SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA ST.
AT HENDERSON STATE
WHEN 2 p.m.
WHERE Carpenter-Haygood Stadium, Arkadelphia
RADIO Henderson State Sports Network: 100.9-FM KDEL and 1240-AM KVRC in Arkadelphia, 99.7-FM KWPS in Hot Springs, 106.9-FM KYXK in Gurdon, 104.1-FM KZYP/1310-AM in Malvern, 99.3-FM KAFN/690-AM in Benton
INTERNET hsusports.com
RECORDS Henderson State (4-3, 4-3 in GAC); Southeastern Oklahoma State (5-2, 5-2)
COACHES Scott Maxfield (98-51 in 14th season at Henderson State, 127-63 in 16th season overall); Bo Atterberry (32-20 in fifth season at SOSU, 73-48 in 11th season overall)
SERIES Henderson State leads 22-6
LAST MEETING Henderson State won 21-20 in Durant, Okla.
COMMENTS This is the week’s only GAC matchup between teams with winning records. … Henderson State has won three in a row and Southeastern Oklahoma State has won four consecutive, including a 21-0 home victory over previously undefeated Southern Arkansas last week. … The Savage Storm have stepped it up since the insertion of Rollin Kinsaul (64-99 passing, 832 yards, 6 TDs; 33-106 rushing, 1 TD) at quarterback 3 weeks ago, going from 8th to 2nd in the conference in time of possession. They’ve also held the the ball for an average of more than 38 minutes during the past three weeks. “They’re a good, solid team,” Henderson State Coach Scott Maxfield said. On the Red-dies’ side, Maxfield said he is eager to find out whether his team has turned into a late-season contender, or if it was good enough to beat up on three teams with a combined 5-16 record. “I think we have gotten better.” Maxfield said. … The emergence of junior-college running back Querale Hall (44-337 rushing, 4 TDs; 6-51 receiving, 2 TDs) has given the Reddies an “added dimension,” along with the continued improvement on the offensive line that started the season with 4 new starters. … Henderson State has gone from pass first (186 pass/126 rush) the first 4 weeks to a team looking to run (120 rush/90 pass) the past 3 weeks. It has averaged more rushing yards (244) than passing (212) during its winning streak, and Maxfield said some of that is because opponents are gearing up to stop the pass. … SOSU is No. 2 in the GAC and No. 6 nationally in total defense (245 ypg) while sitting third in the GAC and No. 10 nationally in scoring defense (14.6 ppg). Savage Storm cornerback Daquawn Brown (5 passes defended) earned co-Defensive Player of the Week honors in the SAU victory. Teammate Joel Carlos (3 punts inside the SAU 20, long of 72) was named Special Teams Player of the week. RB Kenneth Burks (145-605 rushing, 10 TDs) is third in total rushing yards. … Henderson State quarterback Richard Stammetti (152-272 passing, 1,849 yards) leads the GAC with 16 TD passes and has three receivers in the top eight in yards per game — Ben Johnson (46-497, 4 TDs); Chase Lodree (24-375, 4) and John Murray (33-435, 4). … SOSU’s Jaylen Sims is second in the GAC in receiving yards and fourth in receptions (40-600, 6 TDs).
NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA ST.
AT HARDING
WHEN 2 p.m.
WHERE First Security Stadium, Searcy RADIO Harding: 95.3-FM KVHU in Searcy INTERNET hardingsports.com
RECORDS Harding (5-2, 5-2 GAC); Northwestern Oklahoma State (3-4, 3-4)
COACHES Paul Simmons (16-6 in second season at Harding and overall); Matt Walter (15-25 in fourth season at NWOSU and overall)
SERIES Harding leads 9-2
LAST MEETING Harding won 34-0 in Alva, Okla.
