Muleriders set to face Wonder Boys
Expectations and excitement are high for the Southern Arkansas University football team as they open their 2018 campaign at home against Arkansas Tech University tonight.
Game time is set for 6 p.m.
The Muleriders return 12 starters combined on both sides of the ball and among those are the league's top quarterback from a year ago, Barrett Renner, and the reigning GAC Defensive Player of the Year in DaVondrick Lison.
A season ago, the Muleriders were picked to win the Great American Conference in the preseason coaches' poll, but stumbled out of the gate, dropping a one touchdown game on the road at Arkansas Tech.
After a 2-2 start through the opening month, the Muleriders positioned themselves for a chance at the league title after winning four straight, but consecutive losses by a total of nine points forced SAU to refocus their championship aspirations to the 2018 season.
The first month of the schedule will yet again serve as a test of the Muleriders' championship mettle, as they go on the road for consecutive weeks after the Tech game with trips to Harding and Southwestern Oklahoma
before coming back home to host Northwestern Oklahoma.
ABOUT ARKANSAS TECH SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
A year ago, the Wonder Boys averaged 39.8 points per game and averaged 434.4 yards of total offense per game. Their points per game ranked first in the GAC while their total offense was fourth-best in the league. Last year, Tech averaged 224.9 yards per game rushing to rank fourth in the GAC and passed at a clip of 209.5 yards per game to rank eighth in that category.
Slated to open the season under center for the Wonder Boys will be sophomore Cale Fulsom. Fulsom played in six games last year as a freshman seeing limited passing opportunities. In his time on the field, Fulsom completed 3-of-10 passes for 25 yards.
He also had a touchdown and an interception. Tech's leading ball-carrier returns in Bryan Allen. Last year he carried it 183 times for 977 yards and 10 scores. The leading receiver returner is Terez Hampton. He caught 12 passes for 222 yards and two scores.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively, the Wonder Boys allowed 20.8 points per game and held their opponents to 368.1 yards of total offense per game. Their points allowed per game allowed ranked second in the GAC while their total offense allowed was fourth.
As a defense, the Wonder Boys racked up 67 tackles for lost yardage with 24 being sacks. Additionally, the Wonder Boys forced 26 turnovers with 13 being fumble recoveries and 13 coming as interceptions.
The top two tacklers for the Wonder Boys from a year ago are back in KJ Reed and Cua' Rose.
Last year, the duo combined for 194 tackles.
THE SERIES
This will be the 82nd meeting all time between the Muleriders and Wonder Boys and will be the 47th meeting since 1970. In the all time series, Tech leads SAU 46-31-4. In games played in Magnolia since 1970, SAU leads 17-7. Since the year before Bill Keopple took over at SAU (2008), the home team has won each meeting in the series. The last road win for either came in 2007 when SAU beat Tech 56-49.