Pioneers face toughest challenge yet on the road against 14th-ranked Langston

Going on the road to face 14^th-ranked Langston University desperately needing a win can't be considered the best of circumstances for Butch Henderson and the Wayland Baptist football team. But the Pioneers are welcoming the challenge they'll face Saturday afternoon in northern Oklahoma against what will be their third straight top-level team.
 
"We knew our first three conference games were against nationally-ranked teams (at the end of the year), so we pressed the kids to come in ready to play. The heat of the schedule is right at the front for us," Henderson said.
 
After falling to Southwestern Assemblies of God in their Sooner Athletic Conference opener two weeks ago, the Pioneers (1-2, 0-2 SAC) fared much better despite coming up short of Oklahoma Panhandle State last Saturday, 20-17. Henderson hopes the Pioneers are able to continue that improvement this week against Langston's Lions (2-1, 2-0).
 
"We didn't do some things in the SAGU game from an offensive standpoint, but we made a lot better jump last week. Hopefully that will carry us as we go in this week," Henderson said. "(It's assuring) when you go in there and play Langston and you know you're able to play with those nationally-ranked teams."
 
Kickoff at W.E. Anderson Stadium is at 2 p.m. Coverage links are available at www.wbuathletics.com.
 
Langston has served as Wayland's end-of-season opponent the last two seasons, and the teams have played in Plainview the last three years in a row.
 
"Because of the way the scheduling has gone, none of our players have ever played at Langston," Henderson said, adding that the school provides a good college football environment. "They have two or three (visiting) bands playing, lots of tailgating. It's really a fun atmosphere."
 
The on-field experience against the Lions hasn't been as much fun for the Pioneers. Langston is Wayland's longest-running opponent as the teams have faced off every season since football returned to WBU in 2012. The Lions won all six previous meetings, although Wayland did pick up a post-game forfeit victory in 2013 after the Lions had won on the field, 33-0.
 
Last year's game saw Wayland – on the strength of two Daniel Martinez field goals, including the senior's second school-record 56-yarder – own a 6-3 lead late in the second quarter. But the Lions stole the momentum with a pair of touchdown passes – the last one after an interception – in the final 2:46 of the first half.
 
Then WBU sophomore De'Sean Johnson ripped off a 70-yard TD run with four minutes to go in the game to close the gap to 31-19, but when a high, short kickoff didn't get the ball back for the Pioneers, Langston ended the scoring on a 16-yard scoring run. Johnson ended with 14 carries for a season-high 139 yards for Wayland, while quarterback Mitchell Parsley completed 9-of-31 passes for 127 yards.
 
The win capped Langston's first perfect regular-season since 1973, and the Lions went on to host their first playoff game in the 100-plus year history of the school. Langston lost to the 10^th-ranked Northwestern (Iowa) Red Raiders, 55-7, and wound up the season ranked No. 13.
 
After going 8-0 in the Central States Football League, the Lions were the coaches' preseason favorite to win the Sooner Athletic Conference.
 
Saturday's game will pit strength against strength as Wayland stacks its defense, ranked No. 1 in the SAC in yards per game (293), against Langston's offense rated No. 2 in the league in both scoring (38.7 points per game) and yards (458).
 
"It will be a good battle," Henderson said.
 
Langston opened defense of its conference title by squeaking out a 63-56 win at home over first-year Ottawa-Arizona. The Lions then went to Southern University-Baton Rouge and in a game that was called in the third quarter due to lightning lost, 33-18. Langston returned home last week against a SAGU team that defeated Wayland, 54-23, and, after trailing 6-0 at halftime, prevailed, 35-20.
 
Leading the Lions is senior quarterback Jaylen Lowe (6-0, 200), last year's athlete of the year in the CSFL. This season, Lowe ranks second in the SAC and ninth in the NAIA in total offense with 312 yards per game. His 258 passing yards a game rank 15^th in the NAIA, and Lowe has completed 63 percent of his passes (59-of-93) with six touchdowns and one interception.
 
"He's the hub" of their offense, Henderson said of Lowe, adding that Langston is just as dangerous running the ball as passing.
 
"They're the leading rushing team in our conference, and because they have the ability to run the ball that opens it up for (Lowe) to be able to throw. And they throw it enough to keep you off balance."
 
Langston is picking up just over 200 rushing yards a game, and much of that is due to sophomore Tim Whitfield (5-11, 220) and his 75 yards per game, 7½ yards per carry and six TDs. The Lions boast two other running backs averaging more than 54 yards, including junior Cameron Booty (5-11, 198) who as Langston's punter ranks fourth in the NAIA at 44.3 yards per attempt.
 
Wayland's running game, meanwhile, mostly struggled last week against OPSU, ending with minus-24 yards thanks in part to six sacks. Henderson attributed all of that more to the Aggies' defense than the fact the Pioneers began the game without three starters on the offensive line. The coach praised fill-ins Nicholas Sotelo at center, Matthew Ontiveros at guard and Nike Nielsen at tackle.
 
"Those guys really stepped up. The second half we went to a quick passing game instead of a vertical passing game and really started putting things together. We finally hit a rhythm that I felt we've been capable of doing and had two really good drives that let us go in and get points. (Quarterback) Nick (Quintero) played well and we played well around them. We had the confidence that if we had the ball a little bit longer we felt we could have gone in and scored.
 
"The thing we have to do this week is do what we know how, which is play good defense and rely on out punt game and special teams," Henderson said. "Then we have to get points out of the times we have opportunities. I feel we have a chance to go in there and win a big game."
 
While Langston may be playing the best of them all, Henderson said all nine SAC teams are producing good football.
 
"Everybody is playing tough. Lyon takes (No. 19 Arizona Christian into overtime, (first-year) Ottawa-Arizona came back on Langston after being down 21-0 and that ends up being a 7-point game. There are no breathers in there at all. Everybody is playing each other tough.
 
"We just need to be the one who plays tough and starts winning."