Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Northwestern State
Wildcats return to the south to play at Northwestern State Saturday
9/17/2024 3:08:00 PM | Football
The Wildcats and Demons will meet Saturday night in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Game will be streamed on ESPN+.
• Weber State returns to the south for another road game against a team from the Southland Conference as the Wildcats play at Northwestern State Saturday night in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
• This will be the first meeting ever between the two teams and the second of three straight games for Weber State against teams from the Southland Conference.
• The Wildcats are 1-2 on the season and coming off a 17-16 loss at Lamar last Saturday in Beaumont, Texas.
• Northwestern State is 0-3 on the season heading into Saturday's game.
Media coverage
Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
Weber State radio broadcast will be on 103.1 FM "The Wave" with Carl Arky and former WSU head coach and athletic director Jerry Graybeal calling the action.
Live stats available at WeberStateSports.com and the Weber State Wildcats app.
Wildcats fall at Lamar
Weber State dropped a tough one 17-16 at Lamar last Saturday night in Beaumont, Texas. The game was tied at halftime and the 'Cats took a 16-10 lead early on before Lamar scored to make it 17-16 with 9:00 left in the third quarter. Neither team scored the rest of the way and the Cardinals hung on for the win.
Damon Bankston surpasses 1,500 career rushing yards
Damon Bankston had another strong performance and reached a career milestone in Saturday's game. Bankston had 23 carries for 83 yards in the game Saturday night. He became the 21st player in Weber State history to surpass 1,500 career rushing yards. He has 1,541 career yards and 18 touchdowns in his 30 games played at Weber State.
Through three games this season, Bankston has rushed for 321 yards and two touchdowns. He ranks second in the Big Sky Conference and 11th in the nation in rushing at 107 yards per game.
Montae Pate with an interception touchdown
Weber State sophomore cornerback Montae Pate had an interception return for a touchdown in Saturday's game at Lamar. With 2:20 to play in the second quarter, Pate intercepted a Lamar pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown that tied the game 10-10. It was his first career interception. He also had four tackles in the game.
It was Weber State's first interception return touchdown since Winston Reid last season in the win at Northern Colorado.
National rankings
Through the first three games, Weber State ranks 11th in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 206 yards per game. The Wildcats are also tied for third in turnovers lost with just one fumble on the season.
Weber State is 5-0 under coach Mental when leading its opponent in turnover margin and 1-4 when trailing in turnover margin.
WSU is also one of just 13 teams in the country that has not thrown an interception this season. Wildcat quarterback Richie Muñoz is 52 for 92 passing for 501 yards and two touchdowns in the first three games. He also surpassed 1,500 career passing yards in his eight games played at Weber State.
As a team the Wildcats are also seventh in the nation in net punting and 15th in sacks allowed with three sacks allowed.
Individually, Damon Bankston is 11th in the nation in rushing yards per game at 107. Sophomore Oscar Doyle ranks sixth in the country in punting, averaging 46.6 yards per punt. Senior Kyle Thompson is seventh in the country in field goals per game, and Clarence "Bird" Butler is 13th in the nation in combined kick returns and 20th in kickoff returns at 24.2 yards per return.
Unofficial members of the Southland Conference
Weber State is a charter member of the Big Sky Conference and joined the league when it was formed in 1963. The Wildcats aren't looking to leave the Big Sky but will unofficially have a new home for three games.
WSU's is in the midst of playing three straight games against teams from the Southland Conference. They played at Lamar last Saturday, at Northwestern State this week and will host McNeese on September 28 in Ogden. It's the first time WSU has ever played Lamar and Northwestern State.
Seven seniors on the Wildcat team
Weber State begins the 2024 season with just seven seniors on the roster. The seven seniors are linebacker Garrett Beck, defensive tackle Zeke Birch, defensive tackle Steven Bryant, defensive end Kemari Munier-Bailey, long snapper Grant Sands, wide receiver Jacob Sharp, and kicker Kyle Thompson. Sharp is the only senior on the current depth chart on offense.
Seven seniors is the fewest of any school in the Big Sky Conference.
Head coach Mickey Mental returns for second season as head coach
Mickey Mental is in his second season as head coach at Weber State and his third season as the offensive coordinator with the Wildcats. Prior to coming to Weber State in 2022, Mental was the head coach at Notre Dame College in Ohio for two seasons where he posted a 16-2 overall record and a 13-1 record in conference play. In the spring 2021 season, he led the Falcons to a conference championship.
A native of Olmstead Falls, Ohio, Mental came to WSU for the 2022 season as the offensive coordinator under Jay Hill and helped lead the Wildcats to a 10-3 overall record and a trip to the second round of the FCS Playoffs.
Team captains
As selected by their teammates, Weber State has named five captains for the 2024 season. The five captains are junior running back Damon Bankston, senior linebacker Garrett Beck, senior defensive end Steven Bryant, junior wide receiver Jayleen Record, and junior cornerback Jalon Rock.
About Northwestern State
Northwestern State University is located in Natchitoches, Louisiana, approximately 75 miles southeast of Shreveport and approximately 160 miles northwest of Beaumont, Texas, site of last Saturday's game.
The Demons of Northwestern State enter Saturday's game with an 0-3 record and have faced two FBS programs. They opened the season with a 62-28 loss at Tulsa, lost at home 37-31 to Prairie View A&M and are coming off an 87-10 loss at South Alabama last Thursday.
Through three games, the Demons are giving up 62 points per game and 568 yards of total offense per game. Northwestern State does have two defensive touchdowns, one of eight teams in the nation with at least two defensive scores so far this season. The Demons are also 16th in the country in punt returns at 17 yards per return.
Northwestern State was 0-6 last season and had the remaining five games of the season canceled after the passing of a football player.
Blaine McCorkle took over as head coach in November.
Series history
This will be the first-ever meeting between Weber State and Northwestern State. This is the first of a two-game series announced last year but the next one won't be for two years. The two teams are scheduled to play on September 19, 2026 in Ogden.
Weber State is 2-6 all-time against teams currently in the Southland Conference, heading into this season. The 'Cats have played Stephen F. Austin, McNeese, and Nicholls in their history.
Quick hits
This will be Weber State's first game in the state of Louisiana since playing at McNeese in 2013...It will be just the fourth ever game in the state of Louisiana for the Wildcats. They have played at McNeese twice and once at Nicholls...Weber State is 7-1 under coach Mental when leading its opponent in rushing and is 0-6 when trailing in rushing, including Saturday's loss...Junior Brayden Wilson leads the Wildcat defense with 16 tackles in the first three games. He was a preseason All-American and All-Big Sky selection...WSU was selected sixth in the Big Sky preseason poll.
Looking ahead
After Saturday's game, Weber State will return home for the final of three straight Southland Conference opponents as the 'Cats host McNeese on September 28 at Stewart Stadium.
After that, Weber State will return to Big Sky play at longtime rival Montana on October 5 in Missoula.
