2023 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team

2023 Incarnate Word Cardinals football
Conference	Southland Conference
Ranking
STATS	No. 22
FCS Coaches	No. 14
Record	8–2 (6–1 Southland)
Head coach	Clint Killough (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Conner McQueen (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Jim Gush (1st season)
Base defense	4–2–5
Captains	Jayden Borjas Darren Brown Stanley Mark Brandon Richard Chance Trentman-Rosas
Home stadium	Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium
Seasons ←  2022 2024  →

2023 Southland Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Nicholls $^		7	–	0					6	–	5
No. 22 Incarnate Word		6	–	1					8	–	2
Lamar		5	–	2					6	–	5
Houston Christian		4	–	3					5	–	5
Southeastern Louisiana		3	–	4					3	–	8
Texas A&M–Commerce *		2	–	5					1	–	9
McNeese		1	–	6					0	–	10
Northwestern State **		0	–	2					0	–	6
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant * – Texas A&M–Commerce ineligible for FCS postseason play due to transition from NCAA Division II. ** – Northwestern State canceled its season on October 26. Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2023 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team represented the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Cardinals played their home games at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium in San Antonio, Texas. They were led by first-year head coach Clint Killough.

Preseason

Preseason poll

The Southland Conference released their preseason poll on July 24, 2023. The Cardinals were picked to finish second in the conference and received seven first-place votes. ^[1]

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	Southeastern Louisiana	93 (9)
2	Incarnate Word	91 (7)
3	McNeese	65
4	Nicholls	62
5	Northwestern State	52
6	Texas A&M–Commerce	33
7	Lamar	28
8	Houston Christian	24

Preseason All–Southland Teams

The Southland Conference announced the 2023 preseason all-conference football team selections on July 21, 2023. UIW had a total of 7 players selected. ^[2]

Offense 1st Team Brandon Porter – Wide receiver, RS-SR Stanley Mark – Offensive lineman, RS-SR 2nd Team CJ Hardy – Wide receiver, RS-SR

Defense 1st Team Steven Parker – Defensive lineman, JR Brandon Richard – Defensive back, RS-SR 2nd Team Marcus Brown – Defensive lineman, JR Dekaylon Taylor – Punt returner, SO

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 2	8:00 p.m.	at UTEP *	No. 7	Sun Bowl El Paso, TX	ESPN+	L 14–28	30,738
September 9	3:00 p.m.	at Northern Colorado *	No. 10	Nottingham Field Greeley, CO	ESPN+	W 42–7	3,898
September 16	7:00 p.m.	at Abilene Christian *	No. 10	Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium Abilene, TX	ESPN+	W 27–20	8,280
September 23	6:00 p.m.	North American *	No. 9	Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium San Antonio, TX	ESPN+	W 63–3	2,482
October 7	4:00 p.m.	Southeastern Louisiana	No. 8	Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium San Antonio, TX	ESPN+	W 33–26	1,622
October 14	4:00 p.m.	Texas A&M–Commerce	No. 7	Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium San Antonio, TX	ESPN+	W 28–11	2,278
October 21	7:00 p.m.	at McNeese	No. 5	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	ESPN+	W 35–24	7,415
October 28	3:00 p.m.	at Lamar	No. 8	Provost Umphrey Stadium Beaumont, TX	ESPN+	W 17–7	6,593
November 4	3:00 p.m.	Nicholls	No. 8	Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium San Antonio, TX	ESPN+	L 32–45	3,158
November 11	2:00 p.m.	Northwestern State	No. 16	Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium San Antonio, TX	ESPN+	W 2–0 (forfeit) [3]	N/A
November 18	2:00 p.m.	at Houston Christian	No. 20	Husky Stadium Houston, TX	ESPN+	W 45–24	1,797
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

^{[4] [5]}

Personnel

Coaching staff

Source: ^[6]

Name	Position	Alma mater	Joined staff
Clint Killough	Head coach	Incarnate Word (2015)	2018
Kenny Hill	Associate head coach / running backs	TCU (2017)	2023
Connor McQueen	Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks	Texas A&M (2017)	2023
Jim Gush	Defensive coordinator	Bucknell (1981)	2023
Blair Cavanaugh	Special teams coordinator	Portland State (2016)	2022
Sam Bennett	Linebackers / academic coordinator	Texas Tech (2010)	2023
Ty Darlington	Tight ends / director of high school relations	Oklahoma (2016)	2023
Ben Olson	Defensive line / defensive run game coordinator	Eastern Illinois (2013)	2023
George Sanders	Defensive backs / defensive pass game coordinator	Southwest Baptist (2016)	2023
Willis White	Wide receivers / pass game coordinator	Alabama State (2018)	2023
Austin Woods	Offensive line / run game coordinator	Oklahoma (2013)	2023
Tre Spragg	Defensive quality control	Incarnate Word (2015)	2023
Richard Johnson	Defensive quality control	Kansas (2011)	2023
Nick Young	Recruiting coordinator / senior analyst	Toledo (2012)	2023
Zack Lucas	Director of football operations / NFL liaison	Oklahoma State (2010)	2022
Lauren Mancha	Director of player personnel / campus relations / assistant to the head coach	Incarnate Word (2022)	2022
Cody Dunn	Assistant tight ends	McGill (2021)	2022
John Scifers	Specialists coach / video coordinator	Incarnate Word (2021)	2023
Cameron Venzant	Offensive graduate assistant	Central Arkansas (2022)	2022
Mauricio De La Garza	Offensive graduate assistant		2023
Lamont Johnson	Offensive graduate assistant	Incarnate Word (2019)	2023
Davis Conley	Director of strength and conditioning	LaGrange (2017)	2022
Augie Melendez, Jr.	Head football athletic trainer	Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi (2017)	2017

