OKLAHOMA BAPTIST AT OUACHITA BAPTIST
WHEN 1 p.m.
WHERE Cliff Harris Stadium, Arkadelphia
RADIO Ouachita Football Network (KDXE-FM, 101.1, Little Rock, KUOA, AM 1290 and FM 97.7, Siloam Springs KCXY-FM, 95.3, Camden KZNG, AM 1340, FM 94.5 and FM 105.5, Hot Springs KNAS-FM, 105.5, Nashville KQOR-FM, 105.3, Mena)
INTERNET obutigers.com
RECORDS Ouachita Baptist 6-0; Oklahoma Baptist 3-3
COACHES Todd Knight (118-95 in 21st season at OBU 147-127-2 in 26 seasons overall); Chris Jensen (26-46 in 7th season at Oklahoma Baptist)
SERIES Ouachita leads 6-2-1
LAST SEASON Ouachita won 58-21 in Shawnee, Okla.
NOTEWORTHY Ouachita is eyeing a 23rd consecutive GAC victory today, but Knight said the Tigers know Oklahoma Baptist isn't a typical 3-3 team. "They're about three plays from being 5-1," Knight said of the Bison, which have not scored fewer than 28 points in any game and leads the GAC in scoring (36.0 ppg). "They're as good as anybody in the league." ... Oklahoma Baptist QB Preston Haire (147-232 passing, 1,655 yards, 18 TD, 3 INT) has rushed for 427 yards and 5 TD. ... Haire, a junior, is the focal point of an Oklahoma Baptist offense that includes WR Joshua Cornell (50-701, 8). "He's a phenomenal player," Knight said of Haire. "Great vision, great arm. He's a great scrambler. He's good in the pocket, and outside of it. They've got several guys that can really play." Haire passed for 4 TDs and ran for 1 last week in a 50-33 loss to Harding. He accounted for 5 TDs, 3 more than Harding allowed in its first five games combined. ... Haire ranks No. 5 in Division II in total offense (347 ypg). ... OBU counters with quarterback Brayden Brazeal (95-122, 1,120, 9), the nation's leader in completion percentage (78.7%). The Tigers also have receiver/return specialist Allie Freeman, the nation's leader in receptions (56), and goal-line specialist Brockton Brown (389 rushing, 9 TDs). ... Ouachita's defense is No. 2 in the GAC and seventh in Division II in points allowed (12.7 ppg).
EAST CENTRAL AT HENDERSON STATE
WHEN 2 p.m.
WHERE Carpenter-Haygood Stadium, Arkadelphia
RADIO Henderson State Sports Network: KDEL 100.9 FM and KVRC 1240 AM in Arkadelphia, KWPS 99.7. FM in Hot Springs, KYXK 106.7 in Gurdon, KZYP 104.1 FM/1310 AM in Malvern, and on KAFC 99.3 FM/690 AM in Benton
INTERNET hsusports.com
RECORDS Henderson State 5-1; East Central 1-5
COACHES Scott Maxfield (104-55 in 15 seasons at Henderson, 133-67 in 19 seasons overall); Al Johnson (4-13 in second season at East Central)
SERIES Henderson leads 17-12-1
LAST SEASON Henderson won 31-10 in Ada, Okla.
NOTEWORTHY Nickel back Mercado Anderson (GAC Defensive Player of the Week) had 9 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 IN., 1 pass breakup and a quarterback hurry in the Reddies' 35-7 victory over SW Oklahoma State in Weatherford. ... Anderson is third in the GAC with 7.5 tackles for loss. ... Henderson's defense ranks No. 2 in the GAC in yards allowed per game (288.7) and is No. 3 in the GAC and No. 9 in Division II in fewest points allowed (13.8 ppg). ... East Central features the GAC's leading rusher, redshirt sophomore Ontario Douglas (133-791, 11 TDs). He also leads the GAC and is No. 12 in Division II with 158.3 all-purpose yards per game. ... Freshman QB Kenny Hrncir (829 passing, 305 rushing) played three series in a 31-3 loss to Ouachita Baptist last week but did not return after OBU built a 17-0 lead. Taye Gatewood (15-21, 98 passing, 1 INT) replaced Hrncir. ... East Central has won the past two meetings played at Henderson -- 24-16 in 2017 and 35-28 in 2015. ... The Reddies are No. 2 in the conference in scoring (31.8 ppg), total offense (415.5 ypg) and passing offense (256.3 ypg). ... QB Richard Stammetti (1,488 passing, 12 TD, 6 INT) is the fourth Reddies QB to throw at least 30 TD passes in a career. ... WR L'liott Curry (44-589, 7) is third in the GAC in catches, and second in receiving yards and TD catches. Logan Moragne (66-423 rushing, 7 TD) is sixth in the GAC in rushing.
