ARCATA, Calif. – In search of its first win of the season, the Humboldt State football team will face a stiff challenge in Azusa Pacific Saturday. The conference matchup will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. in Citrus Stadium.

A talented Cougars squad took NCAA Division I opponent North Alabama to the limit in last week's 37-35 road loss. Azusa Pacific is poised to challenge Central Washington for its fourth Great Northwest Athletic Conference title this season after finishing third behind the Wildcats and Jacks in 2017.

"Azusa Pacific is always well-coached and has athletes," said HSU Head Coach Damaro Wheeler. "The bottom line is they have guys that make plays. They have guys that can get the ball, a quarterback who can throw it and a running back that finds the hole. Our guys will be up for this game, and they love competing against some of the best in the conference and in the nation."

Looking for win No. 1 hasn't dampened the Jacks expectations for success and high standard of competition. Wheeler says adjustments to practice have been made to help his young team get out to a quicker start and find a spark earlier in games.

"We are doing some things different to jump start our practice and hopefully that carries over to Saturdays," said Wheeler. "We have had changes every week due to injury or whatnot. We are trying to find the right pieces of the puzzle. I have been encouraged. I told the team we played our best game against Western Oregon, but it didn't show on the scoreboard. We aren't going to change our message just because of the record."

Andrew Tingstad is poised to get his second straight start for the Green and Gold. The redshirt freshman got his first career start against the Wolves and made the most of the opportunity. Tingstad led the offense on a pair of touchdown drives and tossed the Jacks' first touchdown pass of the season.