Roster

Source: ^[7]

2023 Incarnate Word Cardinals football
Quarterback  1 Zach Calzada – Junior (6'4, 200)  6 Ryan Stubblefield – Sophomore (5'10, 205) 12 Richard Torres – Freshman (6'4, 225) 16 Luke Gombert – Junior (6'2, 185) 22 Solomon James – Freshman (6'0, 180) Running back  0 Tre Siggers – Senior (5'10, 200)  4 Isaiah Robinson – Senior (6'2, 212)  5 Jarrell Wiley – Junior (5'10, 182) 20 Timothy Carter – Junior (6'0, 215) 23 Jarvis Reed – Freshman (6'0, 180) 25 Tyrese Brown – Junior (5'11, 185) 26 Zach Obara – Freshman (6'3, 195) 28 Nick Meehan – Freshman (5'11, 193) 29 Daniel Fayombo – Freshman (6'0, 180) 30 Dylan Nelson – Freshman (5'10, 169) Wide receiver  2 CJ Hardy – Senior (5'11, 200)  3 Dekalon Taylor – Sophomore (5'9, 166)  7 Jaelon Travis – Sophomore (6'0, 200)  8 Jameson Garcia – Freshman (6'1, 190)  9 Lontrell Turner – Freshman (5'11, 180) 10 Kailan Noseff – Senior (6'3, 198) 13 Marquez Perez – Senior (5'11, 191) 15 Jaelin Campbell – Senior (6'1, 195) 18 Brandon Porter – Senior (5'10, 165) 19 Baron Bradley – Junior (6'1, 189) 21 Caleb Chapman – Senior (6'5, 220) 83 Grant Jaeger – Freshman (5'8, 160) 84 Jalen Smothers – Junior (5'10, 189) 85 Emerson Haywood – Junior (6'1, 163) 87 Jonathan Johnson – Freshman (6'0, 155) 88 Matthew Ramirez – Freshman (6'0, 160) 89 Marcus Harmon – Senior (5'10, 170) Tight end 11 Jackson Lowe – Senior (6'5, 237) 27 Dalton Meyer – Senior (6'2, 265) 35 Chance Trentman–Rosas (C) – Senior (6'3, 215) 47 Dane Farley – Freshman (6'1, 230) 80 Jackson Muckelroy – Freshman (6'4, 205) Long snapper 49 Bryce Felt – Sophomore (5'9, 180) 50 Jake Williford – Freshman (6'3, 255)		Offensive line 55 River Gordon – G – Sophomore (6'4, 315) 56 Alex Costilla – T – Senior (6'5, 310) 57 Rasheed Jackson – T – Freshman (6'7, 320) 62 Austin DeArmond – T – Freshman (6'4, 294) 63 Stanley Mark (C) – G – Senior (6'3, 283) 65 Ozzy Garcia – OL – Freshman (6'1, 290) 66 Bradley Walker – OL – Freshman (5'11, 220) 67 Trevin Demby – OL – Freshman (6'0, 290) 70 Dayton Robinson – T – Sophomore (6'4, 320) 71 Joe Bryson – T – Senior (6'8, 300) 72 Christian Fitchett – T – Freshman (6'5, 270) 73 Caleb Flores – C – Freshman (6'4, 279) 75 Silas Robinson – C – Senior (6'4, 315) 76 Lawson Petty – G – Freshman (6'3, 280) 77 Jayden Borjas (C) – G/T – Senior (6'5, 295) 78 Branon Jackson – G – Junior (6'3, 295) 79 Joseph Kimmey – T – Senior (6'6, 305) Defensive line  0 Steven Parker – DE – Junior (6'4, 240)  1 Ayodele Adeoye – DE/LB – Senior (6'1, 250)  8 Chase Carter – DL – Freshman (6'4, 255)  9 Darren Brown (C) – DT – Senior (6'3, 325) 10 John Mathis – DT – Sophomore (6'2, 265) 15 Marcus Brown – DE – Junior (6'5, 245) 17 Mat Freeman – DE – Freshman (6'3, 230) 41 MarQuice Hill – DL – Freshman (6'2, 245) 43 Emiliano Fears – DL – Freshman (6'1, 215) 44 Devin Grant – DL – Sophomore (6'3, 230) 45 Logan Granville – DE – Freshman (6'3, 230) 91 Lloyd Johnson – DT – Freshman (6'2, 280) 92 Jeremiah Robinson – DL – Freshman (6'2, 240) 97 TJ Harold – DT – Freshman (6'1, 290) 99 Josh Gonzalez – DT – Sophomore (6'2, 310)'		Linebacker 11 Tylan Foster – Junior (5'11, 225) 12 Mister Williams – Sophomore (6'0, 245) 22 Derrick Lewis – Junior (6'1, 210) 23 Ricky Rich – Sophomore (6'1, 212) 26 Emmerick Dopona – Freshman (5'10, 215) 32 Darius Sanders – Junior (6'2, 199) 33 Tylan George – Junior (5'11, 212) 42 Caleb Lewis – Junior (6'2, 235) 54 Josh Pastrana – Freshman (6'0, 205) Defensive back  2 James Tuayemie – CB – Junior (5'11, 205)  3 Mason Chambers – S – Junior (6'0, 210)  4 Chris Pierce – CB – Sophomore (6'0, 170)  5 Tiji Paul – CB – Senior (5'10, 160)  6 Ronald Wilson – S – Junior (5'10, 180)  7 Brandon Richard (C) – S – Senior (5'11, 183) 13 Tre Richardson – S – Senior (6'2, 178) 14 Ethan Alexander – DB – Senior (6'2, 205) 16 Dante Heaggans – S – Senior (6'1, 185) 18 D'Arius Carmouche – CB – Freshman (6'0, 165) 20 Kendrick Stone – DB – Sophomore (6'2, 190) 21 A.J. Harris – S – Freshman (5'10, 170) 24 Barry Dillon – CB – Freshman (6'1, 170) 25 Patrick Batiste – CB – Freshman (6'0, 185) 28 Jayden Staggers – CB – Sophomore (5'11, 167) 31 DeVonte Wilson – S – Sophomore (6'2, 196) 36 Keenon Pitts – CB – Junior (5'10, 169) 40 Khalil Warfield – S – Sophomore (6'2, 193) Kicker/Punter 24 Mason Lawler – K – Senior (6'3, 220) 37 Ben D'Aquila – P/K – Sophomore (6'0, 200) 46 Brack Peacock – K – Freshman (5'6, 165) 48 Haden Tessier – P/K – Freshman (5'9, 162) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt

