MONROE, La. – The ULM football team (1-1) hits the road again after an open week, taking on UTEP (1-2) on Saturday (Sept. 20) night at the Sun Bowl. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. ET.
 
Saturday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Andy Morgan (play-by-play) and Ed Stansbury (analyst) on the call. The game will also air on KLIP 105.3 FM with the Voice of the Warhawks, Mike Hammett, analyst Mike McGee and sideline reporter Josh McGehee.
 
OPENING DRIVE –
• The ULM football team remains on the road for another road test, this time facing UTEP on Saturday at 8 p.m. CT in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. The Warhawks are looking to find success after a bye week.

• ULM is looking to rebound after falling at No. 20/21 Alabama in game two of the season, 73-0. The Warhawks head into week four 1-1, clinching their first shutout in over a decade against Saint Francis at Malone Stadium to open the season. 

• Saturday's game marks the second-ever meeting in the series between the Miners and the Warhawks. UTEP holds a 1-0 record, claiming a 31-6 win in 2020 at Malone Stadium. Scotty Walden and Bryant Vincent have never faced each other.

• 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.

• ULM's 12-game football schedule features five home games, four being conference opponents. According to ESPN, the Warhawks have the second-toughest schedule in the Sun Belt and the eighth toughest in the Group of Five. 

• 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 is the second ULM player to receive Defensive Player of the Week honors in week one, with Wydett Williams Jr. receiving the honor last season. 
Perkins-McAllister played lights out for the Warhawks against the Red Flash, leading the defense in the team's first shutout in a decade. His two sacks lead the Sun Belt Conference and the team's defense leads the conference in sacks and red zone defense. 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. 

• 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.

• Aidan Armenta earned the start against Saint Francis for the Warhawks, going 12-for-23 and collecting 95 yards, as well as a rushing touchdown. Armenta then completed eight of 14 passes at Alabama on September 6. Monroe native Landon Graves has also seen action at quarterback this season, throwing four-for-seven across two games and collecting a touchdown in his first career drive. Hunter Herring also saw action in a unique position, appearing in crucial third and fourth down scenarios. Herring scored the first touchdown of the season for the Warhawks.

• 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 both starts thus far, leading the team with 137 yards from 18 attempts. McReynolds also posted his first touchdown as a Warhawk against Saint Francis, a 13-yard reception into the end zone. 
Four other running backs contributed to the 311 rushing yards against Saint Francis, the team averaging 7.2 yards per rush. Tyrell Reed Jr. collected 47 yards, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. Dorian Lewis posted 43 yards on six carries. Freshman D'Shaun Ford saw four carries and 22 yards on the evening and Zach Palmer-Smith recorded 21 yards off six carries. Ford followed behind McReynolds against the Crimson Tide, collecting 20 yards on five attempts.

• Tyler Griffin continues to lead ULM receivers, claiming 54 yards from five receptions, including a touchdown reception from quarterback Graves in the season opener. Veteran Jake Godfrey has notched 21 yards off three receptions. JP Coulter follows Griffin this season, posting 30 yards off four receptions.

• D'Arco Perkins-McAllister leads the defense with 12 tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks so far this season.Korian Wilson follows closely behind with 11 tackles, with Kamrin Canterbury and Noah Flemmings rounding out the double-digits with 10 each. Wilson and Flemmings each also registered a tackle for loss each.
Canterbury led the team with seven tackles agains the Crimson Tide. Seidrion Langston, Marcus Ross and Jabari Tillereach tallied six tackles in game two, Langston logging 0.5 tackles for loss and Ross recording one.
The ULM defense prevented the Red Flash from crossing the 50 all but one time. Perkins-McAllister registered eight tackles (five solo) in the season opener and two sacks. Wilson (seven tackles) and Flemmings (five tackles) each posted a tackle for loss as well. Flemmings' TFL shut down a fourth down conversion for Saint Francis, forcing a turnover on downs.

• Cliff Mosley also contributed to the defensive effort, catching his first career interception against the Red Flash to force another turnover. Mosley arrives at ULM from Henderson State, where the defensive lineman made eight tackles and recovered a fumble in 2024.

• Phil Steele Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team member Kevontay Wells returns to ULM after a stellar 2024 campaign, tallying 50 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and three sacks while earning All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense honors. Dylan Howell returns for his third Warhawk season, after totaling 23 tackles and two quarterback hurries in 2024. Billy Pullen returns for his second season, named to the Phil Steele Preseason All-Sun Belt Fourth Team, after starting in all 12 games and awarded All-Sun Belt Third Team last season. 

• The Warhawks return both starting guards from last season. Elijah Fisher is set for his sixth season in Monroe and has earned All-SBC Honorable Mention in back-to-back seasons. Fisher was voted Phil Steele All-Sun Belt Preseason Third Team. Jay Mickle started all 12 games for ULM last season and is back for his final season. The graduate student from Picayune, Miss., was voted Phil Steele Preseason All-Sun Belt Fourth Team. Also returning for the Warhawks' offensive line is Que McBroom and Reese Steele, both of whom made starts last season.

• ULM's coaching staff features four new faces in 2025, including running backs coach and run game coordinator Hindley Brigham, wide receivers coach Kishawn McClain, defensive ends coach Jontavius Morris and offensive assistant coach Cody Wells. Brigham arrives after nine seasons at UAB, McClain joins the staff after stops at ETSU and Gardner-Webb and Morris was added after being on staff at Louisville and Purdue. Former ULM quarterback Wells returns to Monroe after a few seasons at Evangel University.

• Family connections on the ULM football coaching staff include Bryant Vincent's son, Brady Vincent, as the team's Tight Ends Coach. Bret Vincent makes it three Vincents featured in the ULM football program, with Bret playing wide receiver for the Warhawks. The Vincent family is not the only family tie for ULM. Defensive Coordinator Earnest Hill enters his second season on the staff, with his son Bryan Hill working as a defensive assistant coach.