Bison Welcome Wonder Boys for Saturday Night Matchup

SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist (1-4, 1-4 GAC) returns home to Crain Family Stadium for a 6:00 p.m. matchup with the Wonder Boys of Arkansas Tech (2-3, 2-3 GAC) on Saturday night. 

This weekend's game against Tech presents a solid chance for the Bison to get their second win of the season during the team's first home game of October. ATU brings a 4-2 series advantage into the contest. This is the first game in Shawnee since the 2018 season.

Live video of the contest will be available on OBUBison.com and fans can listen to the broadcast on the Bison Radio Network with the trio of Todd Miller, Scott Wanish, and John Brooks. 

Game Notes

OPENING KICKOFF

• OBU gave top-ten ranked Harding a valiant effort until late in the third when the Bisons turned a 24-16 lead into a 38-16 advantage following a touchdown drive and interception return for a score. Of note, the OBU offense had their best showing ever against Harding's defense, registering 329 total yards. That bested the team's previous high of 282.

LAST TIME VS. ARKANSAS TECH

• A season ago, Arkansas Tech won a thriller over the Bison, 38-35. Early on, OBU got ahead 14-0 before pushing its lead to 21-10 six minutes into the second after Preston Haire found Julian Clarke for a score. Following that, though, the Bison's next five drives produced no points and allowed ATU to get in front 31-21. Then in the fourth, the Bison scored two touchdowns, the last of which came with about two minutes left. Unfortunately, that 35-31 lead would not hold as ATU went on a six-play, 59-yard drive capped off by a two-yard touchdown run from Jordan Edington for the final score.
   
• Haire threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns while Keilahn Harris and Josh Cornell each eclipsed 100 yards receiving. OBU's defense struggled in the game, allowing 469 yards to the Wonder Boys. Leading the Bison defense was Nick Boone who registered a game-high 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks. Additionally, Tyler King and Brandon Spencer each tallied a pass break-up.

MR. 2000

• Keilahn Harris had a standout game against a very good Harding secondary. He hauled in 10 catches for 134 yards and a score. With those marks, he became just the third receiver in program history to surpass 2,000 receiving yards, joining the company of Josh Cornell and Cagney Roberson. This year, Harris ranks third in the GAC in receiving yards (565) and average per game (113.0). Additionally, he's third in DII in all-purpose yards per game (201.0).

LICKING THEIR CHOPS

• Saturday's game against Arkansas Tech presents a great opportunity for the Bison offense. To date, the Wonder Boys' defense has struggled. Outside of giving up 13 points to East Central on Sept. 10, ATU has allowed at least 34 points to its other four opponents. Here's the breakdown: Arkansas-Monticello (35); Southern Nazarene (35); Southeastern (41) and Ouachita (63). Looking at this more in-depth, the Wonder Boys are allowing 258.2 rush yards per game and 472.4 total yards. Their rush defense total ranks 159th out of 163 NCAA Division II schools.

GIVE 'EM THE ROCK

• Through five games, newcomers EJ Moore and Buddy Bizzell have each gone over 266 yards rushing. This is the first time in the GAC era (2015-pres.) that two Bison freshmen have reached over 200 yards. The closest before this season was during the 2017 campaign when Darrian Moss and Preston Haire rushed for 195 and 178 yards, respectively.

FILLING IN

• Redshirt freshman quarterback Aidan Thompson got the nod, his first career start, against Harding last week after freshman Dayton Wolfe was sidelined with an injury. Thompson's performance: 21-of-38 for 197 yards passing and a touchdown. Plus, he attained 49 rushing yards and a score against the Bisons' defense. Both of those yardage totals were season-bests for the Abilene, Texas native.

LIMITED MISTAKES

• One of the continuing positive trends this season has been the Bison's ability to avoid penalties. Last week at Harding, the team committed just four, bringing their season total to 21. That's the fewest in the GAC and ranks tied for 12th in the country. OBU's average of 4.2 penalties per game also is slotted eighth in America as well.

THE ONLY ONE

• Sophomore Guillermo Garcia Rodriguez has made all five of his field-goal attempts this year. Those have ranged from 20 yards to 33, the latter of which came during the win at Northwestern Oklahoma State on Sept. 17. With a 5-for-5 performance so far, Garcia Rodriguez is the only GAC kicker to be perfect with at least five goals attempted.

BEHIND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE

• If one looks at OBU's defensive statistics for this season, they'll notice that defensive backs KJ Price Jr. and Chase Whitebear have each recorded at least 3.0 tackles-for-loss. This marks the fourth time since 2015 that a pair of defensive backs have notched at least 3.0 TFLs. Here are the other occurrences: Myles Russell and Felipe Alvear in 2019; Landon Rowlett and Alvear in 2018; Dante Foster and Myles Russell in 2017.

LEADING THE PACK

• Missouri Western transfer Kaleb Peters continues to lead the OBU defense in tackles. After registering seven a week ago at Harding, he pushed his total to 39. That ranks sixth in the GAC. Through five games this season, the Tulsa native is averaging 7.8 stops per game with a season-best total of 11 coming during the Sept. 24 home contest against Southwestern Oklahoma State.

TOMLIN'S RISE

• As a freshman in 2019, Elijah Tomlin played in 11 games. By the end of the year, he had contributed 22 solo tackles as well as 12 assisted for a total of 34. Fast forward to this season, and the Broken Arrow, Okla., native has reached a new career-best with six games to be played. After notching eight tackles at Harding, he ran his current total to 35.

SCOUTING THE WONDER BOYS

• Arkansas Tech's highest statistical ranking within the GAC is this: kickoff average. ATU is fourth in the league with a 40.7 mark. After that, the Wonder Boys are last (12th) in total offense (354.4 ypg), 10th in total defense (472.4)  and ninth in scoring defense (37.4 allowed to opponents).
   
• Senior running back Devontae Dean is ATU's top rusher with 397 yards and three touchdowns. He ranks eighth in the GAC with 77.6 yards per game and also has the ninth-best yards-per-carry average (6.8).
   
• Quarterbacking the Wonder Boys is Taye Gatewood. He's only completed 51.7 percent of his passes, though, with as many touchdowns (5) as interceptions. Gatewood's per-game passing average of 107.7 slots him tenth in the GAC as does his efficiency rating (110.9).
   
• On the receiving front, Joyrion Chase, who went for six catches and 101 yards last year vs. OBU, leads the group again. He has hauled in 20 passes for 265 yards and one TD.
   
• Headlining the Wonder Boys' defense is Tyrus Fort. He leads the GAC with 37 tackles, 25 of which are solo stops. Additionally, Jordan Furtch has snagged a pair of interceptions while Victor Hill has earned three quarterback sacks and three QB hurries. Hill ranks fourth in the GAC with his 3.0 sack total.