Depth chart

Defense SAM 7 Brandon Richard 32 Darius Sanders FS 6 Ronald Wilson 20 Kendrick Stone M W 23 Ricky Rich 12 Mister Williams 11 Tylan Foster 22 Derrick Lewis SS 3 Mason Chambers 14 Ethan Alexander CB 2 James Tuayemie 13 Tre Richardson DE DT DT DE 1 Ayodele Adeoye -OR- 15 Marcus Brown 8 Chase Carter 9 Darren Brown 0 Steven Parker 33 Tylan George 10 John Mathis 99 Josh Gonzalez -OR- 91 Lloyd Johnson 44 Devin Grant CB 5 Tiji Paul 4 Chris Pierce Offense X 15 Jaelin Campbell 8 Jameson Garcia -OR- 10 Kailan Noseff Y 18 Brandon Porter 13 Marquez Perez LT LG C RG RT 56 Alex Costilla 63 Stanley Mark 75 Silas Robinson 77 Jayden Borjas 71 Joe Bryson 57 Rasheed Jackson 62 Austin DeArmond 73 Caleb Flores 55 River Gordon 78 Branon Jackson TE 11 Jackson Lowe -OR- 27 Dalton Meyer 47 Dane Farley Z 21 Caleb Chapman 7 Jaelon Travis QB 1 Zach Calzada 12 Richard Torres -OR- 6 Ryan Stubblefield Key reserves 2 CJ Hardy (WR) 3 DeKalon Taylor (WR) 16 Dante Heaggans (DB) RB 0 Tre Siggers -OR- 5 Jarrell Wiley 20 Timothy Carter Special teams PK 23 Mason Lawler PK 48 Haden Tessier P 37 Ben D'Aquila P 48 Haden Tessier KR 3 DeKalon Taylor PR 3 DeKalon Taylor LS 49 Bryce Felt H 35 Chance Trentman-Rosas

Game summaries

@ UTEP

See also: 2023 UTEP Miners football team

Uniform combination
Helmet	Jersey	Pants

Game One – Incarnate Word Cardinals at UTEP Miners

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 7 Cardinals	7	7	0	0	14
Miners	7	7	7	7	28

at Sun Bowl (stadium), El Paso, TX

• Date: September 2
• Game time: 8:00 p.m.
• Game weather: Temperature: 92 • Wind: SW 3 mph • Weather: Sunny
• Game attendance: 30,738
• Referee: Ed Ardito
• TV: ESPN+
• Box Score Pregame line: UTEP −7.0

Game information

First Quarter UIW – 10:46 Brandon Porter 34 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 7–0 Drive: 4 plays, 44 yards, 1:24 UTEP – 6:52 Torrance Burgess Jr. 40 yard run, Buzz Flabiano kick Tied 7–7 Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:54 Second Quarter UIW – 10:42 Tre Siggers 5 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 14–7 Drive: 7 plays, 92 yards, 2:29 UTEP – 4:52 Jostein Clarke 13 yard pass from Gavin Hardison, Buzz Flabiano kick Tied 14–14 Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 5:43 Third Quarter UTEP – 6:40 Tyrin Smith 24 yard pass from Gavin Hardison, Buzz Flabiano kick UTEP 21–14 Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 8:20 Fourth Quarter UTEP – 8:47 Mike Franklin 3 yard run, Buzz Flabiano kick UTEP 28–14 Drive: 12 plays, 96 yards, 7:08

Statistics	UIW	UTEP
First downs	19	25
Plays–yards	58–308	63–423
Rushes–yards	27–63	50–329
Passing yards	245	94
Passing: comp–att–int	18–31–1	10–13–0
Time of possession	24:28	35:32

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Incarnate Word	Passing	Zach Calzada	18/31, 245 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Tre Siggers	12 carries, 39 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Brandon Porter	6 receptions, 94 yards, 1 TD
UTEP	Passing	Gavin Hardison	10/13, 94 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Deion Hankins	24 carries, 174 yards
	Receiving	Tyrin Smith	4 receptions, 49 yards, 1 TD

