Texas Lutheran (6-3, 5-0 SCAC) vs. McMurry (5-4, 4-1 SCAC)
November 15, 2025
Where: Little Rock, Arkansas
Stadium: War Memorial Stadium
Time: 8 p.m. CT
TV: FloCollege
Last Meeting: TLU won 42-13 in Abilene, 11/1/2025
Tickets: Eventbrite
THE OPENING KICKOFF
• Texas Lutheran University continues its 78th season of football on Saturday when the Bulldogs face McMurry in the first-ever SCAC Championship game.
• The Bulldogs seek their second straight SCAC championship since the return of SCAC football last season, sharing the honors with the War Hawks last season.
• The SCAC Championship will act as the final SCAC game for the McMurry War Hawks as they will return to the American Southwest Conference (ASC) after a brief two-year stint as members of the SCAC. The War Hawks have had an 11-2 conference record over their tenure in the conference.
• With the SCAC not having an auto-big for the NCAA Tournament, the game will conclude the seasons for both squads as neither team is ranked high enough in the NCAA NPI Rankings to qualify for an at-large bid.
• Last time out, Texas Lutheran (6-3) continued their hot streak, defeating Lyon 54-10 to extend their win streak to five games and score 50+ points for the fourth time within that same span.
• McMurry (5-4) knocked off Hendrix, the de facto hosts of the SCAC Championship weekend, to clinch their spot in the SCAC Championship and spark a rematch between last season's co-champions.
• Texas Lutheran is 12-1 against SCAC competition since the revival of SCAC football last season.
• Texas Lutheran was previously SCAC Champions in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2024.
• TLU holds an all-time record of 357-407-13 (.468).
SERIES HISTORY VS. MCMURRY
• Texas Lutheran is set to face off with McMurry for the second time this season and fifth time in the last three seasons.
• TLU holds a 23-15 advantage in the series over McMurry.
• Texas Lutheran has won eight of the last ten matchups against the War Hawks dating back to 2017.
McMurry War Hawks Scouting Report
• Jordan Neal is in his seventh season leading the McMurry War Hawks.
• Neal was a three-time All-ASC quarterback at Hardin-Simmons, earning ASC Player of the Year honors in 2006. Neal also served as OL Coach and Player Development Coach at Texas Lutheran in 2012.
• McMurry leads the SCAC in a number of categories including passing offense (349.8), which ranks fifth nationally, total defense (327.4 YPG), sacks per game (3.67), scoring defense (24.1 PPG), and red zone defense (.700)
• QB Dylan Plake, who stepped in for starter Jess Hoel, has completed a SCAC-leading 160-of-244 passes (65.6%) for 2,013 yards, with 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The 17 touchdowns only trail Hendrix QB Jacob Buniff (21). Three of those eight interceptions came against TLU earlier this November. Thomas Chandler, an All-SCAC honorable mention honoree last season, has been his favorite target with a SCAC-leading 57 receptions with eight touchdowns.
• Linebackers Zach Mitchell and Bryce Neves lead the War Hawks with 51 tackles each while defensive lineman Jackson Harris will be another player to watch in the box for the War Hawks as he leads the SCAC with 7.5 sacks this season.
A Texas Lutheran Win Would ...
• Be Texas Lutheran's 358th all-time victory.
• Secure the Bulldogs fifth SCAC Championship in six total seasons in the SCAC in football in program history.
• Give Neal LaHue his 22nd victory at Texas Lutheran in his 41st career game as a head coach.
• Extend Texas Lutheran's winning streak to six-straight games.
Fourth Season of LaHue Era
• Texas Lutheran Football Head Coach Neal LaHue is in his fourth season at the helm of the Bulldogs. In his fourth season at the helm of the Bulldog program, he led TLU to a 6-3 record which included an undefeated 5-0 run through the traditional aspect of SCAC regular season play.
• The LaHue led Bulldogs featured a balanced attack this season that is averaging 38.6 points per game and a SCAC-leading 457.2 yards per game in total offense while allowing 24.2 points per game.
