ULM Warhawks

Game 5: ULM (2-2, 0-1 Sun Belt) vs. GEORGIA STATE (1-3, 0-0 Sun Belt)

Saturday, Sept. 29 | 1:05 p.m. CT

Atlanta, Ga. | Georgia State Stadium (25,000)

 

 

ULM Football Notes: Game 5 vs. Georgia State

 

FIRST-AND-10 –

• Saturday's game marks the fourth meeting between ULM and Georgia State. The Warhawks lead the all-time series 2-1, including a 1-0 record in games played in Atlanta.

 

• ULM ranks third in the Sun Belt in passing offense (264.0 yards per game) and fourth in total offense (431.5 ypg.). In addition, the Warhawks have allowed the third-fewest sacks in the league at 1.50 per game.

 

• ULM ranks among the Sun Belt leaders in sacks (tied for second at 2.75 per game) and rushing defense (137.8 yards per game).

 

• Junior quarterback Caleb Evans leads the Sun Belt in passing yards (264.0 per game) and total offense (320.2 ypg.). He also listed among the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Top 20 in three different offensive categories: 15th in total offense, 15th in completions per game (23.5) and 20th in passing yards (1,056).

• Evans accounted for 317 yards total offense and two scores in the second half alone as ULM attempted to rally from a 28-point halftime deficit in ULM's 35-27 loss to Troy in the Sun Belt opener for both teams. In the second half, Evans completed 18-of-29 throws for 216 yards, including touchdown tosses of 4 yards to Sloan Spiller and 23 yards to Josh Pederson, and rushed nine times for 101 yards. He finished 29-of-48 passing for 290 yards. It marked his 10th career 200-yard passing game and second career 100-yard rushing effort.

• Fifth-year senior Marcus Green leads ULM in receptions (17), receiving yards (299), yards per catch (17.6) and touchdown receptions (4). Green leads the Sun Belt in TD receptions, ranks third in receiving yards (74.8 per game) and tied for seventh in receptions (4.2 per game). His four TD receptions rank 13th in the NCAA FBS. Green now has 20 career TD catches – good for third place on ULM's all-time list.

 

In addition, Green leads ULM with seven explosive plays (20-plus yards), including five receptions and two kickoff returns. His three receptions of 30 or more yards are tied for eighth in the NCAA FBS.

• ULM features the Sun Belt's most productive pass receiving duo, in fifth-year senior Marcus Green and junior R.J. Turner. Green and Turner have combined for 33 receptions for 501 yards and five touchdowns. Like Green, Turner is listed among the league's Top 10 in both receptions (tied for ninth at 4.0 per game) and receiving yards (ninth at 50.5 ypg.).

• ULM features a well-balanced ground game, led by quarterback Caleb Evans (47 carries for 225 yards and one TD) and tailbacks Derrick Gore (43 for 197 and two TDs) and Austin Vaughn (24 for 142). That trio has rushed for a combined 564 yards, accounting for 84 percent of the team's total rushing yards (670).

 

• The Warhawk defense pitched a second-half shut out against Troy while limiting the Trojans to four first downs and 101 total yards over the last 30 minutes.

• Back-up linebacker Cortez Sisco Jr. leads ULM in tackles (29: 17 solos, 12 assists) and tackles for loss (3.5 for 15 yards). The 5-foot-11, 220-pound junior ranks tied for sixth in the Sun Belt in tackles, averaging 7.2 per game.

 

CLASS BREAKDOWN (STARTERS) –

ULM Offense: 4 seniors, 6 juniors, 1 sophomore

ULM Defense: 3 seniors, 5 juniors, 3 sophomores

Georgia State Offense: 2 seniors, 5 juniors, 2 sophomores, 2 freshmen

Georgia State Defense: 2 seniors, 3 juniors, 3 sophomores, 3 freshmen

 

STAT LEADERS –

ULM (after four games):

Rushing – Caleb Evans (47 carries for 225 yards, 4.8 avg., 1 TD)

Passing – Caleb Evans (94 of 157 for 1,056 yards, 7 TDs, 4 INTs)

Receiving – Marcus Green (17 catches for 299 yards, 17.6 avg., 4 TDs)

Tackles – Cortez Sisco Jr. (29 tackles, 17 solos, 12 assists, 3.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 INT)

 

Georgia State (after four games):

Rushing – Dan Ellington (50 carries for 147 yards, 2.9 avg., 3 TDs)

Passing – Dan Ellington (69 of 111 for 773 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs)

Receiving – Penny Hart (17 catches for 225 yards, 13.2 avg., 1 TDs)

Tackles – Ed Curney (28 tackles, 12 solos, 16 assists, 1.0 TFL)

 

ULM/GEORGIA STATE SERIES NOTES –

Saturday's game marks the fourth meeting between ULM and Georgia State. The Warhawks lead the all-time series 2-1, including a 1-0 record in games played in Atlanta.

