MAGNOLIA, Ark. – What will you do when entering enemy territory? Scratch that, entering the national champions territory? The #22/25 Muleriders will be doing just that as they enter Searcy, Arkansas for their annual matchup with the #7/8 Harding Bisons who have not lost a game at home since October 15, 2022 when Henderson State escaped First Security Stadium with a 15-14 victory. The defending champs are coming off of their first loss in 25 games as the previous number one was upended on the road by in-state rival Ouachita Baptist 13-17. Kickoff for Southern Arkansas' second-consecutive top-25 contest is set for 3:00 PM.
 
WEEK 8 MATCHUP
>>> Potentially one of the largest contests in Mulerider Football's history as the now ranked 22nd/25th Muleriders travel to Searcy, Arkansas after handling the Reddies in El Dorado for the 14th Murphy USA Classic.
>>> This matchup, while has major implications on the Great American Conference title, is also being looked at almost as if it were a "play-in" game into the 2024 NCAA Division II Playoffs.
>>> The Muleriders and Bisons will meet for the 60th time all-time as the series has run tight for the last 59 meetings with Harding having the advantage at 31-27-1.
>>> The two groups meet as one of five ranked matchups (AFCA) in the nation, as well as one of three in Super Region 3.
>>> The last time Southern Arkansas had defeated Harding came on the road as underdogs in 2018, as the Muleriders defeated the #7 Bisons at First Security Stadium 28-23.
>>> Last season, the two met in the 13th Murphy USA Classic, in which Harding proved its might with a 54-20 victory against the Muleriders. Showing their dominance on their way to claiming the national title.
 
Last Week | W, 42-19 vs #25 HSU
>>> In last week's trip to El Dorado, Arkansas, the Muleriders started hot and never lost control of their outing against the nationally ranked Henderson State Reddies as the Blue and Gold handled HSU 42-19 with a dominant play from both offense and defense.
>>> Southern Arkansas proved to have the stronger offense of the two as the Muleriders scored on their first three drives, stalled for a couple, and the ran away with the game by scoring on three of their first drives in the second half.
>>> That elite Mulerider offense was led by General Judd Barton as the junior out of Louisiana completed 17 of 22 passing attempts for 163 yards, but really wore out the Reddie defense with 11 carries, 121 yards, a long rush of 59, and three house calls. The junior claimed his third GAC Offensive Player of the Week and second in a row after his performance in the Murphy USA Classic.
>>> The Mulerider defense stood strong against the highly-respected Reddie offense as the group held HSU to 325 yards of offense and just 50 yards of rushing.
 
Notables: Southern Arkansas
>>> The Muleriders are winners of four straight since falling to the lone undefeated team in the league, the #5/7 Ouachita Baptist Tigers. Prior to current win streak, Southern Arkansas scored 84 points to opponents' 76. Since then, the Blue and Gold have outscored its opposition 194-57.
>>> Southern Arkansas has seemingly gotten better offensively and defensively each week. The Mulerider offense have gone from averaging 340.3 offensive yards a game to 486.25 offensive yards a game.
>>> Defensively, SAU has gone from allowing 340 yards to opposing offenses to now allowing just 279.5 per outing while surrendering less than fifty yards rushing in the last two contests and under 100 in three of the last four games (43 rushes for 151 rushing yards vs SNU).
>>> The Muleriders in the last four games would rank fifth nationally for offensive yards per game and 25th in the country for offensive yards allowed per game.
>>> The major change for the defense has been the rushing defense as with the last four games, they would rank as the 14th-best rush defense in Division II (82.5).
 
Notables: Harding
>>> The reigning national champions caught much publicity this last weekend while in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, but mostly surrounding their first loss in 25 games.
>>> The Bisons have been looked as the best team in the nation by a vast margin as Harding continues to house the top defense in the country as well as a top-three offense.
>>> This season, the Bisons have outscored opponents 379-30 with the most points given up in a game being this last weekend against now #5/7 Ouachita Baptist (13-17).
>>> The Harding defense, allowing just 4.3 ppg and 125 yards ppg (both 1st nationally), makes it to where the only way you can have a chance at downing the defending champs is by getting in a low-scoring affair.
>>> HU has been known for its triple option offense, that while is made to chew clock, the group has been scoring 54.1 points per game (1st GAC | 2nd nationally) with the only blemish happening in Clark County.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
2,238 - days since the Muleriders have defeated a top-ten ranked team. The last time Southern Arkansas has pulled this feat off was back in 2018 when the Blue and Gold traveled to Searcy, Arkansas and shocked the #7 Harding Bisons 28-23 that led to the Muleriders being ranked in the top-25 the next weekend.
146 - the difference between the Mulerider's offensive production from games one through three to games four through seven. Southern Arkansas turnaround offensively and defensively have been more than impressive as they climb the statistical rankings week-by-week and seem to get better with the passing of each game.
60.5 - the difference between the Mulerider's defensive stand since that loss to Ouachita Baptist in late September. The Mulerider defense has tightened up more each week as the group has not allowed gaps or openings on the edge and allowing just an average of 82.5 rushing yards per game. That being with at least 30 carries a game from opposition.
0 – the number of times since both being a part of the NCAA that these two squads have met while both being nationally ranked inside a top-25 poll. This weekend will mark the first ranked matchup between Harding and Southern Arkansas since both became members of the NCAA.