@ Northern Colorado

See also: 2023 Northern Colorado Bears football team

Uniform combination
Helmet	Jersey	Pants

Game Two – Incarnate Word Cardinals at Northern Colorado Bears

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 10 Cardinals	7	14	14	7	42
Bears	0	0	0	7	7

at Nottingham Field, Greeley, CO

• Date: September 9
• Game time: 3:00 p.m.
• Game weather: Wind: NE 9 mph • Weather: Sunny
• Game attendance: 3,898
• Referee: Gregg Wilson
• TV announcers (ESPN+): Jason Alveen (play-by-play) and Nick Hager (analyst)
• Box Score Pregame line: UIW −17.0

Game information

First Quarter UIW – 8:34 Marquez Perez 21 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 7–0 Drive: 3 plays, 40 yards, 0:41 Second Quarter UIW – 14:24 Caleb Chapman 1 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 14–0 Drive: 16 plays, 97 yards, 6:50 UIW – 1:53 Timothy Carter 16 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 21–0 Drive: 7 plays, 89 yards, 1:39 Third Quarter UIW – 9:22 Zach Calzada 11 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 28–0 Drive: 9 plays, 60 yards, 3:18 UIW – 5:10 Tre Siggers 11 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 35–0 Drive: 6 plays, 67 yards, 2:05 Fourth Quarter UIW – 10:04 Caleb Chapman 25 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 42–0 Drive: 6 plays, 67 yards, 2:37 UNC – 6:28 Blake Haggerty 43 yard pass from Hank Gibbs, Hunter Green kick UIW 42–7 Drive: 9 plays, 88 yards, 3:36

Statistics	UIW	UNC
First downs	29	14
Plays–yards	82–617	69–261
Rushes–yards	42–235	37–93
Passing yards	382	168
Passing: comp–att–int	29–40–1	15–32–1
Time of possession	31:03	28:57

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Incarnate Word	Passing	Zach Calzada	23/32, 255 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Timothy Carter	16 carries, 85 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Caleb Chapman	5 receptions, 116 yards, 2 TD
Northern Colorado	Passing	Jacob Sirmon	13/27, 114 yards, 1 INT
	Rushing	David Afari	14 carries, 43 yards
	Receiving	Blake Haggerty	4 receptions, 57 yards, 1 TD

@ Abilene Christian

See also: 2023 Abilene Christian Wildcats football team

Uniform combination
Helmet	Jersey	Pants

Game Three – Incarnate Word Cardinals at Abilene Christian Wildcats

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 10 Cardinals	0	10	0	17	27
Wildcats	0	10	0	10	20

at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium, Abilene, TX

• Date: September 16
• Game time: 7:00 p.m.
• Game weather: Temperature: 82 • Wind: W 2 mph • Weather: Sunny
• Game attendance: 8,280
• Referee: John Kellermeier
• TV announcers (ESPN+): Zach Carlyle (play-by-play), Joseph Chapa (analyst) and Kauy Ostlien (sideline)
• Box Score Pregame line: UIW −3.0

Game information

First Quarter No scoring plays Second Quarter ACU – 4:16 Jeremiah Dobbins 29 yard run, Kyle Ramsey kick ACU 7–0 Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:41 UIW – 3:29 Zach Calzada 52 yard run, Mason Lawler kick Tied 7–7 Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 0:47 ACU – 0:31 Kyle Ramsey 51 yard field goal ACU 10–7 Drive: 5 plays, 39 yards, 1:35 UIW – 0:00 Mason Lawler 43 yard field goal Tied 10–10 Drive: 3 plays, 49 yards, 0:31 Third Quarter No scoring plays Fourth Quarter UIW – 14:50 Brandon Porter 23 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 17–10 Drive: 5 plays, 64 yards, 1:24 UIW – 10:06 Zach Calzada 1 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 24–10 Drive: 8 plays, 70 yards, 4:20 ACU – 8:26 Jay'Veon Sunday 1 yard run, Kyle Ramsey kick UIW 24–17 Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 1:34 UIW – 5:18 Mason Lawler 27 yard field goal UIW 27–17 Drive: 7 plays, 56 yards, 3:01 ACU – 2:45 Kyle Ramsey 44 yard field goal UIW 27–20 Drive: 9 plays, 56 yards, 2:27

Statistics	UIW	ACU
First downs	21	19
Plays–yards	67–517	67–320
Rushes–yards	31–144	35–131
Passing yards	373	189
Passing: comp–att–int	23–36–1	15–32–1
Time of possession	28:01	31:59

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Incarnate Word	Passing	Zach Calzada	23/36, 373 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Zach Calzada	7 carries, 66 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Brandon Porter	10 receptions, 201 yards, 1 TD
Abilene Christian	Passing	Maverick McIvor	15/32, 189 yards, 1 INT
	Rushing	Jeremiah Dobbins	21 carries, 106 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Cooper McCasland	4 receptions, 64 yards

North American

See also: North American University

Uniform combination
Helmet	Jersey	Pants

Game Four – North American Stallions at Incarnate Word Cardinals

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Stallions	0	0	0	3	3
No. 9 Cardinals	28	14	14	7	63

at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium, San Antonio, TX

• Date: September 23
• Game time: 6:00 p.m.
• Game weather: Temperature: 99 • Wind: SE 9 mph • Weather: Sunny
• Game attendance: 2,482
• Referee: Matt Carpenter
• TV: ESPN+
• Box Score

