WEEK ONE SCHEDULE
Thursday, September 5
Southern Arkansas vs Southeastern Oklahoma State
Paul Laird Field Southern
Durant, Oklahoma 6:00 P.M.
Series History: Arkansas Leads 24-20-3
Last Meeting: SAU, 34-19 (August 31, 2023)
Southern Arkansas Notes:
The time for Mulerider Football has finally arrived. 277 days… that is how long it has been since Southern Arkansas claimed its’ first ten-win season since 1952. Head Coach Brad Smiley heads into his third stint as the Muleriders’ head football coach and looks to begin the 2024 season off right in Durant, Oklahoma Thursday night. SAU Football has been riding the hype train throughout the offseason with new looks from national media such as the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) rewarding the Muleriders with 24 votes in the association’s preseason poll along with being the third-highest voted member of the Great American Conference with 100 points and a first-place vote. The season-opening battle in Durant, Oklahoma is set to take place at 6:00 p.m. at Paul Laird Field on Thursday.
Week 1 Matchup
With the 106th season of Mulerider Football on the horizon, Head Coach Brad Smiley goes into his third season in Magnolia with expectations at an all-time high. SAU was voted third in the GAC preseason poll as they are set to open the season on the road at Southeastern Oklahoma.
The season-opening Thursday night is set to be the only preseason top-five matchup with the GAC during week one. The Savage Storm go back-to-back seasons earning the fifth-spot in the poll while the Muleriders cracked the top-three and receive a first-place vote for the first time since 2019.
SAU begins the season on the road for the first time since 2021 when the Muleriders took their longest trip of the year first to Alva, Oklahoma.
After defeating the Savage Storm last fall, the Muleriders are gifted the opportunity to begin a winning streak against SE for the first time since the two joined the GAC. Prior to last season’s bout, the Savage Storm claimed its first back-to-back victories in the conference series after defeating the Muleriders in Durant and Magnolia.
One can say that the road was Southern Arkansas biggest weakness during the previous campaign, considering the group just went 4-1 while away from home or a neutral site. The Muleriders lone loss on the road came to (#5/9) Ouachita Baptist.
Over Coach Smiley’s two years at Southern Arkansas, he has accumulated an overall record of 8-4 when against programs out of the Sooner State. in year one, Smiley finished 2-4 against the teams from Oklahoma, but this last year saw the third-year coach sweep the plains with a 6-0 record versus the groups from Oklahoma.
Last Season…
was the second season for head coach Brad Smiley as he carried the Muleriders to their second ten-win season in the program’s history.
Saw the Muleriders end the campaign undefeated at home for the fifth time since becoming members of the Great American Conference and the seventh time since joining the NCAA in 1995.
Ended with Southern Arkansas claiming its first bowl game victory since becoming a member of the NCAA and the first postseason triumph since winning the Aztec Bowl in 1990.
Saw the Muleriders finish with the fifth-best average offensive yards per game in the nation with 476.5, which was also the best in the GAC. Southern Arkansas’ rushing offense sat at third in the country and the league as SAU averaged 290.2 yards on the ground.
Saw nine Muleriders earn All-GAC honors of which all are set to return for the 2024 season: all-league first teamers Jariq Scales, Colton Grier, and Melvin Smith Jr., all-league second teamer Matthew Whitten, and honorable mentions Cole Williams, Conner Hagerty, Dawson Scott, Elvin Calhoun, and Hosea Singleton. Melvin Smith Jr. made the American Football Coaches Association’s list for First Team All-American.
Saw five Muleriders honored as CSC Academic All-District performers with Scales being named Academic All-Americans.
Schedule Quick Hits
The 11-game regular season slate under third-year head football coach Brad Smiley includes four home games inside Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field as well as the program’s annual trip east to El Dorado to make its 13th appearance all-time and 10th-consecutive in the Murphy USA Classic.
Since 2012, the Muleriders are 40-10 at home inside Wilkins Stadium with unbeaten home schedules in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2023. From October 10, 2015 through September 14, 2019, the Muleriders won 17-consecutive home games which stood as the longest active streak in DII. Additionally, SAU has made five trips to the postseason playing in bowl games in 2012, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2023.
Year two under Brad Smiley was one that all of Mulerider faithful will go on to remember as Southern Arkansas claimed its’ first bowl game victory as an affiliate of the NCAA (1991). Mulerider Football provided stellar offense on the ground and through the air, but most importantly… the cultural change in defense is what provided SAU with its’ first ten-win season since 1952 as the Muleriders capped off 2023 with a 43-27 win against MIAA opponent Missouri Western.
Notables: Southern Arkansas
Southern Arkansas 2024 campaign has already seen quite the spotlight among the GAC as the group holds three D2Footabal Elite 100 Watchlist players in Colton Grier (First Team Offense), Melvin Smith Jr. (First Team Defense), and Jariq Scales (SQUAD Offense).
Smith Jr. is currently being recognized as the lone player out of the Great American Conference to be among the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 Watchlist and the Rees’;s Senior Bowl Watchlist. Both list cover all of college football entirely which includes NCAA DI, II, III, NAIA, and NJCAA. For the Shrine Bowl, the Mulerider’s defensive back is just one of 15 athletes from Division II universities with the recognition.
Last year’s squad was given high-praise for how many returners/lettermen came back for another season with Coach Smiley. This year’s squad however brings back 59 lettermen and loses just four out of the 25 starters (kickers & punter included). The major difference seen between this season and last is the senior classes. Smiley does not lack much with this troupe according to preseason observations, but especially not in experience. Smiley’s squad consists of 51 upperclassmen that include 25 juniors and 26 seniors/graduate students (3).
While the team of players sees many familiar faces, Smiley’s coaching staff has seen drastic changes since the end of the 2023 season in Texarkana, Arkansas. The third-year head coach walks into 2024 with a new offensive and defensive coordinator in Kyle Washington and Dionte Dean along with new linebackers coach Matt Tyler. These additions from the carousel come after former DC and LB coach Will Reed and Derrick Berry took their talents to the United Football League’s San Antonio Brahmas. Former OC Andrew Rice took the head coaching gig at Southwestern Oklahoma State.
