GAC WEEK THREE SCHEDULE
Thursday, September 19
[1/1] Harding vs Arkansas-Monticello
6:00 p.m.
Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium
Monticello, Arkansas
Series History: Harding leads 34-24
Last Meeting: HU, 59-19 (September 16, 2023)
Harding Notes
• Coming off a 59-7 victory Saturday at Oklahoma Baptist, No. 1 ranked Harding goes on the road for the second straight game and will take on undefeated Arkansas-Monticello on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Bowl Stadium … Harding enters the game with a 21-game winning streak, the longest streak in NCAA football. • KEY STAT: Harding has averaged 490.5 rushing yards per game through the first two games, while Arkansas-Monticello has allowed only 87.5 rushing yards, good for 33rd in Division II. • Last season, HU went 15-0, won its third GAC outright championship and its first NCAA Division II national championship. • This will be the 59th meeting between HU and UAM with the Bisons holding a 34-24 series lead … HU has won the last 12 games with UAM’s last victory coming in Monticello in 2009 … during the winning streak, Harding has averaged 51.1 points. • Harding’s dominant defense and rushing offense led to a resounding 59-19 victory over Arkansas-Monticello last season, with the Bisons holding UAM to 217 total yards and forcing four turnovers while rushing for 424 yards and seven touchdowns. • Harding is ranked No. 1 in the AFCA Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll … Harding has appeared in 67 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 has a school-record 21-game winning streak from the last two-plus seasons, a 17-game conference winning streak, and a school record 10-game road winning streak. • Harding has 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 70-9 (.886) in GAC games since 2016. The Bisons have lost one conference game by more than 10 points since 2015. • Through two games, Harding’s offense ranks 1st in rushing (490.5 ypg) and 3rd down conversion percentage (62.5%) … HU averages 59 points per game (2nd nationally) and boast a total offense ranking of 3rd (556.5 ypg). • Harding has scored 59 points in each of its first two games … the last time Harding scored 50 or more points in three straight games was in 2021 — 64-7 vs. UAM, 73-14 at NWOSU and 55-7 vs. SWOSU. • In Harding’s last four true road games, the Bisons’ defense and special teams have scored five touchdowns and allowed only one … in the first two games of 2024, opposing passers are only 19-of-53 (36%) and are averaging only 2.75 yards per pass attempt, giving Harding the top pass efficiency defense in Division II. • OPPONENT WATCH: Arkansas-Monticello has committed five turnovers through two games (four interceptions and one fumble) … UAM QB Demilon Brown ranks 12th in Division II with 7.36 yards per rush.
Saturday, September 21
Northwestern Oklahoma State vs Southern Nazarene
3:00 p.m.
SNU Football Stadium
Bethany, Oklahoma
Series History: Northwestern Oklahoma State leads 14-5
Last Meeting: SNU, 42-29 (September 16, 2023)
Arkansas Tech vs Henderson State
6:00 p.m.
Carpenter-Haygood Stadium at GeoSurfaces Field
Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Series History: Henderson State leads 46-45-4
Last Meeting: HSU, 27-24 (September 16, 2023)
Ouachita Baptist vs Southern Arkansas
6:00 p.m.
Wilkins Stadium
Magnolia, Arkansas
Series History: Ouachita Baptist leads 43-35-1
Last Meeting: OUA, 52-24 (September 16, 2023)
Ouachita Baptist Notes
BATTLE OF 2-0 TEAMS
For the second straight season, both Ouachita and Southern Arkansas are 2-0 heading into their week three matchup. The Tigers have beaten the two western Oklahoma teams in the Great American Conference by a combined score of 98-5, while SAU has beaten the two eastern Oklahoma teams by a much closer margin at 64-51. D2Football.com has included this Saturday’s matchup between the Tigers and Muleriders as one of its “Super 7” games of the week. Ouachita and SAU are two of 38 teams still unbeaten in NCAA Division II football, and two of the six teams in the GAC at 2-0. So far, the GAC teams from Arkansas are a combined 12-0 against teams from Oklahoma.
WEEK 2 RECAP
Following a mistake-plagued first half that included three turnovers, the Tigers played turned in a near clean sheet in the second half en route to a 56-2 thumping of Northwestern Oklahoma State on the road last Thursday in Alva. The Tiger defense was locked in throughout the game. NWOSU had 17 possessions – 14 ending in a punt, one ending at the end of the first half, one ending at the end of the second half, and the other ending with an interception by Gabe Bonner that turned into two points for the Rangers after Bonner was tackled in the endzone on the return. Ouachita held the Rangers in their own territory for all but one drive, stalling out at the OBU 42. The Tigers led in nearly every stat category, except for turnovers. Ouachita outgained NWOSU 535-134, including a 268-72 margin in passing and a 267-62 margin in rushing. The Tiger defense turned in the second straight game to keep the opponent out of the endzone, and with that comes the nation’s best scoring defense at 2.5 points allowed per game. The win was Ouachita 12th in a row over NWOSU. TOP 20 2-0 Ouachita remains in the top 20 in the national rankings heading into week three’s game on the road against SAU. The Tigers moved up one spot to No. 17 in the latest American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll and also moved up one spot in the latest D2Football.com Top 25 to No. 16. The Tigers have been ranked nationally by the AFCA in 66 of the last 67 polls, reaching as high as No. 3 during the 2022 season. Ouachita is one of four teams in the GAC receiving national recognition this week. Harding is No. 1 in both polls. Henderson State is No. 20 and No. 17, respectively. This week’s opponent, SAU, is receiving votes in the AFCA poll.
