Two of the five teams tied for first place in the Great American Conference football standings will be featured when Arkansas Tech University hosts Ouachita Baptist University at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field in Russellville on Saturday, Oct. 10.
The Wonder Boys (4-1) and the Tigers (4-1) will begin their 80th all-time meeting at 3 p.m. Saturday. Party at the Plaza, the pre-game tailgating celebration outside the stadium on Centennial Plaza, will begin at noon. The stadium ticket office will open at 1 p.m. Saturday.
It will be Homecoming at Arkansas Tech. The university will crown its 2015 Homecoming queen during a 2:30 p.m. ceremony inside the stadium.
Arkansas Tech is coming off its first loss of the season, while Ouachita Baptist is coming off its most emotional win of the season.
Two long runs by Henderson State University’s Jaquan Cole and three missed scoring opportunities by the Wonder Boys — two missed field goals and an interception thrown in the end zone — added up to a 17-7 Reddies’ win over Tech one week ago.
As a result, Arkansas Tech, OBU, HSU, Harding University and East Central University are all tied for first place in the GAC with six weeks remaining in the regular season.
“It always comes down to a couple of big plays in a game if you win or lose,” said Arkansas Tech head coach Raymond Monica. “We left some points off the board, there’s no question about that, but you give a lot of credit to Henderson State. As you go through the season and watch more film on the opponents you are going to play, it’s unbelievable how equal everyone is. It comes down to a big play here or there, a mistake or a penalty that winds up determining the outcome of the football game.”
Ouachita Baptist, ranked No. 20 in this week’s American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II top 25, came from behind to knock off previously undefeated Harding 26-21 at Cliff Harris Stadium in Arkadelphia last Saturday.
Despite the losses of all-conference running back Steven Kehner and all-conference quarterback Kiehl Frazier, the defending GAC champion Tigers continue to win on the strength of their running game. Ouachita Baptist is averaging 274.4 rushing yards per game, second-most in the conference and eighth-most in NCAA Division II.
That potent ground game is led by a pair of youngsters — freshman running back Kris Oliver (97.8 rushing yards per game, 2nd in GAC) and sophomore quarterback Austin Warford (91.6 rushing yards per game, 3rd in GAC).
“(OBU) really only has a couple of different running plays, but they do it in so many different formations,” said Monica. “Right now, it comes down to their quarterback. He has been outstanding. He has thrown it well, but he’s such a dual threat with his running ability. He’s not one who’s going to run out of bounds. He’s going to put his head down and try to get that extra yard…just a great competitor.”
Arkansas Tech’s statistical leaders through five weeks include sophomore running back Brayden Stringer (82.2 rushing yards per game, 4th in GAC), senior quarterback Arsenio Favor (10 touchdowns scored, 2nd in GAC), sophomore punter Clayton Watson (44.6 yards per punt, 1st in GAC), senior linebacker Logan Genz (7.8 tackles per game, 13th in GAC) and freshman defensive back Cuá Rose (four interceptions, T-1st in GAC).
If past performance is an accurate predictor of future results, this could be a good week for the Wonder Boys’ passing game. Ouachita Baptist ranks last in the conference in pass defense (290.6 passing yards allowed per game).
Radio station KCJC 102.3 FM and www.arkansastechsports.com will have live coverage of the Arkansas Tech-OBU game.
