MAGNOLIA, Ark. - The final fourth of the regular season commences on Saturday as (RV) Southern Arkansas and Southwestern Oklahoma State meet in Week 9 Great American Conference action from Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com. 

LAST WEEK
The 14th Murphy USA Classic did not go the way of the Muleriders. (RV) Southern Arkansas (6-2, 6-2 GAC) suffered its second loss of the season on Saturday as #6/7 Harding used its vaunted rushing attack to run past the Muleriders and remain unbeaten. The Bisons averaged nearly ten yards per play en route to a 54-20 win from inside El Dorado's Memorial Stadium. Harding utilized 40 first-half plays to churn out 321 yards and build a 17-point halftime lead behind 18:13 in time of possession. All three of the Bisons' touchdown scoring drives covered 75 or more yards including a 13-play, 99-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock. It was much of the same in the second half as HU totaled 310 yards on 30 plays behind 17:56 in time of possession. In all, the Bisons held the football for over 36 minutes and converted eight of their ten third down situations. SAU tallied 462 yards at 8.2 yards per play, its largest average this season. The Muleriders rushed 28 times for 264 yards at 9.4 yards per carry. Southern Arkansas held the football for just under 24 minutes and converted just five of its 11 third down situations. Jones completed 15 of 23 attempts for 169 yards and a touchdown, while adding 89 yards on the ground on a team-high 14 carries. Roach led with 94 yards on just four rushes with the aforementioned long touchdown run. Scales recorded 96 yards on 14 touches and a rushing score. Six Muleriders caught a pass led by Jakarion Lockett's four receptions for 65 yards and Scales' four catches. Whitten hauled in three for 47 and the lone score through the air. Hosea Singleton led with a dozen tackles, Jacob Berry followed with eight, while Melvin Smith Jr. and Damon LeGrande each added seven.

'RIDERS, DAWGS IN WEEK 9
>>> Southern Arkansas enters Week 9 with six wins for the first time since winning seven of its first eight in 2019. 
>>> Despite a tough defeat to Harding in the Murphy USA Classic, the Muleriders have an opportunity with three regular season games remaining to reach nine wins for the first time since 2016 which would be just the second season with nine or more victories in the program's GAC Era.
>>> SAU is 39-13 inside Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field since 2011. Against league opposition from the Sooner State, SAU is 26-5 at home against such foes in that same span. The Muleriders won 23 consecutive games against Oklahoma 
opponents from 2012 to 2021.
>>> SAU and SWOSU meet for 12th time on Saturday. The Muleriders lead the series 9-2 and are 6-0 all-time against the Bulldogs in Magnolia. SWOSU took down SAU last season in a Week 2 tilt in Weatherford. The 24-20 SWOSU win was its first over SAU since a 27-24 win in 2014.
>>> The Muleriders are averaging just under 41 ppg in their last three home games against the Bulldogs. 
>>> Under second-year head coach Brad Smiley, the Muleriders are 3-2 in the immediate week following a loss.
>>> SWOSU enters looking for its first win of the season. The Bulldogs are coming off of a 32-13 loss to Southeastern Oklahoma in Durant, but were defeated by an average of just 4.5 points in Weeks 6 and 7.

NOTABLES: (RV) SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
>>> Through eight weeks of action, the Muleriders are +6.6 in scoring behind the GAC's third-highest scoring offense at nearly 35 ppg which is top 30 in DII.
>>> At 465.5 yards per game, Southern Arkansas ranks tenth nationally in total offense which is the second-highest average in the league behind Harding. 
>>> The offensive output is highlighted by the nation's second-highest rushing attack which enters Week 9 churning out 279.5 yards per game on the ground. 
>>> Southern Arkansas leads the GAC and ranks eighth nationally in first downs with 191 as a result of a top 15 effort in DII with a 50% third down conversion %.
>>> Arguably the top rushing duo in the country, OB Jones and Jariq Scales have combined for 1,491 yards on 245 carries with 20 rushing touchdowns. 
>>> Jones has accounted for ten more touchdowns through the air as he has tossed for north of 1,300 yards.
>>> Cole Williams leads with 22 catches, Matthew Whitten leads with 289 yards receiving and three touchdowns and 15 players have caught a pass this fall.
>>> Three Muleriders, Jacob Berry (48.0), Gavin Roe (42.0) and Zay Woods (41.0), have crossed over the 40.0 tackle mark this season. 
>>> Rush ends Dawson Scott and Hunter Hewitt have been problematic for opposing offense as the pair has combined for 7.5 sacks and 16.0 tackles for loss.
>>> Melvin Smith Jr.'s 1.6 passes defended per game rates 10th nationally and second in the GAC. He has recorded a dozen PBUs and one interception.
>>> Andrew Schreiner is averaging 39 yards per punt with seven downed inside the twenty and four at 50+ yards this season.
>>> In his first season of action, Hayden Nitz has connected on 37-of-38 extra point attempts with four of six makes in field goal tries. 