Southern Arkansas By The Numbers
870 – the area code of the northern, eastern, and southern parts of the state of Arkansas. It is also the three numbers of the Mulerider Football leadership team voted on by fellow teammates a part of the program. This relatively new tradition began last season for the Muleriders with the number 8 being the defensive leader, 7 the offensive leader, and 0 being the team leader. The newest member of the leadership team is defensive end Dawson Scott who will be donning the number 8 uniform. Returning leaders, wide receiver Cole Williams and tight end Matthew Whitten will be swapping number with Williams in 7 and Whitten in 0.
100 – the number of elite student-athletes across NCAA DII to be named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watchlist. The Muleriders see three stars among teh watchlist with senior offensive tackle Colton Grier and senior defensive back Melvin Smith Jr. both on the First-Team Offense and Defense. Southern Arkansas lead rusher, Jariq Scales, saw his name located amongst the list on the SQUAD Offense, which is D2Football’s honorable mentions list. The top-three teams in the GAC tie for the most amongst the league with three each.
24 – the amount of votes the Muleriders received in the American Football Coaches Association’s (AFCA) 2024 Preseason Coaches Poll. Southern Arkansas earns its’ second-consecutive preseason notoriety as the Muleriders were given two votes in 2023. The Muleriders 24 votes are the most earned since receiving 14 votes in the 2019 edition of the preseason poll. Including SAU, the Great American Conference, for two seasons in-a-row, has four programs represented in the poll (#1 Harding, #19 Ouachita Baptist, and (RV) Henderson St.
3 – the Muleriders’ national ranking for rushing offense per outing with 290.2/gm. The Muleriders’ ranking at third in the nation also goes for the Great American Conference as Southern Arkansas sat behind the 2023 national champs, Harding, and Southern Nazarene. In total, SAU accounted for 3,482 rushing yards last Fall and was just 23 yards shy of SNU (3,505). The Bisons recorded 6,160 rushing yards on 887 attempts (308 more than SAU).
Notables: Southeastern Oklahoma
Bo Atterberry goes into his seventh season as the Savage Storm’s head coach while also entering year two since his return to Durant.
Last season, SE finished 5-6 with a record against Natural State competition of 1-4 as the Storm’s lone win versus the state of Arkansas came by a 22-21 triumph over Arkansas-Monticello.
A consistency for the Savage Storm since announcing their membership in the Great American Conference 13 years ago, Southeastern Oklahoma State have been dominant against the Muleriders whilst hosting the matchup in Durant, Oklahoma as SE is 4-1 versus Southern Arkansas while at Paul Laird Field. The Muleriders lone win while in Durant came in 2012 with a 31-24 final score.
The Savage Storm’s leading rusher, DJ Brown makes his return for his junior campaign as the Leonard, Texas native recorded a net of 671 yard on 144 attempts to average 4.7 yards per carry and four touchdowns on the ground.
In the receiver room, SE is without their two 2023 leading pass catchers Hunter Hawthorne and Marquis Gray. The leading receiver making his way back for SE will be Kaleb Whitley who accounted for 437 yards on 34 receptions and one touchdown. Whitley recorded a longest reception of 62 yards last season and average 12.85 per grab.
It’s a new QB room for the Savage Storm as redshirt freshman Luke Hohenberger is set to start for Southeastern Oklahoma State in the season debut.
Coach Atterberry returns last campaign’s second-best tackler in junior cornerback, Michael Hookfin. Hookfin recorded 66.0 total tackles last Fall and led the team in solo tackles with 49.
Last Season’s Matchup
The 2023 edition of the conference matchup proved to be an exciting night for Mulerider fans as they stood witness to the newest standard of defense in Columbia County. The SAU defense held the Savage Storm offense to just 49 yards rushing on 28 attempts (1.8 yards per rush), sacking SOSU quarterback Bryce Fields five times and forcing an early fumble recovery, while also grabbing a pair of interceptions. The defensive performance was highlighted by the newest “number eight” of Smiley’s ballclub, Dawson Scott. Scott recorded eight total tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss (14 yards) including 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery which came on the game’s second play from scrimmage after junior defensive back Melvin Smith Jr. laid a thunderous hit on Fields who was scrambling near the Savage Storm sideline. The Muleriders went on victorious that night and collected their dues from the two seasons previous versus SE. Now, Southern Arkansas looks to defeat the Storm in Durant for the first time since 2012.
Southeastern Oklahoma State Notes:
Noteworthy…
Thursday marks the beginning of the 111th season of Southeastern football overall, 27th since joining NCAA Division II, and the 14th season as a member of the Great American Conference. } Southeastern is 7-5 in season openers since joining the GAC and 13-11 in season openers versus DII competition since joining the NCAA.
SE won its last home season opener in dramatic fashion, downing Arkansas Tech 41-34 in double-overtime at Paul Laird Field on Sept. 1, 2022.
SE trails in the season series versus Southern Arkansas, 20-24-3, but the pair are tied in GAC play with a 6-6 record. SE won the last matchup played on Paul Laird Field, 35-32 in 2022, and has won four-straight in the series at home.
SE heads into the 2024 season picked to finish fifth in the GAC Preseason Poll. The poll, voted on by the league’s coaches, saw the Savage Storm pick up 72 points in the voting, finishing eight points ahead of Arkansas Tech in sixth. Harding was the preseason top pick with 10 of the 12 possible first-place votes, followed by Ouachita Baptist in Second and Southern Arkansas in third place with one first-place nod apiece. Henderson State was fourth just ahead of the Storm, while Oklahoma Baptist checked in seventh, followed by Arkansas-Monticello and East Central in eighth and ninth, respectively. Southern Nazarene, Southwestern Oklahoma State, and Northwestern Oklahoma State would round out the poll in order.
