NW OKLA. STATE VS. SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
WHEN 2 p.m.
WHERE Wilkins Stadium, Magnolia
RADIO KVMZ-FM, 99.1, in Magnolia
INTERNET muleriderathletics.com
RECORDS Southern Arkansas (1-2, 1-2 GAC), NW Oklahoma State (1-2, 1-2)
COACHES Southern Arkansas: Bill Keopple (22-32 in sixth season and overall); NW Oklahoma State: Alan Hall (7-18 in third season and overall).
SERIES Southern Arkansas leads 3-1.
LAST MEETING Southern Arkansas won 47-14 in 2013.
LAST WEEK Southern Arkansas lost 47-40 at East Central (Okla.); NW Oklahoma defeated Arkansas Monticello 34-28.
COMMENTS The Muleriders play at home for the second time this season. In the season opener against Southeastern Oklahoma State, the Muleriders endured three hours of lightning delays at Wilkins Stadium before winning on the final play of the game. ... The Muleriders lead the GAC in time of possession (36.52). ... SAU has more than 40 rushing attempts in each of its first three games. ... This is the fourth of six consecutive games against Arkansas opponents to start the season for the Rangers. ... Northwestern's Jarion Tudman scored on a 5-yard run with 32 seconds left for the clinching touchdown in last week's victory over Arkansas-Monticello. The Rangers outrushed the Boll Weevils 203-99 for the game. ... NW Oklahoma State assistant coach Kevin Turco is expected to assume head coaching duties for Alan Hall, who took a leave of absence prior to last week's game because of health concerns.
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OUACHITA BAPTIST AT SE OKLA. STATE
WHEN 6 p.m.
WHERE Laird Field, Durant, Okla.
RADIO KHTE-FM, 96.5, in Little Rock; KHTO-FM, 96.7, in Hot Springs; KFMD-FM, 105.3, and KFMD-AM, 1340, in Springdale/Rogers; KAMD-FM, 97.1, in Camden; KNAS-FM, 105.5, in Nashville; KQOR-FM, 105.3, in Mena
INTERNET obutigers.com
RECORDS OBU (2-0, 2-0 GAC); SE Okla. State (1-2, 1-2)
COACHES OBU: Todd Knight (97-113-2 in 16 seasons at OBU and overall); SE Okla. State: Bo Atterberry (1-2 in first season at SE Okla. State, 42-30 in seventh season overall).
SERIES OBU leads 30-16-4
LAST MEETING OBU won 45-7 in 2013.
LAST WEEK OBU beat East Central (Okla.) 41-20. SE Okla; State lost to Henderson State 60-17.
COMMENTS OBU's Zach Mitchell of Vilonia was named the Great American Conference defensive player of the week after tying a conference record with three interceptions against East Central. ... Steve Kehner of Glen Rose was named the GAC's co-offensive player of the week after rushing for 160 yards on 38 carries and tying a GAC record with 4 rushing touchdowns. ... OBU won last year's game 45-7 despite having fewer first downs (28-20), total yards (454-448) and nearly half as many offensive plays (102-54). The Tigers also forced a GAC-record seven turnovers in the game. ... OBU senior fullback Spencer Knight was one of 22 players in nation to be named the American Football Coaches Association Good Works team. The award pays tribute to a select group of student-athletes who have worked to positively impact the lives of others. Eleven players were chosen from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 11 total from the Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II and III and NAIA.
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ARK.-MONTICELLO VS. SW OKLA. STATE
WHEN 6 p.m.
WHERE Willis "Convoy" Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium, Monticello
RADIO KHBM-FM, 93.7, in Monticello
INTERNET uamsports.com
RECORDS UAM (0-3, 0-3 GAC); SW Okla. State (2-1, 2-1)
COACHES UAM: Hud Jackson (11-25 in fourth season at UAM and overall); SW Oklahoma State: Dan Cocannouer (20-37 in sixth season at SW Okla. State and overall)
SERIES SW Okla. State leads 2-1.
LAST MEETING SW Okla. State won 35-17 in 2013.
LAST WEEK UAM lost to Northwestern Oklahoma State 34-28; SW Oklahoma State beat Southern Arkansas 27-20.
COMMENTS Arkansas-Monticello lost in the final minutes last week for the third consecutive game. Northwestern Oklahoma State's Jarion Tudman scored on a 5-yard run with 32 seconds remaining for the victory. ... UAM quarterback Hunter Leppert completed 23 of 38 passes for 300 yards and 2 touchdowns last week. Cody Bordelon had 6 catches for 62 yards and 1 touchdown, Ivory Washington had 5 catches for 81 yards, and Deadrien Terry had 4 receptions for 71 yards. ... A bust of former coach Tommy Barnes, UAM's winningest coach, will be unveiled at the team's indoor practice facility at 2 p.m. today. Barnes played at UAM in 1969-1972 and joined the Boll Weevils staff in 1980. He became the head coach in 1985 and posted a 69-53-1 record before retiring in 1996. He died in March 2013.
