Reddies in picture until end

Lindenwood University’s football players were fidgeting, many of them rubbing their hands together and stretching their arms over their heads in anticipation.

The 28-team NCAA Division II playoff bracket was being unveiled Sunday afternoon on NCAA.com, and they were watching the internet stream of the show from a meeting room on their suburban St. Louis campus.

When Lindenwood was announced, many of its players leaped out of their chairs and hugged after hearing they would be the opponent for No. 2 seed Ouachita Baptist.

Pure joy in St. Charles, Mo.

The scene in Arkadelphia was not as cheery.

Henderson State players did not gather to watch the show, but later received an invitation to one of the four postseason Division II bowls — the Agent Barry Live United Bowl in Texarkana — with a chance to finish with a 10-victory season if they can beat Missouri Western (8-3) on Dec. 7.

The Reddies, already stinging from a 24-21 last-minute loss to OBU the previous day, were not totally surprised by their omission. What made it hurt, though, was Henderson State, holding on to the last playoff spot in the Region 3, got a break on Saturday when the team behind it in the rankings, Grand Valley State, lost to Wright State. That gave them hope. Yes, Lindenwood (8-3, 7-0 Great Lakes Valley Conference) loomed at No. 9.

But the Lions were 8-2 against Division II opponents.

Henderson State’s resume included a 9-2 record, an average victory margin of 14.9 points per game, with the two losses coming by a total of 4 points to 2 teams ranked in the top 12 of the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll.

It was a difficult choice for the eight-man committee charged with selecting the seven Region 3 representatives.

Lindenwood, which was on a seven-game winning streak after a 1-3 start, was undefeated in its first season as a member of the eightteam GLVC.

The Lions had victories over nationally ranked Indianapolis (10-1) and two other teams with winning records — Truman State (9-2 overall, 7-2 vs. DII teams) and Missouri S&T (7-4 overall, 6-4 vs. DII teams) over a span of four weeks.

The Reddies’ strongest argument, in the eyes of the committee, was its 14-13 loss to Harding and a three-point defeat to OBU.

Donnie Wagner, the NCAA Division II’s associate director of championships, said it came down to this:

“The committee valued the wins over the close losses,” he said.

Wagner said it was not an easy decision, and it’s especially difficult to evaluate teams when they have no common opponents and when one team plays 11 conference games like Henderson, while Lindenwood had four nonconference games on the schedule.

The committee has a list of basic criteria, such as comparing Division II records, how they fared against teams with winning records, Division II road records, as well as utilizing a strength of schedule computation.

Wagner said the committee has the ability to be “subjective” within the criteria when the teams are as close as Lindenwood and Henderson appeared to be..

That’s where Lindenwood’s victories over three teams with winning records eclipsed Henderson’s 2-2 mark against winning teams, a record that was 3-1 heading into last Saturday’s game.

Henderson lost a victory over a .500 team when Arkansas-Monticello fell to 5-6 with its loss to Southern Arkansas, even though UAM was 5-3 when the Reddies played it in Week 9.

Wagner said Lindenwood’s victory over Indianapolis in Week 9 was vital, with Indianapolis ranked in the top 10 nationally at the time.

“It was close,” Wagner said. “Very close.”

Henderson State Athletic Director Shawn Jones, who completed a four-year term as chairman of the Division II football selection committee several years ago, said he did not agree with the committee’s interpretation of the Reddies’ 9-2 record vs. Division II opponents compared to Lindenwood’s 8-2 mark.

Lindenwood opened the season with a loss against Football Championship Subdivision foe Eastern Washington, which doesn’t figure into the equation.

Jones made the argument that you can compare losses as well as wins.

Lindenwood’s two losses came to teams with a combined record of 10-11, Henderson lost to two teams that are 21-1.

“I’m afraid subjectivity played into it,” he said, referencing the committee’s decision to value wins over losses.

Jones said he’s willing to wait until Saturday before rendering a final verdict.

If Lindenwood comes to Arkadelphia and beats Ouachita, Jones said, then maybe the committee got it right.

“If they get boatraced,” Jones said. “They made a mistake.”

Going bowling

Southern Arkansas (8-3) accepted an invitation to the Heritage Bowl on Tuesday, and will face Eastern New Mexico (7-4) of the Lone Star Conference at noon Dec. 7 in Corsicana, Texas.

SAU, the fourth-place finisher in the GAC, is one of two conference teams scheduled to play in Division II bowl games, with Henderson State (9-2) accepting a bid to the Agent Barry United Live Bowl in Texarkana on Dec. 7.

The Heritage Bowl, formerly known as the Corsicana Bowl, is in its third year and is one of three NCAA Division II sanctioned bowl games.

Honors club

Oklahoma Baptist quarterback Preston Haire (3,041 passing, 26 TDs; 542 rushing, 7 TDs) was named the GAC’s Offensive Player of the Year and Northwestern Oklahoma State linebacker Maurice Wright, Jr. (130 tackles, 8.5 for loss, 3 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, was the Defensive Player of the Year, but players from Arkansas otherwise dominated first-team All-GAC selections.

Arkansas-Monticello quarterback Demilon Brown (1,057 passing, 9 TDs; 803 rushing, 5 TDs) was named Freshman of the Year.

Ouachita Baptist’s Todd Knight is Coach of the Year.

Knight, whose team has won 27 consecutive GAC games and three consecutive outright titles, was named as the top coach for the fifth time.

Seven OBU players made the first team, led by offensive linemen Cori Gooseberry, Anthony Chairez and Jacob Roberts.

Seniors Brockton Brown (943 rushing, 22 TDs) and Allie Freeman (86 catches) made the first team at running back and wide receiver. Freeman also made it first team as kick returner.

OBU defensive end Dameyun McDonald (8.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks) and cornerback Keandre Evans (17 passes defended) made it on defense.

Harding (10-1) landed fullback Cole Chancey (1,338 rushing) on offense, Jacory Nichols, Dylan Hendricks and Jordan Allison on defense. Cameron Scott, who leads the nation in net average (42.5), was named firstteam punter. Jon Cain filled the special-teamer role.

Southern Arkansas had three first-time defenders — tackle Antonio Washington (12.5 tackles for loss), linebacker Malik Preston (62 tackles, 2 forced fumbles) and safety Brock Floyd (61 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception return).

Austin Wilkerson (13-14 FGs) is the first-team kicker.

Henderson State’s L’liott Curry (80-,1,102, receiving, 13 TDs) joined Freeman as two of the league’s three first-team wide receivers. Curry was a unanimous selection.

Henderson State outside linebacker Mercardo Anderson, a three-time GAC Defensive Player of the week, was the Reddies’ other firstteam selection. Anderson ranked second in the GAC in both tackles for loss, 14.5, and interceptions, four.

Arkansas Tech defensive lineman Tre Chism (5.5 sacks) was the lone Wonder Boy on the first team.

OBU led the way with 18 All-GAC selections. Henderson State and SAU produced 12 All-GAC picks followed by 11 from Harding.