The biggest Saturday in GAC football is coming up with key games being played in the southern portion of the state.
Defending NCAA Division II champion Harding, ranked No. 1 and unbeaten, will travel to Arkadelphia to battle unbeaten and No. 9 Ouachita Baptist at Cliff Harris Stadium, beginning at 7 p.m. The Bisons and Tigers are tied for first place in the league standings.
Earlier at 2 p.m., No. 24 Southern Arkansas will put its new ranking on the line in a key matchup against Henderson State at the annual Murphy USA Classic in El Dorado. Kickoff at Memorial Stadium is set for 2 p.m. The Muleriders and Reddies are deadlocked for second place in the standings with one loss each.
Tickets for Saturday’s battle between the Muleriders and Reddies are available at Murphy USA Stations in El Dorado and Magnolia for $5. Game day tickets will be $7.
Southern Arkansas made its way into the NCAA Division II top 25 rankings for the first time this season on the heels of quarterback Judd Barton, who was named the GAC’s Offensive Player of the Week.
During that game, Barton passed for 286 on 19 completions for two touchdowns. The junior also rushed 11 times for 75 yards and three TDs on the ground after playing only three quarters. He is the second Mulerider quarterback in back-to-back seasons to earn the honor.
It has been just over half a decade since SAU has been ranked inside the nation’s top-25. The 2018 season began with a 6-0 record that included a road victory at No. 7 Harding. The Muleriders finished with an 8-4 mark after falling in three of their last four contests.
No. 15 was the highest Southern Arkansas had climbed to as they were remained ranked for eight weeks during the 2018 season under head coach Bill Keopple, the Mulerider’s winningest coach in program history.
GAC standings
Harding 6-0
Ouachita 6-0
Henderson State 5-1
Southern Arkansas 5-1
Arkansas Tech 4-2
SE Oklahoma 3-3
UAM 2-4
SW Oklahoma 2-4
East Central 1-5
NW Oklahoma 1-5
Oklahoma Bap. 1-5
Southern Naz. 0-6
Saturday’s game
Southern Nazarene at SE Oklahoma, 2 p.m.; SAU vs. Henderson State (El Dorado), 2 p.m.; NW Oklahoma at East Central, 3 p.m.; Arkansas Tech at UAM, 4 p.m.; SW Oklahoma at Okla. Baptist, 6 p.m.; Harding at OBU, 7 p.m.
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