One thing’s for certain: The University of Arkansas at Monticello Boll Weevils will play their last home game of 2025 Saturday.
Whether it’s the last time Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium, in its present state, will host another game is to be determined. So don’t expect a farewell party just yet.
A new stadium is coming to UAM, Weevils Coach and Athletic Director Hud Jackson reassured Thursday, but it may not come as soon as hoped. The 90-year-old Cotton Boll — home to 11 conference championship teams — has shown its age, save for an updated scoreboard and bronze Weevil statue — and the university in 2023 announced a Legacy Campaign to upgrade its athletic venues to attract a more competitive pool of student-athletes.
Jackson had anticipated an upgraded home venue by 2026, but that date is no longer certain.
This past summer UAM had revealed a diagram of how Cotton Boll may be transformed in an open letter to potential donors to the campaign.
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“Too much uncertainty at this point in that regard,” Jackson said.
“That’s still a process that we’re going through right now. It’s a possibility they could start … but I just can’t be certain just yet. It’s definitely going to happen, but I’ve learned a lot about the red tape of building things and getting all of that figured out.”
While UAM has yet to announce a firm start date for renovations, Steelman Fieldhouse for basketball and volleyball is getting upgrades to its interior and façade.
The Legacy Campaign has allowed UAM to install new lights at its baseball and softball fields and establish a new locker room and lounge for the football team, with more upgrades to come.
More immediately, finishing out this year’s slate at Cotton Boll, where the Boll Weevils (2-6 overall and Great American) are 1-3, is their top priority.
They’re looking to beat Southwestern Oklahoma State (4-4) for the third year in a row, something neither team in the all-time series has done.
The Bulldogs have won their last two outings over in-state rivals Southern Nazarene and East Central. That streak would have been six had it not been for close calls against Henderson State and Southern Arkansas earlier this month.
Southwestern was winless two years ago and won three games last season in Andrew Rice’s first year at the helm.
“They’ve improved from Week 1 to where they’re at right now,” Jackson said. “They’re a team that plays really hard. They do some very unorthodox things on defense that are very concerning and give a lot of people problems, particularly up front. That’s been a concern for us as well.”
Senior M.J. Rivers has taken the majority of snaps for the Bulldogs and has 1,062 yards and 14 touchdowns on 94-of-149 passing with 3 interceptions.
Junior Baylor Nash caught 6 passes for 146 yards and 3 touchdowns, all from Rivers, against East Central. That tied Southwestern’s Division II-era record for touchdown receptions in a game and made Nash the first in the Great American to catch 3 touchdown passes in a game this year.
Despite those accomplishments, UAM has players who rank among the top 10 in passing and receiving. Junior Tavion Faulk is second in the conference in passing yards with 1,741, trailing Henderson State’s Andrew Edwards by 78 yards, with Rivers seventh. UAM’s Chasden Collins is sixth in receiving with 366 yards on 22 receptions, and Nash is ninth with 338 on 18.
The Weevils will have to display a sharp passing defense after giving up 590 rushing yards to Harding, which only completed 1 of 4 passes for 10 yards.
UAM junior linebacker Ghee Evans leads the Great American in tackles for losses this season with 10.
Southwestern’s defense held East Central to 64 rushing yards and 173 yards on 13-of-32 passing with an interception. Of the passing yards, 129 came on two long touchdown throws.
UAM owns a 7-6 all-time record against Southwestern, has won 4 of the last 5 against the Bulldogs, and has won 6 of 7 against them in Monticello. Southwestern has not won in Arkansas since 2018.
The Harding gauntlet is past the Weevils, who were shut out 55-0 last week in Searcy. Scoring against the Bulldogs is no small task, because Southwestern has not allowed more than 14 points in its last three games.
“Our guys are very aware that (Southwestern is) a good football team, much improved,” Jackson said. “They understand it’s going to be a battle.”
Great American Conference
Football standings
NOTE: Each game counts toward standings. Numbers in parentheses represent ranking in the American Football Coaches Association Division II poll.
Team;Record
Harding;8-0
Southern Arkansas;6-2
Arkansas Tech;5-3
East Central;5-3
Henderson State;5-3
Ouachita Baptist;5-3
Southeastern Okla. State;4-4
Southwestern Okla. State;4-4
UA-Monticello;2-6
Oklahoma Baptist;2-6
Northwestern Okla. State;1-7
Southern Nazarene;1-7
Oct. 25 scores
Ouachita Baptist 42, Southern Arkansas 17
Harding 55, UAM 0
Southwestern Okla. State 38, East Central 14
Northwestern Okla. State 33, Southern Nazarene 22
Arkansas Tech 17, Henderson State 6
Southeastern Okla. State 14, Oklahoma Baptist 10
Saturday’s games
Northwestern Okla. State at Ouachita Baptist, 1 p.m.
Southern Arkansas at East Central, 2 p.m.
Southwestern Okla. State at UAM, 2 p.m.
Henderson State at Southeastern Okla. State, 2 p.m.
Southern Nazarene at Arkansas Tech, 2 p.m.
Oklahoma Baptist at Harding, 3 p.m.