COMMENTS Northwestern Oklahoma State is coming off consecutive home victories by a combined 38-7 score. … The Rangers are 3-1 in Alva, Okla., losing 29-21 in the season-opener to No. 4 Ouachita Baptist. They are 0-3 on the road, losing at Arkansas-Monticello (44-36), Southern Arkansas (27-14) and Southeastern Oklahoma (37-9). … Harding (4-0 in road games) is 1-2 in Searcy. The Bisons lost to SAU 28-23 in Week 2 and to OBU 7-3 in games that were decided in the final minutes. Their lone home victory came 56-7 over Oklahoma Baptist. Three of Harding’s four remaining games are at home, and only one of those, on Nov. 3, is against a team, Southeastern Oklahoma (5-2), that has a winning record. … Harding is ranked No. 24 in the AFCA top 25, and leads the GAC in total defense (219.0 ypg), rushing defense (80.6 ypg), scoring offense (37.4 ppg), rushing offense (330.7) and time of possession (35:22). … The Bisons rank in the top 10 nationally in 15 statistical categories, and are No. 2 in total defense and rushing offense, No. 4 in scoring defense, No. 6 in rushing defense, and No. 3 in time of possession and first-down defense. … Tyson Gatewood (81-416 rushing, 6 TDs) is NWOSU’s top rusher, and Gavin Garner (32-434, 5 TDs) is the Rangers’ big-play receiver. … Harding has slot back Tristan Tucker (50-484 rushing, 5 TDs), fullback Cole Chancey (88-468, 5 TDs) and quarterback Preston Paden (82-295, 7 TDs). Paden, a redshirt sophomore, is 17 of 34 passing, 411 yards, 5 TDs, with 2 of those TDs coming in the final 6 minutes of the first half last week in a 50-10 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State.
SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA ST.
AT ARKANSAS TECH
WHEN 2 p.m.
WHERE Thone Stadium, Russellville
RADIO 102.3-FM KCJC, Russellville
INTERNET arkansastechsports.com
RECORDS Arkansas Tech (2-5, 2-5 GAC); Southwestern Oklahoma State (2-5, 2-5) COACHES Raymond Monica (33-31 in six seasons at Arkansas Tech, 78-65 in 12th season overall; Chet Pobolish (2-5 in first season at SWOSU and overall)
SERIES Series tied 7-7
LAST MEETING Arkansas Tech won 38-21 in Weatherford, Okla.
COMMENTS Both teams have lost three games in a row and need a victory to retain any chance of finishing with a winning record. … Arkansas Tech has turned the ball over 12 times in consecutive losses to OBU (24-7), UAM (36-14) and Northwestern Oklahoma (21-0), and redshirt freshman quarterback Carter Burcham (92-194 passing, 1,208) has thrown 7 of his season’s 10 interceptions. Junior-college transfer quarterback Manny Harris (11-24 passing, 152; 6-45 rushing, 1 TD) has seen action in each of the past 2 games. …. Senior Bryan Allen (124-606 rushing, 2 TDs; 10-166 receiving) came into the week leading the GAC in rushing, but Allen has some catching up to do after Ouachita Baptist senior Kris Oliver (28-151 rushing, 2 TDs) took over the conference lead Thursday night while becoming the GAC’s all-time rushing leader (3,493). Allen (3,317) is Tech’s third all-time leading rusher and is also No. 3 in the GAC, behind Oliver and Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Devlon Wortham (3,453). … SOSU quarterback Casey Freeman (107-195 passing, 1,391 yards, 12 TDs) has thrown 5 interceptions and 1 touchdown pass during the Bulldogs’ losing stretch and wide receiver JR Omigie (24-478, 4 TDs) has 6 catches, 104 yards and 1 TD, over the past 3 weeks. … Arkansas Tech ranks sixth in total offense (376.3) but 11th in scoring offense (15.6 ppg). The Wonder Boys are last in the GAC in red-zone scoring (12-22, including 6 missed field goals, 3 interceptions and 1 turnover on downs).
EAST CENTRAL (OKLA.)
AT SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
WHEN 2:30 p.m.
