MONROE, La. – The ULM football team (3-4, 1-2 SBC) will hit the road to face one of the top teams in the Sun Belt West, Southern Miss (5-2, 3-0 SBC) on Saturday (Oct. 25) at 2:30 p.m. CT. 
 
Saturday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Jason Baker (play-by-play) and Austin Davis (analyst) on the call. The game will also air on KLIP 105.3 FM with the Voice of the Warhawks, Mike Hammett and analyst Josh McGehee.
 
OPENING DRIVE –
• The ULM football team (3-4, 1-2 SBC) will hit the road to face one of the top teams in the Sun Belt West, Southern Miss (5-2, 3-0 SBC) on Saturday (Oct. 25) at 2:30 p.m. CT. The Warhawks are looking for a bounce back in conference play after falling to Coastal Carolina and Troy in consecutive weeks.
• Most recently, ULM fell at home to the Troy Trojans on October 18. With a 37-14 score, ULM led in time of possession and held the Chanticleers to 91 rushing yards. Cliff Mosley posted two tackles for loss, with David Godsey Jr. forcing a fumble and Billy Pullen splitting a sack with Jaden Hamlin. Nic Trujillo captured the first touchdown, a seven-yard reception from Hunter Herring. Holder Andrew Wells snuck into the end zone for the two-point conversion. The second touchdown for ULM came from a 12-yard reception from Aidan Armenta to Brandon Buckhaulter. 
• The Warhawks defeated Arkansas State in their first conference game of the season, a 28-16 homecoming victory. This is the first win over the Red Wolves since 2009 to get to an early 1-0 start in Sun Belt play. After a 10-0 deficit early, the Warhawks scored 21 unanswered points to capture the lead. ULM's defense held Arkansas State to 12 rushing yards, posting six sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery in the win.
• Saturday's game marks the 10th meeting between the Warhawks and the Golden Eagles, a series dating back to 1982. Southern Miss leads the series 6-3, playing inconsistently in the 80's and 90's before the teams became conference opponents in 2022. In Sun Belt play, Southern Miss has the 2-1 edge. ULM won the most recent meeting, defeating the Golden Eagles 38-21 at home last season.
• Due to the fact that Southern Miss head coach Charles Huff previously coached at Sun Belt team Marshall, the Warhawks have seen a Huff-coached team recently. ULM faced Huff's Marshall team last season in Huntington, a tight 28-23 win for the Thundering Herd.
• On the road against UTEP, the Warhawks defeated their first nonconference opponent on the road since 2018. The victory also marks the team's third road win since 2020, also finding victory in 2024 at Troy and in 2022 against Georgia State.
• In the season opener against Saint Francis, ULM claimed a 29-0 shutout win. This is the first shutout win in over a decade for the Warhawks, the last coming against Nicholls in 2015 (47-0). Nine other teams in FBS secured a shutout in Week 1, including local foe Louisiana Tech.
• Defensive lineman Dylan Howell sits at second in the Sun Belt with 0.57 sacks per game, ranking 57th in FBS. David Godsey Jr. has two forced fumbles on the season, averaging 0.29 per game to sit second in the Sun Belt and 15th among FBS. Running back Braylon McReynolds sits at fourth in the Sun Belt and 29th in FBS with 6.15 yards per carry. 
• ULM defensive back D'Arco Perkins-McAllister was voted Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week after a media member panel vote on August 31. Perkins-McAllister played lights out for the Warhawks in week one, leading the defense in the team's first shutout in a decade. His two sacks are second in the Sun Belt Conference. The Nashville, Tenn., native claimed five solo tackles on the evening and three assists in a game where the opponent only crossed the 50-yard line once. 
• The Warhawks saw multiple ULM debuts on October 4 at Northwestern, as several ULM players logged their first snaps. Zy Jackson made his defensive debut, collecting three tackles. Receiver Nic Trujillo also caught a few passes in his debut. 
• Aidan Armenta remains the starting quarterback for the Warhawks, completing 88 of 157 passes for 920 yards and eight touchdowns. The redshirt sophomore surpassed his career-high with 19 completions against Troy (Oct. 18). 
• Monroe native Landon Graves has also seen action at quarterback this season, throwing six-for-13 across five games and collecting a touchdown in his first career drive. Graves also posted a 16-yard quarterback keeper against Northwestern (Oct. 4), a career high. Hunter Herring has also seen action in a unique position, appearing in multiple positions on the field to push the Warhawks ahead. Herring scored the first touchdown of the season for the Warhawks and posted another against UTEP.
