TEXARKANA, Ark. - Following the program's ninth season with nine or more victories and a tie for second place in the Great American Conference standings, the Southern Arkansas Mulerider Football team has earned a 12th game. The Muleriders have accepted an invitation to play in the Farmer's Bank & Trust Live United Bowl on Saturday, December 2 from Texarkana's Razorback Stadium. Kick-off in the tenth anniversary of the postseason contest is scheduled for noon as Southern Arkansas meets (RV) Missouri Western in a rematch of the 2018 game.
 
The match-up was made official during a press conference via ZOOM on Wednesday morning from inside the Arkansas Convention Center. Tickets for the game are $10 for general fan admission and $4 for students. Tickets can be purchased online here, at the gate on gameday, or at the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce, the United Way Office, Farmers Bank & Trust branches, the participating universities and at any MilWay Credit Union Branch. Gameday tailgating starts at 8 a.m., gates open at 10 a.m. and kickoff is scheduled for noon. For more information, visit online at www.liveunitedbowl.com.
 
The Farmer's Bank & Trust Live United Bowl is in its tenth year of action after its inaugural postseason appearance in 2013 and stands as the oldest of only four (Heritage Bowl, America's Crossroads Bowl, Florida Beach Bowl) NCAA Division II sanctioned bowl games. Profits from the game benefit the United Way of Texarkana.
 
The Muleriders (9-2, 9-2 GAC) matched its combined wins from 2021 and 2022 with an impressive regular season under second-year head coach Brad Smiley. Southern Arkansas earned its second-straight win over a ranked Henderson State squad as the Muleriders topped the #18 Reddies 35-34 on the latter's homecoming. SAU's lone defeats were to the region's top playoff seed in consensus top-five ranked Harding in El Dorado and on the road at top-25 Ouachita. The Muleriders claimed the Battle of the Timberlands trophy for the second-straight season with a dominant 60-17 outcome over arch rival Arkansas-Monticello in the regular season finale to record an unbeaten home slate for the fifth time as a GAC member and for the first time since 2017. SAU makes its third trip to the Live United Bowl, its first since 2018, and will be hunting its first postseason victory since winning the 1990 Aztec Bowl.
 
The Griffons (8-3, 7-3 MIAA) finished tied for third in the vaunted MIAA and boast a schedule that included top ten victories against #11/10 Emporia State and #2/3 Pittsburg State under first-year head coach Tyler Fenwick. MWSU's lone slip ups in conference included a one-possession home loss to eventual Central Region #4 Central Missouri in the season opener, a four-point road loss to perennial power Northwest Missouri and a 47-41 double overtime defeat to Missouri Southern in the season finale. The Griffons travel to Texarkana for their third appearance in the Live United Bowl. MWSU won its previous two matchups behind a combined 65 points to beat Southern Arkansas (2018) and Henderson State (2019).
 
Both teams are receiving votes in the latest AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll, with MWSU having spent time inside the poll's top 25 this season, and each appeared in the NCAA's Central Region top 10 entering the final week of the regular season.
 
The early December matchup will be the second between SAU and MWSU on the gridiron with the first coming in the bowl game in 2018. Game notes and additional statistical information on the matchup as well as live coverage links of the game will be made available in the coming days on www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
 
MULERIDER FOOTBALL POSTSEASON HISTORY
10th appearance all-time (7th as NCAA member) | 2-6-1
7th bowl game appearance | 2-4-1
 
2019 | Heritage Bowl vs. (RV) Eastern New Mexico | L, 13-20
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. #2 North Alabama | L, 24-48
1997 | NCAA DII Playoffs Round 1 vs. #5 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
 
LIVE UNITED BOWL HISTORY
 
2022 | Emporia State 48, Southeastern Oklahoma 27
2021 | Southeastern Oklahoma 37, Emporia State 34
2019 | Missouri Western 35, Henderson State 14
2018 | Missouri Western 30, Southern Arkansas 25
2017 | Pittsburg State 48, Arkansas Tech 31
2016 | Texas A&M-Kingsville 24, Southern Arkansas 17
2015 | Central Oklahoma 38, Southwestern Oklahoma 21
2014 | Central Missouri 48, Southeastern Oklahoma 21
2013 | Harding 44, Texas A&M-Commerce 3
 
LUB RECORD/APPEARANCES BY CONFERENCE
Including SAU/MWSU appearances in 2023 game
 
GAC | 2-7
Southeastern Oklahoma (3), Southern Arkansas (3), Arkansas Tech (1), Harding (1), Henderson State (1), Southwestern Oklahoma (1)
MIAA | 6-1
Missouri Western (3), Emporia State (2), Central Oklahoma (1), Central Missouri (1), Pittsburg State (1)
LSC | 1-1
Texas A&M-Commerce (1), Texas A&M-Kingsville (1)