There has been much to celebrate during the first two weeks of the 2025 football season at Arkansas Tech University.
The Wonder Boys (2-0) have outscored their opponents by 66 points, which marks just the second time this century they have been that dominant through two weeks.
Arkansas Tech secured its first home shutout since 2016 when it defeated Northwestern Oklahoma State University 44-0 on Sept. 11, and the 10 points the Wonder Boys have allowed so far is their best scoring defense performance through two weeks since 1968.
Now it’s time for Arkansas Tech to measure itself against the upper echelon of the Great American Conference.
The Wonder Boys will face seven-time GAC football champion Ouachita Baptist University (1-1) at Cliff Harris Stadium in Arkadelphia on Saturday, Sept. 20. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Live coverage of the Tech-Ouachita game will be provided by KCJC 102.3 FM, the EAB Media Group app and www.arkansastechsports.com.
Opportunity is the operative word for Saturday night. It’s an opportunity for the Wonder Boys to start 3-0 for the first time since 2017. It’s an opportunity for the Wonder Boys to beat Ouachita Baptist for the first time since 2016. And it’s an opportunity for the Wonder Boys to put their name in the early conversation for GAC title contenders.
“We can’t make this Ouachita game bigger than any other game, but it’s exciting to have the opportunity to go 3-0,” said Roy Thompson, ATU head football coach. “It’s about 9-5-9 (nine helmets within five yards of the football 90 percent of the time) and VVR (vicious, violent and relentless). If you want to beat (Ouachita), you’re going to have to take it from them. We’re going to go out there and be physical. That’s our mindset. We’re going to battle and take these guys on fist for fist.”
No one knows the Ouachita Tigers better than Thompson. He was on staff there for 12 years and was named the 2024 American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II assistant coach of the year in recognition of his work as Ouachita’s defensive coordinator.
Thompson traded his purple for green and gold when he became Arkansas Tech’s 18th head coach on Dec. 11, 2024.
“This week has been fun from a preparation standpoint,” said Thompson. “I have a lot of respect for every opponent, but especially this one because I’ve been in those game plan meetings with them, I know how they think and I know how well we have to prepare in order to be successful against them. It’s about the level of physicality. We’ve got to punch Ouachita in the mouth. That’s all there is to it. We have to go out there and play with great fundamentals. We have to be vicious, violent and relentless at the point of attack. We’re prepared for it.”
Talk to you on the radio.
Tech Tidbits is a column written by Sam Strasner, ATU director of university relations and radio play-by-play voice for ATU football and basketball.