Game information

First Quarter UIW – 12:22 CJ Hardy 31 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 7–0 Drive: 4 plays, 45 yards, 0:55 UIW – 11:30 Ronald Wilson 35 yard interception return, Mason Lawler kick UIW 14–0 UIW – 8:36 Zach Calzada 2 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 21–0 Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:14 UIW – 5:09 Timothy Carter 2 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 28–0 Drive: 5 plays, 35 yards, 1:39 Second Quarter UIW – 10:23 CJ Hardy 1 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 35–0 Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards, 3:06 UIW – 4:45 Jarrell Wiley 14 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 42–0 Drive: 2 plays, 21 yards, 0:23 Third Quarter UIW – 9:38 Dekalon Taylor 24 yard pass from Richard Torres, Mason Lawler kick UIW 49–0 Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 2:13 UIW – 7:45 Kendrick Stone 43 yard interception return, Mason Lawler kick UIW 56–0 Fourth Quarter NAU – 8:22 Christobal Salgado 33 yard field goal UIW 56–3 Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 4:26 UIW – 3:40 Nick Meehan 1 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 63–3 Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 4:31

Statistics	NAU	UIW
First downs	3	26
Plays–yards	49–12	64–531
Rushes–yards	25–10	35–250
Passing yards	2	281
Passing: comp–att–int	15–24–2	18–29–0
Time of possession	27:05	20:55

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
North American	Passing	Oscar Ozuna	5/5, 9 yards
	Rushing	Xander Armani Williams	3 carries, 17 yards
	Receiving	Colbi Clark	5 receptions, 22 yards
Incarnate Word	Passing	Zach Calzada	11/16, 193 yards 2 TD
	Rushing	Jarrell Wiley	7 carries, 59 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	CJ Hardy	4 receptions, 72 yards, 2 TD

Southeastern Louisiana

See also: 2023 Southeastern Louisiana Lions football team

Uniform combination
Helmet	Jersey	Pants

Game Five – Southeastern Louisiana Lions at Incarnate Word Cardinals

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	3	3	13	7	26
No. 8 Cardinals	7	17	9	0	33

at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium, San Antonio, TX

• Date: October 7
• Game time: 4:00 p.m.
• Game weather: Temperature: 76 • Wind: NE 9 mph • Weather: Cloudy
• Game attendance: 1,622
• Referee: Gary Leeper
• TV: ESPN+
• Box Score

Game information

First Quarter UIW – 11:32 Mason Chambers 60 yard fumble recovery, Mason Lawler kick UIW 7–0 SLU – 5:32 Riley Callaghan 23 yard field goal UIW 7–3 Drive: 14 plays, 70 yards, 6:00 Second Quarter UIW – 12:50 Caleb Chapman 8 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 14-3 Drive: 5 plays, 89 yards, 2:04 SLU – 7:54 Riley Callaghan 31 yard field goal UIW 14–6 Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 4:56 UIW – 3:57 Brandon Porter 18 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 21–6 Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:51 UIW – 0:00 Mason Lawler 25 yard field goal UIW 24–6 Drive: 10 plays, 46 yards, 3:55 Third Quarter SLU – 11:08 Zachary Clement 8 yard run, Riley Callaghan kick UIW 24–13 Drive: 1 play, 8 yards, 0:06 SLU – 5:55 Jaylon Domingeaux 17 yard pass from Eli Sawyer, run failed UIW 24–19 Drive: 8 plays, 66 yards, 3:19 UIW – 5:55 Brandon Richard 75 yard PAT return UIW 26–19 UIW – 0:42 Zach Calzada 4 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 33–19 Drive: 12 plays, 89 yards, 5:06 Fourth Quarter SLU – 6:18 Bauer Sharp 8 yard pass from Eli Sawyer, Riley Callaghan kick UIW 33–26' Drive: 4 plays, 15 yards, 1:19

Statistics	SLU	UIW
First downs	24	22
Plays–yards	80–416	62–371
Rushes–yards	39–145	29–67
Passing yards	271	304
Passing: comp–att–int	24–41–1	23–33–1
Time of possession	34:16	21:53

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Southeastern Louisiana	Passing	Eli Sawyer	27/40, 271 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Harlan Dixon	13 carries, 55 yards
	Receiving	Jaylon Domingeaux	4 receptions, 58 yards, 1 TD
Incarnate Word	Passing	Zach Calzada	23/32, 304 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Jarrell Wiley	9 carries, 54 yards
	Receiving	Brandon Porter	10 receptions, 182 yards, 1 TD

Texas A&M–Commerce

See also: 2023 Texas A&M–Commerce Lions football team

Uniform combination
Helmet	Jersey	Pants

Game Six – Texas A&M–Commerce Lions at Incarnate Word Cardinals

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	3	0	0	8	11
No. 7 Cardinals	7	7	0	14	28

at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium, San Antonio, TX

• Date: October 14
• Game time: 4:05 p.m.
• Game weather: Temperature: 81 • Wind: NE 8 mph • Weather: Sunny
• Game attendance: 2,278
• Referee: Matt Beck
• TV: ESPN+
• Box Score

