Hounds to host No. 11 Wildcats after bye week

Eastern New Mexico University’s football team will try to break out of a two-game losing streak on Saturday when the Greyhounds host 11th-ranked Central Washington in a 6:30 p.m. Lone Star Conference matchup at Steve Loy Family Foundation Stadium. It will be Homecoming at ENMU.

After wins over New Mexico Highlands and Sul Ross State to start the campaign, the Hounds (2-2, 0-2 LSC) have lost at Angelo State 26-20 and to Midwestern State 36-15. They are coming off a bye week.

Meantime, the Ellensburg, Wash.-based Wildcats bring a 3-1 record (2-0 LSC) into the contest after thumping Western New Mexico 36-0 in their home opener on Saturday. They are currently in a four-way tie for the LSC lead with Texas A&M-Kingsville, Angelo State and Western Oregon.

Central Washington piled up 554 total yards, including 364 on the ground, while limiting the Mustangs (2-3, 0-3) to 91 total yards and eight first downs.

Sophomore quarterback Kennedy McGill completed 13-of-18 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns while the team averaged more than six yards on the ground. Senior defensive lineman Chase Loidhamer led the defensive effort with three quarterback sacks, resulting in a loss of 26 yards.

The Wildcats dropped their opener at Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-AA) member San Diego 26-7 on Sept. 7. They then won road games at Colorado Mesa 28-12 and at West Texas A&M 45-3 before topping WNMU last week.

Central Washington leads the all-time series 3-0, dating to 2021, but last year the Hounds gave the Wildcats a strong run at Ellensburg before falling 38-35.