SE returns a pair of All-GAC honorees, both int he backfield as DJ Brown was the team’s leading rusher and was a second team pick at running back, while Ryan Hirt was the number two rusher and was a selection for his special teams play.
The Storm returns five players who started at leads five games last season on offense, and six on the defensive side.
SE’s initial 2-deep features plenty of youth as 10 of the 22 listed offensive players are sophomores in standing or younger, including three starters. Defensively the number is also 10, with four in starting roles. Storm special teams has just one but returns all its starters from last season.
SE RB DJ Brown is one of a record 178 nominees for the 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team which features players and coaches from across the country and at every four-year collegiate level. A junior from Leonard, Texas, he becomes the fourth Savage Storm player in the last eight seasons to earn a nomination to the team. He put together 641 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in his first season with the Storm and added 94 yards and two scores receiving on his way to a second team all-GAC honor. Off the field, he has been an academic All-GAC selection and will be the president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee for the upcoming season.
Northwestern Oklahoma State vs Arkansas-Monticello
Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium
Monticello, Arkansas 6:00 P.M.
Series History: Arkansas-Monticello Leads 7-6
Last Meeting: UAM, 49-24 (August 31, 2023)
Northwestern Oklahoma State Notes
Arkansas-Monticello Notes
Henderson State vs East Central
Koi Ishto Stadium
Ada, Oklahoma 6:00 P.M.
Series History: Henderson State Leads 20-13-1
Last Meeting: HSU, 41-13 (August 31, 2023)
Henderson State Notes
STORYLINES:
SETTING THE SCENE REDDIES REPORT: OFFENSE
No. 22 Henderson State enters the Greg Holsworth era fresh off its first NCAA DII Playoff appearance since 2015. With seven seasons at HSU already under his belt (defensive coordinator and assistant head coach), Holsworth takes over for all-time Reddie wins leader Scott Maxfield. Roughly 70 percent of the starters from last year’s playoff team are back, including four reigning All-GAC players. The Reddies have won nine games in three of the last four seasons.
East Central’s John Litrenta takes over as the Tigers’ permanent head coach after serving as the team’s interim leader in 2023. His ECU squad looks to improve on a 3-8 record from a year ago. Four of the Tigers’ 2023 losses were determined by 10 points or less (three by eight points or less). ECU has not lost to HSU at Koi Ishto Stadium since 2018, when the Reddies picked up a 31-10 victory in enemy territory.
REDDIES REPORT: OFFENSE
Quarterback Andrew Edwards returns after leading the GAC in completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns a season ago. His five GAC Player of the Week Awards tied a conference record, and he also earned Second Team All-GAC honors. The Bentonville native earned his final Player of the Week nod by compiling more than 250 total yards and three scores in the Reddies’ first Battle of the Ravine win since 2015.
Tight end Cayden Davis became the first Reddie at his position to ever earn a First Team All-GAC selection after a stellar 2023 campaign. Though he hauled in just 19 receptions on the year, Davis tallied 365 yards for an average of 19.21 yards per catch. Originally from Caddo Mills, Texas, he had three touchdown receptions and also contributed to the run blocking game. Davis will look to build off his D2CCA Second Team All-Region campaign with another big season in 2024. � Running backs Jeremiah Davis and Fredrick O’Donald both look to make an impact on the Reddies’ ground game in 2024. Davis, a Montalba, Texas, native, has had at least 400 yards in each of the last two seasons after claiming a spot in the team’s running rotation in 2022. O’Donald, entering his senior year, is nearing the 1,000-yard mark for his career. The former North Little Rock Charging Wildcat put up a career-high and team-best 529 rushing yards and 6.7 yards per carry in 2023.
Wide receiver Timieone Jackson left his mark immediately upon joining Henderson in 2023. The Pflugerville, Texas, native hauled in 65 passes for 517 yards and three touchdowns. Prior to that, he accumulated more than 1,500 all-purpose yards in two seasons at Mesa College. With Chris Hatzis finishing up his college career last year, the Reddies will look for Jackson to take on an even larger leadership role this season.
In 2023, Henderson State’s offensive line successfully protected an Andrew Edwards-led passing attack that finished first in the GAC in passing yards. Seniors Blaise Smith and Brandon Bishop return at left guard and left tackle, respectively. Former Glen Rose Beaver Andrew Weatherford is also back at right guard. Sophomore center Gabe Hernandez will look to have a breakout year for an offensive attack that finished top four in the GAC in total yards and scoring a year ago.
REDDIES REPORT: DEFENSE
Gary Lewis leads on the defensive line after becoming the Reddies’ first defensive player to earn All-American honors since 2019. The Second Team AFCA All-American recorded 7.5 sacks last season – the fourth most in program history. A two-time state champion with the Fordyce Redbugs, Lewis is already ranked fifth in career sacks (12.5) after just two full seasons with the program. Now entering his redshirt junior year, the former Fordyce Redbug looks to keep GAC defenses guessing.
Tallying more than 60 tackles in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons, linebacker Jakob Neel looks to be a key factor in the Reddies’ defensive scheme once again. Neel led HSU with 64 tackles a year ago, contributing four tackles for loss, a sack, and two fumble recoveries in the process. The former Bryant Hornet earned an All-GAC Honorable Mention in 2023, and he’ll be looking for more in his senior campaign.
The talent and experience of Henderson State’s secondary should force opposing quarterbacks to think twice before letting the ball fly. Senior defensive backs Tim Jennings and Cameron Thomas have both appeared in at least 10 games a year since debuting for the Reddies as true freshmen in 2021. Jennings has over 100 career tackles, five tackles for loss, and a pick to his credit, while Thomas has 22 pass deflections, three interceptions, and a forced fumble on his own career line.
