ABILENE, Texas – For the first time since 2011 – and the 29th time overall – McMurry University and Hardin-Simmons University will renew their football crosstown rivalry on Saturday at Wilford Moore Stadium. Kickoff is slated for noon and gates will open 1 ½ hours prior.
 
It will also be the 85th Homecoming Game in McMurry University's history. McMurry is 44-38-2 in homecoming games through the years. McM has lost its last two homecoming contests (to Angelo State and Eastern New Mexico). Hardin-Simmons has never been the homecoming game for McMurry prior to this season. McM has been the homecoming game for HSU once (in 1997).
 
The Cowboys have dominated the series with McM, 24-4. However, it was McM that won the last meeting in 2011 (the season of McM's NCAA III playoff team).
 
The teams will be playing for the Wilford Moore Trophy and there could not be a more appropriate namesake for the award. Wilford Moore played football and graduated from Hardin-Simmons University. He was a team captain for two of those years and played alongside some of HSU's greatest players.
 
In 1945, Moore joined the McMurry coaching staff and was promoted to head coach in 1946 (at that time the youngest head coach in the country). He served eight years as McM's head coach and still owns the best winning percentage (.639). He produced numerous all-American players (including College Football Hall-of-Fame member Brad Rowland) and numerous assistants who went on to become head coaches (among them legendary McM and Baylor head coach Grant Teaff).
 
Moore was also a decorated veteran of WWII, flying B26s in the European Theatre among his numerous assignments.
 
Thus far in 2015, HSU and McM have just one common foe: Southwestern University.  The Cowboys crushed the Pirates, 77-6, in their season opener. The very next week, the War Hawks were edged by Southwestern, 7-6, in Abilene.
 
The Cowboys come in as one of the hottest teams in NCAA III football, sporting a 4-0 record and a ranking of No. 12 by the AFCA and No. 16 by D3Football.com for the nation. HSU is coming off of a 31-7 drubbing of perennial power Trinity University in San Antonio last Saturday. In addition, HSU has defeated Southwestern (77-6), then No.-18 ranked Texas Lutheran (35-27) and Wayland Baptist (49-7).
 
McMurry opened its season with a 49-22 win at East Texas Baptist and in week #2 dropped their home opener (7-6) to Southwestern. In week #3, the War Hawks pummeled Texas College, 40-0, fell versus Langston (32-29) and defeated NCAA II Lincoln University (34-14)...all three on the road. 
 
Thru the first 5 games of 2015, McMurry has dominated time of possession in the 4th quarter of games. McM averages better than 10 minutes of possession in the final period, while opponents are slightly under 5 minutes per average in the fourth quarter.
 
The War Hawks have out-scored opponents by a margin of 69-to-13 in the 1st quarter. McM has yet to give up any points in the 3rd quarter in 2015 and has allowed just 19 total points in the second half of games.
 
Offensively, senior running back Paxton Grayer is a game time decision, after having missed the past six quarters of McM's games with a shoulder injury received at Langston University three weeks ago. Despite being on the shelf, Grayer still has amassed 654 rushing yards in less than four full games.
 
On defense, McM allows just 217.8 yards per game, led by last week's NCCAA national "Student-Athlete of the Week" in defensive back Ryan Williams.  Williams leads the War Hawks in both tackles (40) and interceptions (4). Linebacker Chase Franklin has 38 tackles and was also an NCCAA "Student-Athlete of the Week" earlier this season.