SAU BY THE NUMBERS
1- The number of ten-win campaigns in the previous 104 seasons of Mulerider Football. Elmer Smith's 1952 Southern State College squad finished 10-1, and as champions of the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference. To get to the double-figure win threshold, the Muleriders would need to win their final three regular season games and earn a bowl berth where win No. 10 would be at stake in what would be the team's tenth postseason appearance all-time. Additionally, Mulerider teams have won nine games in a season eight times.
1- The number of yards needed by senior OB Jones to set a new single-season rushing yards record by a Mulerider quarterback. Jones' 809 yards are tied with Tim Barrington's output on 149 carries, 21 more than Jones needed to reach the same total, in 2000. Barrington also scored 13 times on the ground leaving Jones one rushing touchdown shy from matching that mark by a quarterback. Jones' current 6.30 yards per carry this season is currently the best such average by an SAU QB with at least ten attempts in a single season.
1- The number of NCAA Division II programs that currently have two players inside the nation's top 39 in total rushing yards. Southern Arkansas' two players, senior OB Jones and junior Jariq Scales, are both inside the top 29 nationally in total rushing yards. Jones has accounted for 807 yards, 14th most in the country, on 128 carries. Scales follows with 682 yards on 118 attempts which rates as the 29th most rushing yards. 

NOTABLES: SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
>>> The Bulldogs enter averaging 11.0 points per game, while allowing over 35 points per game. SWOSU has scored 13 or less points in each of its last six games, while opponents are averaging 31.6 ppg in that same span.
>>> Offensively, SWOSU averages 181.0 ypg highlighted by 111.1 passing yards. 
>>> Despite its struggles offensively, the Bulldogs are ninth nationally in redzone offense with a 90% success rate. 
>>> The Bulldogs are one of the most disciplined teams ranking inside DII's top 15 in fewest penalties per game (4.62), fewest penalty yards (324) and fewest penalty yards per game (40.5).
>>> Ethan Hyche is the leading rusher with 313 yards on 101 attempts. The next closest ball carrier has just 34 carries. He has four of the offense's seven rushing touchdowns. Dexter Brown follows with 156 yards and two scores on 29 carries. 
>>> Sean Shelby sits atop the QB depth chart for Week 9. In five games, he is 36-for-75 for 415 yards, five interceptions and one touchdown. 
>>> Taylor Tosches leads with 20 catches, 369 yards and two TDs.
>>> Logan Monroe ranks second in the GAC and 12th nationally in tackles per game at 9.5 as he has totaled 76.0 this fall. He averages 4.2 solo tackles per game. Monroe is one of six Bulldogs with an interception this season.
>>> RJ Powell leads with 11.0 TFL and 6.0 sacks. Richard Silva follows with 9.5 TFL and is second to Monroe in tackles with 61.0
>>> Diondre Scott paces the secondary with seven pass breakups.
>>>SWOSU has attempted three field goals with Brandon McCary connecting twice. 

MOST RECENT MATCHUP (9-10-22)
Southern Arkansas carried a 13-7 lead into the intermission after settling for a pair of Austin Wilkerson field goals (29, 25) and then used the second of two Jariq Scales rushing touchdowns to take a 20-14 lead into the fourth quarter in last fall's Week 2 meeting in Weatherford. However, that would not be enough as SWOSU scored ten points in the final 11 minutes to win 24-20; the first of four wins for the Bulldogs in 2022. SAU outgained SWOSU 402-368 behind a dozen more plays, while also holding the Bulldogs to just 87 yards rushing. The Muleriders did commit 11 penalties for 103 yards and managed to convert just five of its 17 third-down conversions. A Jaren Van Winkle punt of 79 yards pinned SAU at its own two yard line with 1:23 remaining for its final drive. The final play of the game came from the SAU28 and an OB Jones pass was picked off to end the comeback effort. Jones completed nine passes for 113 yards, threw two interceptions and was sacked twice. He added 94 yards on the ground. Scales carried 29 times for 125 yards, added one reception for eight yards and found the endzone twice. Jacob Berry led the SAU defense with nine tackles and the Muleriders combined for six tackles for loss. 

SERIES' MEMORABLE MOMENTS
RIDERS RALLY AGAIN The sixth meeting between the two teams was much like the first five. Close. Southern Arkansas overcame a plethora of early miscues that placed the visitors down 17-0 early in the second quarter and rallied with 21 unanswered points for a season-opening win RENNER'S LEGEND BEGINS In his first collegiate start, redshirt freshman quarterback Barrett Renner hooked up with sophomore wide out Jonathan Weisheit from 75 yards out for a go-ahead and eventual game-winning touchdown with 6:24 remaining in the fourth quarter as SAU again came-from-behind to beat visiting SWOSU 28-24 SECOND HALF RALLY SAU's defense forced four second half turnovers and junior quarterback Tyler Sykora matched his school record with five touchdown passes as the Muleriders rallied from a 14-0 deficit to knock off SWOSU 35-34 and improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2003 THE FIRST SIX VS. THE LAST FIVE In the first six meetings, the contests were all decided by nine points or less with a combined margin of victory at just 24 points. In the last five matchups, the closest contest was last season's four-point SWOSU victory, while SAU's closest win was 15 points in 2021.