Pioneers look to stay on track to meet late-season goal against first-year Texas Wesleyan

After feeling like the road might never end to open the season, it finally does this weekend for the Wayland Baptist football team.

The Pioneers, who opened the 2017 season with a dizzying three-game road trip that took them Louisiana to Arizona, play their final road contest of the season Saturday afternoon in Fort Worth against the Texas Wesleyan Rams.

Game time in the Central States Football League game at Fort Worth ISD's Farrington Field between the Pioneers (3-5, 3-3 CSFL) and Rams (0-8, 0-5) is 2 p.m., with pre-game coverage provided by Danny Andrews beginning at 1:30. Coverage links are available at www.wbuathletics.com.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children (ages 4-12).

The Pioneers are coming off their most convincing win of the season, a 48-21 victory over Bacone that kept Wayland coach Butch Henderson's hopes alive for a .500 season. If the Pioneers can defeat first-year Texas Wesleyan, they'll head into their final game – Nov. 11 at home against eighth-ranked Langston, following a bye next week – with a chance to go 5-5.

Likewise, the Rams are fresh off arguably their best performance of the year last week. Against Lyon College, a team Wayland narrowly defeated a month ago in Batesville, Ark., Texas Wesleyan held the lead very late in the third quarter, and then in the fourth period nearly erased a 21-7 deficit before falling, 21-14.
 
Jermarcus Jones became the Rams' first 100-yard rusher of the season, picking up 104 yards on 18 carries against Lyon. Jones also scored twice, once on the ground and once with a TD catch. The Rams outgained the Scots in total yardage, 233-212, thanks to 169 rushing yards.

The game was Wesleyan's closest shot at a win in what is the Rams' first year on the gridiron. TWU's other CSFL scores were: 33-18 vs. Bacone, 21-11 vs. Texas College, 34-0 vs. Langston, and 42-7 vs. Southwestern Assemblies of God. The Rams also lost 42-7 to New Mexico Highlands, 29-13 to Millsaps College, Miss., and 43-14 to McPherson College, Kan.

To read about Saturday's game, go here.