Defensive back Colby Crawford led the Reddies with 10 pass deflections in 2023. Appearing in all 12 games last season, Crawford made a career-high nine tackles in Henderson’s Battle of the Ravine victory at Ouachita. He also came up with an interception against Southeastern Oklahoma State. � Though the Reddies return approximately 70 percent of their starters from last season, 2023 reserves such as Trenton Moore, Catrell Wallace, and Bryant Hammond II will look to step up and play a key role in Henderson’s 2024 success.
REDDIES REPORT: SPECIAL TEAMS
Cameron Thomas’ kick return average of 27 yards put him just one-tenth of a yard shy of tying the 2023 GAC lead for that category. He returned a kickoff 72 yards for a touchdown against Northwestern Oklahoma State. Devon Adams finished with 8 yards per punt return – an average ranked fourth in the conference.
Kolby King was one of three GAC kickers to tie for first with 11 field goals made last season. He also had two punts of over 50 yards in 2023. Axel Robertson, who had a 55-yard punt against Southwestern Oklahoma State last November, is also available to help with kicking and punting duties.
THE OPPONENT: EAST CENTRAL
Given John Litrenta’s defensive background, it’s not too hard to see why his ECU squad finished in the top half of the GAC in points allowed a season ago. Though the Tigers’ defense allowed the fourth-most total yards to their opponents, a “bend, but don’t break” attitude helped East Central limit the damage on the scoreboard.
Of the Tigers’ eight All-GAC selections from a season ago, only cornerback Gio Waller is back. The senior leads a secondary that finished third in the GAC with 1,742 passing yards allowed in 2023.
ECU’s defense forced eight fumbles in 2023, giving them a total tied for fourth in the GAC. This season, however, the Tigers would like to improve their efficiency in recoveries. Despite its success in poking the ball free, East Central’s defense only managed to recover three fumbles last year – the fewest of any team in the conference.
Traair Edwards was scheduled to return after splitting time with Jaaive Magalei at quarterback last year, but he is currently not slated as the Tigers’ starting quarterback. Appearing in eight games, Edwards completed 72 of his 118 passing attempts for 675 yards, four touchdowns, and two picks. In the 2023 season opener against Henderson, he threw for a season-high 194 yards and two touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Sergio Kennedy is listed as the probable starter for ECU in 2024.
The Tigers return none of their top three receivers from last season, meaning that fresh faces will have to step in ECU’s air attack. Tight end Jackson Allen looks primed to be one of those leaders. Allen, who recorded his sole touchdown of 2023 against Henderson, has the most receiving yards of any returner on ECU’s 2024 squad (180 yards). He was one of only two receiving targets to appear in all of the Tigers’ 11 games last year.
With the departure of All-GAC running backs Miles Davis and David Hall, ECU’s run game will have a completely new look. Of the Tigers’ top six rushers from last season, only Traair Edwards (fourth with 62 yards) remains. Transfer Myles Featherston is ECU’s probable RB1 after recording over 1,600 career rushing yards in four seasons at Hardin-Simmons. Former UNLV Rebel Andrew Wimmer also looks to log touches at tailback.
East Central finished fourth in the conference with an average of 11.1 yards per punt return last season. Graduate student Dior Scott was responsible for every punt return in 2023, meaning that a new Tiger will have to step up on special teams in 2024. Deqavius Bowens and Andrew Wimmer are among the top candidates to take Scott’s spot.
Reece Conner averaged 40.5 yards per punt en route to finishing as one of the league’s top five punters a season ago. He had the third-most punts of 50 yards or more in the GAC (11), and he also ranked in the top five in punting average for the second consecutive season.
THE COACHING MATCHUP
Henderson State’s Greg Holsworth is entering his first year as head coach, while East Central’s John Litrenta is starting his first year as permanent head coach after spending the 2023 season as the Tigers’ interim coach. There is significant overlap between the two men: both played linebacker in college, both are first-time head coaches, and both previously served as defensive coordinators for the programs they now lead. Litrenta enters the year with a 3-8 record as head coach, while Holsworth is set to earn his first win/loss decision as a head coach in the 2024 season opener.
The Reddies have won nine of their 12 GAC meetings with East Central, with ECU’s last victory in the series being their 31-10 win over Henderson at Koi Ishto Stadium in 2022. Prior to that game, the Tigers had not defeated the Reddies at home; their other two wins in the series came at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium in 2015 and 2017. Overall, the Reddies have a 3-1 road record in the series.
THE LAST MEETING
East Central opened up the scoring in its 2023 meeting with the Reddies with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Traair Edwards to C.J. Moore. The Tigers led 13-10 at the midway point of the second quarter. From there, it was all Reddies: Henderson State closed the game with 31 unanswered points to avenge their loss to ECU.
Andrew Edwards gave a taste of the special season to come by going 17-for-25 for 276 yards and four touchdowns through the air. He added 31 yards on the ground to eclipse 300 total yards in a performance that earned him the first of his five GAC Player of the Week Awards for the year.
Timieone Jackson paced the Reddies’ receiving corps with 84 yards on seven receptions. Chris Hatzis caught two of Edwards’ two touchdowns, while Elijah George and Jalen Abraham each collected a score through the air. Jackson, Hatzis, George, and Abraham accounted for 261 of Henderson’s 276 receiving yards on the night. � C.J. Moore led all receivers from both teams with 101 receiving yards. He provided one of the Tigers’ two scores, with the other belonging to Jackson Allen. Dior Scott added 53 receiving yards, and Kylin Mathis added 24 of his own. Of the Tigers’ top four receivers from last year’s game, only Allen and Mathis remain.
Defensive back Paul Manning recovered a fumble forced by linebacker Keegan Stinespring and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown with less than a minute to go in the game. That fumble was the only turnover committed by either team in the game. � Trenton Moore led the Reddies’ pass rush with 1.5 sacks in the game. Jakob Neel, HSU’s tackle leader for the season, also had 1.5 tackles for loss against ECU.
Kolby King went a perfect five-for-five on extra points and added field goals from 22 and 25 yards out. He also recorded a 37-yard punt to pin the Tigers back at their own two-yard line.
