KEARNEY, Neb. – The Western New Mexico University football team hits to road for their farthest road game of the season this Saturday when they battle Nebraska-Kearney at 1 p.m. Mountain Time.


UNK (7-1, 5-1 RMAC) ranked No. 9 and No. 10 in various polls defeated New Mexico Highlands last week, 38-14, in Las Vegas, N.M.


The Lopers led 28-0 after the first quarter and never looked back against the Cowboys.


The only setback for UNK came two weeks ago against RMAC-leader and still undefeated CSU-Pueblo, 27-14.


Quarterback Jake Spitzlberger powers the Lopers both through the air and on the ground.


On the ground, he has 718 yards on 106 attempts and a team-leading 11 touchdowns.


Through the air, he has 1,872 passing yards, completing 133-of-225, along with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.


UNK has dominated teams on the ground, outrushing opponents 2,288 to 799.


Receiving, Tommy Flanagan has pulled in 35 passes for 512 yards and six touchdowns.


Adam Lehner (340) and Eli Hammond (303) are both over 300 yards receiving and have three combined touchdowns.


Defensively, Kellen Werner leads the team in tackles with 56, while also leading the team in tackles for loss (8), while adding two sacks and four interceptions.


Cory Morten is the sack leader for the team with four, while Arthur Hobbs has a team-high six picks, returned for 295 yards.


As a team, they have 17 sacks to allowing eight for opponents, while they have 17 team interceptions to 11 for opponents.


The Mustangs (4-4, 3-3 RMAC) will look to rebound from a 21-13 setback against Chadron State and snap a two-game skid overall, after dropping a heartbreaking game the week before against Adams State, 44-40.


Daveon Barner (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Polytechnic) leads WNMU in rushing, collecting 411 yards on 100 attempts and five scores. Abraham Macias (El Paso, TX/Socorro HS) has added 339 yards on 63 attempts and three touchdowns.


David Ingram (Irvine, CA/Woodbridge HS) has made some things happen with his feet and through the air this season, throwing for 2,139 yards, completing 180-of-319 for 18 touchdowns to eight interceptions.


His favorite target continues to be Markis Sumpter (Oceanside, CA/Fallbrook High School), as he has 48 receptions for 673 yards and eight touchdowns. Ronnell Pompey (Los Angeles, CA/Fairfax Senior HS) is second on the team with 37 catches for 454 yards and three touchdowns. Barner is the third-leading receiver, grabbing 19 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns.


Defensively, Jacob Cross (Bakersfield, CA/Centennial HS) has 75 tackles, 29 solo, to lead the team in both categories.


Dashaun Briggs (AZ/) leads the team in tackles for loss with 11.5 for 69 yards. He also leads the team in sacks with 6.5.


Four Mustangs lead the team in interceptions with four, Anthony Phillips (Houston, TX/Dobie HS), Nicholas Cook (Winnetka, CA/Bishop Alemany HS), Kameron Drawhorn (San Diego, CA/Fallbrook HS) and Bernard Williams.


UNK defeated the Mustangs, 56-31, last season in Silver City, despite WNMU leading 17-7 after the first quarter and were down by just four at halftime.


UNK and WNMU will battle at 2 p.m. Central, 1 p.m. Mountain Time Saturday afternoon in Kearney. The games was moved back to accommodate the University of Nebraska kickoff time.