TODAY’S GAC GAMES

HARDING AT HENDERSON STATE

WHEN 7 p.m. WHERE Carpenter-Haygood Stadium, Arkadelphia

RADIO Henderson State Sports Network: 100.9-FM KDEL and 1240-AM KVRC in Arkadelphia, 99.7-FM KWPS in Hot Springs, 106.9-FM KYXK in Gurdon, 104.1-FM KZYP/1310-AM in Malvern, 99.3-FM KAFN/690-AM in Benton; Harding: 95.3-FM KVHU in Searcy INTERNET hsusports.com

2017 RECORDS Henderson State 6-5 overall and in Great American Conference; Harding 11-4 overall, 8-3 in GAC COACHES Scott Maxfield (94-48 in 14th season at Henderson State, 119-58 in 16 seasons overall); Paul Simmons (11-4 in second season at Harding

SERIES Henderson State leads 33-19-1 LAST MEETING Henderson State won 28-20 in 2017 in Searcy COMMENTS The teams have split their past 4 meetings, with each winning on the other’s home field. Henderson has won 5 of the past 7. … Harding is playing its sixth consecutive road game dating back to last season’s Division II playoffs and regular-season finale at Russellville. Harding won eight road games last season. … Both teams have new quarterbacks: Harding’s Preston Paden is a redshirt sophomore who started last season’s 31-17 NCAA Division II semifinal loss at Texas A&M Commerce. Henderson State has two junior-college transfers — Richard Stammetti (Mt. San Antonio (Calif.) College) and Kody Whittaker (Orange Coast (Calif.) College). Stammetti is listed as No. 1 on the depth chart, but both are expected to see action. … Harding returns five starters on offense, led by sophomore fullback Cole Chancey (1,347 yards, 15 touchdowns). … Henderson State’s top returning offensive weapon is wide receiver Ben Johnson (46-536, 6 TDs). Keep an eye on Henderson running back Logan Moragne, who started his career at Arkansas State before transferring and redshirting last season. … Harding is ranked No. 7 in the AFCA preseason Division-II coaches poll, its highest preseason ranking. The Bisons were No. 15 last season and No. 21 in 2015 . ... … Henderson has had plenty of time to prepare for Harding’s triple-option Flexbone offense. “When you’re playing a triple-option, it’s good to play them early in the season because they have some things to work on, too,” Henderson State senior defensive back Malik Brown said. “Playing them first is an advantage, but we still have to play them, and they are a playoff contending team.”

ARKANSAS TECH AT SOUTHERN ARKANSAS

WHEN 6 p.m.

WHERE Wilkins Stadium, Magnolia RADIO KVMZ-FM, 99.1/KVMA-AM, 630 in Magnolia

INTERNET livestream.com/muleriderathletics

2017 RECORDS SAU 7-4 overall and in the GAC; Arkansas Tech 8-4 overall, 8-3 in GAC

COACHES Bill Keopple (49-46 in 10th season at SAU; Raymond Monica (3126 in sixth season at Arkansas Tech, 76-60 in 12 seasons overall)

SERIES Arkansas Tech leads 46-31-4 LAST MEETING Arkansas Tech won 2821 in Russellville

COMMENTS SAU, last season’s pick of the coaches to win the GAC, lost two of its first four games — at Arkansas Tech and Northwestern Oklahoma State — and then dropped out of contention in Weeks 9 and 10, losing at Henderson State (36-30) and to Ouachita Baptist (45-42) in the Murphy Oil Classic in El Dorado. … The Muleriders are the third choice of GAC coaches this season, Arkansas Tech tied for fourth. … Arkansas Tech was in position to tie for the GAC title and earn an NCAA Division II playoff bid, but lost to Harding 24-17 in the regular-season finale and ended up playing in the Agent Barry Live United Bowl in Texarkana, ending the season with a 48-31 loss to longtime Division II power Pittsburg (Kan.) State. … All-GAC quarterback Barrett Renner (9,905 career passing yards, 95 touchdowns), returns for his fourth season as the Muleriders’ starter. Defensive lineman DaVondrick Lison is a preseason D2.com All-American and the reigning GAC Defensive Player of the Year. … Arkansas Tech turned the ball over 11 times in 12 games and led the GAC with a plus-15 turnover margin in 2017 . ... … Arkansas Tech will rely on its defense and running back Bryan Allen early on. Defensive back Cua Rose, a preseason first-team All-America selection by D2Football.com, had 85 tackles, 48 unassisted, along with 5 interceptions. … Linebacker KJ Reid, from Texarkana, averaged 9.1 tackles per game, second-best in the GAC. … Allen (489-2,711 rushing, 21 touchdowns) enters his senior season No. 5 on ATU’s all-time rushing list.

