MONROE, La. – The ULM football team (2-1) returns home after a strong nonconference road win, taking on Arkansas State (1-3) on Saturday (Sept. 27) in Malone Stadium for homecoming. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. CT and fans are encouraged to wear maroon.
 
Saturday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Sean Fox (play-by-play) and Desmund Lighten (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 Chase Regian.
 
OPENING DRIVE –
• The ULM football team returns home to open Sun Belt play against Arkansas State on Saturday (Sept. 27) at 2 p.m. CT in Malone Stadium. The Warhawks are looking to find success after a strong road win at UTEP.

• ULM returns home after its first road nonconference win since 2018, a strong 31-25 showing against the UTEP Miners. The Warhawks put up 24 points in the first half to pull away, scoring on four of their first five possessions. Two interceptions by the ULM defense in the final two minutes secured the 31-25 victory.

• Saturday's game marks the 48th-ever meeting in the series between the Red Wolves and the Warhawks. Arkansas State holds a 33-14 record, most recently claiming a 28-21 win in 2024 in Jonesboro. The first meeting between the two teams was 1959, with the Red Wolves posting a 15-0 shutout on their home field. ULM has not defeated Arkansas State since 2009, when the Warhawks won 16-10 in Malone Stadium. 

• At Saturday's game, ULM will be unveiling a new grey uniform and new maroon helmet for the homecoming game. This is the first maroon helmet for the Warhawks since 2005. The Warhawks have also announced a black helmet this season.

• The Warhawks open Sun Belt competition at Malone Stadium this season, last doing so in 2023 against App State. ULM is 8-15 in Sun Belt Conference openers since 2001, currently on a one-game streak after defeating Troy on the road to open SBC play last season. 

• 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.

• The Warhawks lead the Sun Belt in numerous categories, including kickoff return defense (8.31, fifth nationally) and red zone offense (1.000). ULM is one of 19 teams to remain 100% in the red zone, and one of two Sun Belt teams to remain 1.000. Running back Braylon McReynolds sits at third in the Sun Belt in yards per carry (6.78), ranking 23rd in FBS. 

• 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's 2025 opponents went a combined 69-81 (.460) in 2024, with five opponents going over .500. In addition, six foes also participated in postseason bowl games a year ago: Alabama (ReliaQuest Bowl), Coastal Carolina (Myrtle Beach Bowl), South Alabama (IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl), Arkansas State (68 Ventures Bowl), the Ragin' Cajuns (Isleta New Mexico Bowl) and Texas State (Servpro First Responder Bowl).

• 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. 

• Aidan Armenta remains the starting quarterback for the Warhawks, completing 28 of 51 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns. Monroe native Landon Graves has also seen action at quarterback this season, throwing four-for-seven across three games and collecting a touchdown in his first career drive. Hunter Herring also saw 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 three starts thus far, leading the team with 244 yards from 36 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 654 rushing yards this season, the team averaging 5.6 yards per rush. Tyrell Reed Jr. has collected 53 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. Dorian Lewis posted 131 yards on 14 carries, including a 72-yard rush to get to the red zone at UTEP. Freshman D'Shaun Ford has seen nine carries and 42 yards and Zach Palmer-Smith has recorded 41 yards off 16 carries. Quarterback Herring leads with two rushing touchdowns.

• Tyler Griffin continues to lead ULM receivers, claiming 63 yards from six receptions, including a touchdown reception from quarterback Graves in the season opener. Veteran Jake Godfrey has notched 70 yards off five receptions, getting a touchdown reception from Armenta into the end zone at UTEP. JP Coulter follows Godfrey this season, posting 42 yards off five receptions.

• Noah Flemmings leads the team defense with 17 tackles, logging two tackles for loss, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry through three games. Former Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week D'Arco Perkins-McAllister follows closely behind with 15, notching two tackles for loss, two sacks and four pass breakups. Kamrin Canterbury also has 15 tackles with a sack, Carl Fauntroy and Seidrion Langston each have registered 13 and to round out the double-digit tackles, Korian Wilson has 11.
David Godsey Jr. and Lynard Harris are credited with two of the three interceptions on the season, both coming in the final two minutes against UTEP to prevent a last-minute comeback from the Miners. 
The ULM defense prevented the Red Flash from crossing the 50 all but one time. Perkins-McAllister registered eight tackles in the season opener and two sacks. Wilson and Flemmings 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.

• 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 Hillenters his second season on the staff, with his son Bryan Hill working as a defensive assistant coach.