By: Jacob Pumphrey
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#19/18 SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
MULERIDERS
4-0 (4-0 GAC) |
OKLAHOMA BAPTIST
BISON
2-2 (2-2 GAC) |
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GAME NOTES | SAU (PDF) | OBU | GAC Weekly FB Notebook
#19/18 Southern Arkansas heads back to the Sooner State for a Saturday afternoon Great American Conference kickoff in Shawnee, Oklahoma, against Oklahoma Baptist (2-2, 2-2 GAC). The Muleriders carry a 4-0 record across state lines and are looking to become the first team in tenth-year head coach
Bill Keopple's tenure to start a season 5-0 and can do so in what will be Keopple's 100th game as head coach of the Muleriders. SAU averages 34.0 points per game and owns the league's top scoring defense allowing just 11.7 points per contest. Additionally, the Muleriders are one of two teams in the conference allowing less than 300 yards of offense per game and are averaging over 415.0 total yards of offense entering the Week 5 matchup.
ABOUT OKLAHOMA BAPTIST
SCHEDULE
The Oklahoma Baptist Bison football team enters play this weekend 2-2 overall and 2-2 in Great American Conference play. The Bison will be playing in their third home game of the season after earning a win over Southeastern Oklahoma before suffering a 31-7 loss to Arkansas Tech.
THE COACH
The Bison are coached by Chris Jensen, who is in his sixth season at Oklahoma Baptist after being charged with re-booting the football program in 2012. Jensen's first year on the sidelines for the Bison came in 2013. That year, Jensen guided the team to a 4-7 record. The following year, in 2014, Jensen led the Bison to an 8-3 record and a No. 26 ranking in NAIA. Those eight wins for Jensen's Bison in 2014 tied a school record. Since 2015, the Bison have went 2-9 each season and are 8-29 entering Saturday's game. Overall, Jensen has a 18-37 record as the head Bison.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Bison are averaging 8.8 points per game and 348.2 yards of Total Offense per game as well. 247.2 of those yards per game is coming through the air while the remaining 101.0 yards are being gained on the ground. Preston Haire is 110-175-8 this season and has passed for seven touchdowns. On the ground, the Bison are led by Tyler Stuever as he has gained 247 yards on 4 carries and has found the endzone twice. The leading pass-catcher in terms of number of receptions is Cagney Robinson with 27 catches for 296 yards on the year. Jacques Henderson leads the team in receiving touchdowns with 3.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively, the Bison are allowing 28.3 Points per Game and 377.0 yards of Total Offense per game with 162.7 of those yards coming through the air and 222.7 yards on the ground. Among the GAC rankings, the Bison rank 5th in Pass Defense, 10th in Rushing Defense and 6th in Total Defense, while also ranking 6th in Scoring Defense. On the year, the Bison have forced three fumbles this season, but do not have an interception. Felipe Alvear leads the team in tackles with 38 and Josh Arnold follows with 35, while eight other players have registered double-digit tackles on the season.
THE SERIES
This will be the fourth meeting all-time between the Muleriders and Bison as Oklahoma Baptist became a provisional member of the Great American Conference and NCAA prior to the 2015 season. In the first meeting, SAU beat the Bison 38-20 in Magnolia. In 2016, the series saw its first action in Shawnee and SAU came away with a resounding 52-7 win, before the Muleriders picked up a 56-27 win in Magnolia in 2017.