100 YARDS IN 11.5 SECONDS
After video review, Carter McElhany’s 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown last Thursday night at NWOSU unofficially took 11.5 seconds with McElhany slowing down in the final 20 yards. For reference, the unofficial world record for the 100-yard dash is nine seconds flat by Ivory Crockett in 1974. McElhany’s return ignited a second-half pummeling for the Tigers over the Rangers. He also hauled in a 58-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter. For his efforts, he was selected as this week’s GAC Special Teams Player of the Week, an honor he earned twice last season en route to being named the league’s freshman of the year.
OUACHITA STAT NOTABLES
• After giving up just three points in week one and just two points last week, the Tigers lead all of NCAA Division II in scoring defense with an average of only 2.5 points allowed per game. • Ouachita is second in the GAC and fifth nationally in scoring offense at 49 points per game. • Ouachita is second in the GAC and fourth in the nation in total defense, giving up an average of 190.5 yards per game. • Ouachita leads the nation in tackles for loss with an average of 15 per game. The Tigers had 17 in week one against SWOSU, and added 13 last week against NWOSU. • With the help of Carter McElhany’s 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in last week’s game against NWOSU, the Tigers lead the nation with an average of 49 yards per return. • Ouachita punter Tom Weston has led the Tigers to a No. 1 ranking in the GAC and No. 7 in the nation in net punting at 43.67 yards per punt. • Ouachita leads the GAC and ranks third nationally in fewest penalties with an average 3.5 flags going against the Tigers per game. • Quarterbacks Eli Livingston and Nate TenBarge have combined to give Ouachita the No. 1 ranking in the GAC and No. 2 nationally in passing yards per completion at 23.7. The pair has also led the Tigers to the No. 1 ranking in the GAC and No. 2 nationally in team passing efficiency with a 231.19 rating. • Connor Flannigan has had a punt return of at least 50 yards in both games so far this season, leading the Tigers to a No. 1 ranking in the GAC and No. 6 nationally with an average of 29.8 yards per return. Individually, Flannigan leads the GAC and ranks third nationally in the category. • The Tigers lead the GAC and rank fifth nationally in redzone defense with a 33.3 percent success rate of holding opponents scoreless inside the 20. • Quarterback Eli Livingston leads the GAC and ranks 14th nationally in passing touchdowns with six. He also leads the league and ranks fifth nationally in points responsible for at 21 per game. • Garrison Jackson and Carter McElhany are two of five players in the GAC to have two receiving touchdowns through the first two weeks of play. • Mikey Gonzales added another pair of sacks in last week’s win over NWOSU to make him first in the GAC and second in the nation with an average of two per game. Gonzalez is second in the GAC and second in the nation in tackles for loss with an average of 3.3 per game. • In addition to his kickoff return prowess, Carter McElhany is also Ouachita’s leading receiver through the first two games. He is third in the GAC and sixth nationally in yards per reception with an average of 29.75 yards per catch. • Though he was limited to just 32 yards in week one, Kendel Givens stormed back with 145 yards in week two against NWOSU and now leads the GAC in rushing with 177 total yards and an average of 88.5 yards per game.
FIRST TRIP TO MAGNOLIA SINCE 2013
For just the second time since both schools became charter members of the GAC in 2011, Ouachita will play SAU at its home stadium in Magnolia. The Tigers and Muleriders last met in Magnolia in 2013, but since then, when it’s SAU’s turn to host the annual game, the two squads have met up in El Dorado to play in what is now called the Murphy USA Classic. Saturday’s game against SAU marks the 80th all-time meeting against the Muleriders in football. Ouachita leads the series 44-34-1. The rivalry with SAU is Ouachita’s fourth longest behind Henderson State (96 games), Arkansas Tech (88 games), and Arkansas-Monticello (82 games). The Tigers have won seven-straight against SAU, which is the longest win streak for Ouachita in the series.
