Snow College hosts shorthanded Arizona Western

EPHRAIM — The Snow College Badgers will look to improve upon their preseason No. 4 ranking when they take on No. 24 Arizona Western on Saturday.

After a weekend where the top-three teams in the nation all lost, Snow expects a stiff challenge of their first of five ranked opponents in the season.

Arizona Western will be shorthanded as 10 players will serve out suspensions, most of them starters. These suspensions were handed out due to a fight that broke out in the last game of the season against Eastern Arizona.

Snow College will be playing its second game of the season while Arizona Western will be playing its first game of the season.

"They have a slight advantage by not playing because they have film on us and we have no film on them," head coach Steve Coburn said. "But we have an advantage by playing a game and building on our team unity."

Last year, the Badgers beat Arizona Western 31-25. Sophomore quarterback Quinn Mecham (Timpview High School) led the way by passing for 271 yards while throwing three touchdowns, but threw three interceptions. The Badgers were also held to just 37 yards on the ground with sophomore running back Tyson Church (North Sanpete High School) only running for 30 yards in the game.

Arizona Western held opponents to 20.9 points per game and has seven players returning on defense, but five of those will sit out the first game.

"Their defense is very fast, very big, and very physical," Coburn said. "But we're pretty big too."

Snow College will look to maintain its all-around game by looking to the offensive linemen to lead the offensive attack by protecting the quarterback and creating gaps for the backs.

"The offensive line has a big challenge ahead of them," Coach Coburn said. "They will be the key to our success."

The Badgers have won 23 consecutive home games.

Editor's note: The Snowdrift is the weekly student newspaper of Snow College.