The Northwestern State Demons (4-4) will look to win two games in a row for the first time this season as they hit the road to face the University of Central Arkansas Saturday.

“UCA is a good football team, but I think we’ve had the best practice we’ve had all years. Our guys are hungry to go out and win this game,” coach Brad Peveto said at the NSU Quarterback Club luncheon Wednesday.

That game comes on the heels of the Demons 27-26 homecoming victory over Nicholls State, a game Peveto said his team was excited to win.

“That was a good win for us Saturday. It was a long two weeks after the Southeastern game. I thought our guys got themselves ready to play. Our sideline was really into it,” he said.

Though Nicholls only has one win so far this season, Peveto said they are a far more competitive team than their record indicates.

“Nicholls is a good football team. They’ve played a lot of teams close. Defensively we did a great job of adjusting at the half and we held them to 49 yards in the second half. We tackled well. It was a fun game,” he said.

All-American linebacker and team captain Derrick Rose agreed.

“Nicholls was a good team. Every team in this conference is a good team. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing,” he said.

Playing a team that likes to keep things close was good practice for the Demons, as UCA has a similar habit of playing teams down to the wire and exploiting mistakes.

“UCA does a great job with turnovers and third downs. We can’t give up big plays, we have to contain the quarterback. They don’t make a lot of mistakes,” Peveto said.

Thought UCA has fared well at home over the past two years, Peveto noted that the Demons have a unique honor against the Bears.

“They do a good job at home, but we were the last team to beat them at home back in 2010. They guy’s are really excited to go play,” he said.

Beating UCA would be important for the Demons as it would keep their Southland Championship hopes alive. A loss to the Demons would send the bears to 2 conference losses.

“This is UCA’s last conference game, so if they win they get a piece of it. Our goal is to make sure that we do that,” Peveto said.

The Demons will kick off against UCA Saturday at 7 p.m.