LAST TIME OUT VS. SAU
After a three-quarter battle, then-ranked No. 5 Ouachita outscored SAU 17-0 in the final 15 minutes to run away with a 52-24 victory over the Muleriders at home in week three of the 2023 season. SAU scored first on the game’s opening drive, but that was the Muleriders’ only lead of contest. Ouachita’s 17 fourth-quarter points put the game out of reach, but the Tigers scored 21 in the second quarter to hold a 35-21 lead at halftime. The Tiger defense made the necessary adjustments during the break, which resulted in not allowing the Muleriders to reach the endzone in the second half. The only SAU score was a field goal in the third quarter, which was the only score for both teams in the frame. Leading by 11, Ouachita then rallied off three unanswered scoring drives in the fourth quarter to eclipse the 50-point mark. Despite what ended up being a lop-sided score, the Tigers and Muleriders had a tight battle in the stats. Ouachita outgained SAU barely in total offense, 437-424. Givens had 101 rushing yards. Connor Flannigan has 109 receiving yards. Riley Harms passed for 243 yards and matched his career high of four passing touchdowns, including a 73-yard strike to Carter McElhany. Josiah Johnson, Jax Miller, and Bruin Barnes all reached double-digits in tackles with 14, 13, and 11 respectively. Kenta Jones had a second-half interception.
SCOUTING THE MULERIDERS
SAU has started the 2024 season with a pair of one-score victories, beating Southeastern Oklahoma State on the road in week one 36-31 and then taking down East Central 28-20 last week at home. The Muleriders are a run-first team, ranking second in the GAC and 11th nationally with an average of 229.5 rushing yards per game through the first two weeks. Jariq Scales leads that attack with an average of 86 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry. However, SAU has thrown the ball effectively also. Quarterback Judd Barton was the GAC offensive player of the week in week one after throwing for 208 yards and two scores and adding 89 yards on the ground. SAU is one of three teams in the GAC to have scored a defensive touchdown this year, coming on a 29-yard pick-six last week against ECU. Third-year SAU head coach Brad Smiley led SAU to a 10-2 season in 2023, ending with a bowl victory over Missouri Western.
Oklahoma Baptist vs Southeastern Oklahoma State
6:00 PM
Paul Laird Field
Durant, Oklahoma
Series History: Oklahoma Baptist leads 15-11-2
Last meeting: OKB, 36-3 (September 16, 2023)
Oklahoma Baptist Notes
A Premiere Linebacker
Through two weeks of action, Bison linebacker Scooter Baker ranks No. 2 in the nation with 27 tackles. That’s tied with Tyveon Williams, a fellow defender for the Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm. Baker is also top-ten with 15 solo stops. Something to keep an eye on is Baker’s OBU career total. He’s at 148 tackles, needing 52 more to reach 200. Only five other Bison in program history have reached that mark.
Relying on Harris
Senior Nick Harris has quietly started to put together a solid 2024 season for the Bison receiving corp. He has snagged a team-high 12 passes and is averaging 7.33 catches per game. That latter total is tied for 23rd in the country and is the third-best GAC mark.
Needing Balance
Any intelligent fan knows the benefits of having a balanced offensive attack. OBU is averaging 174.0 passing yards per game, however, its rushing game produces just 54.0 yards per contest. That’s 11th in the Great American Conference. It should be noted, through two weeks of competition, the Bison have gone against the No. 1 (Harding) and No. 2 (Arkansas Tech) rushing defenses in the league. On Saturday, the green and gold might have a good chance to boost its average rushing total as Southeastern ranks seventh in the GAC allowing 190 yards per game on the ground.
A Chance for Success
Furthering the note above, the Bison should feel positively about their chances at Southeastern. The Savage Storm’s defense has been gashed through two weeks, allowing a league-worst 515.5 total yards and 325.5 passing yards per game. In week one, Southern Arkansas rushed for 252 yards with 208 passing yards versus SE while Henderson State went for 128 rush yards and a whopping 443 air yards.
Rush The Passer
One of the early-season talking points from the coaches’ offices is the need to find a pass rush. In the previous two weeks, OBU has not recorded a sack and has been credited with only three quarterback hurries. Two of those three hurries have come from non-defensive lineman: Scooter Baker and safety Michael Grandy. Keep an eye on this front Saturday night.
Still Leading the Pack
Darius Melton is now up to 243 combined kick return yards after last week’s game versus No. 1 Harding. That total is fifth-best in the country and tops in the conference. The redshirt senior from Pompano Beach, Fla., has a long return of 48 yards, attained against Arkansas Tech, while also adding a 25-yard return versus Harding. Melton is also a big-play threat in the passing game. He’s averaged 16.67 yards per catch so far.
Last Time Versus Southeastern
OBU dialed up a 36-3 victory over the Savage Storm last September, scoring 36 unanswered points. Aidan Thompson threw for 219 yards and three touchdowns while EJ Moore rushed for 105 yards with two scores. On the receiving front, Michael Marshall was dominant, hauling in six passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Scooter Baker and Chase Whitebear led the team with eight tackles apiece while Whitebear, Brandon Spencer II and Tainique Taylor each recorded interceptions.
