No. 22 Southern Arkansas returns to Wilkins Stadium Saturday for the final time this season as the Muleriders host East Central in a homecoming matchup.
The Muleriders look to get back on track against the Tigers after suffering their first loss, a 21-0 shutout on at Southeastern Oklahoma. SAU carries a 15-game.
The Muleriders have won their last 10 homecoming games dating back to 2008.
The last nine of the Mulerider triumphs have come under current head coach Bill Keopple.
Southern Arkansas enters averaging 29.3 points per game (4th in GAC) and is holding opponents to 18.7 points per game (4th in GAC).
The Muleriders boast the league’s second-best total offense at 407.3 yards per game and own the fourth-best total defense in the league at 325.9 yards per game.
At halftime of Saturday’s clash, the 16th class of the SAU Sports Hall of Fame will be honored.
The East Central Tigers enter play with a 2-5 overall and GAC mark. Both of the Tigers’ wins have come at home, a 29-27 win over Arkansas-Monticello and an 18-11 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State.
Additionally, ECU suffered a 27-26 overtime loss to Oklahoma Baptist at home in the season opener.
Offensively, the Tigers are averaging 15.7 points per game and 229.7 yards of total offense per game as well with 120.9 of the yards coming through the air and the remaining 108.9 yards being gained on the ground. Their points per game average ranks 10th and the team’s total offense ranks eleventh in the GAC while their passing offense is ninth and their rushing offense eleventh in the league.
David Cornwell and RayJohn Austin-Ramsey have both been employed by the Tigers at the quarterback position this fall with Cornwell having played in all seven games and Austin-Ramsey seeing action in five games.
To this point, Austin Ramsey has completed 30-of-56 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns and ranks tenth in the GAC in passing efficiency (104.6), while Cornwell has passed for 537 yards and five touchdowns on 60-of-126 passing and ranks tenth in the league in passing.
Neither signal caller is much of a threat to run, but the Tigers have five running backs that have netted over 100 yards this season.
The Tigers’ leading rusher is Reuben Armstrong with 221 yards on 61 carries. Trinity Benson has rushed 32 times this season for 203 yards and a team-leading three scores on the ground. Benson and Armstrong are also the top targets through the air with Benson leading the team in receptions (32), yards (321), and touchdowns (4), while averaging 45.8 yards receiving per game.
Benson’s 4.6 catches per game is tied for the seventh-most in the GAC, while his 6.0 points per game average ranks tied for sixth and his 85.3 all-purpose yards per game places him eighth. Armstrong has caught a dozen passes for 147 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, the Tigers are allowing 28.6 points per game and 378.0 yards of total offense per game with 179.9 of the yards coming through the air and the remaining 198.1 being gained on the ground.
Their scoring defense ranks eighth and total defense ranks tenth in the GAC while their rushing defense is tenth and their passing defense seventh in the league.
On the year, the Tigers have forced 13 turnovers with seven being fumble recoveries and six coming as interceptions. The Tigers boast a pair of defenders with 55 or more stops this season.
RJ Williams’ 58 tackles leads the team, while his 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks both rank second on the unit behind Corey Williams’ 9.0 TFL and Andre Shelton’s 3.5 sacks, respectively.
Justin Hayden follows Williams’ tackle total with 57 and he has also added a team-leading three interceptions and four pass breakups.
This will be the 20th meeting all-time between the Muleriders and Tigers with SAU holding an 12-7 lead in the series.