• Texas Lutheran ranks 17th in NCAA Division-III in rushing offense, averaging 228.1 yards per game. The Bulldogs also rank sixth in turnover margin (1.44) and 11th in pass yards per completion (15.74).
Freshman Focus
• Freshman Reece Deitrick (Austin/Canyon), a 6-1, 205-pound native of Austin and New Braunfels Canyon alum, owns a 5-1 record as a starter as a true freshman. Deitrick took over the reins as the starter after leading the Bulldogs comeback victory off the bench against Southwestern in late September.
• Deitrick has completed 104-of-184 passes (56.5%) for 1,705 yards, 17 TDs, and just four interceptions. Deitrick leads the SCAC and is sixth in the nation in passing yards per completion (16.39 YPC). He has also been the most efficient passer in the SCAC with a 160.5 passing efficiency.
• He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in eight out of nine games he has played this season. Expect Deitrick to look toward wide receiver Caleb Camarillo (Gonzales/Southside) on Saturday as the All-SCAC First Team wideout is second in NCAA Division-III and third across all levels with a 26.2 yards per catch average.
Committee of Backs
• Senior running back Weston Guzman (McAllen/McAllen) was the focus of the Bulldogs run game prior to his season-ending injury, but the Bulldogs rushing attack has stayed afloat thanks to a stable of backs.
• Kibreante Williams (Victoria/Victoria East) and Tory Brooks (Hillsboro/Hillsboro) have split a majority of the carries with Javin Logan (Houston/North Shore) and Reggie Hodge (San Antonio/Roosevelt) chipping in. Williams leads the stable with 476 yards on 90 carries while Brooks has exploded for seven touchdowns in seven games, ranking third in the SCAC.
O-Line Aces Test
• Texas Lutheran has been banged up for much of the year on offense, both in the backfield and in the trenches. Despite the injury bug, the Bulldogs rank 17th nationally in Rushing Offense (228.1 ypg) and 26th in Total Offense (457.2 ypg).
• Texas Lutheran has rushed for 300 yards three times this season with the latest instance coming last week as the Bulldogs gained 360 yards on the ground in a 54-10 win over Lyon.
Can't Catch Caleb
• Senior wide receiver Caleb Camarillo has established himself as one of the most dangerous players in all of Division-III so far this season and one of the most lethal in TLU history.
• Camarillo has earned both SCAC Offensive and Special Teams Player of the Week honors this season. His Special Teams Player of the Week honor came following his performance against the War Hawks, where he finished with a career-high 107 return yards and a touchdown and 131 all-purpose yards against the War Hawks. Camarillo moved into a tie for tenth place in TLU's Division-III history in career return yards, tallying 537 in his career. He ranks eighth in Division-III in return touchdowns (1) and 16th in kickoff return average (28.2).
• Camarillo is second in NCAA Division-III and third across all levels with a 26.2 yards per catch average. He ranks second in the SCAC with eight touchdowns.
• Following last week's 89-yard performance, he moved into sixth all-time in TLU's Division-III history with 1,591 yards - surpassing Jekovan Holmes (1,546) and Darrell White (1,588).
Defensive Playmakers
• The defensive backfield has been led by Owen Garcia (Austin/Connally), Justin Navarro (Edinburg/Robert Vela), and Troy Tomaselli (Castroville/Cornerstone Christian). Garcia leads the TLU defense with 59 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries while Navarro has 57 tackles and two interceptions. Tomaselli, who missed three games due to injury, still ranks amongst the Bulldogs leading tacklers with 32 in just six games. Marvin Farris (Rosenberg/Lamar Consolidated) is the Bulldogs third leading tackler with 55 on the season. Farris, Garcia, and Navarro all hold the team single-game high with 12 tackles this season.
• Marec Square (Houston/Lamar) leads TLU with four interceptions, ranking in the top 25 in NCAA Division-III.