 

EVANS APPROACHES 5,000-YARD CAREER MILESTONE –

Junior quarterback Caleb Evans leads the Sun Belt in passing yards (264.0 per game) and total offense (320.2 ypg.). He also listed among the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Top 20 in three different offensive categories: 15th in total offense, 15th in completions per game (23.5) and 20th in passing yards (1,056).

The 6-foot-2, 212-pound Evans has completed 94-of-157 throws (.599) for 1,056 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions. He also leads the team and ranks ninth in the league in rushing, averaging 56.2 yards per games.

The Mansfield, Texas, native accounted for 317 yards total offense and two scores in the second half alone as ULM attempted to rally from a 28-point halftime deficit in ULM's 35-27 loss to Troy in the Sun Belt opener for both teams. In the second half, Evans completed 18-of-29 throws for 216 yards, including touchdown tosses of 4 yards to Sloan Spiller and 23 yards to Josh Pederson, and rushed nine times for 101 yards. He finished 29-of-48 passing for 290 yards. It marked his 10th career 200-yard passing game and second career 100-yard rushing effort.

 

Evans completed 15-of-28 passes for 225 yards at Texas A&M, including a 2-yard touchdown toss to R.J. Turner, and one interception.

 

He connected on 15-of-28 passes for 195 yards in ULM's 21-20 win at Southern Miss, including TD strikes of 49 and 4 yards to Marcus Green.

 

Evans accounted for 408 yards total offense and three TDs to lead ULM to a 34-31 season-opening victory over Southeastern Louisiana. He capped off a seven-play, 63-yard drive with the game-winning 11-yard TD run with 37 seconds left. Evans also added a two-point run on the conversion to provide the final margin. He set career highs for pass completions (35) and attempts (53) against Southeastern, including scoring tosses of 3 and 79 yards to Green. His 35 completions are tied for the sixth-highest single-game total in school history (Pete Thomas completed 35-of-50 throws at New Mexico State in 2014). Evans, who completed throws to 10 different receivers, also rushed 13 times for 62 yards and one score.

 

In 23 career games, Evans has completed 381-of-645 passes (.591) for 4,758 yards, 28 TDs and 16 interceptions. He needs 242 passing yards at Georgia State Saturday to become just the eighth quarterback in ULM history to reach the 5,000-yard passing milestone.

 

NCAA STAT LEADERS –

Here's a glance at how ULM ranks among the NCAA individual stat leaders in 2018:

 

Individual Statistics (Top 50 )

Completions Per Game: Caleb Evans (15th with 23.5 completions per game)

Passing Yards: Caleb Evans (20th with 1,056 passing yards)

Passing Yards Per Game: Caleb Evans (29th at 264.0 passing yards per game)

Passing Touchdowns: Caleb Evans (37th with 7 touchdown passes)

Receiving Yards: Marcus Green (50th with 299 receiving yards)

Receiving Touchdowns: Marcus Green (13th with 4 receiving touchdowns)

Total Offense: Caleb Evans (15th at 320.3 yards total offense per game)

Sacks: Sam Miller (40th at 0.75 sacks per game)

Fumbles Recovered: Mason Husmann/Sam Miller (25th with 1 fumble recovered each)

 

WARHAWK SINGLE-GAME BESTS UNDER VIATOR –

 

Here's a look at the top single-game totals produced by ULM during head coach Matt Viator's tenure (2016-present; 28 games):

 

Rushing Yards: 325 vs. Southern, 2016

 

Passing Yards: 454 vs. Arkansas State, 2017

 

Total Yards: 593 vs. ULL, 2017

 

First Downs: 31 vs. Southeastern Louisiana, 2018; vs. Texas State and Georgia State, 2016

 

Fewest Rushing Yards Allowed: 42 yards by Georgia State, 2016

 

Fewest Passing Yards Allowed: 0 by Louisiana, 2016

 

Fewest Total Yards Allowed: 240 by Louisiana, 2016

 

Fewest First Downs Allowed: 16 by Memphis, 2017; by Georgia State, 2016

 

Sacks By: 5 vs. Southern Miss, 2018; vs. ULL, 2017

 

Turnovers Forced: 4 vs. Southern Miss, 2018

 

Points (Game): 56 vs. ULL, 2017

 

Points (Half): 33 (1) vs. Texas State, 2016

 

Points (Quarter): 23 (1) vs. Texas State, 2016

 

Victory Margin: 18 vs. Texas State, 2017

 

Fewest Points Allowed (Game): 20 by Southern Miss, 2018