East Central Notes
Southern Nazarene vs Harding
First Security Stadium
Searcy, Arkansas 7:00 P.M.
Series history: Harding Leads 10-1 [1/1]
Last Meeting: HU, 53-20 (August 31, 2023)
Southern Nazarene Notes
Harding Notes
• Defending NCAA Division II national champion Harding opens its 73rd season of intercollegiate competition Thursday at 7 p.m. against Southern Nazarene at First Security Stadium in Searcy … it is the second straight season Harding and Southern Nazarene have opened the season against each other with Harding winning 53-20 last season in Bethany.
• KEY STAT: The game is a matchup of the top two rushing teams in Division II last season — Harding ranked first at 410.7 yards per game (and a college football record 6,160 rush yards) with Southern Nazarene second at 292.1 yards.
• Last season, HU went 15-0, won its third GAC outright championship and its first NCAA Division II national championship.
• This will be the 12th meeting between HU and SNU with the Bisons holding a 10-1 series lead … HU has won the last five straight and have scored 40 or more points in nine of the 11 meetings.
• The Bisons scored six rushing touchdowns and forced six turnovers in the season-opening win last season at Southern Nazarene. Junior Blake Delacruz scored four first-half touchdowns in the victory.
• Harding is ranked No. 1 in the AFCA Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll … it is the eighth time HU has been ranked in the preseason poll … Harding has appeared in 65 consecutive AFCA polls, dating to the final poll of the 2017 season … Harding is 1st on the D2Football.com poll and 1st at MasseyRatings.com.
• Harding carries over a school-record 19-game winning streak from the last two seasons, a 15-game conference winning streak, and a 10-game home winning streak (school record is 14 games from 2018-21).
• Harding is 46-23-3 (.660) in its previous 72 season openers … the Bisons have won 17 of their last 21 and 12 of their last 14 openers … HU has won its last four home openers, last losing in 2018 to Southern Arkansas.
• The GAC coaches selected Harding first in the conference’s preseason poll … SNU was 10th.
• Harding selected six captains — DL Wesley Coleman (#99), DL Dre Hall (#9), RB Jhalen Spicer (#10), DL Gage Price (#55), RB Blake Delacruz (#26), DB Kyle McDonald (#2)
• Harding is 68-9 (.883) in GAC games since 2016. The Bisons have lost one conference game by more than 10 points since 2015.
• In 2023, Harding led NCAA Division II in 11 statistical categories, including 3rd Down Conversion Pct. (57.6), defensive TD (7), passing yards per completion (27.73), rushing offense (410.7) and time of possession (35:33).
• OPPONENT WATCH: Southern Nazarene was in the top 10 nationally rushing offense (2nd, 292.1), total offense (8th, 463.8), and time of possession (6th, 33:29) … SNU was near the bottom of D2 in turnover margin (145th, -0.92), kickoff returns (154th, 14.91) and penalties per game (135th, 7.92).
Southwestern Oklahoma State vs Ouachita Baptist
Cliff Harris Stadium
Arkadelphia, Arkansas 7:00 P.M.
Series History: Ouachita Baptist Leads 15-4
Last Meeting: OUA, 38-14 (August 31, 2023)
Southwestern Oklahoma State Notes
Ouachita Baptist Notes
TIGER TRACKS
SEASON NO. 125 FOR OUACHITA FOOTBALL
Ouachita opens its 125th season of football on Thursday night against SWOSU. 1895 is the first documented season in program history, which consisted of one game, an 8-0 win over Henderson State.
TOP 20
After falling out of the national rankings at the end of the 2023 season to snap a streak of 63 consecutive polls featuring the Tigers in the top 25, Ouachita finds itself back in the national rankings to start 2024. The American Football Coaches Association has slotted Ouachita at No. 19. D2Football.com voted the Tigers in at No. 17. Ouachita is one of four teams in the Great American Conference to earn national recognition in the preseason polls. Defending national champion Harding is No. 1 in both polls. Henderson State started the year at No. 23 in the D2Football.com preseason poll and moved up one spot to No. 22 this week. HSU, Southern Arkansas, and Oklahoma Baptist are all receiving votes in the AFCA Top 25 poll. More than 20 teams across NCAA Division II opened their respective season last week in what was called “week zero.” The Tigers and the rest of the GAC schools will play 11 games in the next 11 weeks.
NO. 2 IN GAC POLL
After finishing in a three-way tie for second place last season with HSU and SAU, the Tigers have been voted as the No. 2 team in the GAC preseason coaches’ poll, including one of the 12 first-place votes. Harding came in at No. 1 with 10 first-place votes. SAU came in at No. 3 with the other top vote. HSU is a close fourth. The rest of the poll includes, in order: Southeastern Oklahoma State, Arkansas Tech, Oklahoma Baptist, Arkansas-Monticello, East Central, Southern Nazarene, SWOSU, and Northwestern Oklahoma State.
16 STRAIGHT WINS ON OPENING DAY
Ouachita carries a streak of 16 consecutive season-opening victories into Thursday night’s home game against SWOSU. The Tigers also opened 2023 against SWOSU, beating the Bulldogs 38-14 on the road in Weatherford. Ouachita and SWOSU also met in the season opener in 1988, 1989, and 1990 with the Tigers winning all three by scores of 17-6, 13-0, and 25-21, respectively. However, the 1990 victory was later vacated due to an eligibility violation.
PERFECT IN HOME OPENERS AT CLIFF HARRIS STADIUM
Since the Ouachita football facility was rebuilt as Cliff Harris Stadium at Benson-Williams Field prior to the 2014 season, the Tigers are 9-0 in home openers, including last season’s 66-0 win over Northwestern Oklahoma State in week two. Including the pre-Cliff Harris Stadium seasons, Ouachita carries a streak of 16 consecutive wins in home openers, a streak starting in the 2007 season. Ouachita is 45-10 overall at Cliff Harris Stadium since 2014. Many of those games have been witnessed by Harris himself, who was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the summer of 2021 as a member of the induction class of 2020.
