UAPB in rare spot as SWAC leader
It’s not often that the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff can boast it sits atop of the Southwestern Athletic Conference standings with a perfect record and a third of its season over.
But after staging a pair of road victories over conference favorites, that’s the enviable position the Golden Lions find themselves.
UAPB (2-0, 2-0) moved to the forefront of the SWAC West Division after knocking off both Southern and Grambling State, teams that were predicted to finish No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the league’s preseason poll.
Yet, with four games left in the spring season, the Golden Lions are the ones in the driver’s seat, with last weekend’s 48-21 blowout of Grambling State giving them the the inside track to become the West’s representative in the conference championship game May 1.
“It was a good win for us and a good win for our program,” UAPB Coach Doc Gamble said of beating Grambling State. “We were able to go to Grambling and snap a losing streak that we’d had. They’ve owned us over the last six years — I didn’t know it was six. I just know they have been kicking our butts the last two years.
“But it was a good win for our program, and we’re happy about it. Now it’s time to look forward to playing another good opponent here this week in Alabama State.”
Since rejoining the SWAC in 1997, UAPB has started 2-0 in conference play only four times (2000, 2004, 2011, 2021). During the 2012 campaign when the Golden Lions won their first league title, UAPB lost to Alabama A&M 14-10 in Week 2 before winning its final eight regular-season conference games.
The Golden Lions would love to keep that undefeated record intact in Saturday’s home opener against the Hornets (2-1, 2-1), who sit in third place in the East Division standings.
UAPB does have some wiggle room to work with in the West if things don’t go according to plan against Alabama State.
With just four games left in the spring season, UAPB already holds the head-tohead tiebreakers over Southern and Grambling State. Prairie View A&M also sits at 2-0 and comes to Pine Bluff on April 17, but in May of last year, the Panthers were deemed ineligible to participate in postseason play for the 2020-21 academic year because of low Academic Performance Rates.
UAPB will play Mississippi Valley State (April 3) and Texas Southern (April 24) — two programs that are a combined 0-3 and have been outscored 114-49. Gamble isn’t about to overlook any team left on the schedule, but he noted that he’s pleased with what’s transpired thus far, especially from quarterback Skyler Perry.
The junior, who split reps in 2019 when the Golden Lions elected to go with a two-quarterback system, leads the SWAC in passing yards per game (284.5) and has tossed 6 touchdowns and 1 interception. He threw for 346 yards and four touchdowns in the 27-point victory over Grambling State, which earned him league co-offensive player of the week honors.
“He’s the same guy as he was when he came in as a freshman,” Gamble said of Perry. “He’s maturing, and it’s his job full-time now. He’s not splitting reps. When you play two quarterbacks, you’re able to kind of hide some guys’ deficiencies, and a lot of that was just his youth.
“But there’s no hiding now. With him, it’s his show. He’s our leader, and he’s done a good job with that.”