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HENDERSON STATE AT EAST CENTRAL (OKLA.)
WHEN 6 p.m.
WHERE Norris Field, Ada, Okla.
RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in Little Rock; KYXK-FM, 106.9, in Arkadelphia; KZYP-FM, 1007.7, and KZYP-AM, 1310, in Malvern
INTERNET hsusports.com
RECORDS HSU (3-0, 2-0 GAC); East Central (2-1, 2-1)
RANKINGS HSU is No. 7 in the AFCA Division II coaches poll and No. 4 in the D2football.com poll
COACHES HSU: Scott Maxfield (63-36 in 10 year at HSU, 92-47 in 14th year overall); East Central: Tim McCarthy (35-42 in eighth year at East Central, 58-70 in 13th year overall)
SERIES HSU leads 14-10-1.
LAST MEETING HSU won 63-31 in 2013.
LAST WEEK HSU beat Southeastern Oklahoma State 60-17; East Central lost to Ouachita Baptist 41-20.
COMMENTS HSU senior quarterback Kevin Rodgers was named the GAC co-offensive player of the week after passing for 371 yards and two touchdowns last week. Last year against East Central, Rodgers passed for a school-record 595 yards. ... Today's game is Maxfield's 100th as Henderson's coach. ... While HSU is 11-2 against East Central at Arkadelphia, it is only 2-8-1 at Ada. The Reddies are 8-0-1 against the Tigers since 1987. The teams met in 1975 at Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium in the Bicentennial Bowl, which matched the champions of the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference and Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference. HSU won 27-14. ... The Reddies have won 28 consecutive regular-season games. ... HSU senior defensive end Glennon Bobo of Ashdown has 35 career tackles for loss, second on the Reddies' all-time list. Terry Rodgers had 50 in 1979-1982.
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HARDING AT SOUTHERN NAZARENE
WHEN 6 p.m.
WHERE SNU Football Stadium, Bethany, Okla.
RADIO KVHU-FM, 95.3, in Searcy
INTERNET hardingsports.com
RECORDS Harding (2-0, 2-0 GAC), Southern Nazarene (0-3, 0-3)
RANKINGS Harding is No. 16 in the AFCA Division II coaches poll and No. 20 in the D2football.com poll
COACHES Harding: Ronnie Huckeba (42-33 in eighth season at Harding and overall); Southern Nazarene: Mike Cochran (40-50 in ninth season at SNU, 86-61 in 14 seasons overall)
SERIES Harding leads 2-0.
LAST MEETING Harding won 63-21 in 2013.
LAST WEEK Harding did not play; Southern Nazarene lost 34-14 at Arkansas Tech.
COMMENTS Harding enters the game on a five-game road winning streak and a six-game overall winning streak. ... In the teams' last meeting in 2013, Harding rushed for 505 yards, the second-highest single-game total in program history. ... The game also was the first start for Harding senior quarterback Keenan Kellett, who scored on a 34-yard run on his second play from scrimmage. ... Southern Nazarene is last among the 11 GAC teams in all major offensive categories, including rushing yards per game (64.0), passing yards per game (155.7), points per game (9.3) and turnover margin (-3.33). ... Harding is ranked first in NCAA Division II in rushing defense (21.0 ypg), second in total defense (170.0 ypg) and fourth in scoring defense (6.5 ppg). ... Backup sophomore quarterback Park Parish leads the Bisons in rushing with 148 yards (73.5 ppg). ... The Bisons lead the GAC in rushing (317.5 ypg) and in all major defensive categories including total defense (170. 0 ypg) and scoring defense (6.5 ppg). ...
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ARKANSAS TECH AT MCNEESE STATE
WHEN 6 p.m.
WHERE Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, La.
RADIO KWKK-FM, 100.9, in Russellville
INTERNET arkansastechsports.com
RECORDS Arkansas Tech (2-1), McNeese State (1-1)
RANKINGS McNeese State is ranked fourth in the FCS coaches poll.
COACHES Arkansas Tech: Raymond Monica (7-7 in second season at Arkansas Tech, 52-41 in ninth season overall); McNeese State: Matt Viator (63-28 in eighth season and overall)
SERIES McNeese State leads 1-0.
LAST MEETING McNeese State won 55-7 in 1997.
LAST WEEK Arkansas Tech defeated Southern Nazarene 34-14; McNeese State defeated Prairie View A&M 48-16.
COMMENTS The game is the lone 2014 nonconference game for the Wonder Boys, who are facing their second Southland Conference school from Louisiana in the past two years. They lost 44-34 to Nicholls State in 2013 ... McNeese State's loss this season came at No. 19 Nebraska, where the Cowboys fell behind by 10 points in the third quarter, rallied to tie the score in the fourth before losing 31-24 on a 58-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds left. ... Arkansas Tech held Southern Nazarene to 144 yards of total offense and forced seven turnovers last week. ... Arkansas Tech freshman Michael Perry was the GAC special teams player of the week after returning the second-half kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown.
Sports on 09/27/2014