15 STRAIGHT WINNING SEASONS
With a 9-2 finish last season, Ouachita extended its streak to 15 consecutive seasons with a winning record, which is the longest active streak among all college football programs in the state of Arkansas. The current streak began in 2008 and is the second streak of its kind in program history. The Tigers also posted 15 consecutive winning seasons from 1914-1928. Since 2008, Ouachita has posted a 124-40 overall record, featuring four undefeated regular seasons, 10 seasons with at least seven wins, seven seasons with at least nine wins, and four seasons with at least 10 wins, highlighted by the 12-win team in 2018. During this streak, Ouachita has won the GAC championship six times and has made it to the NCAA D2 playoffs five times, hosting playoff games in 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2022, and advancing to the quarterfinals in 2018. Also, a highlight of the past 15 years was a 30-game GAC win streak that stretched from October of 2017 to September of 2021 and an 18-game GAC win streak that stretched from November of 2021 to October of 2023.
11TH ANNUAL PAUL SHARP CUP
The Ouachita-SWOSU game was dubbed the Paul Sharp Cup in 2013, honoring the late coach who led the Bulldogs to the NAIA national championship in 1996. Sharp, brother of current Ouachita Athletic Director David Sharp, played football and graduated from Ouachita, and was an assistant coach for the Tigers from 1974-78. He also spent time as an assistant coach at Central Arkansas and Lamar and served the bulk of his coaching career as the head coach at SWOSU from 1986-2004. He passed away in 2012. Since the inception of the trophy game, the Tigers are 9-1 against the Bulldogs with the only loss coming in Weatherford in 2015 by a final score of 58-38.
LAST TIME OUT VS. SWOSU
Ouachita opened the 2023 season with a 38-14 road victory over SWOSU last year in Weatherford. The Tigers needed more than 10 minutes to find a rhythm offensively with the first score coming at the 4:09 mark of the first quarter. It was all Tigers for the rest of the half with a 28-0 lead at the break. Defensively, the Tigers kept the Bulldogs off balance throughout the game, limiting SWOSU to less than 200 total yards and tallying six sacks in the win. Most of SWOSU’s offensive production came in the second half with the Tigers up by four scores. One of SWOSU’s touchdowns came on a fumble recovery with Ouachita’s second-string offense on the field. Riley Harms had four passing touchdowns. Keemontrae McKnight had two receiving touchdowns. Kendel Givens had a receiving touchdown and a rushing touchdown. Josiah Johnson had 10 tackles.
THE SWOSU SERIES
Ouachita leads the all-time series against SWOSU 15-4. The Tigers have won seven in a row, and are 11-1 against SWOSU since the formation of the GAC. Ouachita and SWOSU’s meetings in 1997-99 were as members of the Lone Star Conference. The meetings from 1988-91 were non-conference games when Ouachita was a member of the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference competing at the NAIA level.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Despite being the only winless team in the league last year at 0-11, SWOSU was not picked last in the GAC preseason poll. The coaches voted the Bulldogs at No. 11 ahead of Northwestern Oklahoma State, a team that beat the Bulldogs 41-0 in the 2023 finale. The Bulldogs made another change at head coach to give the program a different leader in each of the past four seasons. Andrew Rice, who spent the 2023 and 2022 seasons as the offensive coordinator at fellow GAC member Southern Arkansas, joined SWOSU as head coach in December of 2023. Rice is no stranger to Oklahoma, hailing from Owasso and having a decade of coaching experience at high schools and colleges in the Sooner state. At the collegiate level, he’s been an assistant coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Central Oklahoma, and SAU. Last year, he guided the Mulerider offense to a No. 3 national ranking in rushing offense and No. 5 in total offense. There are many returners on both sides of the ball for the Bulldogs. On offense, seven of 22 names listed on the two-deep are returners, including running back Ethane Hyche, who had 127 carries for 397 yards last year. On defense, 12 of the 22 names listed on the two-deep are returners, including linebacker Logan Monroe, who led the Bulldogs last year with 91 tackles.
Oklahoma Baptist vs Arkansas Tech
Simmons Bank Field at Thone Stadium
Russellville, Arkansas 7:00 P.M.
Series History: Arkansas Tech Leads 6-4-1
Last Meeting: OKB, 23-21 (August 31, 2023)
Oklahoma Baptist Notes
IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO
Expect quarterbacks Aidan Thompson and Kenny Rosenthal to each take snaps against the Wonder Boys. During spring ball and in fall camp, the top two returners went back and forth for the starting job but neither pulled past the other. Thompson has been on OBU’s campus for multiple years now and has a good grasp of offensive coordinator Daniel Eaton’s system while Rosenthal brings very good athleticism and the ability to throw the deep ball. Thompson has played in 11 games the last two seasons and thrown for 2,088 yards and 17 touchdowns. As for Rosenthal, the sophomore from Houston appeared in three games last year, threw for 395 yards, two touchdowns and averaged 5.7 yards-per-carry.
QUALITY DEPTH
There will be plenty of options for Bison quarterbacks to throw to this fall. In fact, four of the top-five pass catchers from a year ago return. Michael Marshall, Nick Harris, Charles Whitebear and Haven Lysell accounted for 114 of the 231 catches last year for OBU. Marshall, a redshirt senior, hauled in a team-high 44 while Harris, another senior, grabbed 32 with a team-best seven touchdowns. Another player to look out for: transfer Darius Melton, who wears the number nine jersey. He’s got good deep speed, an aspect that was missing a bit last season.
A LOADED DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD
In 2023, the Bison secondary was awfully good. Tainique Taylor had 15 pass break-ups, Brandon Spencer II notched a team-high four interceptions and Chase Whitebear came up with six PBUs and an interception. As a unit, OBU ranked eighth in the country in passing yards allowed per game (146.3). Good news for Bison fans: all three aforementioned players returns. And to help compliment that trio is a player that’s stood out in fall practice. His name is Jylun Spence. A transfer from the University of Maine, the 6-foot-1 safety looks ready to fill a big role in defensive coordinator Gabe Eliserio’s scheme.
