No doubt the football will fly – and so perhaps will flags – when two win-starved teams hook up today.

Southwestern College (0-3) and Haskell Indian Nations University (0-4) are two of the most heavily penalized teams in the NAIA. Southwestern ranks No. 9 nationally with an average of 77.0 penalty yards per game. Haskell is No. 17 at 73.5. The Fightin’ Indians have been socked 33 times for 294 yards.

Kickoff will be 7 p.m. at Haskell Stadium.

“We really cut back on our penalties last week,” HINU coach Eric Brock said. “We had six. That’s still not good, but it’s significantly better than it has been.”

Friends edged the Indians, 7-3, Saturday in Wichita.

Southwestern boasts the NAIA’s No. 6-ranked passer in rangy 6-foot-7 Braden Smith, a junior from Newkirk, Okla. Another Oklahoman, Ta’Ron West of Spencer, is among the receiving leaders. The 6-foot senior has caught 17 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns.

The Indians also feature a solid passing game, with quarterback Marlon Dick throwing and Hunter Smith catching. Smith, a junior from Colcord, Okla., is also among NAIA leaders with 20 receptions for 328 yards and two TDs.

Still another native of the Sooner State has been an offensive bright spot for HINU. Bubba Wills, a red-shirt freshman from Skiatook, Okla., has run for 503 yards, and his average of 125.8 yards per game is good for fifth place on this week’s NAIA rushing chart.

Curiously, however, the 6-foot, 200-pound Wills has yet to score a touchdown, but then again TDs have come at a premium for the Indians, who have recorded only 10 points combined in their last two losses.

“He’s had a couple of long runs in a couple of games,” Brock said of Wills, “but he hasn’t quite made it to the end zone.”

Like Haskell, the Moundbuilders suffered a disappointing loss last weekend, bowing to Bethel, 24-22. The Winfield school has also fallen to Bethany (21-14) and to Sterling (26-14).

Southwestern is the third straight KCAC school on Haskell’s schedule, and the first of three straight home games. The Indians will entertain Briar Cliff at noon next Saturday, then welcome Avila for a 2 p.m. homecoming clash on Oct. 14.