Historically Speaking
Since 2015, both OBU and Southeastern have won four games. Most recently, the Bison have won four of the last five dating back to a 34-28 victory in Shawnee on Sept. 8, 2018 to last year’s 36-3 triumph at Crain Family Stadium. For SE, its last win in the series was 2022 when it cranked out a 62-14 result at Paul Laird Field.
Scouting Southeastern
The Savage Storm’s defensive struggles have already been addressed so we’ll look at SE’s offense next. Gabe Corona, a sophomore from Mesquite, Texas, has been the top individual playmaker so far. He ranks fifth in the GAC with 121 receiving yards on just four catches. Plus, his 30.3 yards per catch is a top-five conference total. Quarterback Cergio Perez is seventh with 245 passing yards while DJ Brown checks in at No. 13 with 125 rushing yards. Additionally, Luke Hohenberger, another quarterback whose career started at Harding, has thrown for 168 yards and two touchdowns.
On special teams, punter Jackson Nalley is third in the league with a 42.5 average. Plus, he has three 50- plus yard punts and has pinned four inside the 20-yard line.
Southeastern Oklahoma State Notes
The 2024 season marks 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 football has started 0-2 seven times since joining the NCAA in 1997 and is 4-3 in its third contest over that span. It has happened twice since joining the GAC, with SE picking up a win in game three during the 2015 season and dropping game three in 2023.
Heading into its first in-state matchup of the 2024 season, SE has posted a 37-20 record against schools in the Sooner State since joining the Great American Conference in 2011. Storm Head Coach Bo Atterberry has been even more impressive on that front, posting a 26-4 record against in-state rivals over his six previous seasons total at SE.
SE trails in the series versus Oklahoma Baptist, 8-17-2 and dropped the most recent matchup 26-3 in 2023. However, the series is much more even in modern times with the teams split evenly at 4-4 since OBU joined the GAC. Prior to 2015 the teams last met in 1940, and between the first meet- ing in 1911 and 1940 the Bisons held a 13-4-2 record in the series.
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 in the 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 returned five players who started at least 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.
Southwestern Oklahoma State vs East Central
6:00 p.m.
Koi Ishto Stadium
Ada, Oklahoma
Series History: East Central leads 53-45-2
Last Meeting: ECU, 24-13 (September 16, 2023)
Southwestern Oklahoma State Notes
In week two, SWOSU led Arkansas-Monticello 14-10 at halftime and by as many as 18 points in the third quarter before UAM scored 29 unanswered including 22 in the fourth quarter to pull off the comeback. For a second straight game the defense forced three turnovers, but for a second straight game the Dawgs were outgained on offense – this time by nearly double.
Three more turnovers on defense gives SWOSU a league-leading six so far on the year with three fumble recoveries against Ouachita and now three interceptions against Monticello. It has been a combined group effort, with six different players responsible for each of those takeaways. The Dawgs have also accumulated six sacks on the year, which puts them tied for second in the GAC. Six different defenders have been in on a sack, led by Logan Monroe’s two.
Offensively, SWOSU has averaged 33:15 of possession time. Only Harding in the flexbone has had the ball longer. With the ball in hand, the Dawgs will look to improve on scoring efficiency (15.5 ppg/10th) and tacking on yardage (249.5 ypg/9th). Against the Weevils, a solid first three quarters had SWOSU well on their way of increasing both of those until a scoreless fourth with three-straight three-and-outs hindered things.
Quarterback Kai Kunz is SWOSU’s leading rusher, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and two touchdowns. He’s 21-for-36 through the air with a touchdown pass to Baylor Nash and one interception. He, or any other Bulldog, did not turn the ball over against UAM.
On special teams, Dylan Mauro’s 42.5 yards per punt is a yard and some change off the league leader, but his five balls inside the 20 sits atop the GAC. SWOSU did have a punt blocked in the fourth quarter against Monticello.
East Central too will be looking for their first victory in 2024 on Saturday. The Tigers fell to Henderson State (41-17) and Southern Arkansas (28-20) to begin the season. SWOSU last won in Ada in 2016 and holds a 1-3 record there since competing under the Great American Conference umbrella. The all-time series is in favor of ECU who leads 51-47-2. Last season, ECU beat the Dawgs 24-13 in a game SWOSU led entering the fourth quarter.
The Tigers rank ninth in the GAC in scoring offense at 18.5 points per game. They’re averaging nearly 260 yards of offense (8th) while surrendering nearly 380 (7th). Quarterback Sergio Kennedy has thrown six interceptions, the most of any player in the league, heading into week three. ECU instead has leaned on running the ball, averaging 133.5 yards per game on 91 rushes.
