Bison Host Muleriders Saturday

Southern Arkansas (4-1) at Oklahoma Baptist (2-3) 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 8 Crain Family Stadium at the Hurt Memorial Athletics Complex Tickets | Fan Information | Bison Radio Network | Live Video | Live Stats | Game Notes

SHAWNEE – Southern Arkansas heads to Oklahoma Baptist for its first football game on Bison Hill Saturday at 2 p.m. in Crain Family Stadium at the Hurt Memorial Athletic Complex.
 
Since restarting the program in 2013, the Bison are 8-10 at home. OBU is 1-1 at home this season and looking to improve on last season's 1-4 home record.
 
After dropping a winnable game last week, the Bison need a win Saturday to get to .500. One game back of two teams in the GAC standings, Southern Arkansas would be a game back of just one team with a win at OBU as Harding and Henderson State, both 4-0, meet Saturday in Arkadelphia.
 
The Muleriders, who received votes in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25, are a seven-point favorite, according to Massey Ratings.
 
The Bison remain the No. 1 team in the NCCAA through five weeks. Only one NCCAA team, Northwestern Minnesota, is unbeaten this season.
 
Isaiah Mallory's run at a record three consecutive 100-yard rushing games came up six yards short Saturday against Arkansas-Monticello. Mallory still leads the Great American Conference with 645 yards on the season. With six games left, he needs to average 64 yards per game to break the OBU school record.
 
The Bison have touchdown receptions from five different receivers this season, including three from Josh Pettijohn. His scoring plays have been on receptions of 38, 26 and 73 yards. Pettijohn continues to pile up the receptions. He added four catches and 114 yards Saturday, including a 73-yard scoring play.  He leads the Bison with 68.4 yards per game and is in the GAC top 10 with 23 catches and 342 yards.
 
 
Bison QB Dez Stegall threw touchdown passes to three different receivers (Pettijohn, Jake McGuire and Cagney Roberson) Saturday in Monticello. It was the first time three OBU receivers scored since 2014 against Southwestern (Texas). Alex Lewis, Stephan Turner and Derek Serowski were the receivers in that game.
 
OBU defensive lineman Dennis Nguyen leads the Great American Conference with seven tackles for loss this season through five games. This game will include the runner-up in that category as well as Corey Jenkins has 6.5 tackles for loss thus far for the Muleriders.
 
Patrick Boxie returns at cornerback this week with true freshman Ke'Landus Culton as his backup. Last week, OBU started two true freshmen at corner.
 
With linebackers Levi Jennings and Brynden Pitzer averaging 10.6 and 8.8 tackles per game, respectively, the Bison have two of the top seven tacklers in the Great American Conference. Jennings is second and Pitzer is seventh.
 
Leading the Muleriders this season are quarterback Barrett Renner with 264 yards passing per game, Michael Nunnery with 68.4 rushing yards per game, Jonathan Weisheit with 58.2 receiving yards per game and Elgin Moore with 8.8 tackles per game.
 
The game atmosphere will be decidedly younger Saturday as OBU  celebrates its "Take a Kid to the Game" promotion in which kids 12 and under get in free with a paying accompanying adult. OBU Spirit is also hosting a cheer clinic in the Noble Complex with the participants being on the field for a pre-game routine.
 
Additionally, the Tishomingo High School band will join forces with OBU's Bison Brigade for a halftime performance.