The stage is the set for arguably the biggest game in program history as No. 20 Southern Arkansas (8-1, 8-1 GAC) makes the trip to Clark Country for a Top 20 meeting with No. 4 Ouachita (9-0, 9-0 GAC) in a Great American Conference clash chocked full of postseason implications.
The Muleriders and Tigers appeared in the top six of the initial Super Region 3 Rankings.
A Ouachita victory ensures a fourth GAC title in eight years for the Tigers.
A Mulerider victory sets them up to claim a share of their first conference championship as well as position the program to possibly make a return trip to the NCAA Division II Playoffs; the first playoff berth since 2003.
Saturday’s contest represents the 75th all-time meeting between the Tigers and Muleriders.
Ouachita holds a narrow 38-35-1 lead, 4-3 as members of the GAC, and 5-4 with 10tjh-year head coach Bill Keopple leading the SAU program.
The past three meeting have been decided by a total of 10 points.
The Tigers won 45-42 in the 2017 Murphy USA Classic in a game that featured nine lead changes, five in the fourth quarter alone. In the prior meeting in Arkadelphia, the Tigers scored a 40-37 win in four overtimes.
Kickoff from Cliff Harris Stadium is set for 1:05 p.m. and the NCAA Division II Football National Game of the Week can be seen on the Division II, GAC, Ouachita Baptist and Southern Arkansas Facebook pages and on the DII Twitter page at @NCAADII.
Top storylines
• Southern Arkansas enters averaging 31.9 points per game (3rd | GAC), while surrendering 17.1 points per game (4th | GAC).
• Ouachita enters averaging 34.3 points per game (2nd | GAC) and owns the nation’s top ranked scoring defense allowing just 9.6 points per game.
• Additionally, the Tigers own Division II’s second-best turnover margin at 1.67, while SAU ranks fourth nationally in turnovers gained (23).
• A Top 30 passing offense for the Muleriders which is part of an overall offense that averages 426.9 yards per game squares off against the Tigers’ Top 20 ranked secondary.
• The Muleriders have been the definition of efficient on third downs this season. SAU ranks third in Division II in conversion rate at 51.1%. Southern Arkansas has also managed to hold the football for an average of 33:39 per game: eighth-best TOP in the nation.
• Ouachita boasts the eighth-best rushing attack in the country averaging 282.4 yards per game behind Kris Oliver (83.3 ypg), Shun’Cee Thomas (64.3 ypg), and Brockton Brown’s (54.1) collective output.
• The Muleriders are surrendering just 107.7 yards per game on the ground this season; second-best allowance in the GAC.
• Southern Arkansas has kept four opponents under 100 yards rushing this season and four additional opponents have failed to eclipse the 140 rushing mark.
Record watch
RECORD WATCH
• -Redshirt senior wide receiver Karonce Higgins tied the career program record for receptions with six catches last Saturday and now has 179 for his career: tied for the most with Jonathan Weisheit (2014-17). He finished Saturday’s win over Henderson State with six receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Higgins is also 66 yards shy of tying Nik Lewis’ all-time program record for receiving yards with 2,852.
• Redshirt DaVondrick Lison collected two sacks in the win over HSU including a forced fumble and is now one sack away from tying David Sanders’ all-time program record of 25.0.
• Renner finished four yards shy of 300 passing, but became just the second quarterback in the collegiate history of the state of Arkansas to eclipse 12,000 yards passing in a career. He now has 12,215 career passing yards.
Terrific Tigers
Offensively, the Tigers are averaging 34.3 points per game and 398.4 yards of total offense per game as well. 282.4 of those yards per game is coming on the ground while the remaining 116 yards are being gained through the air. In the GAC, the Tigers rank fifth in Total Offense, second in Scoring Offense and in Rushing Offense, while ranking 10th in passing offense.
The signal-caller for the Tigers is Brayden Brazeal and the redshirt freshman has completed 76-of-121 passes for 884 yards and 4 TDs while throwing just 1 INT. Brazeal also has 445 yards on the ground and four touchdowns on 55 carries. Kris Oliver is the primary tailback and is leading the team with 761 yards and eight touchdowns on 122 rush attempts. Primary wide receiver Allie Freeman has 384 receiving yards on 37 receptions and two touchdowns.
Defensively, the Tigers are allowing 9.6 points per game and 299.5 yards of Total Offense per game with 163.7 of those yards coming through the air and 135.8 yards on the ground. Among the GAC rankings, the Tigers rank first in Scoring Defense, fifth in Rushing Defense while also ranking fourth in Total Defense and Passing Defense.
On the year, the Tigers have forced 21 turnovers with 16 being interceptions and five being fumble recoveries.