THEY CAN HIT
Another bright spot on the defensive end is the return of two quality linebackers: Scooter Baker and Brayden Johnson. In 2023, Baker was a two-time GAC Player of the Week, named an All-American honoree and became the first Bison linebacker to collect All-Region and All-Conference nods since Oklahoma Baptist joined the NCAA. He dominated his side of the ball, compiling a school-record 121 tackles (11.0 tackles/gm) in 11 games. Baker also broke OBU’s single season assisted tackles record with 73 stops. As for Johnson, who stands 6-4 and checks in at 240 pounds, he ranked third on the team with 57 tackles. He also added 5.0 tackles-for-loss. The Ringling, Okla., native had one of the highlights of fall camp: stopping a running Kenny Rosenthal at the goal line during team drills on August 17.
NEEDING A REPLACEMENT
Last season, sophomore defensive lineman Brett Karhu had one of the best individual seasons by a Bison. He notched 11.5 sacks, an OBU D2 record, and registered 18.5 tackles-for-loss. That latter total was good for 16th in the nation. Additionally, Karhu’s numbers paced the GAC, something no other Bison has ever done in the program’s history. With that success, Karhu decided to test the NCAA Transfer Portal waters and ended up a Memphis Tiger. In addition to Karhu, Ameer Johnson, Nick Carpin, Xavier Lott and Jake Landers also registered multiple sacks for the Bison but either graduated or transferred.
MAXWELL TO BOOT
Sophomore Patrick Maxwell is slotted at the top of the depth chart for kicking duties in week one. Last season, the 6-foot-4 Georgetown, Texas native registered 12 kickoffs with one touchback. He did not attempt a field goal, which went to then-freshman Luke Watkins who made 9-of-12 attempts. Watkins had a long of 44 in 2023 and was a perfect 3-for-3 between 40-49 yards. During the fall, Watkins dealt with some sickness which catapulted Maxwell to the top of the Bison depth chart.
LAST TIME VS. ARKANSAS TECH
Last August 31st in Shawnee, the Bison jumped out to a 13-0 lead and with a late fourth-quarter field goal by Watkins, eventually won 23-21. OBU did a good in the run game, with EJ Moore rushing for 82 yards while Aidan Thompson added 44 and a 5.6 yards-per-carry. Defensively, the Bison allowed ATU to average a mere 1.9 YPC with a net total of 71 rushing yards. Individually, Brett Karhu dialed up three sacks while Brandon Spencer II had a 48- yard interception return. Also in the defensive backfield, Chase Whitebear notched two pass break-ups. It was a real ball-control game and OBU did a better job by the end of the 60 minutes of competition. Plus, on top of Watkins’ field goals, he punted six times, pinned three inside the 20-yard line and averaged 41.7 yards per punt.
SCOUTING THE WONDER BOYS
Three of the Wonder Boys’ top playmakers return in 2024. Senior receiver Caleb Tanis notched team-highs with 48 catches for 533 yards and six touchdowns last season while junior tailback Deuce Wise carried 100 times for 468 yards. Plus, hybrid athlete Jordan Eddington returns after also tallying six touchdowns in 2023. Of note, the Wonder Boys do not have their top quarterback returning. Last year, Taye Gatewood passed for 2,015 yards with 13 touchdowns. Replacing him will be either Ethan Everson or Ethan Forrester, transfers from Northwestern Oklahoma State and Fort Hays State, respectively. Defensively, ATU’s top three tacklers from a season ago return. Junior safety Ben Stegall had 66.0 tackles with two interceptions while defensive lineman Vershaud Richardson posted 55 stops, 16.0 tackles-for-loss and 10.5 sacks. Additionally, Jyrin Steward registered 54.0 total tackles, 4.5 TFLs and a pair of quarterback hurries.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
The Bison are 1-3 on the road in Russellville. Their lone win came on Oct. 5, 2019, when the team poured in a 43-31 triumph. That 12-point margin of victory was OBU’s biggest in the series dating back to the 2015 season as well. Overall, Arkansas Tech leads the rivalry 5-3.
Arkansas Tech Notes
KICKING OFF
Another college football season is set to begin for the Wonder Boys and for just the second time in the last seven years, the opening game of the season will take place at home. Since the 2018 season, the Wonder Boys have opened up at home only once, doing do in 2021 against Southeastern Oklahoma. Last year, the Wonder Boys began their season on the road against their opponent this year, Oklahoma Baptist. Opening up at home, the Wonder Boys will be looking to get their season off to a quick start. Since 2019, the Wonder Boys have stumbled in the first month of the season and are 2-15 in games played in August or September. If a slow start can be avoided, the Wonder Boys would be in position to turn in a winning record as in that same time frame, they have 15 wins from October-on.
TECH(NICALLY) SPEAKING
LAST SEASON
For the second-straight season the Wonder Boys finished a game back of a winning record at 5-6, but getting to that five-win mark was no small feat in 2023. After starting slow and dropping their first four games of the season, the Wonder Boys won five of their final seven games. While their final record was 5-6, the Wonder Boys’ four-tunes could have been flipped as four of their six defeats were by a single possession and by a combined 19 points.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Wonder Boys averaged 19.3 points per game and 291.1 yards of total offense per game in 2023. Their ppg average ranked eighth in the GAC, while their total offense was ninth. Through the air, Tech averaged 203.2 ypg to rank fifth. On the ground, the Wonder Boys averaged 86.9 ypg to rank 10th.
Taye Gatewood was the starting QB last year as a senior for the Wonder Boys. Gatewood would throw for 2,015 yards on 190-of-290 attempts with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. With the loss of Gatewood, the Wonder Boys will have a new starting QB this season. Vying for the nod throughout camp has been between newcomers Ethan Everson and Ethan Forrester as well as returners Hunter Loyd and Cedric Simmons. Loyd and Simmons saw limited action last year while Everson is a transfer from Northwestern Oklahoma State and Forrester a transfer from Fort Hays State.