WHERE Wilkins Stadium, Magnolia
RADIO 99.1-FM KVMZ in Magnolia
INTERNET muleridersports.com
RECORDS SAU (6-1, 6-1 GAC); East Central (2-5, 2-5)
COACHES Bill Keopple (55-47 in 10th season at SAU and overall); Al Johnson (2-5 in first season at East Central and overall) SERIES SAU leads 12-7
LAST MEETING SAU won 35-28 in Ada, Okla.
COMMENTS The Muleriders (No. 22 in the AFCA Top 25) endured their first loss of the season, 21-0, to Southeastern Oklahoma State in Durant, Okla. SAU needs a victory to stay within one game of 8-0 Ouachita Baptist. SAU came into last week’s game ranked No. 17 in Division II, but the Savage Storm shut down an SAU offense that was ranked No. 1 in the GAC in total yards (434.7 pg) and No. 2 in scoring offense (33.7 ppg). SAU is now No. 2 in total offense (407.3 ypg) and No. 4 in scoring offense (29.3). … SAU played without wide receiver Jared Lancaster (26-306 receiving, 4 TDs). Lancaster was in uniform but was only available to fair catch punts. Kile Pletcher (14-226, 1 TD) was also limited, allowing SOSU to focus on Karonce Higgins (41-665, 4 TDs) and hold him to 3-17 receiving. Quarterback Barrett Renner (11-22 passing, 102) was under constant pressure and left the game with the Muleriders trailing 7-0 late in the third quarter after suffering a hip-pointer injury when trying to pick up a first down on a fourth-and-4 play from the SOSU 25. … Today is SAU’s final home game this season at Wilkins Stadium, where the Muleriders have won 15 consecutive games. … East Central is 11th in the GAC in total offense (229.7 ypg) and 10th in scoring offense (15,7 ppg). The Tigers lead the GAC in sacks (2.17 per game) and are 8th in scoring defense (28.6 ppg). … Senior all-purpose back Trinity Benson (32-203 rushing, 3 TDs; 32-321 receiving, 4 TDs) leads the offense.
OKLAHOMA BAPTIST
AT ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO
WHEN 3 p.m.
WHERE Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium, Monticello
RADIO 93.7-FM KHBM in southeast Arkansas
INTERNET uamsports.com
RECORDS UAM (3-4, 3-4 GAC); Oklahoma Baptist (2-5, 2-5)
COACHES Hud Jackson (26-57 in eighth season at UAM and overall); Chris Jenson (20-42 in fifth season at Oklahoma Baptist and overall)
SERIES UAM leads 2-1
LAST MEETING UAM won 64-21 in Shawnee, Okla.
COMMENTS A matchup of two teams heading in opposite directions, and Arkansas-Monticello is the one trending up. Coach Hud Jasckson’s Boll Weevils have done an about face after enduring a three-game losing streak, winning 34-16 at Arkansas Tech and 35-12 at Southern Nazarene. … UAM has run more plays (148-103), gained more first downs (42-23), dominated the time of possession (36:16-23:54) and created more turnovers than it has committed (5-1). … Oklahoma Baptist started the season 2-0, but the offense started turning it over too much — 15 times in 5 games — and the Bison have been outscored by an average 51-21 over the past 5 weeks. They rank 164th in turnover margin (minus-2.0 per game), 158th in total defense (490.9) and 157th in scoring defense (44.3 ppg). Quarterback Preston Haire is 17th nationally in total offense (293.4) but 98th in pass efficiency, throwing more interceptions (16) than touchdowns (14). … UAM quarterback Cole Sears is 36th nationally in passing yards (1,543), has rushed for 7 touchdowns, passed for 9 and been intercepted 5 times. UAM has spread the ball to 5 running backs — Imani Riley, Alex Day, Juan Day, Nigel Dora and Ralph Singleton — who have gained between 100 and 295 yards. Sears has 97 net rushing yards to go along with his touchdowns. Sears has 5 receivers with 10 or more receptions, led by DeAndre Washington (19-356, 4 TDs), CJ Parham (18-278, 4) and Jeremy Hampton (11-156, 3).