MAGNOLIA, Ark. – For the final time this decade, the Southern Arkansas Muleriders will take to the gridiron as SAU is set for its second-straight postseason appearance and third of the past four seasons. The Muleriders seek their ninth win of the 2019 campaign in central Texas on Saturday, December 7, as (RV) Eastern New Mexico awaits in the third-annual Heritage Bowl from Corsicana ISD's Tiger Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for noon and live coverage links, including TV viewing availability, is listed below.
 
Tickets for the game can be purchased online at www.HeritageBowl.org or at the gate on Saturday. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $5 for children 3-12 and children 2 and younger are admitted for free. Parking lots open at 9 a.m. and the gates open at 10 a.m. Attached above is a parking map for fans of Southern Arkansas who will be the visitor in the game.
 
TOP STORYLINES (SOUTHERN ARKANSAS)
* The Muleriders (8-3, 8-3 GAC) won seven of their first eight games in 2019 and capped off the regular season by reclaiming the Battle of the Timberlands Trophy; the eight wins marks the first time since a three-year period from 1997-1999 that the Muleriders have posted consecutive seasons with at least eight victories.
* SAU's win over Arkansas-Monticello in the Battle of the Timberlands was the 32^nd victory for the 2019 four-year senior class, which is tied for the most by any senior class in program history (32 wins – 1971-1974). Seventeen of those victories came inside the confines of Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field and the first 14 of those home wins were a part of Southern Arkansas' DII best active home winning streak entering the 2019 season which ran for a span of 17 games dating back to 2015.
* The victory in the regular season finale also notched a new program record for wins in a decade. The 62 wins from 2010-2019 topped the previous decade-best of 61 wins from 1970-1979.
* A win on Saturday would give SAU its ninth nine-win season in program history and first since the 2016 season.
* The 2019 Mulerider offense, one of the program's more balanced attacks in recent memory, is 63 yards shy of moving into tenth place on the all-time list for total yards in a single season. The unit could potentially become the first team in program history to rush for and pass for 2,150 yards in the same season.
* Individually, redshirt freshman Kor'Davion Washington, an All-GAC Second Team selection, leads the Muleriders with 859 yards rushing on 144 carries, nine of which have went for touchdowns. Washington is 12 yards shy of eclipsing 1,000 all-purpose yards this season, while fellow backfield mate and redshirt senior SirCharles Perkins is 16 yards away from reaching the same mark.
* Junior quarterback Hayden Mallory, in his first year as a starter, has posted one of the more efficient passing seasons in program history as his 155.1 rating currently ranks second all-time. His 65.1% completion rate is the tenth-best in the country and in a single season for Mulerider signal callers it ranks third all-time.
* Sophomore place kicker Austin Wilkerson, an All-GAC First Team selection, currently ranks second in Division II in field goal percentage (92.9% | 13-of-14). His 82 points this season are the most for a Mulerider since running back D.D. Holyfield's 96 points scored in 2005.
* Offensively, the Muleriders boast one of the most efficient redzone attacks in the country as they rank in the top three in Division II in success rate inside the 20. The team's third-down conversion percentage of 51.7% ranks sixth nationally, while the unit's average time of possession (32:50) ranks ninth.
* One of the less talked about reasons for SAU's success offensively this season has been the play up front. Led by a trio of all-league selections in senior Mason Grantz, redshirt junior Steven Taylor, and sophomore Austin Patricia, the group ranks third nationally in sacks allowed and ninth in tackles for loss allowed.
* Defensively, the Muleriders have been led by redshirt junior Antonio Washington, who most recently was named a second team All-America honoree by the American Football Coaches Association. Washington spent a majority of his third season for the Muleriders in the opponent's backfield as he totaled 12.5 tackles for loss; the third-most in the Great American Conference in 2019.
* Joining Washington on the league's first team were redshirt senior linebacker Malik Preston and sophomore safety Brock Floyd. Together the trio helped engineer a Mulerider defense that ranked third in the GAC in total defense and rushing defense, and fourth in the league in scoring defense.
* Forty-seven players on the Muleriders' numerical roster call Texas home, including 13 players listed atop their respective positions on the SAU depth chart.
* Southern Arkansas has lost their previous three games, all bowl matchups, in the state of Texas. All-time, the Muleriders own an 18-15-1 record when they crossing the Red River for a battle in the Lone Star State. The last win for SAU in the state of Texas came in the 2012 season opener: a 56-0 victory over Texas College in Tyler.
* SAU holds a 16-12-1 record against schools that are currently in the Lone Star Conference.
 
