"It's Our Time" is Southern Arkansas' motto this fall.
That remains to be seen, but SAU's stock would soar with a victory over NCAA Division II nationally ranked Harding in a Great American Conference game at 6 p.m. Saturday at Wilkins Stadium in Magnolia.
The Muleriders (2-0 overall, 2-0 GAC) can match their best start since 2012 with a victory.
SAU hasn't beaten Harding (2-0, 2-0), ranked No. 16 in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25, since 2003.
"This is a huge game for us," Muleriders Coach Bill Keopple said. "They've had a history of being really good the last three years. We've been right there knocking on the door, but we haven't gotten through yet."
SAU owns victories over Southwestern Oklahoma (28-24) in the season opener at home and at Northwestern Oklahoma (49-14) last week.
SAU finished 5-5 last season, but Keopple said he believes the Muleriders are GAC title contenders this fall because of returning offensive experience and improved play and depth along the defensive line.
"The biggest thing we knew coming out of spring football is that we were going to be better in the defensive line," Keopple said. "Right now, we're three-deep in the defensive line. That's huge for us."
Kendrix McCann, a redshirt defensive tackle from Texarkana, has 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks this season.
McCann, 5-10, 250 pounds, is the older brother of Texarkana senior defensive lineman Nick McCann, who has orally committed to Texas Tech.
SAU returned eight starters off an offense that averaged a GAC-best 505.4 total yards per game last fall.
One of the few newcomers, redshirt freshman quarterback Barrett Renner, has completed 46 of 75 passes for 631 yards and 6 touchdowns. He hasn't thrown an interception.
"He's gotten off to a great start," Keopple said. "Everything was in place, we felt, offensively. It was just the unknown about the quarterback. What he's been able to do, and the things that he's shown to be capable of doing, has far exceeded our expectations."
Harding has beaten SAU nine consecutive times, including 56-13 last season in Searcy.
The Bisons finished 9-2 last fall, advancing to the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
OUACHITA BAPTIST
Youth is served
Defending GAC champion Ouachita Baptist has used 25 true or redshirt freshmen this fall, according to the school's participation charts.
True freshmen starters include defensive tackle Tristan Bulice of Cabot and place-kicker Cole Antley of Newnan (Ga.) East Coweta.
Kris Oliver, a redshirt freshman from Arkadelphia, is starting at tailback. Cameron Alexander, a redshirt freshman from Nashville, is the starting center.
"You look at our two-deep, I mean, we've got a bunch of young kids all over the place," Tigers Coach Todd Knight said. "You can pretty much scatter that out on both sides of the ball."
Oliver leads NCAA Division II in rushing touchdowns (six) and is averaging 96 rushing yards per game.
Bulice, a standout nose guard on Cabot's 2013 Class 7A state runner-up team, had a sack for a 10-yard loss in last week's 42-40 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma.
Antley is 10 of 10 on extra-point attempts and kicked a 46-yard field goal in a 31-24 season-opening victory at East Central (Okla.).
Other true or redshirt freshmen to play this fall include wide receiver Lamar Haynes of Jonesboro, wide receiver Tra Doss of Sylvan Hills, safety Jaylin Small of Nettleton, center Tyler Gahr of Valley View, wide receiver Drew Harris of Benton, defensive tackle Ernest Reed of El Dorado, tailback Matt Berry of Booneville, cornerback Keandre Evans of Junction City and deep snapper Chris Hayes of Little Rock Central.
"Proud of our young guys," Knight said.
Ouachita (2-0, 2-0 GAC) moved from No. 11 to No. 9 nationally in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 following its victory over Southeastern Oklahoma, the Tigers' 12th consecutive in regular-season play.
Ouachita is at Southwestern Oklahoma on Saturday night.
Extra points
Jakahari Howell, a wide receiver/kick returner as a true freshman last fall at Ouachita, isn't playing in 2015 to concentrate on baseball, Coach Todd Knight said. Howell was a star quarterback at Arkadelphia. ... Arkansas-Monticello junior place-kicker Jamie McGee had two field goals in last week's 50-20 loss at Southwestern Oklahoma to move into second on the Boll Weevils' all-time career list with 26. Kevin Craft kicked a school-record 37 field goals in 1997-2000. ... Henderson State Coach Scott Maxfield goes for his 100th career victory Saturday at Northwestern Oklahoma. Maxfield has 70 victories in 11-plus seasons at Henderson and 29 in junior college. Maxfield led the Reddies to GAC titles in 2012 and 2013.
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Sports on 09/18/2015