On the ground, the Wonder Boys return their leading rusher, Deuce Wise, who had 444 yards rushing on 100 carries with one touchdown last season. Short-yardage bruiser and H-back, Jordan Edington, is also back after leading the team in rushing touchdowns with six. Heading into his senior season, Edington has 18 career rushing touchdowns.
In terms of receiving, Tech had five players with at least 200 yards receiving last season and have three of those backs, including leading receiver Caleb Tanis. Tanis would haul in 48 catches for 533 yards to lead the team in both categories. He also led the squad in touchdown receptions with six. Jordan Jackson and Joyrion Chase are the other two big returners in the receiving corp. Jackson had 275 yards on 24 catches with one touchdown last year while Chase had 215 yards on 19 receptions with two touchdowns,
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively last season, the Wonder Boys allowed an average of 372.4 yards of total offense per game by their opponents and 25.9 points per game. The total defense ranked eighth in the GAC, while their scoring defense was seventh.
Individually, the Wonder Boys had five players end the year with 50 or more stops and all five of those defenders are back in 2024. The leading overall tackler was Ben Stegall with 66. Vershaud Richardson led the team in tackles for lost yardage with 16.0 and in sacks with 10.5. In the backend of their defense, the Wonder Boys return their top-two ball hawks in Kylan Crite and B. Stegall. Those two tied for the team lead in INTs with two apiece.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The kicking game will have some familiarity to it this year after the Wonder Boys spent the 2023 season without the services of their All-American placekicker, Jesus Zizumbo as the all-time leader in field goals made exhausted his eligibilty at the end of the 2022 season. Zizumbo’s replacement last season was Austin Hosier. Hosier was 8-of-13 in field goals and 24-of-27 in extra points last season. Hosier is slated to be in the mix once again as Tech’s placekicker but does have competition from junior college transfer Christopher Baldazo. Last season at Kilgore JC, Baldazo led NJCAA Division I in points scored as a kicker with 94 thanks to 15 field goals and 49 extra points made.
While the kicking game appears to be in good feet, the biggest question mark for the Wonder Boys on special teams is in the punt game as Tech is without the services of All-American punter Aaron Winn due to graduation. Last season Winn led NCAA Division II in punt average as he averaged 45.0 yards per punt. Tabbed to take over those duties for Winn is returner Logan Tymeson. Last season, Tymeson saw some action as a punter in his true freshman campaign. He would have six punts and averaged 32.7 yards per punt.
KNOW YO FOE
LAST SEASON
The Oklahoma Baptist Bison finished 6-5 this past season as they bounced back from a 1-10 campaign in 2022. Spearheading that turnaround effort was tremendous success at home. In 2023, the Bison won four of their five games at home. They would also pick up road wins at East Central and Southwestern Oklahoma to reach the six-win mark.
THE COACH
The Bison are coached by Chris Jensen, who is in his 12th year as the head coach at Oklahoma Baptist after being tasked with revitalizing the previously-defunct program in 2013. The first two seasons under Jensen saw the Bison compete as members of the NAIA before transitioning to NCAA Division II and the Great American Conference in 2015. Overall, Jensen is 45-66 as head coach. His best season at the NCAA level came in 2021 as he led the Bison to an 8-4 record and a postseason win in the Fun Town RV Heritage Bowl.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE Offensively, the Bison feature a spread offensive attack. Last year, OKB had the seventh-ranked scoring offense in the GAC at 21.9 ppg and the eighth-ranked total offense with an average of 310.7 ypg. Through the air, the Bison averaged 226.3 ypg to rank third in the GAC. On the ground, OKB averaged 84.5 ypg to rank 11th in the GAC.
Their leading rusher a year ago was EJ Moore with 391 yards gained. In six games as a freshman, he averaged 65.2 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry. He also tied for the team lead with two rushing scores.
In the passing game, the Bison had two quarterbacks make starts with Aidan Thompson getting the start in nine of the 11 games played. Kenny Rosenthal made the other two starts and was 30-of-65 passing with 395 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions in those starts. Thompson would throw for 1,767 yards on 165-of-296 passing with 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Thompson and Rosenthal are listed as either/or starters for the Bison on their preliminary two-deep for the season-opener vs. Tech.
Slated to be on the other end of whichever quarterback’s passes, the Bison return a lot of experience at the wide receiver position with their three top pass catchers all back in 2024. Last year, the Bison had a pair of receivers with over 500 yards. Michael Marshall had a slim lead in terms of yards with 561 while Nick Harris was next with 545 yards. Harris also paced the team in TD receptions with seven while Marshall was third with three. Charles Whitebear was second in TDs with four and third in yards with 279.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively, the Bison base out of the 3-4 scheme and ended the 2023 season ranked eighth in scoring defense at 28.1 ppg. Their total defense ranked sixth in the GAC at 351.0 ypg of total offense by their opponents. Through the air, OKB ranked first in the GAC with 146.3 ypg. On the ground, the Bison allowed an average of 204.7 ypg to rank ninth in the GAC.
Individually, Oklahoma Baptist had four players end the year with 50 or more stops and were led by Scooter Baker with 121. Brett Karhu led the team in tackles for lost yardage with 18.5 and in sacks with 11.5. Baker returns this season while Karhu has transferred to the University of Memphis. In the backend of their defense, the Bison return their top-two ball hawks in Brandon Spencer and Tainique Taylor. Spencer led the team with four INTs while Taylor led with 15 passes defended.
THE SERIES
This will be the 12th meeting all-time between Arkansas Tech and Oklahoma Baptist in a series that dates back to 1927, but the series did not begin in earnest until 2015 when Oklahoma Baptist restarted their football program and joined the Great American Conference. Overall, Tech holds a 6-4-1 advantage and are 5-3 since the two became conference foes.
