Setting the Scene
- Bulldog Football returns to ASAP Energy Field this Saturday as the Dawgs host their second consecutive nationally-ranked opponent in #25/24 Southern Arkansas
- SWOSU enters the game following a 41-8 defeat at #19/20 Ouachita last Saturday, while SAU entered the national rankings following an upset road win at #5 Harding on Sunday afternoon
- The Bulldogs are 1-0 at home and Saturday will be Parents Day at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, a busy day on campus that culminates with kickoff against the Muleriders
- SAU has controlled the series against the Bulldogs since the two schools helped establish the Great American Conference, with the Muleriders holding a 6-1 advantage in the series
- SWOSU enters the week with a heavy heart as they mourn the loss of Jake Simmons, a freshman member of the Bulldog Football team who passed away on Saturday due to injuries sustained in a vehicle accident on August 26th
 
The Series
- The series between SWOSU and Southern Arkansas dates back to the formation of the Great American Conference prior to the 2011 season
- SWOSU and SAU have faced off in each of the last six seasons, with the Muleriders holding a 6-1 advantage in those games
- SAU has won the last three meetings in the series, including a 21-17 victory in their last trip to Weatherford, which was the 2016 season opener
- The Bulldogs lone victory in the series came in 2014 with a 27-24 come-from-behind victory at ASAP Energy Field
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Chet Pobolish, 1-1 (1st Season)
- First-year head coach guiding the Bulldogs into the 2018 season with 17 years of collegiate coaching experience
- He most recently served as the Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach at Missouri Western during the 2017 season
- Also has experience at the FCS level, having coached at Southeastern Louisiana four seasons following stints at Emporia State and Delta State
- Played at Emporia State, where he was a four-time All-MIAA selection and a three-time team captain for the Hornets
 
Southern Arkansas: Bill Keopple, 51-46 (10th Season)
- Has coached 54 all-conference players, 27 all-academic honorees, 15 all-region selections and eight All-Americans in his nine seasons at SAU
- Keopple has guided his team to 42 wins over the past six seasons, guiding the Muleriders to a winning percentage above .500 in each of those years
- Led the Muleriders to Bowl Game appearances in 2012 and 2016, the first postseason games for the program since 2003
 
The Last Meeting (Sept. 16, 2017)
- Southern Arkansas scored 24 unanswered points in the second quarter and defeated SWOSU 38-14 on Saturday evening in Magnolia
- The SWOSU defense managed two takeaways on SAU's first two possessions, both on interceptions, and cashed in the second one with a five-yard touchdown pass from Casey Freeman to Jared Rayburn to take 7-0 lead
- Turnovers by SWOSU proved costly as SAU tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter and scored 24 unanswered points in the second to build a 31-7 lead at the break
- The teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth quarter for the final margin, with the Bulldogs getting a 22-yard scoring strike from Joel Blumenthal to Eddie Thomas IV with 10:39 to play
- Austin Loomis led the Bulldogs with 10 tackles and he had one of SWOSU's three interceptions along with Braden Sweet and Terry McMillon
 
Last Time Out (Sept. 8, 2018)
- SWOSU Football dropped their first game of the season on Saturday night as #19/20-ranked Ouachita retained the Paul Sharp Cup with a 41-8 victory over the Bulldogs at Cliff Harris Stadium
- The Bulldogs were held to one scoring play and 272 yards of total offense, rushing for 146 yards while quarterback Casey Freeman finished with 104 yards and one touchdown through the air while completing 14-of-24 passing attempts
- SWOSU got on the board early in the fourth quarter with a 25-yard scoring strike from Freeman to JR Omigie, then added the two-point conversion on a pass from Tyler Marr to Alex Ramirez
- Braden Sweet led the Bulldogs on defense with six tackles and two tackles for loss, while Ethan Savoy added five stops from his safety position
 
Checking the Standings
- SWOSU will be facing one of three remaining unbeaten teams in the Great American Conference as Southern Arkansas currently sits atop the standings with Oklahoma Baptist and Ouachita
- The Bulldogs are one of six teams who have an even 1-1 record through two weeks, while Arkansas Tech, East Central and Northwestern Oklahoma State are still searching for their first victories of the season
 
SWOSU Offensive Notes
- SWOSU is ranked fourth in the Great American Conference in total offense, averaging 412.5 yards per game through two weeks
- The Bulldogs have done the bulk of their damage through the air, throwing for 273.5 yards per game while rushing for 139.0 yards per contest
- All eight of SWOSU's scoring plays this season have been passes of at least 22 yards and QB Casey Freeman leads the GAC with eight touchdown passes
- Three different running backs have at least 10 carries for the Bulldogs, with Kyshawn Richards leading the team with 102 yards while Jaden Knowles has the most carries with 21
- Freeman has completed passes to 11 different players the past two weeks, with Turner Jackson leading the way with six receptions for 74 yards and two touchdowns while Jared Rayburn has a team-leading 136 receiving yards and two scores on four catches
- With all of their scoring plays coming from beyond 20 yards, the Bulldogs are 0-for-4 in the red zone this season, which includes one interception and one turnover on downs
 
SWOSU Defensive Notes
- After allowing 329 yards on the ground to the GAC's best rushing offense, the Bulldogs total defense has dipped to 11th in the conference with team's averaging 458.0 yards of offense against SWOSU
- Braden Sweet led the Bulldogs with six tackles against Ouachita, giving him nine stops and 2.0 tackles for loss on the year, which ranks him second on the team
- Clay Wilkerson remains the Bulldogs leading tackler with 14 stops (six solo, eight assist) through the first two games
- Cory Wilkerson recorded SWOSU's first turnover of the season with a forced fumble and recovery on Saturday at Ouachita
- With five tackles against the Tigers, Ethan Savoy moved into third place on the team with eight stops on the year
- Seniors Dejai Johnson and TJ Harris have anchored the Bulldogs defensive line with seven tackles apiece, while Johnson has SWOSU's lone solo sack of the season
 
SWOSU Special Teams Notes
- Kyshawn Richards leads the GAC in All-Purpose Yardage with 151.0 yards per game, including 118 yards on kickoff returns
- Jackson Wilhite remains perfect on extra point attempts this season at 7-for-7, but he missed his lone field goal attempt against Arkansas-Monticello
- Kane Bowen is ranked fifth in the GAC in punting with an average of 40.7 yards per on 10 attempts
- Ryan Buchanan has forced four touchbacks on 10 kickoffs this season while averaging 56.5 yards per kickoff
 
Looking Ahead
- The Bulldogs close out the month of September with back-to-back road trips to Henderson State (Sept. 22) and East Central (Sept. 29)
- SWOSU's next home game will be played on Saturday, October 6th against Southeastern Oklahoma State