ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - For the first time since the 2005 season, Southern Arkansas and Ouachita kicked off in primetime in Clark County and for the first quarter and a half, the longtime foes went blow-for-blow before the #5/9 Tigers carried a two-touchdown lead into the intermission and used a 17-point fourth quarter to move past the Muleriders on Saturday night inside a lively Cliff Harris Stadium. The loss is the first for SAU this season and the victory gives Ouachita its 15th consecutive Great American Conference triumph.
 
In the 83rd meeting between the programs, the earliest date the two had ever squared up on the gridiron, it was the Muleriders (2-1, 2-1 GAC) that engineered an 11-play, 75-yard drive that took just over four minutes before junior Jariq Scales hit paydirt for the game's first and his first touchdown.
 
Ouachita responded with consecutive scoring drives to take a 14-7 lead with 19 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. Southern Arkansas' final play of a ten-play march that covered 80 yards was an impressive one as senior OB Jones bounced out of the pocket on fourth down and rolled to his right before finding junior Matthew Whitten above traffic for a six-yard scoring toss to even the contest at 14-all following Hayden Nitz's second extra point of the evening.
 
Whitten led with six catches for 82 yards and his first scoring grab of the season. Whitten was one of 10 players to catch a pass from Jones who finished 26-of-38 for 268 yards, a touchdown and an interception that halted an early fourth quarter drive.
 
The Tigers' Riley Harms connected on long touchdown passes on OUA's next two possessions to stamp a pair of quick drives to build the host's lead to 28-14. Southern Arkansas' third 75+ scoring drive began following Harms' third touchdown pass and resulted in Kadyn Roach bullying inside from five-yards out to pull the Muleriders to within seven of the lead at 28-21.
 
The Mulerider defense forced three straight incompletions to stop a seven-play drive with around 1:38 to play before the half, but a muffed punt at the SAU12 set the Tigers up to build its advantage back to two scores entering the break. Ouachita did just that as Kendel Givens rushed from 12 yards out on 3rd and eight with less than 50 seconds remaining.
 
Ouachita would run 16 third-quarter plays across two and a half drives that resulted in a pair of punts and a field goal in the fourth quarter on a drive that crossed quarter breaks, but the Muleriders would manage only a 26-yard make from Nitz to draw within 11 entering the final 15 minutes.
 
Givens would find the endzone twice in the final eight minutes as the Tigers pulled away with scoring drives obtained by the aforementioned interception and a turnover on downs.
 
The Muleriders registered 30 first downs and totaled 424 yards of offense on 84 plays. Ouachita tallied 437 yards on 21 fewer snaps. All ten times the football entered the redzone on Saturday, it then found the end zone as Ouachita converted all six of its redzone trips with the Muleriders cashing in all on four of its drives that entered inside the twenty. Third down conversion rate nearly mirrored as both squads converted eight times on third down with the Muleriders having one more attempt than Ouachita's 14. SAU held the football for just 1:40 longer.
 
Jones led SAU with 67 rushing yards on a long carry of 13 yards. Scales and Roach each scored. Jakarion Lockett caught five passes for 39 yards and DJ Wagoner hauled in four for 40.
 
Gavin Roe led SAU defensively with seven tackles and a breakup. Melvin Smith Jr., Dawson Scott and Zaccheus Burnett followed with six stops. Five of Smith Jr.'s tackles were solo and he led with three pass breakups. Scott recorded a hurry and registered a sack of Harms as did Hunter Hewitt.
 
The Muleriders look forward to a Week 4 Family Day matchup against Arkansas Tech in Magnolia. The Wonder Boys (0-3, 0-3 GAC) pushed #23 Henderson State at home before falling late 27-24 in Week 3. It will be the 86th meeting all-time between the longtime Natural State foes. The Muleriders have won four straight over Tech and the Week 4 tilt will be the 43rd meeting in Magnolia. Kickoff from Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field is set for 6 p.m. Live coverage links will be available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.