SHAWNEE – The Oklahoma Baptist football team (1-1) returns home to face Southeastern Oklahoma State (0-2) for the Hometown Heroes Game, sponsored by Tinker Federal Credit Union (TFCU) on Saturday at 7 p.m. CT inside Crain Family Stadium at the Hurt Complex.
OBU holds an all-time 16-8-2 record against the Savage Storm. The programs first met in 1911, which resulted in a 6-6 tie.
Live video of Saturday'ss contest will be available on The Bison Sports Network with purchase and fans can listen to the broadcast on the Bison Radio Network with the trio of Todd Miller, John Brooks, and Scott Wanish. For more information regarding BSN purchasing options, click here.
Reserved tickets for the game will be sold online only, while general admission tickets are available on-site or online with credit-card transactions at the OBU box office. The box is office located at the Southeast corner of the stadium. There will no cash transactions. Additionally, fans are encouraged to visit the
Football Game Day information to view clear-bag policy and tailgating policies.
Game Notes
HISTORY AGAINST THE SAVAGE STORM
- If Saturday's game produces at least half the entertainment the these two ball clubs put on film two seasons ago, fans are in for a treat.That day saw Oklahoma Baptist squeeze out a 43-37 overtime victory over Southeastern at Crain Family Stadium. The homecoming thriller in front of 3,200-plus marked the third consecutive victory versus SE and the 15th straight win over an in-state opponent for the Bison. The OBU offense racked up 378 total yards, including 237 yards and four touchdowns through the air, with 141 yards on the ground. Tyler Stuever rushed for 89 yards on 19 carries as his two scores were highlighted by the game-winning scamper in overtime. Wideout Keilahn Harris hauled in three touchdowns and 10 receptions, while linebacker Josh Arnold led the defense with nine tackles.
- However, the Savage Storm quickly erased the memory with a 62-14 triumph over the green and gold last season. On that October day, SE compiled nearly 600 yards of offense while holding OBU to 322 total yards.
THE KICKING GAME
- Freshman kicker Luke Watkins has answered the bell each time his number has been called this season. Last week against Harding, Watkins' 20-yard field goal gave OBU its first points of the contest and a much-needed confidence boost. He is now 4-4 in field goal attempts this season, a figure that leads the Great American Conference and ranks second among freshmen in Division II. He is one of two freshmen on any level (FBS, FCS, DII, DIII) with four field goals and a perfect percentage.
- Watkins needs two more makes to eclipse Guillermo Garcia Rodriguez for the most field goals as a freshman in program history. Garcia Rodriguez, a member of the Bison for two seasons, split the uprights five times in 2021. Watkins is on track to surpass Garcia Rodriguez without a miss, a feat no other first-year player in program history has achieved. Garcia Rodriguez went 5-6 in the field goal attempts in 2021.
CLEANING UP THE MISCUES
- Oklahoma Baptist must regain its attention to detail against the least penalized team in the GAC, the Savage Storm. Southeastern has six penalties through the season's first two weeks, while OBU trails with the third-least amongst the league with nine. After committing three penalties in the 2023 opener versus Arkansas Tech, OBU was assessed six last week. Those miscues accounted for 55 yards lost and resulted in a touchdown being called back. In fact, the Bison have had a touchdown called back due to penalties in back-to-back weeks.
- OBU also fell victim to the turnover monster in week two. After posting a clean slate versus Arkansas Tech, the Bison gave the ball up three times against Harding via a couple of fumbles and an interception. Despite last week's misfortune, Oklahoma Baptist has forced a turnover in both contests this year. Each of those has yielded points in return, beginning with a Brandon Spencer interception in week one that prompted a 23-yard field goal to put OBU up by two scores. Against HU, a Thomas Meadough fumble recovery on Harding's 25-yard line sparked a Bison touchdown drive. Thompson found Nick Harris over the middle for a 29-yard reception to put Oklahoma Baptist on the board.
AIDAN'S RISE
- Stats from Aidan Thompson's first two starts in 2022 compared to this season have seen much improvement. He has surpassed last year's numbers, compiling 428 passing yards (214.0 yds/gm) with two touchdowns and one interception through the air. Thompson has completed 43 passes, 11 more than last season (32), at a 62.32 percent completion rate with a season-long strike of 30 yards.
- Thompson's number of completions rank 20th in Division II and second in the conference, while his total amount of passing yards is sixth in the GAC. His 43 completions are the most by a Bison signal caller through the season's first two games since two-time GAC Offensive Player of the Year Preston Haire (2017-21) completed 73 passes to start the 2021 campaign.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT
- Junior safety KJ Price Jr. turned in one of his best career performances last week at Harding. The McKinney, Texas native racked up 10 tackles, marking the third time in his career that he reached that total. Versus Harding, his nine solo stops led the team and were a personal-best. A season ago, he reached 10-plus tackles in two games: against Southwestern Oklahoma State (11) and versus East Central (13)
CAN'T CONTAIN KARHU
- Through two games, sophomore Brett Karhu has solidified himself as one of the best interior defenders in the Great American Conference. Heading into week three, he is the only player in the league to rank tied for first in both tackles-for-loss and sacks. Those totals are 4.0 TFLS and 3.0 sacks. Nationally, Karhu ranks sixth for total sacks.
CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF
- Coming into Saturday, Southeastern has allowed the most sacks in the Great American Conference (10). Their opponents to start the season, Southern Arkansas and Henderson State, charted 5.0 sacks each en route to victory margins of 10 points or more. Oklahoma Baptist totals four sacks on the year, and are due for another breakout game after recording the amount in the home opener against Arkansas Tech. SE also has the worst rushing offense in the league, averaging a mere 68.5 yards per game with one touchdown, another indicator of a struggling offensive line. Furthermore, Southeastern has allowed 15.0 tackles for loss, a tie for the third-most in the GAC.
SCOUTING THE SAVAGE STORM
- Southeastern Oklahoma State makes the short drive to Shawnee with a 0-2 record, drawing losses to Southern Arkansas (34-19) and Henderson State (38-28) to start the year. It is the first time the Savage Storm are winless after two weeks of play since 2015, a season they finished 6-5.
- Their most recent loss against the Reddies came in dramatic fashion. Up 28-17 going into the fourth quarter, the Savage Storm saw Henderson State score 21 unanswered points in the final stanza to pull off a thriller on their home turf. SE produced season highs in rushing (89) and passing (292) yards, but it was to no avail as HSU's momentum couldn't be tamed. Furthermore, the Savage Storm turned the ball over three times, a figure they matched in the 2023 opener.
- SE is one of five teams without a win in the GAC, joining the likes of Northwestern Oklahoma State, Southwestern Oklahoma State, and East Central. Scoring 23.5 points per game, the Savage Storm rank eighth in scoring in the league and allow the ninth-most points per contest (36.0).
- Quarterback Bryce Fields leads the offense with 503 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. Fields is also a proven run threat, adding a team-best 70 yards on the ground. Tailback Nate Omayebu III is the workhouse in the backfield, trailing Fields with 65 rushing yards and one score. On the perimeter, three receivers have at least 121 yards or more, led by junior and former All-GAC honoree Kaleb Whitley. All-American and First Team All-GAC recipient Marquis Gray has 121 yards on four catches, while Hunter Hawthorne rounds out the trio with eight grabs and 124 yards.
- Defensively, senior linebacker Donoven McKnight's 15 tackles lead the team and rank sixth in the conference. Senior defensive lineman Kevin Simes has a team-best in sacks (3.0) and tackles-for-loss (3.0), while linebacker Braeden Winters trails with 2.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage.
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