Game Preview
• SWOSU Football returns home to ASAP Energy Field on Saturday afternoon for a Great American Conference matchup with nationally-ranked Ouachita
• The Bulldogs enter the game at 2-1 following a road loss at Arkansas-Monticello last Saturday, while Ouachita comes to Weatherford with an unblemished record of 3-0 this season and a 19-game win streak against GAC opponents
• The series between SWOSU and Ouachita Baptist took on the name of the 'Paul Sharp Cup' in 2013 in remembrance of the former SWOSU Head Coach and Ouachita alum
• Sharp is the Bulldogs' all-time winningest coach with 92 victories from 1986-2004, including the 1996 NAIA National Championship
• SWOSU is 1-7 against Ouachita since the formation of the GAC, with the Dawgs lone victory being a 58-38 runaway win in Weatherford in 2015 with the Tigers ranked No. 9 in the AFCA Top 25
• Since that victory over Ouachita, the Bulldogs have dropped their last six contests against teams ranked in the AFCA national poll
 
The Opponent
• The reigning champions of the GAC are off to another strong start with a 3-0 record that includes a 16-14 opening-night victory over then-No. 18 Harding in Arkadelphia
• This week, the Tigers are ranked No. 6 in the AFCA Top 25 and No. 4 in the D2Football.com national poll
• Head Coach Todd Knight is in his 21st year at Ouachita and he's the longest-tenured coach in the state of Arkansas and a four-time GAC Coach of the Year (2011, 2014, 2017, 2018)
• Ouachita leads the all-time series against SWOSU 11-4, including a 7-1 record against the Dawgs since the formation of the Great American Conference
• The Tigers are ranked third in the GAC in scoring offense (29.7 ppg) and sixth in total offense (371.0 ypg) while allowing just 12.7 points and 313.3 yards per game to opponents
 
SWOSU Offensive Notes
• The Bulldogs were held to season-lows in points (9), passing yards (88) and total offense yards (191) by Arkansas-Monticello last Saturday
• Through three weeks, SWOSU ranks eighth in the GAC with a scoring average of 22.7 points per game and seventh with an average of 338.0 yards of total offense
• Tyler Marr ranks third in the GAC in passing yards, averaging 214.3 yards per game and he's third in NCAA Division II with an average of 17.9 yards per completion
• Tristian Houston had eight carries for 27 yards against UAM, including his team-leading third rushing touchdown of the season
• Eight different Bulldog receivers caught a pass on Saturday, led by Donnell Hawkins with three receptions for 20 yards
• SWOSU had two players record their first reception of the season at UAM in wide receiver Chance Felchlin and running back Jaden Knowles
• Justin Bailey was held without a reception last week but he had three carries for 27 yards, giving him 68 rushing yards over the past two games
• The Bulldogs offensive line allowed their first sack of the season at UAM, but they remain tied for the fewest in the conference with Oklahoma Baptist
• Myron Norfleet saw his first extended action under center at UAM, finishing 2-for-4 for 29 yards and an interception
• SWOSU ranks ninth in the GAC in third-down conversions, converting 16-of-47 (34.0%) attempts, and they are 0-for-1 on fourth-down attempts
 
SWOSU Defensive Notes
• SWOSU added one interception and one fumble recovery to their takeaway total last game, giving them 11 turnovers gained (six interceptions, five fumbles) through three games
• The Bulldogs now rank third in NCAA Division II in turnovers gained this season while falling to eighth nationally with a turnover margin of +5
• Jalen Carr hauled in his second interception of the season at UAM and he's currently ranked second in the conference with five passes defended (2 INT, 3 PBU)
• Senior safety Braden Sweet totaled a career-best 11 tackles (seven solo, four assist) on Saturday, which gives him a team-leading 26 stops on the year
• Five of SWOSU's top six leaders in tackles come from the secondary, with Derrius Franklin (18) and Carr (16) ranked second and third, respectively
• SWOSU has totaled 22 tackles for loss in three games, getting a team-best 2.0 apiece from Reshawn Parker, Silas Collins, CJ Jennings, Wesley Mathis, Malcolm Davis and Jared Young
• Parker, Mathis and Sam Ryan are tied for the team lead with 1.0 sack each, helping the Dawgs rank third in the league with five sacks
• After allowing 348 rushing yards to Arkansas-Monticello - the second-highest total in the GAC this season - SWOSU's rush defense dropped to 10th in the conference allowing more than 200 rush per game on the ground
• CJ Jennings leads the GAC in forced fumbles and fumbles recovered, with two apiece three games into the season
 
SWOSU Special Teams Notes
• Ryan Buchanan connected on a 40-yard field goal in the first quarter at UAM to improve to 2-for-3 on field goal attempts this season, but his lone extra point attempt against the Weevils was blocked
• Punter Kane Bowen was forced into action eight times last Saturday and he averaged 41.2 yards per attempt with a long of 57 yards and three downed inside the UAM 20-yard line
• The Bulldogs rank sixth in the conference in kickoff coverage with a net average of 38.0 yards per while their net punting average of 33.4 yards per attempt is 11th in the league
• Donnell Hawkins returned four kickoffs for 78 yards at UAM while Kevin Fox, Jr., had a pair of returns totaling 46 yards in the contest
• SWOSU is averaging 8.5 yards per punt return this season, ranking third in the GAC, and 18.4 yards per kickoff return, which is good for 10th among conference teams
 
Looking Ahead
• Week 5: Saturday, October 5, 2:00 pm, at Southern Arkansas
• Week 6: Saturday, October 12, 3:00 pm, vs. Henderson State