CARROLLTON, Ga. – The final road trip of the 2026 season takes the University of West Georgia football team west for a United Athletic Conference matchup against Central Arkansas on Saturday evening. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET at Estes Stadium with the game streaming on ESPN+. The contest features two teams still searching for their first UAC victory as the season enters its final three weeks.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
UWG at Central Arkansas
Saturday, November 7, 2026 | 5:00 p.m. ET
Estes Stadium
Live Stats | Watch on ESPN+ | Listen Live
West Georgia (1-8, 0-4 UAC) enters Saturday following a difficult stretch against one of the toughest portions of the league schedule. The Wolves are looking to bounce back after last week's setback against nationally-ranked Abilene Christian and begin building momentum heading into the final two home games of the season. The matchup also represents another opportunity for a young UWG roster that has seen more than 30 freshmen, true or redshirt, take snaps this season.
Central Arkansas (2-7, 0-4 UAC) has dropped six consecutive games, but they remain one of the more productive offensive teams in the conference, averaging 380 yards per game, which ranks third in the league. UCA's two victories came against Central Oklahoma and Houston Christian, while its most recent outing resulted in a 14-9 home loss to North Alabama.
The series between the former Gulf South Conference rivals is deadlocked at 5-5 entering the 11th all-time meeting. The teams first met in 1993 during their Division II days and have renewed the rivalry since West Georgia's move to Division I. The Wolves fell 34-33 in Conway in 2024 after a late two-point conversion attempt came up short, but answered with an 18-17 victory in Carrollton last season.
One of the biggest storylines Saturday will be whether the Wolves can protect the football. West Georgia has committed 13 turnovers in four conference games, while generating just two takeaways during that span. Limiting mistakes will be critical against a Central Arkansas team that has forced 10 interceptions this season and has earned UAC Defensive Player of the Week honors twice in the last five weeks.
Freshman running back Christian Monfort has emerged as one of the bright spots for the Wolves down the stretch. The Madison native leads UWG with 208 rushing yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first West Georgia freshman running back since 2018 to score at least three rushing touchdowns in a season. Monfort is coming off a career-high 61-yard performance against Abilene Christian.
The passing game continues to be led by sophomore receiver DK Daniel, who paces the team with 31 receptions, 397 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Freshman Brody Jones has added 31 catches for 343 yards, becoming the first UWG freshman since 1984 to record a 100-yard receiving game when he posted 109 yards against ETSU earlier this season.
At quarterback, the health of Colton Fitzgerald remains a key storyline. Fitzgerald has thrown for 1,666 yards and 10 touchdowns this season but left the Abilene Christian game with an injury and entered the week listed as day-to-day.
Defensively, the Wolves continue to lean on linebacker Chidu Bekee, who is enjoying one of the top tackling seasons in the UAC. Bekee ranks fourth in the conference at 8.0 tackles per game and leads the league in conference-only statistics at 10.0 tackles per game. He enters Saturday with 72 tackles, including six tackles for loss. Fellow linebacker Lucas Naquin has added 60 stops, while safety Stephan French ranks third on the team with 44 tackles.
Special teams have been a strength for West Georgia throughout the fall thanks to freshman kicker Logan Lopez. Lopez is a perfect 7-for-7 on field goals, including four makes from 40-plus yards, and is one of only four FCS kickers with at least seven attempts who remain perfect this season.
Saturday's matchup could come down to which team establishes its ground game. West Georgia is attempting to slow a Central Arkansas offense averaging nearly 200 rushing yards per contest, while the Wolves seek to find balance offensively.
With three games remaining in the season, the Wolves have an opportunity to finish strong and carry momentum into the offseason. A victory in Conway would not only secure UWG's first conference win of the year, but would also give the Wolves consecutive wins in the series for the first time since the rivalry resumed at the Division I level.
Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m. ET from "The Stripes" at Estes Stadium in Conway, Arkansas.
