WEATHERFORD, Okla. – SWOSU Football will look to bounce back from its opening season loss by making the longest road trip of the season to face Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday, Sept. 9.

View Week Two Game Notes (pdf)

The series between these two teams is nearly 100% venue dependent. The Bulldogs are 1-5 against the Weevils when the game is played in Monticello compared to a perfect 5-0 when playing in Weatherford. SWOSU's lone road win over UAM came in 2017. Last season, SWOSU defeated Monticello 37-27 in a game where the Bulldog defense limited UAM to under 100 yards rushing.

SWOSU will be seeking to secure its first win over a team while inside the state of Arkansas since 2018. 

UAM was picked eighth in the preseason coaches poll and is off to another strong start, having won their season opener in each of the past three seasons.

UAM began 2022 3-1 before losing its final seven games to close out the season including its matchup against the Dawgs. The skid was snapped out of the gate in week one of 2023 when the Weevils got in the win column with a 49-24 victory in Alva against NWOSU. Two-time GAC Player of the Week and dual threat QB Demilon Brown leads a Monticello offensive attack that put up 500 yards of total offense against Northwestern. While the sample size is not large, in 2023, UAM has shown commitment to the passing game after throwing for 388 yards in week one against Northwestern. 

All four All-GAC selections make their return to the roster from a year ago: 

• First Team: LB, Damarous White
• Second Team: CB, Greg Hooks
• HMs: WR, Lacedric Smith // DE, Alfernee Hankins

SWOSU was held to under 200 yards of total offense (196) to open up the season. It's the first time being held under 250 yards since week 10 of the 2021 season. The Bulldogs featured a 27-23 breakdown between rushes and passes respectively.

Ethane Hyche got 15 touches at running back for 67 yards and the lone offensive score of the night. Scott Pfeiffer completed 11-of-23 passes for 131 yards. His longest completion came to Jack Pierce for 30 yards. Pierce let his presence be known with a team leading four catches for 69 yards.

Seven different receivers caught passes on Saturday. SWOSU did not turn the ball over in week one but got sacked five times. 

SWOSU stopped the run in week one. They limited Ouachita to 3.1 yards per rush and withstood 49 carries from the Tigers. Last season, Ouachita ranked fourth in Division II in rushing yards per game at 281 yards. The Bulldog defense limited the Tigers to 153.

Linebackers Logan Monroe and Richard Silva combined for 25 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. Silva added a QB hurry. The Dawgs are still searching for the first interception of the season, but have already crossed off a defensive touchdown after Jeremiah Jones recovered a fumble in the end zone in the fourth quarter last week.

Three sacks ranks SWOSU tied for third in the league in the category. SWOSU will look to improve its pass defense in week two after surrendering 283 yards through the air and four scores. This stat can more than likely be attributed to the focus on stopping Ouachita's run game.