ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The 2022 regular season will come to an end with the No. 4 Ouachita Baptist Tigers taking the 3696-foot walk across U.S. Highway 67 from Cliff Harris Stadium over to Carpenter-Haygood Stadium at GoeSurfaces Field to face the No. 24 Henderson State Reddies in the 95th Battle of the Ravine. Kickoff of the closest rivalry in all of sports is set for Saturday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m.
STORYLINES: SETTING THE SCENE
Saturday’s contest is the 95th all-time meeting between No. 24 Henderson State and No. 4 Ouachita Baptist, with the Tigers leading the overall series, 45-43-6. Since the formation of the GAC in 2011, this is the fourth meeting and third consecutive head-to-head between the Reddies and the Tigers with both teams coming in ranked in the AFCA Top-25 poll. Ouachita Baptist is 3-0 in those matchups.
No. 4 OUA secured its sixth Great American Conference Championship this past weekend after defeating Southeastern Oklahoma State. Currently sporting a 10-0 record, the Tigers will be looking for their third undefeated regular season in the last four years and its fourth since 2011 with a win over Henderson.
REDDIES REPORT: OFFENSE
The No. 24 Reddies put their best offensive showing on display this past week against Oklahoma Baptist, totaling a season-high 606 yards of offense – their most yards in a game since Oct. 23, 2021 at Arkansas Tech (634) – and tying their season-high of 51 points. Henderson is now fourth in the league and 21st in the country with 440.9 yards per game in addition to being fifth in the GAC and 38th in Division II with 32.6 points per game.
338 of those 606 yards were virtue of the ground game as HSU recorded its most rushing yards in a single outing since Oct. 6, 2018. Leading the ground-and-pound attack was sophomore Korien Burrell, who saw his third straight 100-yard performance with 122 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns. Burrell is now 11 yards shy of becoming Henderson’s first 1000-yard rusher since Jaquan Cole ran for 1189 yards in 2015.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Edwards connected on 85 percent of his throws against the Bison, completing 17-of-20 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. The Bentonville High School product is 16th in the nation this season with a 64.8 completion percentage and is fourth in the country with a passing efficiency of 174.3.
Wide receiver Xavier Malone continued his stellar senior season by tallying his sixth 100-yard receiving game over the weekend, pulling in seven receptions for 189 yards and a touchdown. The Mound Bayou, Mississippi native is now third in the nation with 1244 receiving yards and tied for fourth with 13 scores. In just two seasons and with one game remaining, the former Northeast Mississippi Community College transfer is sixth in program history with 126 receptions and third all-time with 2214 receiving yards.
Thanks to the triple threat of Burrell, Edwards and Malone, Henderson owns the 23rd ranked rushing offense in the country with 205.7 yards per game and the 42nd ranked passing offense with 235.2 yards per game. The Reddies offer one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the nation as they are one of only four teams in Division II to average over 200 rushing yards per game and over 235 passing yards per game.
REDDIES REPORT: DEFENSE – SPECIAL TEAMS
The Henderson defense gave up the fewest total yards to a team this season after holding Oklahoma Baptist to 268, including just 141 through the air, which is the second fewest passing yards allowed this season behind only Harding who threw just five total passes. 268 yards was also the second fewest total yards the Bison have recorded on the year.
Henderson forced its tenth turnover of the season after defensive back Andrew Croker picked off OKBU quarterback Seth Streeter on the Bison’s third play from scrimmage. Fellow defensive back Cameron Thomas logged a personal season-high and team-high nine tackles to spearhead the unit. Jakob Neel, who leads all Reddies with 58 tackles on the season, backed up Thomas with eight takedowns.
The Reddies’ defensive front logged three sacks against the Bison, which was the most sacks in a game since the third week of the season for HSU. Henderson is now tied for the most sacks of any team in the league with 23. Redshirt freshman defensive end Gary Lewis leads the effort with five sacks, which is tied for fourth among individual leaders in the conference, while the Fordyce, Arkansas native is also tied for the league-lead with 10 tackles for loss.
Overall, HSU ranks fourth in the GAC in scoring defense (24.7 points per game) and fifth in total defense (385.7 yards per game). Defensive coordinator Greg Holsworth’s calling card continues to be his squad’s ability to stop the run, which is second in the conference after allowing just 138.2 rushing yards per game.
The Reddies held Oklahoma Baptist’s fourth-ranked passing offense in the conference to just 141 yards through the air Saturday. Henderson’s pass defense, led by first-year safeties coach Donte’ Colum and first-year cornerbacks coach Tevin Lakes, has only allowed 163.3 yards per game over the last four outings after allowing 303.7 per contest through the first six weeks.
