news – it’s now a coach’s uniform, since he’s moved on from his playing days to coach the WCU tight ends. WCU will need to fill his big shoes, along with top pass rusher Ricky Freymond. WCU is picked second behind CSU-Pueblo in the RMAC preseason poll, leading a second tier of teams and ahead of Colorado Mines and Chadron State. The Mountaineers return a powerful offensive line, anchored by Taylor Nichols and Joseph Shepardson, and Caden Measner is one of the RMAC’s best wide receivers. The WCU defensive front seven is still formidable, with defensive end Drew Johnson and defensive tackle Mikey Smith among team leaders and tackles for loss, while top tackler Ian Loomis returns at linebacker.
WCU may be more of a run-first team in 2026, with their top four running backs returning, which should make life easier for whoever the Mountaineers have at quarterback (Josaih Roy is the top returning quarterback with 259 passing yards and 4 touchdowns). WTAMU is a team in transition again with the loss of Justin Bane and RJ Martinez and Western Colorado has enough players coming back to lessen the impact of Nash’s departure. Western Colorado by 10 points.
The following games are on Saturday, August 29.
#18 Texas-Permian Basin at Texas-Rio Grande Valley (Division 1 FCS – Southland Conference), time unknown
Series History: First meeting
LSC versus FCS – Round 1.
UTPB starts the Chris Softley era with a road trip to a UTRGV team that went 9-3 in the program’s first season. The Vaqueros are picked fourth in the Southland Conference preseason poll and are in the “receiving votes” section of the preseason FCS top 25 poll, with the teams picked ahead of them in the Southland placing in the top 25. UTRGV needs to replace their quarterback, top rusher, and four of their top 5 receivers, but their offensive line retains 4 starters from 2025. Aidan Jakobsohn is the early leader at quarterback, Fabian Garcia could take the lead running back spot, and a host of transfers are fighting with returning starters Tavian Cord and Kyran Lee for time at wide receiver. UTRGV returns a deep defensive squad, led by nose tackle Nathan Huerta, linebackers Ja’Marcus Anderson and Jaiden Haygood, and defensive backs TJ Neal and Dorian Blackwell.
UTPB still has some issues to iron out before the game, including who will start at quarterback. Solomon James is the lone UTPB quarterback with any game experience at UTPB, but the race to start is wide open to run coach Softley’s offense.
UTRGV projects to have a deep and talented defense along with a strong offensive line, while UTPB is working in many new players on both sides of the ball. Being a team in transition like UTPB (but might still eventually be good) is not a recipe for success at an already-strong FCS opponent. Texas-Rio Grande Valley by 21 points.
https://rgvsports.com/utrgv-football-camping-with-the-vaqueros-week-2/
https://www.oaoa.com/sports/college-football-utpb-finishing-up-first-full-week-of-practice/
#14 Western Oregon at Colorado Mines (RMAC), 1:00 PM
Series History: Series tied 1-1
Last meeting: 2021 (Colorado Mines won 42-3)
LSC versus RMAC – Round 4.
Circle this game everybody, especially if we are debating the merits of Mines versus Western Oregon for a playoff spot in November. This game may end up being one of the most important in Super Region 4 this season if the LSC and RMAC preseason polls are to be believed.
Colorado Mines was picked third in the RMAC preseason poll after a 7-4 2025 season under two-time head coach Bob Stitt. The Orediggers return much of their offense, including quarterback Joseph Capra, top rusher Max Barnes, and top receiver Pierce Richards. They also have the top special teams in the RMAC in kicker Kyle Preston and punter Lucas LeSieur. It is on defense, however, where Mines has some holes to fill. The top returning defenders are all defensive backs – Devyn Lauer-Duarte, Will Ramsey, and Joseph Gonzales. Mines may be looking to win with their offense here.
If Western Oregon can do what they do best, which is turn this game into a slow-paced, defensive battle, they have a chance to keep it close and get out with a win with McCarty and their veteran offense. However, the Mines offense and special teams will allow for a close game to go the Orediggers’ way on their home field. Colorado Mines by 3 points.
