SOUTHWESTERN (OKLA.) STATE AT SOUTHERN ARKANSAS WHEN 6 p.m.
WHERE Wilkins Stadium in Magnolia RADIO KVMZ-FM, 99.1, in Magnolia INTERNET muleriderathletics.com RECORDS Southern Arkansas 1-1, 1-1 Great American Conference; Southwestern State 2-0, 2-0 COACHES Southern Arkansas: Bill Keopple (15-26 in fifth year); Southwestern State: Dan Cocannouer (14-31 in fifth year) SERIES Southern Arkansas leads 2-0.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR Believe it or not, look for defense, despite the fact Southern Arkansas has scored 50 points in each of its first two games. In last week’s 50-16 victory over East Central (Okla.), the Muleriders forced six turnovers, turning four consecutive into scoring drives. With an offense able to get into the end zone quickly, those extra chances add up. Also, Southern Arkansas has a history of being opportunistic against Southwestern State. Last year the Muleriders forced four second-half turnovers to rally from a 14-0 deficit. But this year’s Southwestern State team may not be as predictable, after being picked in the preseason to finish seventh in the GAC, the Bulldogs have already defeated Harding and Arkansas Tech.
HENDERSON STATE AT SE (OKLA.) STATE WHEN 6 p.m.
WHERE Paul Laird Field in Durant, Okla. RADIO KDEL-FM, 100.9, in Arkadelphia, KZNG-AM, 1310, in Hot Springs INTERNET hsusports.com RECORDS Henderson State 2-0, 1-0 GAC; Southeastern State 1-1, 1-1 COACHES Henderson State: Scott Maxfield (80-46 overall, 51-35 in eighth season at Henderson State); Southeastern State: Ray Richards (55-74 overall, 41-44 in ninth year at Southeastern State) SERIES Henderson State leads 17-6.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR There is no reason for Henderson State, ranked ranked No. 9 in NCAA Division II, to shake things up when they have the top offense in Division II, averaging 765 yards and 78.5 points per game. Kevin Rodgers, leading the nation with 11 touchdown passes, should have a free hand and will be looking for his top receivers: Darius Davis, Robert Jordan and Dustin Holland. If they prefer, the Reddies can bow to conventional thinking and attempt to establish the run first with Ryan McDonald, who is coming off consecutive 100-yard games and leads a rushing offense averaging 257.5 yards per game. With the conference’s top defense (allowing 226 yards per game), Henderson State will provide the offense plenty of chances to keep putting up gaudy statistics, though the going will be a little tougher against a Southeastern team averaging 45 points per game and boasting the GAC’s top running back in Devlon Wortham.
OUACHITA BAPTIST
AT EAST CENTRAL (OKLA.) WHEN 6 p.m.
WHERE Norris Field in Ada, Okla.
RADIO KHTE-FM, 96.5, in Little Rock; KFMD-AM, 1340, and KFMD-FM, 105.3, in Springdale and Rogers; KAMD-FM, 97.1, in Camden; KYXK-FM, 106.9, in Arkadelphia and Gurdon; KNAS-FM, 105.5, in Nashville; KQOR-FM, 105.3, in Mena INTERNET obutigers.com RECORDS Ouachita Baptist 1-0, 1-0 GAC; East Central 1-1, 1-1 COACHES Ouachita Baptist: Todd Knight (89-111 overall, 61-80 in 15th season at OBU); Tim McCarty (52-65 overall, 29-37 in seventh season at East Central) SERIES Ouachita Baptist leads 11-5.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR Ouachita Baptist battered a struggling Southern Nazarene team 49-24 in its season opener but will have to reduce its penalties if it wants to contend today. The Tigers committed 13 penalties for 127 yards last week and would be better served if they could at least cut that number in half. Expect Ouachita Baptist, with the second-best rushing offense in the league (262 yards a game) to continue to have running back Chris Rycraw to help set up the passing game and to lean on the defense, which is second in the league, allowing 265 yards per game.
NW OKLAHOMA STATE
AT ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO WHEN 6 p.m.
WHERE Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Bowl Stadium, Monticello RADIO KHBM-FM, 93.7, in MonticelloINTERNET uamsports.com RECORDS Arkansas-Monticello 1-1, 1-1 GAC; Northwestern Oklahoma State 0-2, 0-2 COACHES Arkansas-Monticello: William “Hud” Jackson (7-17 in third season); Northwestern Oklahoma State: Alan Hall (4-9 in second season).
SERIES Arkansas-Monticello leads 2-1.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR If Arkansas-Monticello sophomore quarterback Colton Morrison can continue to hold down his mistakes, the Boll Weevils - who ended an 11-game losing streak last week - can have a two-game winning streak. Morrison recovered from a three-interception game in the opener to pass for 345 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 42-34 victory over Southeastern (Okla.) State. The Boll Weevils are second in passing in the GAC with an average 349 yards per game. The Boll Weevils will try to exploit the worst rushing defense in the league and then open it up with their productive passing game.
ARKANSAS TECH AT SOUTHERN NAZARENE WHEN 6 p.m.
WHERE SNU Football Stadium in Bethany, Okla.
RADIO KWKK-FM, 100.9, in Russellville INTERNET athletics.atu.edu RECORDS Arkansas Tech 1-1, 1-1; Southern Nazarene 0-2, 0-2 COACHES Arkansas Tech: Raymond Monica (46-35 overall, 1-1 in first season at Arkansas Tech); Southern Nazarene: Mike Cochran (86-50 overall, 40-38 in eighth year at Southern Nazarene) SERIES First meeting WHAT TO LOOK FOR Arkansas Tech is looking to get into rhythm while Southern Nazarene seeks its first victory after suffering one-sided losses to Henderson State and Ouachita Baptist. The Wonder Boys need to cut down opponents’ big plays after their home opener, when Southwestern (Okla.) State used four plays of 35 yards or more to score all its points in a 28-17 victory. Otherwise, the Wonder Boys have played solid defense, keeping Southwestern State outside the red zone the rest of the game and allowing the Bulldogs to convert on just 3 of 11 third-down attempts. Tech’s offense, conversely, has converted 57.6 percent of its third-down attempts. The Wonder Boys begin a three-game road swing before returning home to play Arkansas-Monticello on Oct. 5.
TODAY’S GAMES All times Central SW Okla. State at So. Arkansas, 6 p.m.
Henderson St. at SE Okla. St., 6 p.m.
Ouachita Baptist at East Cent. (Okla.), 6 p.m.
NW Okla. St. at Ark.-Monticello, 6 p.m.
Arkansas Tech at So. Nazarene, 6 p.m.
Sports, Pages 23 on 09/21/2013