Ouachita Baptist entered last week's matchup against Southern Arkansas without approximately 10 starters and several backups because of injuries.
How did the paper-thin Tigers prepare leading up to the homecoming game? Full throttle, Coach Todd Knight said.
"We pressed them hard," Knight said. "We got after it in practice. We didn't go around and say, 'Hey, we've got everybody out, we've got to be careful.' I mean, we got after it."
Knight said Ouachita (4-3) normally has a "hard" practice Tuesday of game week before "lightening up" Wednesday and Thursday.
That wasn't the case last week.
"Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were physical days," Knight said. "That's the other thing. We looked at the forecast and knew it was going to be in the mid-80s and knew we would have to be ready for a full game."
The result was a 40-37 four-overtime victory on a warm Saturday afternoon at Cliff Harris Stadium.
Already without their starting quarterback (Austin Warford), top wide receiver (Ke'Vontae Pope) and top offensive lineman (Jed Beach) because of injuries, the Tigers lost tailback Kris Oliver to a lower-leg problem midway through the third quarter.
Oliver's replacement was true freshman Shun'Cee Thomas, who, because of recent injuries, quickly rose from fifth team to having his redshirt pulled during the game.
Thomas ran 14 times for 44 yards and a 10-yard touchdown in the first overtime.
True freshman defensive end John Love also had his redshirt pulled during the game and made one tackle.
"It was crazy," Knight said of mixing and matching personnel across the board. "The plan was to just stay steady, run the ball, try to keep our defense off the field, try to play close and try to win at the end. I know that sounds cliche, but that's what we did."
Ouachita is at Arkansas-Monticello (2-5) on Saturday afternoon.
Oliver, the GAC's third-leading rusher, will not play. He had 143 rushing yards against SAU before being injured.
SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
Title hopes dim
Southern Arkansas' hopes for a first GAC title took a major hit with last week's 40-37 four-overtime loss at Ouachita Baptist.
The Muleriders (5-2) lost despite outgaining the Tigers 500-311 in total yardage in regulation.
SAU had a chance to take a 6-0 first-quarter lead, but Ouachita returned a blocked field-goal attempt 74 yards for a touchdown.
The Muleriders were also penalized nine times for 50 yards in regulation. Six were false starts.
"False starts hurt us, no doubt about it," SAU Coach Bill Keopple said. "A couple of turnovers there in the second half hurt us. Kind of been our Achilles' heel all year, is turnovers."
The loss snapped SAU's three-game winning streak and dropped the Muleriders two games behind league-leading Harding.
While the chances of a GAC title are slim, SAU could be a candidate for the fourth annual Live United Bowl on Dec. 3 in Texarkana.
"That's still a possibility," Keopple said. "We've got a lot of work to do the next two weeks, for sure. These next two, they're going to be brutal contests for us. It goes both ways, though."
SAU meets defending GAC champion Henderson State (6-1) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in El Dorado.
The Reddies are ranked No. 15 in the American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 poll.
SAU hosts Southeastern Oklahoma St. (4-3) on Oct. 29.
HARDING
Short week
GAC leader Harding moved to 8-0 for the first time with a X-X victory Thursday night at East Central (Okla.).
Bisons Coach Ronnie Huckeba said Tuesday morning that it was his understanding the game was played on Thursday because East Central, about 85 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, was beginning a fall break for students.
But Huckeba said he believed playing two days earlier than normal would be beneficial for his team since the GAC plays 11 consecutive weeks (all conference games).
"I was telling somebody the other day that I think sometimes a break in your schedule can be a good thing," Huckeba said. "You kind of get out of your routine of playing on a Saturday."
Players normally have Monday off during a regular week of practice, Huckeba said.
Huckeba said Harding had a "light" week of practice leading up to Thursday's game, focusing more on mental than physical preparation.
The Bisons traveled by bus for the game Wednesday afternoon.
"The week was kind of like what you would see in the NFL," Huckeba said.
Harding, a program-best No. 7 in the American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 poll, returns home to face Southwestern Oklahoma (3-4) on Oct. 29.
The Bisons, the lone unbeaten team in the GAC, are seeking their first conference championship since 1989.
Extra points
Harding quarterback Park Parish, a senior from Clinton, set a school record with his 36th career rushing touchdown in last week's 63-17 home victory over Southeastern Oklahoma St. Parish's two rushing touchdowns (9 and 16 yards) broke a tie with Alan Dixon, who had 34 in 1970-1973. ... Henderson State junior kicker Houston Ray set a school record for career field goals (42) with a 23-yarder in last week's 45-17 home victory over Arkansas-Monticello. Bo Adkisson kicked 41 field goals in 1974-1977. Ray is also the GAC career field-goal leader. ... Henderson remained No. 15 in the American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll after its victory over UAM. ... Arkansas Tech (4-3) has won its games by a combined 126 points.
Sports on 10/21/2016