Missouri Southern (MIAA) at Midwestern State, 6:00 PM
Series History: Series tied 1-1
Last meeting: 2025 (Missouri Southern won 33-19)
LSC versus MIAA – Round 2.
Missouri Southern and Midwestern State meet in the first week of the season for the third consecutive year, and both previous games were sloppy, defensive-oriented battles. On offense, the Lions return top passer Tillman Martin (2506 passing yards and 17 touchdowns) but will need players to step up as their top returning rusher is Messiah Smith, who gained 122 yards in 2025, and their top receiver is Isaiah Green, who had 431 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in 2025. Their top returning tacklers are linebackers Brier McIntire (39 tackles in 2025) and Riley Hammons (34 tackles in 2025) and defensive backs Nyjahl Vaughn (34 tackles) and Peyton McKee (30 tackles).
Midwestern State does also return Sean Jastrab, who has had some big passing numbers in games in his career, receivers Case Carroll and Connor Dunphy (17 catches for 642 yards and 7 touchdowns combined), and running backs Jaden Coulter and Kenji Johnson 572 yards and 4 touchdowns combined).
I expect this game to be close early the entire way, and probably a few turnovers on both sides. I think Midwestern State has slightly more talent returning, and that and having the home field should be the difference. Midwestern State by 7 points.
Wayland Baptist (NAIA – Sooner Athletic Conference) at Sul Ross State, 7:00 PM
Series History: Sul Ross State leads 5-1
Last meeting: 2024 (Sul Ross State won 52-51)
LSC versus NAIA – Round 1.
We all know what happened with Sul Ross State in 2025 – not to labor the point, it wasn’t good and any improvement will be a welcome sight for the Lobos. Head coach Lee Hays is in year two of a rebuilding process that isn’t going to happen overnight, and to add to the difficulty, many of their top players from last year either graduated or transferred, and a handful of those transfers are wearing the opponent’s uniform this week.
Wayland Baptist is coming off a 6-3 season, good for fourth in the NAIA’s Sooner Athletic Conference. They return 8 starters on offense, including quarterback Khalon Davis, wide receivers Donte Hurt and Mark Mukiibi. The Pioneers return 10 of their 11 starters on defense, including nearly all their top tacklers, their team leader in sacks (defensive lineman X’Zavion Williams) and their interception leader in defensive back Tyrone Morgan (6 interceptions).
The last time these teams met, WBU finished with a 4-6 record and Sul Ross a 3-8 record. Since then, WBU has improved and Sul Ross has regressed. For this reason, I am going with the NAIA team over the newly official Division 2 team. Wayland Baptist by a touchdown.
https://victorysportsnetwork.com/2026/08/04/naia-football-preview-sooner-athletic-conference-3/
#6 Northwest Missouri State (MIAA) at Texas A&M-Kingsville, 7:00 PM
Series History: Northwest Missouri State leads 4-1
Last meeting: 2025 (Northwest Missouri State won 49-20)
LSC versus MIAA – Round 3.
Northwest Missouri State is back where they think they belong – among the nation’s best. The Bearcats were picked at the top of the MIAA media poll and were picked second in the coaches poll, flipping spots with Pittsburg State. The Bearcats look to be even better than they were last season, and there is talk that they’re soon returning to national titan status. On offense, quarterback Zechariah Owens (709 yards passing, 568 yards rushing, and 17 combined touchdowns), top rusher Quincy Torry (806 yards and 6 touchdowns), wide receiver Erwin Nash (440 yards and 3 touchdowns) return, along with some FBS transfers at receiver. On defense, NWMSU, who gave up an average of 18 points per game, will be working in a mostly new group of players but return many members of their secondary, including Holden Zigman, Michael Harrison, Antwon Jenkins Jr., and Patrick Martin.
TAMUK has a few players coming back on both sides of the ball like running back Edward Chumley, wide receiver Christian Kretz, linebacker Julian Payne, and defensive back Jeremiah Conaway. However, NWMSU returns a deeper and more talented group of players, while TAMUK is working in new players at key positions like at quarterback, so I’m going with the Bearcats here. Northwest Missouri State by 14 points.
#9 Central Washington has the week off. Anything going on in Seattle this weekend?