Great American Conference capsules
SOUTHERN ARKANSAS VS. HARDING WHEN 2 p.m.
WHERE Memorial Stadium, El Dorado RADIO KVMH, FM-99.1, Magnolia; KVHU-FM, 95.3, Searcy
INTERNET muleriderathletics.com; hardingsports.com
RECORDS Southern Arkansas 6-1, 6-1 Great American Conference; Harding 7-0, 7-0
COACHES Brad Smiley (11-7 in second season at SAU and overall); Paul Simmons (57-13 in sixth season at Harding and overall)
SERIES Harding leads 30-27-1
LAST MEETING A 448-yard rushing performance carried the day as Harding rolled 37-17 on Sept. 17, 2022, in Searcy. NOTEWORTHY The game will serve as the 12th appearance for SAU in the Murphy USA Classic in El Dorado. It’s also the ninth consecutive season that the Muleriders will be playing in the game. Harding last played in the event in 2012 — its inaugural year — when it beat SAU 23-20 on a last-second field goal. … Harding leads NCAA Division II in scoring (50.7 points per game) and rushing offense (387.6 yards per game) but is ranked among the top 10 in several other categories, including tied for third in interceptions with 13. … SAU is second nationally in rushing yards per game with 281.7. … The Bisons recently had two players honored by the Great American Conference. Punter Ryan Fox was named the special teams player of the week while Nathaniel Wallace took home co-defensive player of the week honors. … Muleriders quarterback O.B. Jones was the GAC Offensive Player of the Week after accounting for three touchdowns against Henderson State. … After today, SAU will play two of its final three games at home. … Harding has won 11 games in a row.
ARKANSAS TECH AT OUACHITA BAPTIST
WHEN 1 p.m.
WHERE Cliff Harris Stadium, Arkadelphia RADIO KCJC-FM, 102.3, Russellville; KARN-FM, 102.9 (Little Rock); KZNG AM, 1340, KZNG-FM 97.9/105.5 (Hot Springs); KTPB-FM, 98.1, Pine Bluff; KCXY-FM, 95.3, Camden; KNAS-FM, 105.5, Nashville; KHGG-FM, 103.5, Fort Smith, KESA-FM, 100.9, Eureka Springs; KILX-FM, 102.1, De Queen; KQOR-FM, 105.3, Mena
INTERNET arkansastechsports.com; obutigers.com
RECORDS Arkansas Tech 3-4, 3-4 Great American Conference; Ouachita Baptist 6-1, 6-1
COACHES Kyle Shipp (15-25 in fourth season at Arkansas Tech and overall); Todd Knight (149-100 in 24th season at OBU and 177-132-2 in 30th season overall)
SERIES Arkansas Tech leads 44-35-7 LAST MEETING Ouachita Baptist opened up a 49-7 lead by halftime and rolled its way to a 63-14 win on Sept. 17, 2022, in Russellville.
NOTEWORTHY Arkansas Tech has lost five consecutive games to OBU, with four coming by double digits. … Quarterback Riley Harms went 8 for 8 for 247 yards and 3 touchdowns in OBU’s blowout victory over Arkansas Tech last year. He’s thrown for 1,422 yards and 18 touchdowns with just 1 interception this season. … Taye Gatewood, Arkansas Tech’s senior signal-caller, has rocketed up the Great American Conference passing charts over the past month. His 1,405 yards passing is the third most in the league. He’s also got 10 touchdown passes, which is also third in the GAC. … Running back Kendel Givens failed to score a touchdown last week for the Tigers in their game against Harding. It’s the first time all season that the junior didn’t get into the end zone in a game. … The Wonder Boys have won three consecutive games for the first time since 2019. … OBU’s 41-10 setback to Harding on Oct. 14 put an end to its streak of 18 consecutive conference victories. … Arkansas Tech’s opponents average 69.1 penalty yards per game, which is the highest mark in the league.
HENDERSON STATE AT ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO
WHEN 2 p.m.
WHERE Willis Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium, Monticello
RADIO KYXK-FM, 106.7 Gurdon; KVRCAM, 1240, Arkadelphia; KDEL-FM, 100.9, Arkadelphia; KWPS-FM, 99.7, Hot Springs; KZYP-FM, 104.1, Malvern; KZYP-AM, 1310, Malvern; KBHM-FM, 93.7, Monticello
INTERNET hsusports.com; uamsports. com
RECORDS Henderson State 5-2, 5-2 Great American Conference; Arkansas-Monticello 2-5, 2-5
COACHES Scott Maxfield (130-64 in 18th season at Henderson State and 159-66 in 23rd season overall); Hud Jackson (4484 in 12th season at UAM and overall) SERIES Henderson State leads 51-31-2 LAST MEETING Henderson State surged out to a 30-7 lead before holding off a late rally to win 37-27 on Sept. 17, 2022, in Arkadelphia.
NOTEWORTHY UAM has lost five consecutive games in a season for the second year in a row. … Henderson State quarterback Andrew Edwards had a big day when the teams met in 2022. He completed 21 of 33 passes for 310 yards with 4 touchdowns. He also ran for a score. … UAM has won just two of the last 16 meetings against Henderson State. Both of those victories were in Arkadelphia, with the last coming in 2018 when it took a 24-17 decision. The last time the Boll Weevils beat the Reddies in Monticello was in 2000. … Henderson State piled up a season-high 517 yards last week in a 35-34 loss to Southern Arkansas. Frederick O’Donald ran for more than 100 yards for the second week in a row for the Reddies. … Boll Weevil wide receivers Nick Howard and Isaiah Cross rank second and third, respectively, in the conference in receptions. Howard has 36 catches while Cross has 35. … Reddies kicker Kolby King is the only player in the GAC that’s made double-figure field goals. He’s got 10. … UAM hasn’t rushed for 100 yards in three straight weeks.