• The running back room in Monroe has proven to be deep, as five RBs have seen action so far this season. Braylon McReynolds has claimed six starts thus far, leading the team with 437 yards from 71 attempts and two touchdowns. McReynolds notched his first touchdown as a Warhawk against Saint Francis, a 13-yard reception into the end zone. 
Four other running backs contributed to the 1,177 rushing yards this season, the team averaging 4.9 yards per rush. Dorian Lewis has posted 168 yards on 20 carries, including a 72-yard rush to get to the red zone at UTEP (Sept. 20). Lewis also picked up the two-point conversion at Coastal Carolina (Oct. 11). Freshman D'Shaun Ford has seen 13 carries and 49 yards and Zach Palmer-Smith has recorded 258 yards off 45 carries, including his first ULM rushing touchdown against Arkansas State (Sept. 27). Tyrell Reed Jr. has collected 89 yards, averaging 3.9 yards per carry. 
• Jonathan Bibbs leads the receiving room, tallying 216 yards from 16 receptions, averaging 30.9 yards per game. Most recently, Bibbs caught the touchdown reception against Coastal Carolina, a 27-yard reception in the end zone. Tyler Griffin has claimed 150 yards from 10 receptions, including a touchdown reception from quarterback Graves in the season opener. Veteran Jake Godfrey has notched 169 yards off 12 receptions, getting a touchdown reception from Armenta into the end zone at UTEP (Sept. 20) and his fourth career touchdown reception vs. Arkansas State (Sept. 27). Junior JP Coulter has also seen action this season, posting 113 yards off 12 receptions. 
Receiver Nic Trujillo made the return to the field against Northwestern (Oct. 4), sidelined for the first four games due to injury. In making his first catch as a Warhawk, Trujillo caught a 34-yard pass from Armenta to score an early touchdown against the Wildcats. Trujillo has so far collected 143 yards off 11 receptions.
• Tight end Julian Nixon has also seen action, registering 73 yards off seven receptions and scoring the first touchdown against Arkansas State. The touchdown was the tight end's second of his career and first of the season.
• Noah Flemmings leads the team defense with 37 tackles, logging five tackles for loss through seven games. A career-high stat line of 2.0 TFLs, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery came for Flemmings against Arkansas State (Sept. 27). Carl Fauntroy follows closely behind with 31 tackles (17 UA, 14 A), along with a tackle for loss and a pass breakup.
Former Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week D'Arco Perkins-McAllister continues finding success with the Warhawks, posting 27 tackles, three tackles for loss and three sacks across seven games. Perkins-McAllister also blocked a field goal against Arkansas State, ULM's first blocked field goal since 2023.
David Godsey Jr. and Lynard Harris are credited with two of the four interceptions on the season, both coming in the final two minutes against UTEP to prevent a last-minute comeback from the Miners. Godsey Jr. also forced and recovered a fumble at Coastal Carolina (Oct. 11), forcing another against Troy (Oct. 18). Kristopher Robinson also got in on the action, recording an interception against the Red Wolves. Robinson also logged a career-high eight tackles and a tackle for loss in the contest. Cliff Mosley also contributed to the defensive effort, catching his first career interception against the Red Flash to force another turnover. 
A few Warhawks saw career games against the Red Wolves, especially on the defensive side. Jaeden Calender posted his first career sack, one of six against Arkansas State. Godsey Jr. notched a career-high two pass breakups and Kelbee Holmes saw his first career quarterback hurry. Dylan Howell saw two sacks on the day, a career high for the ULM veteran. Newcomer Tae Woody also posted a career game with four tackles, 1.0 TFL and a quarterback hurry.
• Offensive lineman Elijah Fisher was recognized on multiple preseason watch lists, including the All State Wuerffel Trophy Watchlist and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Trophy Watchlist. The Wuerffel Trophy recognizes college football players who exemplify community service, academic excellence and athletic achievement. The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Trophy recognizes the top offensive player who exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity.
• Seven Warhawks were named to the Phil Steele Preseason Sun Belt teams. On the Phil Steele Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team were offensive lineman Elijah Fisher, defensive lineman Kevontay Wells, defensive back D'Arco Perkins-McAllister and placekicker Max Larson. On the fourth team were offensive lineman Jay Mickle, linebacker Billy Pullen and linebacker Seidrion Langston.
• Kevontay Wells was also named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense, as voted on by the conference's coaches. In his first season with the Warhawks, Wells led the team with 11.0 tackles for loss, which ranked tied for sixth in the Sun Belt. He added 50 total tackles and three sacks in a breakout junior season. Wells is the first Warhawk to be named to a Preseason All-Sun Belt team since 2020, when ULM placed a trio of players (Josh Johnson, Josh Pederson and Corey Straughter) on the preseason first team.