NW OKLAHOMA STATE AT ARKANSAS TECH
WHEN 2 p.m.
WHERE Thone Stadium, Russellville
RADIO 102.3-FM (KCJC) in Russellville
INTERNET arkansastechsports.com
RECORDS Arkansas Tech 0-6; NW Oklahoma St. 2-4
COACHES Kyle Shipp (0-6 in first season at Arkansas Tech); Matt Walter (18-32 in fifth season at NW Oklahoma St.)
SERIES Arkansas Tech leads 11-5
LAST SEASON NW Oklahoma State won 21-0 in Alva, Okla.
NOTEWORTHY Arkansas Tech had never lost to Southern Nazarene before last Saturday's 41-24 defeat in Bethany, Okla. The Wonder Boys had outscored the Crimson Storm 267-45 in their six previous meetings and never allowed more than 14 points in any game. Shipp said he couldn't get that attitude out of the minds of his players. "A little bit of arrogance," he said. "In our kids' minds, we were better than them." ... Arkansas Tech, which has lost eight in a row dating back to 2018, fell behind 28-0 in the first half after having a punt blocked and an interception returned for a touchdown. The Wonder Boys got within 28-17 before they had another interception returned for a score in the third quarter. ... Shipp said Liberty University transfer Mason Cunningham (52-102, 487, 2 TD, 7 INT) will start again at quarterback despite throwing four interceptions last week. ... Shipp said the Wonder Boys are down to seven seniors after starting the season with 12, and the final five weeks will be used to evaluate the future of the program. "Our kids have got to learn to fight. There's going to be a lot of times you're going to be 0-6 in life. You got to keep fighting. It's painful, but it's going to make me better. This will make the program better, if we allow it to." ... Tech meets a Northwestern Oklahoma State team that is coming off lopsided losses to Henderson State (47-7) and Southern Arkansas (40-7). Shipp said he doesn't know what to expect from the Rangers, but said they are certainly capable. "You watch them on film and they've got big, long kids. They've got some huge kids. They might come out and play lights out."
SE OKLAHOMA STATE AT SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
WHEN 2:30 p.m.
WHERE Wilkins Stadium, Magnolia
RADIO Country 99.1, KVMZ-FM
INTERNET muleridersports.com
RECORDS SAU (5-1), SE Oklahoma St. (1-5)
COACHES Bill Keopple (62-51 in 11th season at Southern Arkansas); Tyler Fenwick (1-5 in 1st season at SE Oklahoma St., 38-34 in seven seasons overall)
SERIES SAU leads 22-19-3
LAST SEASON SE Oklahoma St. defeated SAU 21-0 in Durant, Okla.
NOTEWORTHY Keopple said he likes the way the Muleriders have rebounded from a 31-0 home loss to Harding in Week 3. ... SAU is adept at scoring when it gets inside the opponent's 20, leading the GAC and ranking No. 3 in Division II by scoring on 95.7% of its red-zone possessions. ... The Muleriders possess the GAC's second-leading rushing attack (236.8 ypg), with redshirt freshman Kor'Davion Washington (583) and senior SirCharles Perkins (423) ranking third and fourth in the GAC in rushing yards. ... Quarterback Hayden Mallory (942 yards, 7 TD) was 12 of 14 for 143 yards and 2 TDs in a 40-7 victory last week over Northwestern Oklahoma State in Alva. "We are getting better," Keopple said. "We're more disciplined, taking better care of the football." ... SAU is averaging 39 points since its 31-0 loss to Harding, and the defense is giving up an average of 14.3 points in those games. ... There is plenty of motivation for SAU after suffering its first loss last season 21-0 to SE Oklahoma St. in Durant. The Savage Storm -- in their first season under Fenwick, a successful coach at Missouri S&T -- are third in the GAC in passing (253.2 ypg), sixth in total offense (378.2 ypg) but 10th in scoring offense (19 ppg). ... The Savage Storm have turned the ball over 19 times, 14 more than they have forced.
