Football | 10/4/2012 1:46:00 PM

FOOTBALL -  WESTERN OREGON AT NO. 24 HUMBOLDT STATE
Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 – 6:00 p.m. – Arcata, Calif.

LIVE WOU AUDIO: 1340 KLOO AM (Stretch Internet)
LIVE VIDEO: Humboldt State (Stretch Internet)
LIVE STATS: Humboldt State (Stretch Internet)

WATCH - HUMBOLDT STATE PREVIEW WITH WOU ASSISTANT COACH JOSH MANNING

WATCH - FEATURE STORY ON WOU DEFENSIVE LINEMAN KRAIG AKINS

MONMOUTH, Ore. – Looking for its third-straight victory, the Western Oregon football team returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 6, at 6:00 p.m. as they travel to Arcata, Calif., to face No. 24 Humboldt State in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest.

The Wolves picked up their second-straight victory with a 20-7 win over Azusa Pacific and enter the contest against the Lumberjacks with a record of 2-3 overall, 2-2 in league play. Cody VonAppen had 260 total yards in the victory as the Wolves managed to hold Azusa Pacific to just 239 yards of total offense.

VonAppen continues to lead the WOU attack as the senior signal-caller ranks second in the league in total offense at 262.2 yards per game. As a team, the Wolves ranks fifth in the league in scoring at 16.8 points per game and fourth in total offense at 351.2 yards per contest.

After a strong defensive effort against APU, the Wolves moved up to third in the league in scoring defense at 23.2 points per game while ranking fourth in total defense at 372.4 yards per contest. Bryce Peila continues to lead the Wolves in tackles at 8.6 per game and ranks second in the league in the category while Kraig Akins ranks 10th in the league at 6.8 tackles per contest.

On special teams, punter Alexander Bradt continues to have a strong season as he leads the league in punting at 44.1 yard per kick. For his efforts against APU last week, Bradt was named GNAC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Nationally-ranked Humboldt State enters with a record of 4-1 overall, 3-1 in conference play, as the Lumberjacks dropped their first contest of the season last week, falling to Central Washington, 31-3.

Humboldt State leads the league in scoring offense at 34.6 points per game while ranking second in defense at 20.2 points per contest. Running back Nick Ricciardulli leads the HSU attack as he leads the league in rushing at 146.8 yards per contest. Meanwhile, quarterback Alex Rump ranks third in the league in total offense at 209.6 yards per contest.

The teams split a pair of meetings a year ago as WOU picked up a 40-24 win in Monmouth before falling on the road, 37-7, in a game that decided the GNAC title. Western Oregon continues to lead the all-time series, 18-15.

Following the game against the Lumberjacks, WOU will return home to face Dixie State for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 13, at 1:00 p.m.