Kicker Tristan Heaton connected on six of his seven extra points Saturday while also making his lone field goal attempt of the afternoon. Heaton was only called on once for punting duties, downing his lone boot inside OKBU’s 20-yard line on what was a 45-yard punt. Henderson remains one of four teams in the league to average over 40 yards per punt.
True freshman Jody Easter had three kickoff returns for 53 yards against the Bison, including a long of 33. The McGehee, Arkansas native averages a team-high 21.75 yards per kick return, which is 66th in Division II. As an entire unit, No. 24 HSU is fifth in the conference with 19.4 yards per kick return.
SCOUTING OUACHITA BAPTIST
No. 4 Ouachita Baptist comes into Saturday’s contest riding an 11-game winning streak dating back to last season, which is tied for the second longest active streak in Division II. Most recently, OUA overcame an 18-13 deficit late in the second quarter to defeat Southeastern Oklahoma St. in Durant, Oklahoma, 40-18, shutting out SE in the second half while scoring 22 unanswered points.
This season, Ouachita Baptist has outscored its opponents 454-164 in route to its undefeated season. The Tigers are elite on both sides of the ball, ranking first in the GAC in both scoring offense and scoring defense. Nationally, OUA has the No. 1 scoring offense with 45.4 points per game and No. 20 scoring defense at 16.4 ppg.
Ouachita’s offense starts and stops with senior running back TJ Cole, who is third in Division II with 1516 yards on the ground and second with 23 rushing touchdowns. Three weeks ago, Cole set a single-game program record with six rushing touchdowns against Southern Arkansas. The senior back has eclipsed 100 rushing yards in every game but one this season, including a pair of 200-yard outings.
Cole’s counterpart, sophomore running back Kendel Givens, is himself nearing the 1000-yard threshold, registering 912 yards and 12 touchdowns through 10 games. The Tigers’ one-two punch in the running game has them ranked third in the nation with 319.2 rushing yards per contest.
Defensively, sophomore linebacker Jax Miller leads the team with 68 tackles, followed by fellow linebacker Josiah Johnson with 63 takedowns. Junior defensive lineman Anthony Freeman operates for the Tigers as Gary Lewis operates for the Reddies, leading OUA with nine tackles for loss and six sacks, ranking fourth and first in the conference, respectively.
As formidable as No. 4 Ouachita Baptist is on both sides of the ball, the Tigers are allowing 208.2 passing yards per game, which is ninth in the GAC and 85th in the country. Over the last three contests, Ouachita Baptist has given up 792 yards through the air.
THE COACHING MATCHUP
The 95th Battle of the Ravine will feature two of the best coaches in the state of Arkansas at any level. Henderson head coach Scott Maxfield and Ouachita Baptist head coach Todd Knight are two of just eight head coaches in the Natural State’s history to eclipse 100 wins at one program. Maxfield has a program-high 125 wins at HSU while Knight has 142 at OUA – second behind legendary Tiger coach Buddy Benson’s 161 victories.
Saturday will be Maxfield’s 16th time to face Knight and Ouachita Baptist. With last year’s victory, the Tigers’ head ball coach took a slight lead in the 15-year coaching head-to-head series, 8-7. Knight has won 12 of his 20 meetings with the Reddies.
THE LAST MEETING
No. 13 Henderson and No. 20 Ouachita met inside Cliff Harris Stadium as OUA narrowly escaped HSU thanks to a 53-yard field goal with 57 seconds remaining in regulation, 31-28. Henderson climbed out of a 14-0 hole after the first quarter before tying it at the half, 14-14. After the go-ahead field goal, the Reddies missed on a fourth-and-one from their own 45 to give OBU the victory.
Henderson outgained Ouachita Baptist on the day, 386 to 364, including 267 to 111 through the air. Xavier Malone led the HSU receiving corps with six receptions for 99 yards. Former-Reddie L’Liott Curry logged two receiving touchdowns on the afternoon.
Defensive back Damarion Parham played his best game as a Reddie, recording a career-high 14 tackles against the Tigers, including one and a half tackles for loss and a pass break-up. Defensive lineman Shaq’ke Robinson tallied HSU’s lone sack on the afternoon while linebacker Jayden Ford added two quarterback hurries.
