RUSSELLVILLE -- Arkansas Tech looked more like the team knocking on the door of the NCAA Division II Top 25 than the one pushed around last week.
Tailback Bryan Allen rushed 29 times for a career-high 279 yards and 1 touchdown, and Arkansas Tech held Ouachita Baptist to 71 rushing yards in a 30-12 Great American Conference homecoming victory before an announced crowd of 6,976 on Saturday afternoon at Buerkle Field.
The Wonder Boys (5-1, 5-1 GAC) retained a share of the conference lead with their first victory over the Tigers (4-2, 4-2) since 2007. It also marked Arkansas Tech's first victory over a nationally ranked opponent since it beat UNC-Pembroke 41-13 in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Division II playoffs.
Ouachita Baptist, the defending GAC champion, entered with a No. 20 ranking in NCAA Division II by the American Football Coaches Association.
Fueled by a 4-0 start -- the program's first since 2005 -- Arkansas Tech was No. 27 in the weekly AFCA Top 25 poll, based on "others receiving votes" before a 17-7 loss at Henderson State on Oct. 3.
"Do we become nationally ranked, you think?" Wonder Boys Coach Raymond Monica asked a reporter following the game. "A chance? Maybe? Maybe not? This was a big win. When was the last time Tech beat a nationally ranked team?"
The Wonder Boys, who never trailed, led 16-3 at halftime and finished with 433-258 advantage in total yardage.
Allen, a freshman from Forrest City, ran 6 yards for a touchdown on Arkansas Tech's first possession of the game. He finished with the second-highest single-game rushing performance in school history, just missing Travis Horn's record 288 yards in 2001.
Eric Perez, a sophomore from Green Forest, also kicked field goals of 32, 37 and 41 yards in the first half.
Leading 16-6 after three quarters, the Wonder Boys put away the game on a 9-yard interception return for a touchdown by junior strong safety Jaquirous Jackson at 14:18 and a 20-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Arsenio Favor at 7:44.
A week after surrendering 305 rushing yards to Henderson State, Arkansas Tech limited Ouachita Baptist to 44 yards through three quarters. The Tigers were averaging 274 rushing yards per game, eighth-highest in NCAA Division II.
"They did a good job," Ouachita Baptist Coach Todd Knight said. "We just couldn't get the run game going."
Ouachita Baptist sophomore quarterback Austin Warford completed 17 of 36 passes for 187 yards and a 4-yard touchdown to junior wide receiver Ke'Vontae Pope with 4:25 remaining in the game.
Warford was sacked twice and intercepted twice.
"Proud of the guys and the way they played," Monica said. "It was against a very good football team."
The Wonder Boys outgained the Tigers 312-158 in total yardage to lead 16-3 at halftime.
Allen capped a 15-play, 70-yard drive with a 6-yard run with 6:32 remaining in the first quarter.
Perez kicked a 32-yard field goal with 1:25 remaining in the first quarter and a 37-yard field goal with 9:43 left in the first half to make it 13-0.
The Tigers' only score of the first half was a 20-yard field goal by freshman Cole Antley with 4:39 left in the second quarter.
Allen's 65-yard run led to Perez's third field goal, a 41-yarder, with three seconds left in the first half.
A 40-yard field goal by Antley made it 16-6 with 1:13 remaining in the third quarter.
Ouachita Baptist settled for field goals after having first down at the Arkansas Tech 3 and 12, the latter following a fumble recovery with 2:45 left in the third quarter.
Trailing 16-3 late in the third quarter, the Tigers came up empty when a 34-yard touchdown run by Warford was negated because of an illegal block.
"That seemed like it took a little air out of us," Knight said. "That would have put us back in the game."
SOUTHERN ARKANSAS 38, OKLAHOMA BAPTIST 20
Barrett Renner threw two touchdowns to make up for three interceptions and William McKnight ran for two touchdowns to help Southern Arkansas win its second consecutive game Saturday at Wilkins Stadium in Magnolia.
The Muleriders (4-2, 4-2) took a 14-0 lead on Tanner Hudson's 9-yard touchdown pass from Ranner and Deandre Jenkins' 9-yard run in the second quarter. Renner missed a chance to extend the lead with interceptions on the next two drives, and Southern Arkansas led 14-7 at halftime, but outscored Oklahoma Baptist 24-20 in the second half to keep a lead.
Renner completed 21 of 35 passes for 208 yards for the Muleriders, who had 378 yards of offense and held Oklahoma Baptist (1-5, 1-5) to 151 yards.
Renner threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Turnbull, McKnight scored on a 2-yard run and Bradford Gaines made a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter. McKnight added 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Renner added 63 yards rushing while McKnight had 49 yards, and the Muleriders had 170 yards on the ground as a team.
UAM 51, SOUTHERN NAZARENE 10
Hunter Leppert passed for 398 yards and five touchdowns as Arkansas-Monticello won its first game this season and ended an eight-game losing streak dating to last season.
Leppert threw touchdown passes to four different receivers to help the Boll Weevils (1-5, 1-5) win their first game since last Oct. 25 and their first home game since last Sept. 27.
Leppert connected on touchdown passes of 71 and 18 yards to Cody Bordelon, 35 yards with Trevon Smith, 13 yards with Kevin Beckwith and 43 yards with Jordan Tolliver, the last of his five scores that gave the Boll Weevils a 41-10 lead.
Bordelon caught 5 passes for 115 yards while Smith caught 3 passes for 65 yards, including a touchdown pass from Cole Sears in the fourth quarter.
UAM had 667 yards of offense and held Southern Nazarene (0-6, 0-6) to 293 yards.
HENDERSON STATE 22,
NO. 22 HARDING 17
Andrew Black scored on a 10-yard run with less than eight minutes remaining and Trevon Del Rio intercepted a Park Parish pass on Harding’s final possession to keep Henderson State among the Great American Conference leaders. Dallas Hardison completed 17 of 29 passes for 223 yards and 1 touchdown, while Ryan McDonald also scored on a run for the Reddies (5-1, 5-1).
Harding (4-2, 4-2) took a 17-16 lead on Matt Tenison’s 7-yard run in the third quarter, but was held to 41 yards on its next three possessions while trying to hold onto the lead in Searcy, and Parish’s interception came on its first play of its final possession.
SOUTHERN ATHLETIC ASSOC.
HENDRIX 21, BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN 16
Hendrix scored a touchdown in each of the first three quarters and Caleb Shannon intercepted two passes in the fourth quarter as the Warriors held on for a Southern Athletic Association victory Saturday at Young-Wise Stadium in Conway.
Ethan Hoppe caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Seth Peters in the first quarter, Nate Hodapp caught a 23-yard pass from Peters in the second, and Dayton Winn scored on a 53-yard touchdown run in the third quarter for the Warriors (3-2, 3-0).
Daniel Lopers caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Mickey Courtney to get Birmingham-Southern within 21-16 with 4:15 left, but Shannon intercepted a pass on the final drive to preserve the victory. Shannon also intercepted a pass early in the fourth quarter, and Hendrix forced four turnovers.
Peters completed 17 of 26 passes for 163 yards, while Winn rushed for 176 yards.
Sports on 10/11/2015