Southern Arkansas aiming to stay unbeaten
MAGNOLIA - Southern Arkansas (6-0, 6-0 GAC) enters Week 7 atop the league standings and is preparing for the season's final trip across state lines into Oklahoma where a highly-anticipated conference showdown with Southeastern Oklahoma State (4-2, 4-2 GAC) awaits today.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
It's homecoming weekend for the Savage Storm and it will also be SAU's first trip since 2015 when the Savage Storm defeated Southern Arkansas 35-13.
The Muleriders' last win in Durant came in 2012 (31-24).
Two of the Great American Conference's top two defenses square off as the both teams are allowing fewer than 18.5 points and less than 120 yards on the ground per game.
Southern Arkansas, ranked No. 14 in the D2football.com poll and No. 15 in the AFCA poll, owns the nation's third-most turnovers gained (17) and the team's turnover margin of 1.33 ranks seventh in Division II. Of the team's 54 total tackles for loss at nine per game, which ranks 14th in the country, senior Anthony Washington is averaging 2.1 tackles for loss per game; the sixth-highest per game clip in Division II.
Offensively, the Muleriders own the GAC's second-highest scoring offense at 34.2 points per
game and boast the league's top total offense averaging 434.7 yards per contest. This season, SAU is converting just under 53 percent of their third-down opportunities; the nation's fourth-highest success rate. Leading the offensive charge has been senior quarterback Barrett Renner, who is Division II's career active leader in total offense with 12,251 yards.
Renner is 2,104 yards away from becoming the state's all-time collegiate passing yards leader. As of late, senior Lorenzo Alexander has been the work horse on the ground for Southern Arkansas, as he has scored five total touchdowns in his last two games while his 77 rushing yards per game ranks fifth in the Great American Conference.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Savage Storm are averaging 27.4 points per game and 341.6 yards of total offense per game as well with 187.8 of the yards coming through the air and the remaining 153.8 yards being gained on the ground. Their points per game average ranks fourth in the GAC and their total offense is 10th.
The Savage Storm rushing attack ranks fifth and passing offense ranks seventh in the league.
The Savage Storm have relied on a pair of starting quarterbacks this fall in Rollin Kinsaul and Austin Skinner.
Kinsaul is the league's reigning Offensive Player of the Week and has passed for 617 yards and five touchdowns in five games, while Skinner has tossed for 654 yards and four scores.
The Savage Storm's leading pass catcher is Jaylen Sims with 38 receptions for 554 yards. Sims has also caught six touchdowns, which leads the league.
On the ground, the Savage Storm are led by Kenneth Burks.
Burks has carried the ball 127 times for 548 yards and nine touchdowns. His nine touchdowns are a league-best and his yardage total ranks second.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively, the Savage Storm are allowing 17 points per game and 244.7 yards of total offense per game.
Through the air Southeastern Oklahoma State is holding opponents to a league-low 126.3 yards passing per game, while their rushing defense ranks third in the league with 118.3 yards rushing per game.
On the year, the Savage Storm have forced 15 turnovers. Of those, eight are interceptions while the remaining seven are fumble recoveries. Three players have recorded 30 or more tackles led by Conner Swope's 57.
THE SERIES
This will be the 43rd meeting all time between the Muleriders and Savage Storm with SAU holding a 22-17-3 lead.