Game information

First Quarter TAMUC – 6:24 Emmanuel Adagvon 35 yard field goal TAMUC 3–0 Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards, 3:02 UIW – 0:08 Jarrell Wiley 13 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 7–3 Drive: 1 play, 13 yards, 0:05 Second Quarter UIW – 1:57 CJ Hardy 31 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 14–3 Drive 5 plays, 68 yards, 1:50 Third Quarter No scoring Fourth Quarter TAMCU – 14:51 Javotrick Dotrey 40 yard interception, Keith Miller III pass UIW 14–11 UIW – 6:55 Ronald Wilson 71 yard interception, Mason Lawler kick UIW 21–11 UIW – 4:40 Jarrell Wiley 14 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 28–11 Drive: 2 plays, 27 yards, 0:48

Statistics	TAMUC	UIW
First downs	13	24
Plays–yards	66–213	79–458
Rushes–yards	33–50	37–158
Passing yards	163	300
Passing: comp–att–int	15–33–2	27–42–3
Time of possession	30:06	28:22

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas A&M–Commerce	Passing	Josh Magana	15/33, 163 yards, 2 INT
	Rushing	Ra'veion Hargrove	10 carries, 37 yards
	Receiving	Jerome Buckner	2 receptions, 48 yards
Incarnate Word	Passing	Zach Calzada	27/42, 300 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
	Rushing	Jarrell Wiley	18 carries, 98 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Jaelin Campbell	7 receptions, 89 yards

@ McNeese

See also: 2023 McNeese Cowboys football team

Uniform combination
Helmet	Jersey	Pants

Game Seven – No. 5 Incarnate Word Cardinals at McNeese Cowboys

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 5 Cardinals	0	7	7	21	35
Cowboys	7	17	0	0	24

at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, LA

• Date: October 21
• Game time: 7:00 p.m.
• Game weather: Sunny
• Game attendance: 7,415
• Referee: Craig Helser
• TV: ESPN+
• Box Score

Game information

First Quarter MCN – 6:19 Joshon Barbie 24 yard run, Garrison Smith kick McNeese 7–0 Drive: 6 plays, 67 yards, 3:17 Second Quarter MCN – 14:49 Jon McCall 57 yard pass from Ryan Roberts, Garrison Smith kick McNeese 14–0 Drive: 10 plays, 90 yards, 4:32 UIW – 12:10 Isaiah Robinson 1 yard run, Mason Lawler kick McNeese 14–7 Drive: 5 plays, 71 yards, 2:33 MCN – 7:10 Jon McCall 28 yard pass from Ryan Roberts, Garrison Smith kick McNeese 21–7 Drive: 5 plays, 84 yards, 2:02 MCN – 2:12 Garrison Smith 28 yard field goal McNeese 24–7 Drive 7 plays, 9 yards, 3:11 Third Quarter UIW – 4:10 Brandon Porter 14 yard pass form Richard Torres, Mason Lawler kick McNeese 24–14 Drive: 14 plays, 83 yards, 6:07 Fourth Quarter UIW – 13:56 Richard Torres 2 yard run, Mason Lawler kick McNeese 24–21 Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 2:46 UIW – 5:09 Brandon Porter 36 yard pass from Richard Torres, Mason Lawler kick UIW 28–24 Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:20 UIW – 0:16 Marquez Perez 20 yard pass from Richard Torres, Mason Lawler kick UIW 35–24 Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 2:44

Statistics	UIW	MSU
First downs	25	17
Plays–yards	75–514	63–334
Rushes–yards	43–301	33–134
Passing yards	213	200
Passing: comp–att–int	19–32–0	17–30–1
Time of possession	29:23	30:37

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Incarnate Word	Passing	Richard Torres	11/18, 161 yards, 3 TD
	Rushing	Timothy Carter	20 carries, 165 yards
	Receiving	Brandon Porter	6 receptions, 91 yards, 2 TD
McNeese	Passing	Ryan Roberts	17/30, 200 yards, 2 TD, 1 Int
	Rushing	Joshon Barbie	21 carries, 117 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Jon McCall	5 receptions, 106 yards, 2 TD

@ Lamar

See also: 2023 Lamar Cardinals football team

Uniform combination
Helmet	Jersey	Pants

Game Eight – Incarnate Word Cardinals at Lamar Cardinals

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 8 Cardinals (UIW)	7	7	0	3	17
Cardinals (LU)	7	0	0	0	7

at Provost Umphrey Stadium, Beaumont, TX

• Date: October 28
• Game time: 3:00 p.m.
• Game weather: • Wind: SE 10 mph • Weather: Sunny
• Game attendance: 6,593
• Referee: Gary Leeper
• TV: ESPN+
• Box Score

Game information

First Quarter UIW – 3:31 Brandon Porter 24 yard pass from Richard Torres, Mason Lawler kick UIW 7–0 Drive: 4 plays, 35 yards, 1:43 LU – 3:19 Sevonne Rhea 75 yard pass from Cameron George, Chris Esqueda kick Tied 7–7 Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:12 Second Quarter UIW – 14:38 Dalton Meyer 18 yard pass from Richard Torres, Mason Lawler kick UIW 14–7 Drive: 9 plays, 76 yards, 3:33 Third Quarter No scoring Fourth Quarter UIW – 2:01 Mason Lawler 27 yard field goal UIW 17–7 Drive: 9 plays, 50 yards, 4:44

Statistics	UIW	LU
First downs	23	11
Plays–yards	77–459	58–248
Rushes–yards	40–152	32–73
Passing yards	307	175
Passing: comp–att–int	24–37–0	12–26–1
Time of possession	33:15	26:45