TOP STORYLINES (EASTERN NEW MEXICO)
* The Greyhounds (7-4, 4-4 LSC) enter the postseason having won seven games for the third time in the last four years courtesy of back-to-back wins over Angelo State and Western Oregon to close out the regular season. ENMU finished fifth in the highly-competitive LSC.
* Eastern New Mexico boasts the second-best rushing offense in the country churning out over 361 yards per game. By game's end, the Muleriders will have played the top two rushing teams in Division II in 2019 after having played league foe Harding in Week 3.
* Senior Paul Terry ranks second nationally in rushing yards after totaling 1,778 yards on the ground in 11 regular season games. His 161.6 rushing yards per game ranks 3^rd in Division II. He has scored 14 touchdowns this season.
* Additionally, the Greyhounds lead the nation in time of possession controlling the football for over 35:30 per game and the offense owns a 71% success rate on fourth down conversions; the eighth-best rate in the country.
* Defensively, the Greyhounds allow over 32.8 points per game and 367 yards of total offense.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
 
Live Stats: http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statmonitr.php?gid=enm
SAU Radio: https://bit.ly/2qslsoI
TV Broadcast: Altitude Sports (DirecTV Channel 681 | Dish Network 413); Eleven Sports (DirecTV Channel 623 | Dish Network Channel 600.05 | Suddenlink Channel 455) - SUBJECT TO REGIONAL AVAILABILITY
Streaming: fubo TV
 
 
2019 INDIVIDUAL PLAYER HONORS
 
AFCA DII Coaches Second Team All-America (1)
Antonio Washington (DT)
 
All-Great American Conference First Team (4)
Brock Floyd (SAF), Malik Preston (ILB), Antonio Washington (DT), Austin Wilkerson (K)
 
All-Great American Conference Second Team (5)
Mason Grantz (OL), Jared Lancaster (WR), Jaidon Parrish (FB/DS), Kor'Davion Washington (RB), Dalton Wright (TE)
 
All-Great American Conference Honorable Mention (3)
OB Jones (UTL), Austin Patricia (OL), Steven Taylor (OL)
 
Great American Conference Players of the Week (2)
Austin Wilkerson (Week 2) – 3/3 XPs, 3/3 FGs, 48-yard GW vs. Oklahoma Baptist as time expired
Hayden Mallory (Week 7) – 11-of-14, 311 yards, 4 TDs
 
CoSIDA Super Region 3 Academic All-District (1)
Stacy Lawrence (SAF)
 
Cliff Harris Award Nominee (1)
Antonio Washington (DT)
 
Gene Upshaw Award Super Region 3 Nominee (1)
Mason Grantz (OL)
 
 
MULERIDER FOOTBALL IN THE POSTSEASON
9^th Postseason Appearance All-Time
2-5-1 All-Time | 0-5-1 in Bowl Games | 0-2 NCAA DII Playoffs
 
Saturday's matchup will be the ninth postseason appearance all-time for Southern Arkansas. The Muleriders' previous three bowl appearances have all come this decade and all have been played in Texas. SAU looks for its first postseason victory since a 41-31 win over the Mexican All-Stars in the 1990 Aztec Bowl. In the five postseason appearances since that victory, four of SAU's losses have been one possession games.
 
The bowl selection marks just the second time in program history that the Muleriders have made consecutive postseason appearances after playing in bowl games in 1947 and 1948 as Magnolia A&M. Since 2012, the Muleriders have played in three of the four NCAA Division II sanctioned bowl games.
2018 | Agent Barry Live United Bowl vs. Missouri Western | L, 25-30
2016 | Agent Barry Live United Bowl vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville | L, 17-24
2012 | C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl vs. McMurry | L, 35-36
2003 | NCAA DII Playoffs Round 1 vs. North Alabama | L, 24-48
1997 | NCAA DII Playoffs Round 1 vs. Albany State | L, 6-10
1990 | Aztec Bowl vs. Mexican All-Stars | W, 41-31
1948 | Papoose Bowl vs. Eastern Oklahoma A&M | W, 41-12
1947 | Cajun Bowl vs. John McNeese (La.) Junior College | T, 0-0
 
ABOUT THE HERITAGE BOWL
 
The Heritage Bowl (formerly the Corsicana Bowl) is an annual Division II Post-Season Collegiate Football Game held in Corsicana ISD's Tiger Stadium in Corsicana, Texas. Established in 2017, the game is played each year the first Saturday in December. The two participating teams will consist of schools competing in the Lone Star Conference, Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association and/or the Great American Conference. The game is currently operated by its Board of Directors, under the umbrella of the Corsicana Area Chamber Foundation as a 501(c)3 organization, with plans to continue as a non-profit organization. Each year, the Bowl Committee will select a benefactor to share proceeds from the game. The 2019 benefactor will be the Boys and Girls Club of Navarro County. The Boys & Girls Club of Navarro County will have representatives on hand at the game.
 
HERITAGE BOWL HISTORY
 
2018 | Emporia State 30, Arkansas-Monticello 22
2017 | Central Oklahoma 38, Tarleton State 31
 
HERITAGE BOWL RECORD BOOK