McMurry University's football team will celebrate Homecoming 2013 by hosting Angelo State University on Saturday (Oct. 5) at Wilford Moore Stadium. Kickoff between the Rams (1-3) and the War Hawks (1-3) is at 2 p.m. (CT).

"Homecoming around McMurry is always a special thing," McM head coach Mason Miller said. "(McMurry) does Homecoming the right way. It has a great tradition about it."

On a day like Homecoming where the word "reunion" takes center stage,  it seems only appropriate that McM and Angelo State will also be enjoying a reunion on the football field.  It has been 42 years since these two teams last battled on the gridiron, back in 1971. It was also ASU's Homecoming Game that day, as well (won by the Rams, 47-3).

To put things into perspective, the last time McMurry and Angelo State played football:
* Richard M. Nixon was president.
* A first class postage stamp was 8-cents.
* Then-Texas Stadium first opened (Cowboys defeated the Patriots, 44-21).
* Pittsburgh Pirates would win the World Series, 4-3 (and featured the first-ever night game in a World Series).
* UN votes to admit the People's Republic of China
* First-ever game played at Philadelphia's Veteran's Stadium (4-1 win by Phillies).
* Disney World opens in Orlando.
* A gallon of gas was 40-cents.

These two teams have met eight times (4-4 tie) in football, between the years of 1964-71. ASU has won the last three meetings (1969, 70 and 71), as well as the inaugural faceoff in 1964. McM won four-straight (1965-68) to account for its win total in the series.

In that last meeting in 1971, the Rams were coached by none other than former McMurry head coach Grant Teaff, who was in his final season with ASU before beginning a long and distinguished coaching career at Baylor.

Saturday's game is also a return visit to Wilford Moore Stadium for ASU head coach Will Wagner. McMurry faithful may remember Wagner as a member of the football team at nearby Hardin-Simmons University from 1992-95, where he was an all-American defensive back.

Nostalgia aside, the game is McMurry's second (of an eventual five) versus a team from the Lone Star Conference in 2013. It's also a foreshadowing of future rivalries as the War Hawks will become members of the LSC once again in 2014. Previously, McMurry was an LSC member from 1964-71 in football.

ASU enters today's contest with a 1-3 record, which includes losses to No. 5-ranked CSU-Pueblo (45-24) and to the NCAA Division II's No. 1-ranked team, Valdosta State (37-3) last Saturday.

The Rams featured a fairly balanced offensive attack, averaging 266.2 yards per game on the ground and 199.8 y.p.g. via the pass. The team has been hurt by the yellow flag, averaging better than eight penalties and 81 penalty yards per game.

Jermie Calhoun leads the ASU ground game, averaging nearly 98 yards per game. Quarterback Kyle Washington chips in better than 80 yards per game on the ground and has four rushing touchdowns.

In 2013, Washington is 66-of-105 passing for 653 yards and four aerial TDs.

Rush Seaver leads the ASU defense at nearly nine tackles per game, to go along with a 100-yard interception return.

After starting out its season with losses to a pair of NCAA I FCS foes and to one LSC team, McMurry was finally able to hand head coach Mason Miller his first collegiate coaching victory last Saturday, with its 53-27 win over Oklahoma Panhandle State.

Freshman quarterback Gabe Rodriguez had quite a debut in his first start for the War Hawks last Saturday. Rodriguez was 26-of-37 for 423 yards and tied the school game record with seven TD passes.

The receiving tandem of Jeret Smith and Greg Livingston was the primary benefactor of Rodriguez's arm. Smith had seven catches for 156 yards, while Livingston made six grabs for 129 yards.  Both had three touchdown receptions.

Meanwhile, the War Hawks' ground game was more than capably handled by Chris Simpson. Simpson carried 19 times for 126 yards. Paxton Grayer had 97 rushing yards and one TD in the win.

Desmond Guy and Jonathan Blair lead McM's defense, with 37 and 35 total tackles, respectively. Blair had six tackles, an interception and two QB hurries in last week's win over OPSU. Decorian Johnson blocked two kicks in that game, as well.

"(Angelo State) is a good outfit," said Miller. "Their record is kind of like ours. They've played two top-10 teams; we've played two FCS teams. They've lost a Lone Star game; we've lost a Lone Star game. I look at this as a way for our kids to get better and an opportunity to do something great, and continue our process toward the Lone Star Conference."

All McMurry games can be heard live locally on KSLI 1280-AM or via the internet links available at mcmurrysports.com or any of the stations of the War Hawks Radio Network. The pre-game show begins at 1:45 p.m. with Kit Kimbrell and David Bacon calling the action.