Angelo State closes out home schedule with Commerce showdown

It'll be a matchup of Lone Star Conference teams on three-game winning streaks when the Angelo State University football team hosts Texas A&M-Commerce in the home finale Saturday night.

ASU (7-2 overall, 3-2 in conference) manhandled Eastern New Mexico 59-7 on the road last week, while Commerce (6-3, 4-1) shut out UT Permian Basin 41-0 at home.

"It was probably our most complete game of the year -- offense, defense and special teams," ASU head coach Jeff Girsch said of the blowout against the Greyhounds last week. "The defense continued to do well. They took the ball away several times and gave us great field position.

"On offense, coach (Kevin) Kilmer did a great job getting the play calls and our kids executed the play calls the way we wanted to. It was a good weekend. Special teams-wise, we were talented there as well. I'm really excited about the group and overall it was a great team effort."

Kickoff for the ASU-Commerce showdown is scheduled for 6 p.m. at LeGrand Stadium at 1st Community Credit Union Field. It's designated as Military Appreciation Day and Senior Day. Radio coverage will be on KWFR 101.9-FM.

Rams junior quarterback Zach Bronkhorst was named the LSC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after completing 11 of 21 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns against ENMU.

Bronkhorst had to miss three games after injuring his non-throwing shoulder against Midwestern State on Sept. 18, but his head coach says he's close to the level he needs to be at after being back in the lineup the last three weeks.

"Yeah, he took a big step (last) weekend," Girsch said. "He made some great decisions with the football. There were a couple of balls that were bad at the line of scrimmage that were going to be big plays for us. He'll continue to keep on improving, but he gives us a great opportunity to win games because he makes great decisions with the football.

"We're hoping to increase that completion percentage a little bit from week to week as we go, but again, I'm very happy for him and proud for him for battling back from a tough injury and putting us in position to win football games."

Girsch says it makes Bronkhorst's job easier to have a strong running game with Nathaniel Omayebu, the LSC's leading rusher with 910 yards and seven TDs, along with CJ Odom (495 yards, 4 TDs) and Alfred Grear (325 yards, 2 TDs). Odom and Grear are ranked third and 10th, respectively, in conference.

The Rams also have a talented receiving corps, led by Kellen Pachot (608 yards and 4 TDs), who ranks third in conference.

ASU has the No. 1 offense in the LSC and the Rams are No. 2 on defense.

Rams senior linebacker Hunter Kyle is the fourth-leading tackler in the LSC with 58 total stops. Teammates Daron Allman (45) and Josh Quinton (45) are ranked 17th and 18th, respectively.

The Rams will be going up against the No. 1 defense in the conference this weekend and the No. 3 offense.

Commerce redshirt senior defensive back Alex Shillow was selected as the LSC Defensive POY last week after recording six tackles and tying the school record with a 100-yard pick-six.

In the last meeting between the Rams and Lions two years ago, Commerce won a defensive battle 17-3 in San Angelo.

So how does Commerce's defense compare to that 2019 team?

"I'd say they're better, but we're better offensively, too," Girsch said. "They're extremely talented on defense. That field goal was on the opening drive. We went right down and kicked a field goal to go up 3-0 in that football game and then we didn't an opportunity to score again.

"We had a couple of other opportunities to kick field goals, but field goals weren't winning that day. We had to score some touchdowns."

Lions redshirt junior QB Miklo Smalls was named the LSC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He missed the first five games of the season due to an injury, but has started the last four contests.

"He's an outstanding football player first off," Girsch said of Smalls. "We're definitely going to have to contain him in the running and passing game. He does a lot of great things and they're so well coached.

"But we've been playing great defense all year and I'm excited for that matchup. It's going to be two very good defenses going against two great offenses. We're going to have to keep (Smalls) under wraps to give ourselves a chance to win the game."

Saturday's game has huge playoff implications. ASU is currently ranked fifth in its region and the top seven teams in each region will punch their ticket to the postseason.

The Rams are hoping to get an adrenaline boost from their die-hard fans in the home finale.

"We're excited for the matchup," Girsch said. "We hope that it's packed in there. The weather's supposed to be nice and we're looking forward to it."

This could be the last meeting between ASU and Commerce since the Lions are going to make the jump to Division I.

Charles Bryce is a journalist covering sports in West Texas. Send him a news tip at cbryce@gannett.com. Consider supporting West Texas journalism with a subscription to GoSanAngelo.com.

This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Angelo State closes out home schedule with Commerce showdown