SW OKLAHOMA ST. AT HARDING
WHEN 3 p.m.
WHERE First Security Stadium, Searcy
RADIO KVHU, 95.3-FM
INTERNET hardingsports.com
RECORDS Harding (5-1); SW Oklahoma St. (2-4)
COACHES Paul Simmons (25-8 in third season at Harding); Chet Pobolish (5-12 in second season at SW Oklahoma St.)
SERIES Harding leads 9-5
LAST SEASON Harding won 50-10 in Weatherford, Okla.
NOTEWORTHY Harding dropped from No. 1 to No. 3 nationally in scoring defense (10.6 ppg) and total defense (223.6 ypg) after giving up 353 yards in a 50-33 victory over Oklahoma Baptist last week in Shawnee, Okla. The Bisons allowed 5 touchdowns, 3 more than they had during the first 5 games combined. "It was good for our defense to be challenged like that," Simmons said. "We had a plan, but we didn't have an answer." ... The Bisons' offense, led by co-GAC Offensive Player of the Week Cole Chancey (19-233 rushing, 2 TDs), scored touchdowns on seven of their nine possessions and never punted. Two lost fumbles increased Harding's total to 10 for the season, and 13 turnovers overall in six games. "If we don't get it fixed, we're going to lose to somebody we shouldn't lose to," Simmons said. ... Harding (335.7 ypg) leads the GAC and is No. 3 in the nation in rushing after putting up 492 yards against Oklahoma Baptist. ... Harding is ranked No. 21 in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll, and No. 16 in the division2football.com. ... Harding's first six opponents have a combined record of 26-11. The Bisons' final five opponents are a combined 6-24, and that includes today's opponent SW Oklahoma St. (2-4). ... The Bulldogs have lost four in a row after a 2-0 start and are led by QB Tyler Marr (1,276 passing, 11 TD) and receiver Jared Rayburn (21-409, 5). Marr leads the GAC in yards per completion (14.7) but is 10th with a 47.3 completion percentage.
SOUTHERN NAZARENE AT ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO
WHEN 3 p.m
WHERE Boll Weevil Stadium, Monticello
RADIO KBHM-FM 93.7
INTERNET uamsports.com
RECORDS UAM 4-2; Southern Nazarene 2-4
COACHES Hud Jackson (33-61 in 9 seasons at UAM); Andy Lambert (11-28 in fourth season at Southern Nazarene, 112-125 in 23rd season overall)
SERIES UAM leads 5-1
LAST SEASON UAM won 35-12 in Bethany, Okla.
NOTEWORTHY UAM beat SE Oklahoma St. for the first time since 2013, 9-7 in Durant, on Saturday. ... UAM won the game without leading receiver DeAndre Washington, who is expected to return to action today, Jackson said. ... UAM was held to 202 yards in offense after gaining 600 in a 49-46 victory over East Central. ... Kicker Josh Marini missed two field-goal attempts but kept the Savage Storm pinned inside their 20 on seven occasions, averaging 39.3 yards per punt, including a 51-yard fourth quarter punt that set up a UAM sack and a safety. Marini was named GAC Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday for the second week in a row. ... UAM's TD came on Devantae Dean's 31-yard run. True freshman quarterback Demilon Brown (6-of-17 passing, 27 yards) led the Boll Weevils in rushing with 14 carries for 87 yards but got "dinked up" early in the game, Jackson said. Sophomore Caleb Canady played the final three possessions, and his 16-yard completion to Juwan Davis in the final two minutes allowed UAM to run out the clock. ... UAM hosts a Southern Nazarene team that beat Arkansas Tech 41-24 in Bethany, Okla., and is led by Gage Porter, the co-GAC Offensive Player of the Week. Porter accounted for 380 of the Crimson Storm's 412 yards against Arkansas Tech. Porter's 270 rushing yards vs. Tech is the second-highest total in Division II this season.
-- Jeff Krupsaw
Sports on 10/19/2019