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Incarnate Word	Passing	Richard Torres	24/37, 307 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Dekalon Taylor	12 carries, 83 yards
	Receiving	Brandon Porter	6 receptions, 101 yards, 1 TD
Lamar	Passing	Robert Coleman	11/25, 100 yards, 1 INT
	Rushing	Khalan Griffin	16 carries, 50 yards
	Receiving	Sevonne Rhea	6 receptions, 120 yards, 1 TD

Nicholls

See also: 2023 Nicholls Colonels football team

Uniform combination
Helmet	Jersey	Pants

Game Nine – Nicholls Colonels at Incarnate Word Cardinals

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Colonels	0	24	14	7	45
Cardinals	10	3	6	13	32

at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium, San Antonio, TX

• Date: November 4
• Game time: 3:00 p.m.
• Game weather: Temperature: 79 • Wind: SE 8 mph • Weather: Sunny
• Game attendance: 3,158
• Referee: James Brookhart
• TV: ESPN+
• Box Score

Game information

First Quarter UIW – 12:26 Mason Lawler 24 yard field goal UIW 3–0 Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 2:27 UIW – 4:26 Brandon Porter 7 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 10–0 Drive: 9 plays, 86 yards, 4:11 Second Quarter NSU – 12:30 Gavin Lasseigne 23 yard field goal UIW 10–3 Drive: 15 plays, 69 yards, 6:56 NSU – 11:37 Lee Negrotto 19 yard pass from Pat McQuaide, Gavin Lasseigne kick Tied 10–10 Drive: 1 play, 19 yards, 0:07 NSU – 5:10 Collin Guggenheim 5 yard run, Gavin Lasseigne kick NSU 17–10 Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 4:38 NSU – 0:25 Collin Guggenheim 6 yard run, Gavin Lasseigne kick NSU 24–10 Drive: 8 plays, 90 yards, 2:27 UIW – 0:00 Mason Lawler 51 yard field goal NSU 24–13 Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards, 0:25 Third Quarter NSU – 9:54 Devonte Mathews 58 yard fumble recovery, Gavin Lasseigne kick NSU 31–13 NSU – 7:06 Collin Guggenheim 43 yard run, Gavin Lasseigne kick NSU 38–13 Drive: 3 plays, 51 yards, 1:21 UIW – 6:06 Caleb Chapman 6 yard pass from Zach Calzada, 2 point conversion failed NSU 38–19 Drive: 9 plays, 76 yards, 0:50 Fourth Quarter NSU – 13:43 Collin Guggenheim 3 yard run, Gavin Lasseigne kick NSU 45–19 Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 5:16 UIW – 12:00 Caleb Chapman 29 yard pass from Zach Calzada, 2 point conversion failed NSU 45–25 Drive: 5 plays, 74 yards, 1:34 UIW – 9:07 Jaelin Campbell 19 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick NSU 45–32 Drive: 2 plays, 47 yards, 0:39

Statistics	NSU	UIW
First downs	26	29
Plays–yards	74–439	69–464
Rushes–yards	55–331	16–45
Passing yards	108	419
Passing: comp–att–int	9–19–0	31–53–2
Time of possession	37:02	22:58

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Nicholls	Passing	Pat McQuaide	9/19, 108 yards, 1 TD
	Rushing	Jaylon Spears	23 carries, 160 yards
	Receiving	Quincy Brown	5 receptions, 39 yards
Incarnate Word	Passing	Zach Calzada	28/48, 394 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Isaiah Robinson	9 carries, 31 yards
	Receiving	Brandon Porter	11 receptions, 158 yards, 1 TD

Northwestern State

See also: 2023 Northwestern State Demons football team

Game Ten – Northwestern State Demons at Incarnate Word Cardinals (Cancelled)

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Demons	0	0	0	0	0
No. 16 Cardinals	2	0	0	0	2

at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium, San Antonio, TX

• Date: November 11
• Game time: Cancelled

@ Houston Christian

See also: 2023 Houston Christian Huskies football team

Uniform combination
Helmet	Jersey	Pants

Game Eleven – Incarnate Word Cardinals at Houston Christian Huskies

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 20 Cardinals	14	10	7	14	45
Huskies	0	7	3	14	24

at Husky Stadium, Houston, TX

• Date: November 18
• Game time: 2:00 p.m.
• Game weather: Temperature: 74 • Wind: SW • Weather: Sunny
• Game attendance: 1,797
• Referee: Craig Helser
• TV: ESPN+
• Box Score

Game information

First Quarter UIW – 9:36 Isaiah Robinson 4 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 7–0 Drive: 3 plays, 62 yards, 1:03 UIW – 1:24 Caleb Chapman 6 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 14–0 Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:37 Second Quarter UIW – 7:36 Caleb Chapman 20 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 21–0 Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 2:49 HCU – 4:29 Calvin Wiggins 37 yard pass from Colby Suits, Dillon Fedor kick UIW 21–7 Drive: 7 plays, 86 yards, 3:03 UIW – 1:07 Mason Lawler 51 yard field goal UIW 24–7 Drive: 10 plays, 41 yards, 3:22 Third Quarter HCU – 3:56 Dillon Fedor 27 yard field goal UIW 24–10 Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 3:26 UIW – 0:20 CJ Hardy 15 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 31–10 Drive: 10 plays, 65 yards, 3:36 Fourth Quarter UIW – 14:34 Caleb Chapman 64 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick UIW 38–10 Drive: 1 play, 64 yards, 0:09 UIW – 9:08 Jarrell Wiley 2 yard run, Mason Lawler kick UIW 45–10 Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 3:31 HCU – 5:08 Colby Suits 4 yard run, Dillon Fedor kick UIW 45–17 Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:00 HCU – 2:56 Caleb King 8 yard fumble recovery, Dillon Fedor kick UIW 45–24

