Ouachita Baptist University Coach Todd Knight is expecting an icy reception when the Tigers arrive for their NCAA Division II Region 3 playoff game.
Temperatures in the forecast for Big Rapids, Mich., on Saturday range from an expected high of 41 to a low of 26. There is a 90 percent chance of a rain and snow mixture and the winds could be as strong as 15 mph.
No. 4 seed Ferris State, however, is the Tigers’ biggest concern.
“To say the weather will not be a factor is ridiculous,” said Knight, whose team played in balmy 80-degree weather at El Dorado two weeks ago. “We’re going to have to deal with [the cold]. … There’s no weak point in Ferris State. They battle in all three phases of the game. We’ll need to beat them and defeat the weather as well.”
Ferris State (9-1) has qualified for the postseason in each of the last four years. The Bulldogs have won seven consecutive games, and they finished as the runner-up to Ashland (Ohio) University in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Last season, Ferris State reached the national semifinals.
While the Tigers (9-2) come into the playoff game as an underdog, Knight says his team enters the postseason with confidence.
“We’ve got a football team that knows how to get ready and knows how to execute,” Knight said. “And we’ve been good on the road this year. We haven’t lost away from home and I think that’s because we have confidence and chemistry.”
“[We’ve] got a lot of weapons,” OBU quarterback Austin Warford said. “I think we’ve been successful in situations because every game we’ve understood the plan.”
OBU, the No. 5 seed, averaged 38.5 points a game, which was good enough for second in the Great American Conference. The Tigers were also second in total offense, averaging 458.6 yards a game.
Ferris State averaged 34.1 points and 448.3 yards a game.
Sophomore Travis Russell and senior Reggie Bell split time at quarterback. Russell threw for 1,168 yards and 9 touchdowns in 10 games. Bell threw for 907 yards and 6 TDs in 5 games.
Senior Jahaan Brown is the team’s leading rusher (522 yards). Junior Malik Taylor leads the Bulldogs in receptions (48) and receiving yards
(757) and also has 6 TD catches. Kicker Wyatt Ford made all 42 of this extra-point attempts and 9 of 12 field goals.
Junior defensive end Zach Sieler was the GLIAC’s Defensive Lineman of the Year, and senior cornerback Tavierre Thomas was selected as the league’s Defensive Back of the Year.
“I can see why they’re in the position they’re in,” Knight said.
Warford, a senior from Malvern, has been a force with both his arm and his legs, passing for 2,072 yards and running for 643 more. Kris Oliver leads the Tigers in rushing (795 yards) and sophomore Allie Freeman has a team-high 63 receptions and 879 yards receiving.
Then there’s junior Drew Harris, who accounted for 156 points, or 35.9 percent of the Tigers’ points this season. Harris has scored in every game in 2017, including seven touchdowns in the regular-season finale against Henderson State.
“We didn’t script it out for him before the game started,” said Warford, who is Harris’ roommate. “Everything just fell into place. He’s a great runner who has a knack for finding his way into the end zone.”
Will playing in the cold slow down the Tigers’ offense? Warford says it will not.
“To me, I don’t think it’s going to be a big deal,” War-ford said. “That’s just a mental thing. I think we’ll be worried more about how many times they will mispronounce ‘Ouachita.’ ”
Ouachita Baptist at Ferris State
WHEN Saturday, 11 a.m.
SITE Top Taggart Field, Big Rapids, Mich.
COACHES Ouachita Baptist: Todd Knight (101-92) 19th season. Ferris State: Tony Annese (58-13), sixth season.
KEY STATISTICS
OBU;;Ferris State
9-2;Record;9-1
39.5;Points per game;34.1
452.8;Total yds. avg.;448.3
240.7;Rushing yds. avg.;208.7
212.1;Passing yds. avg.;219.2
26.2;Points allowed avg.;14.2
439.9;Total yds. allowed avg.;271.6
161.2;Rushing yds. allowed avg.;97.8
;278.7;Passing yds. allowed avg.173.8
11-5;Fumbles-Lost;17-8
42.3;Punting avg.;40.8
69-690;Penalties-yds.;68-583
