SHAWNEE – Raving from its historic win a week ago, the Oklahoma Baptist football team (2-1) hits the road to Ada for a week four matchup with East Central (1-2) on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Koi Ishto Stadium on the campus of ECU. OBU holds an all-time 14-11 record against the Tigers. When the programs met for the first time in 1934, the Bison blanked East Central 34-0.
The game will be streamed live here and heard on the Bison Radio Network with play-by-play Todd Miller, Scott Wanish, and John Brooks on the call.
Game Notes
DEFENSIVE MASTERCLASS
Bison Defensive Coordinator Gabe Eliserio's unit put together one of the most dominant performances of the Division II era during the team's 36-3 beat down of Southeastern last Saturday. The three points allowed were the second-fewest by a Bison defense since Oct. 25, 2014 when the program shut out Texas College (NAIA) 62-0.
DEFENSIVE MASTERCLASS - PART II
SE's first and only scoring drive was 39 yards and ended with a field goal. After that, the green and gold absolutely stymied the Storm. The eleven drives that followed resulted in just 171 yards for the visitors. By game's end, the Bison had limited Southeastern to 210 yards. With archived stats dating back to 2015, that's the second fewest yards allowed by a Bison defense. During the Nov. 16, 2019 game at Southern Nazarene, OBU surrendered 209 yards in a 52-27 win.
DEFENSIVE MASTERCLASS - PART III
The biggest reason for SE's lack of yardage was due to the Bison's ability to take the ball away. There were five turnovers caused by OBU: interceptions by Tainique Taylor, Chase Whitebear and Brandon Spencer as well as fumble recoveries by Rian Fields and Whitebear. Those five turnovers attained are just the second instance a Bison defense had that many. The last time that happened was during an Oct. 17, 2015 game at Northwestern Oklahoma State, a 41-38 Bison victory. In that contest, OBU recorded five interception
WHITEBEAR MANIA
Chase Whitebear had one of his best games in a Bison uniform notching eight tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception. It's just the fourth time an OBU defender has tallied a fumble and interception in the same game. Previously, Myles Russell had those totals in a contest versus Southern Arkansas on Sept. 14, 2019. The sophomore added a tie of the team lead in tackles (8), including seven solo stops, and a pass breakup.
For that effort, Whitebear picked up his first career Great American Conference Defensive Player of the Week honor. The last Bison to earn the league's weekly recognition, offense or defense, was Robert Lolofie in 2021 when he racked up 3.0 sacks, a forced fumble, and five tackles in a 42-14 defeat over Southern Nazarene. In fact, Whitebear is just the second defensive back to be named GAC Player of the Week in program history. The other, Charles Taylor III, collected the league's nod in 2016 after producing an interception, forced fumble, and fumble recovery in OBU's 19-15 win Arkansas Tech.
This season, Whitebear leads Oklahoma Baptist in pass breakups (3) while ranking fifth in tackles (12.0) and second for interceptions (1). In the conference, he ranks in a tie for second for passes defended and in a tie for third in interceptions.
NO FLY ZONE
How good was the Bison secondary against the Savage Storm? Just look at these numbers. They attained three interceptions, were credited with eight pass break-ups and allowed just 162 yards through the air. With statistics dating back to 2015, no Bison secondary has ever attained that many interceptions and PBUs in the same game. Most recently, OBU got eight break-ups and a pick against Henderson State on Nov. 6, 2021 while recording a trio of picks, also against the Reddies, on Oct. 29, 2016.
WELCOME TO THE PARTY, GUYS
Freshman Ameer Johnson and sophomore Triston De La Rosa each recorded their first career sacks against the Storm. For Johnson, his third-quarter sack jarred the ball away from quarterback Weston Conaway and led to a 22-yard touchdown to Haven Lysell-Stewart. OBU ended up with four sacks against SE and boosted its season total to eight. That mark is currently tied for fourth in the GAC. Most recently, OBU got eight break-ups and a pick against Henderson State on Nov. 6, 2021 while recording a trio of picks, also against the Reddies, on Oct. 29, 2016.
TO MARS AND BEYOND
Redshirt junior wideout Michael Marshall stepped into his "WR1" role last Saturday, leading the receiving corps with career bests in reception yards (136), catches (6), and touchdowns (2). One of his touchdowns receptions came from 48 yards out, the furthest of his career. Marshall's best single-game performance, prior to last week, came in 2022 against Southern Nazarene, where he went for 69 yards on five catches and a score. Already at 238 receiving yards this year, Marshall can eclipse his previous season-highs for yards (355) and touchdowns (2) with eight games remaining.
In a little over two seasons on Bison Hill, Marshall totals 723 yards, six touchdowns, and 61 receptions, more than any wide receiver on OBU's roster.
SLINGIN' IT
Quarterback Aidan Thompson produced a clean sheet in Oklahoma Baptist's win over Southeastern, throwing for 219 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. The total moves Thompson to 647 passing yards on the season with five touchdowns. Prior to the matchup, he had never thrown more than one touchdown in a single game. Furthermore, adding 16 completions to his season total brings the signal caller to 59 completions in 2023, the third-most in the GAC.
Thompson needs 353 passing yards to reach 1,000 career yards, a feat only three other Bison have accomplished since the program joined Division II. Those names: Desmond Stegall (2015-17),Preston Haire (2018-21, and Dayton Wolfe (2022).
MOORE YARDS
Sophomore running back EJ Moore charged to a season-high 105 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns versus SE. It was his second career game with 100-plus yards rushing and first with a pair of scores. His first came on a Sept. 7 game against Northwestern Oklahoma State a season ago, where he rushed for career-high 131 yards on 15 totes and a score.
This season Moore ranks fifth in the league for yards (197), averaging 65.7 yards per game, and seventh for touchdowns (2). The Leander, Texas native also has the most career rushing yards (506) of any Bison on the roster, 19 yards more than fellow active tailback, Buddy Bizzell (487).
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
East Central trots into week four with a 1-2 record after securing its first win of the season, besting Southwestern Oklahoma State 24-13 in Weatherford. Their two losses came at the hands of Southern Arkansas (24-17) in overtime and Henderson State in week one by a 41-13 tally.First-year head coach John Litrenta has the Tigers back on track with hopes of replicating last year's success story which saw ECU post a 9-3 overall record, capped by a FunTown RV Heritage Bowl win over Texas A&M Kingsville.
East Central scores the ninth most points per game in the GAC (18.0), and allows the fifth least (26.0). The ECU offense averages 294.7 yards per game, including 647 yards through the air, and have scored a total of seven touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, the Tigers give up 369.3 yards per contest, the eighth-most in the league.
Redshirt-shirt quarterback Traair Edwards steers the offensive effort with 544 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception through three games. Edwards gets it done on the ground too, as his 76 yards rank second on the team while his number of rushing scores (2) are tied for first. Senior tailback Davis Miles is the primary ball carrier, totaling 143 yards and two scores while averaging 5.3 yards per tote. His best game came last week against SWOSU when he went for 94 yards on 12 carries and scored twice.
At receiver, Dior Scott and CJ Moore lead the group with 187 and 144 yards, respectively. They both have one score, but Scott highlights the duo with the most receptions in the conference (20).
Veteran linebacker Devin Roush is the GAC's leading tackler with 33 stops, including 19 solo, thus far. An All-American and First GAC honoree a season ago, Roush adds 2.0 tackles-for-loss, one sack, a forced fumble, and a team-best three pass break-ups. Trailing the leader is defensive lineman Darian Williams, who adds 18 tackles and 1.5 TFLs, while defensive back Jimmy Pitts has two interceptions.
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