Statistics	UIW	HCU
First downs	25	20
Plays–yards	73–562	67–316
Rushes–yards	35–155	30–114
Passing yards	407	202
Passing: comp–att–int	29–38–0	23–37–2
Time of possession	31:31	28:29

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Incarnate Word	Passing	Zach Calzada	29/38, 407 yards, 4 TD
	Rushing	Jarrell Wiley	14 carries, 93 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Caleb Chapman	7 receptions, 170 yards, 3 TD
Houston Christian	Passing	Colby Suits	23/37, 202 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Darryle Evans	12 carries, 67 yards
	Receiving	Karl Reynolds	6 receptions, 58 yards

National and state recognition

One Southland Conference team and conference players received national recognition over the course of the season. One of the players, Incarnate Word's Richard Torres, was recognized on October 23 as National freshman player of the week.

Weekly awards

Weekly honors

Honors	Player	Position	Date Awarded	Ref.
FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman Player of the Week	Richard Torres	QB	October 23, 2023	[8]

Dave Campbell's Texas Football post season All-Texas Non-FBS teams

Two Cardinals were named as player of the year for their respective positions. Brandon Porter was named Wide Receiver of the Year. Steven Parker was named Defensive Lineman of the Year. In addition, Zack Calzada was named to the 2023 All-Texas Non-FBS Offense team. ^[9]

Conference awards and honors

Cardinal players received player of the week recognition six times during the season.

Weekly awards

Weekly honors

Honors	Player	Position	Date Awarded	Ref.
SLC Offensive Player of the Week	Zach Calzada	QB	September 11, 2023	[10]
SLC Offensive Player of the Week	Brandon Porter	WR	September 18, 2023	[11]
SLC Defensive Player of the Week	Tre Richardson	DB	September 18, 2023	[11]
SLC Defensive Player of the Week	Tylan Foster	LB	October 16, 2023	[12]
SLC Offensive Player of the Week	Richard Torres	QB	October 23, 2023	[13]
SLC Offensive Player of the Week	Brandon Porter	WR	October 30, 2023	[14]

Player and Coach of the Year Selections

Two Incarnate Word players were individual superlative award winners. ^[15]

2023 Southland Conference Football Individual Superlative Winners

Offensive Player of the Year: Brandon Porter, UIW
Newcomer of the Year: Zach Calzada, UIW

Postseason All–Southland Teams

The Southland Conference announced the 2023 all-conference football team selections on November 22, 2023. Incarnate Word had a total of 13 players selected. ^[15]

Offense 1st Team Zach Calzada – Quarterback, GR Brandon Porter – Wide receiver, GR Caleb Chapman – Wide receiver, GR Silas Robinson – Offensive lineman, GR Stanley Mark – Offensive lineman, GR 2nd Team Joe Bryson – Offensive lineman, GR

Defense 1st Team Steven Parker – Defensive lineman, JR Ayodele Adeoye – Defensive lineman, GR Tylan Foster – Linebacker, JR 2nd Team Brandon Richard – Defensive back, GR Ronald Wilson – Defensive back, JR Dekalon Taylor – Kick returner, SO Dekalon Taylor – Punt returner, SO

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Final
STATS FCS	7	10	10	9	9	8	7	5	8	8	16	20	19	22
Coaches	7	10	9	9	8	6	6	5	4	4	10	11	11	14

References

1. "Southeastern Voted Top Spot in 2023 Southland Football Preseason Poll". www.southland.org. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
2. "Southland Announces 2023 All-Conference Team". www.southland.org. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
3. Kasabian, Paul (October 26, 2023). "Northwestern State Cancels Football Season, HC Resigns After Ronnie Caldwell's Death". Bleacher Report . Retrieved October 26, 2023.
4. "2023 UIW Football Schedule". FBSchedules. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
5. "Incarnate Word Cardinals Schedule 2023". ESPN Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
6. "Football Coaches". University of the Incarnate Word. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
7. "2023 Football Roster". University of the Incarnate Word Athletics. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
8. James Hill (October 23, 2023). "UIW's Torres Named FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman Player of the Week". Southland Conference. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
9. Cory Hogue (December 6, 2023). "REVEALED: The 2023 All-Texas Non-FBS Team". Dave Campbell's Texas Football. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
10. James Hill (September 11, 2023). "UIW's Calzada, Parker; Nicholls' Lasseigne Earned Southland Football Player of the Week Honors". Southland Conference. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
11. James Hill (September 18, 2023). "UIW's Porter, Richardson; SLU's Dunlap Take Home Southland Football Player of the Week Honors". Southland Conference. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
12. James Hill (October 16, 2023). "Lamar's Rhea, UIW's Foster, HCU's Fedor Earn Southland Football Player of the Week Honors". Southland Conference. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
13. James Hill (October 23, 2023). "UIW's Torres, SLU's Tademy, Goodly Named Southland Football Players of the Week". Southland Conference. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
14. James Hill (October 30, 2023). "UIW's Porter, HCU's Cash, Lamar's Deleon Named Southland Football Players of the Week". Southland Conference. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
15. James Hill (November 22, 2023). "Southland Announces 2023 All-Conference Football Team and Superlatives". Southland Conference. Retrieved November 22, 2023.