Saturday’s football game in Alva, Okla., has meaning.
The University of Arkansas at Monticello does not want to finish anywhere near the cellar of the Great American Conference. Northwestern Oklahoma State is trying to get out of the cellar. But both are at the bottom of the Great American Conference in scoring (UAM has a 14.3 per-game average, just ahead of Northwestern’s 12.4) and near the bottom in total offense (UAM has the edge, 316.2 to 254.4 in yards).
“We’re pretty similar in where we’re at right now,” UAM Coach Hud Jackson said. “They’re not a bad football team. They’ve played well at times, sort of like us. It’s a deal that we continue to work hard during the week and get ourselves ready. All of them are important, but this is one that we need bad.”
UAM (2-7 overall and Great American), which is riding a four-game slide, is also looking for any momentum going into next weekend’s 100th Battle of the Timberlands against a Southern Arkansas team that, at the moment, has lost two straight. Recent history with Northwestern is siding with the Boll Weevils, who have won two in a row over the Rangers and is 4-3 all-time in Alva. UAM also owns the all-time series advantage, 8-6, going back to the Weevils’ 1993 NAIA semifinal season.
Kickoff at Ranger Field is set for 2 p.m. The game can be heard on KHBM-FM 93.7 and streamed at fan.hudl.com/nwosu.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Northwestern (1-8), which won two weeks ago against fellow last-place team Southern Nazarene, is trying to shake off a 55-14 loss at Ouachita Baptist and find a momentum swing ahead of its finale next Saturday against a Southwestern Oklahoma State team that did UAM no favors, winning the Weevils’ home finale 49-7.
Turnovers have frustrated the Weevils all through the season. They’ve committed 23 giveaways — 14 interceptions — and taken away from opponents four times (1 interception, 3 fumbles).
“We’ve got to try to find a way to hold onto the ball and not put our defense in a bad situation,” Jackson said. “On the other hand, we need our defense to create some turnovers and create some breaks.”
Ball security has not been as problematic with the Rangers. They threw 10 interceptions and lost 4 fumbles this season, yet they still control the clock more than their opponents, averaging nearly 35 minutes per game on offense.
Neither UAM nor Northwestern has a dominant running back. Ezequiel Luna is the Rangers’ leading rusher, with 318 yards and 3 touchdowns on 102 carries. Only two other teammates — Caleb Deal (301) and Kaedric Cobbs (236), have run for triple-digit yardage this season.
Deal, with 870 yards and 3 touchdowns, is the Rangers’ leading passer.
UAM’s Tavion Faulk slipped to third among the Great American’s leading passers (1,866 yards and 10 touchdowns), but his 13 interceptions are the most among conference quarterbacks. Deal has only thrown two picks.
Four Weevils — Faulk (357), Jaylen Sulton (311), Isaiah Broadway (167) and wide receiver Chasden Collins (127) have rushed for 100 or more yards on the year.
“Look, it’s no more frustrating to anyone than me, because your expectations for the season are not where they are,” Jackson said, winding down his 15th year as the head coach. “We’re trying to just find a way to create an edge that gives us a chance to be competitive and win games, but we’ve got to start fast and stay consistent as a football team, but we haven’t done that other than in the two games we’ve won. That’s the frustrating part.”
Great American Conference
Football standings
NOTE: Each game counts toward conference standings. Numbers in parentheses indicate rankings in the American Football Coaches Association Division II poll.
Team; Record
(2) Harding;9-0
Arkansas Tech;6-3
East Central;6-3
Henderson State;6-3
Ouachita Baptist;6-3
Southern Arkansas;6-3
Southwestern Okla. State;5-4
Southeastern Okla. State;4-5
UA-Monticello;2-7
Oklahoma Baptist;2-7
Northwestern Okla. State;1-8
Southern Nazarene;1-8
Nov. 1 scores
Ouachita Baptist 55, Northwestern Okla. State 14
East Central 44, Southern Arkansas 22
Henderson State 21, Southeastern Okla. State 20
Arkansas Tech 42, Southern Nazarene 17
Southwestern Okla. State 49, UAM 7
Harding 69, Oklahoma Baptist 0
Saturday’s games
East Central at Henderson State, 1 p.m.
Southeastern Okla. State at Southern Arkansas, 2 p.m.
Harding at Southern Nazarene, 2 p.m.
Ouachita Baptist at Southwestern Okla. State, 2 p.m.
Arkansas Tech at Oklahoma Baptist, 2 p.m.
UAM at Northwestern Okla. State, 2 p.m.