THE BATTLE OF THE RAVINE QUICK FACTS
Billed as “The Shortest Road Trip in College Football” the Battle of the Ravine was first played in 1895 when Ouachita College defeated Arkadelphia Methodist College 8-0 on Thanksgiving Day. Every year, the visiting team walks across U.S. Highway 67 to their rival’s stadium. The two stadiums are exactly 3696 feet, or 0.7 miles, from one another according to Google Maps. The Battle of the Ravine is tied for the oldest rivalry in all of NCAA DII football.
The game was traditionally played on Thanksgiving but in 1951 the series was discontinued after Henderson won 54-0 and the pranks between the two schools got out of hand. The rivalry resumed in 1963 and continued uninterrupted until 1993 when Henderson made its jump from NAIA to NCAA DII. When OBU did the same in 1996, play resumed once more. Since then, the game has been played every year other than in 2004 and 2005, when both schools were in the Gulf South and rotated off of the other’s schedule, and in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of the 94 previous meetings, the game has been decided by a touchdown or less 44 times. The longest winning streak by either team is held by HSU, who won seven-straight from 1989 to 1998. The largest margin of victory for the Reddies was 62-0 in 1932. Ouachita’s largest margin of victory came in 1919 when they won 66-0. Ouachita leads the series 12-11 in the NCAA DII era. Henderson has out-scored Ouachita all-time 1649-1543.
Since the formation of the GAC in 2011, the Battle of the Ravine has either featured the conference champion, or had the potential to crown the conference champion, 10 times including this Saturday. The winner of the Battle of the Ravine has gone to the NCAA DII playoffs in eight of the last ten seasons.
TAILGATING
Tailgating events on the Henderson State campus will begin on Saturday morning. Fans are invited to Sodexo’s pregame tailgate meal at the red and white tents in front of the Duke Wells Center from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The menu has a variety of options, including barbecue, hot dog and charcuterie board stations, an omelet bar, a dessert table with game-themed treats, bottled water, sodas and hot chocolate. The cost of the meal is $15 per person plus tax.
MILITARY AND FIRST RESPONDERS APPRECIATION DAY
In addition to Battle of the Ravine festivities, Saturday’s contest will serve as Henderson State’s annual Military and First Responders Appreciation Day.
All active and retired military, first responders and their immediate families will receive free admission to the game with presentation of valid identification and will not need to purchase tickets.
At 10 a.m. the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Scholarship presentation will take place on the Duke Wells South Lawn and will be awarded to a senior Henderson State ROTC student.
IMPORTANT GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Several different parking options are available for game day. CADC SCAT buses will be staged at the corner of 12th and Wilson streets two hours prior to kickoff, allowing fans to use the parking lots around Henderson’s main campus. The free shuttles will travel down 12th street and drop fans off in two locations: the front of the Wells Center on M.H. Russell Drive, for those who wish to partake in pregame activities, and at the main gate to Carpenter-Haygood Stadium at GeoSurfaces Field. The shuttles will also run up to an hour after the game ends, allowing fans to board at the main gate as they exit and ride back to their cars on campus.
The two other available public parking lots are the Formby Center lot, located directly in front of the Formby Athletic Complex and next to the Reddie Villas, and the South Wells Center lot, located directly in front of the Duke Wells Center.
For Reddie Club members, Red and Gray reserved lots are located directly behind the main stands and above Clyde Berry Field. These lots require your Reddie Club parking passes. Handicapped parking is also available in the Red and Gray lot directly behind the main stands.
TICKETING INFORMATION
Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students K-12. Children five and under receive free admission. All Henderson State students, faculty and staff receive free admission with presentation of a valid school ID. All ticketed seating is general admission and on a first-come, first-served basis.
There are multiple ways to purchase tickets for Saturday’s contest:
Tickets will be sold on the Henderson State campus throughout the week at the Reddie Bookstore inside the Garrison Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. Checks will not be accepted as payment — cash or credit card transactions only.
Tickets can also be purchased online by going to hsusports.com/tickets and selecting the Battle of the Ravine game. Purchasing online gives fans the option to print their ticket or to scan their electronic ticket from their mobile device at the gate.
As always, tickets can be purchased at the traditional ticket windows on the day of the game. Ticket windows, as well as the gates to Carpenter-Haygood Stadium, will open three hours prior to kickoff at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
WHERE TO LISTEN
The game will be broadcast and available by the Henderson State Sports Network on KDEL 100.9 FM and KVRC 1240 AM in Arkadelphia, KWPS 99.7 FM in Hot Springs, KYXK 106.7 FM in Gurdon, and KZYP 104.1 FM/1310 AM in Malvern. Coverage begins one hour prior to kickoff.