OUACHITA BAPTIST AT NW OKLAHOMA STATE

WHEN 6 p.m. Central

WHERE Ranger Field, Alva, Okla. RADIO Ouachita Football Network: 101.1-FM, KDXE in Little Rock (flagship), KUOA-AM, 1290 and KUOA-FM, 97.7 in Siloam Springs, KCXY-FM, 97.1, Camden, KZNG-FM, 105.5 and KZNG-AM, 1340, Hot Springs, KNASFM, 105.5, Nashville, KQOR-FM, 105.3, Mena

2017 RECORDS OBU 9-3 overall, 9-2 in GAC; NWOSU 5-6 overall and in the GAC

COACHES Todd Knight (100-94 at OBU in 20th season, 128-126-2 in 25 seasons overall); Matt Walter (13-20 in fourth season at NWOSU, overall) SERIES OBU leads 7-3

LAST MEETING OBU won 31-28 in Arkadelphia in 2017

COMMENTS OBU beat Northwestern Oklahoma State by an average margin of 37.3 points in their first 4 meetings, but the past 2 games have been decided by 11 points total. … OBU redshirt freshman quarterback Brayden Brazeal, from England, makes his college debut. He is surrounded by 10 returning starters, including all-purpose receiver Drew Harris (20 rushing TDs, 6 receiving TDs), leading pass-catcher Allie Freeman (63-879, 9 TDs) and leading rusher Kris Oliver (131-795, 4 TDs). … Senior quarterback Isaiah Weed (115446 rushing, 7 TDs; 1,538 passing, 15 TDs) is back to lead the Rangers offense, which averaged 28.6 points and 413 yards per game … NWOSU was picked to finish eighth by the coaches in the preseason poll, the second-highest of six Oklahoma teams. … OBU is ranked No. 24 in the preseason AFCA Division II coaches poll.

ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO AT SW OKLAHOMA STATE

WHEN 6 p.m. Central

WHERE ASAP Energy Field, Weatherford, Okla.

RADIO 93.7-FM KHBM in Monticello INTERNET KWEYAM.com

2017 RECORDS UAM 5-6 overall and in the GAC; SWOSU 3-8 overall and in the GAC)

COACHES Hud Jackson (23-53 in eighth season at UAM); Chet Pobolish (first season at SWOSU) SERIES SWOSU leads 4-3

LAST MEETING SWOSU won 20-19 in Monticello COMMENTS UAM was picked by the league coaches to finish seventh in the preseason poll. SWOSU was picked 10th. … Senior Imani Riley (123-650, 4 TDs) returns as the Boll Weevils’ leading rusher. Senior Cole Sears is one of the conference’s most accomplished returning quarterbacks after rushing for 404 yards and 7 touchdowns and passing for 2,668 yards and 29 TDs. UAM has big voids to fill at wide receiver after the departures of Jalen Tolliver and Trevon Smith, who combined for 96 catches, 1,619 yards, 23 touchdowns. … SWOSU has firepower returning on offense with WRs JR Omigie (32-503, 2 TDs) and Jared Rayburn (43-327, 3 TDs) and quarterback Casey Freeman (1,801 passing, 11 TDs). … Jackson is looking for his first winning season in Monticello. Three times the Boll Weevils have posted 5-6 records. … SWOSU blocked UAM’s last-second, 32-yard field-goal attempt to win last season after trailing 13-0 in the first half . ... UAM’s defense is anchored by All-Region lineman Hakim Gray, and All-GAC defensive back Christian Jefferson. … The Boll Weevils averaged 34.5 points per game on offense but the defense yielded 34.7 points per game. … Pobolish was a 17-year assistant in Division II and at the FSC level. He replaced Dan Cocannouer, who retired after going 37-61 in 9 seasons.