The Great American Conference has two teams ranked nationally in the American Football Coaches Association's NCAA Division II Top 25 poll.
A third is almost there.
Arkansas Tech (4-0 overall, 4-0 GAC) has matched its best start since 2005 and is No. 27 in this week's AFCA poll, based on "others receiving votes."
Arkansas Tech, which returned 15 starters this fall, is riding the momentum of last week's 44-21 home victory over Southern Arkansas.
Arkansas Tech led 24-0 late in the first half and finished with 508 total yards, including 284 rushing.
The Wonder Boys averaged just 242.3 total yards and 13.9 points per game last season when they finished 3-8 overall and 3-7 in the GAC.
Arkansas Tech leads the GAC in scoring this fall (45.0) and is fifth in yards per game (482.5).
Two newcomers have helped fuel the hot start.
Senior quarterback Arsenio Favor, who transferred from Alabama-Birmingham in the offseason, has rushed 47 times for 202 yards and 10 touchdowns and completed 60 of 90 passes for 723 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Wonder Boys Coach Raymond Monica said Favor, 6-3, 232 pounds, didn't play at Alabama-Birmingham, an FBS program. But Favor did play for another FBS program, Southern Mississippi, and for FCS-member Alabama State.
"Obviously, he's made a difference," Monica said.
Arkansas Tech also received another FBS transfer in the offseason in junior offensive tackle Trey Martin, 6-2, 275, who signed with Louisiana-Monroe after starring at Lake Hamilton.
"I think a lot of people are difference makers," Monica said. "I think every kid on offense can go. I think the offensive line has improved tremendously."
Arkansas Tech also leads the GAC in scoring defense (14.8 points per game) and total defense (264.8 yards per game). Last season's averages were 24.2 and 344.4, respectively.
Senior linebacker Logan Genz of West Fork, 6-2, 220, is the leading tackler in school history.
"There's a whole bunch of players that have stepped up and got better, all the way across the board," Monica said. "Defensively, I think it will be a deal where I think we can get better and better as the year goes on."
Arkansas Tech is at GAC heavyweight Henderson State (3-1, 3-1) on Saturday afternoon.
Harding (4-0, 4-0) is No. 12 in the AFCA Top 25 and the only other unbeaten team in the GAC. Ouachita Baptist (3-1, 3-1) is No. 24.
HENDERSON STATE
Change of address
Henderson State Coach Scott Maxfield said Grady Ollison has settled in nicely at his new home.
Ollison, a 6-5, 270-pound junior defensive end from Malvern, was a starting offensive tackle in 2013 at Arkansas after signing with the Razorbacks in 2011.
Ollison moved to the defensive line last fall at Arkansas, played sparingly and transferred to Henderson in the offseason.
Maxfield said Ollison has been "pretty productive" in his brief Henderson career.
"He's a big, physical presence," Maxfield said. "He's done a good job for us."
Through four games, Ollison has 6 unassisted tackles, 6 assisted tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 1 recovered fumble.
Ollison had 1.5 tackles for loss and batted down two passes in last week's 33-0 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma.
"I think he's going to be a really good player before the season's over," Maxfield said.
Ollison was a defensive lineman on the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas team as a senior at Malvern in 2010.
Extra points
Harding (4-0 overall, 4-0 GAC) is at Ouachita Baptist (3-1, 3-1) Saturday morning in a rematch of one of the most exciting games of the 2014 GAC season. Ouachita beat Harding 31-28 in overtime last year in Searcy. Trailing 28-20, the Tigers drove 80 yards in 12 plays in the final 2:37 of regulation, scoring on a 15-yard touchdown pass with no time remaining, then a tying two-point conversion. Ouachita went on to a perfect regular season and the GAC title. It was the only regular-season loss for Harding. ... Henderson State senior wide receiver Corey Chappell needs 26 receiving yards to become the 14th player in school history to reach 1,000 in a career. Chappell, a senior from Rowlett, Texas, has 84 receptions for 974 yards in his career. ... Arkansas-Monticello recorded its fourth pass play in school history of at least 90 yards during last week's 47-21 loss at Harding. The Boll Weevils scored on a 90-yard pass from senior quarterback Hunter Leppert to sophomore wide receiver Jalen Tolliver with 2:33 remaining in the third quarter. ... Southern Arkansas, averaging a GAC-best 519.2 total yards per game, has seven players with at least two touchdowns through the first four weeks of the season.
Sports on 10/02/2015