SEASON OPENER

SWOSU vs Arkansas Tech

Sept. 4 • 6:00 pm • Weatherford/Flex-Chem Field

TICKETS | COVERAGE LINKS

SWOSU Football is gearing up to take on Arkansas Tech to open the 2025 season at Flex-Chem Field at Milam Stadium with a kickoff time of 6:00 p.m.
 
Head Coach Andrew Rice is entering his second season manning the Dawgs after a 3-8 record last year, which featured a signature 50-0 win against rivals Northwestern to close out the year. SWOSU was picked eighth in the yearly GAC preseason coaches' poll, the highest ranking since 2017.
 
The Bulldogs are 7-6 in the opening home game of the season since joining the GAC. It's the first time in four years SWOSU will face an opponent that is not ranked in week one of the season. This is one of three games this season being played on a Thursday (Harding and SNU), the only one of which is being played at home.

Watch SWOSU Football's season preview press conference with Coach Rice, Ethane Hyche, and Zack Roberts. 

 

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The Opponent

• Arkansas Tech was voted seventh in the preseason coaches' poll, just one spot in front of the Dawgs. They have a new head coach this season, Roy Thompson, who will coach his first game as a head coach on Thursday night when the Wonder Boys face SWOSU.  
• The Wonder Boys have gotten the best of the Bulldogs over the last five matchups, winning all five, but only by a total of 15 points, including a three-year stretch from 2019–2022 when they won by a single point in three straight games.
• Tech holds the edge in all-time meetings at 8-5. SWOSU holds just a 2-6 record when playing at home.
• Last season ATU had a 5-6 record with wins over SWOSU, Southeastern, East Central, Northwestern, and Oklahoma Baptist. In 2024 Tech had the worst rushing offense in the conference at just 95.2 rushing yards per game.
• The Wonder Boys limit mistakes throughout the game; they averaged the fewest penalty yards in the conference with just 38.5 per game. Their 57 penalties throughout the year were eight fewer than any other team in the GAC.

 
SWOSU Offensive Notes

• Last season saw the Bulldogs produce the seventh-ranked offense in the GAC at 19.0 PPG while being eighth in yards per game with 282.8.
• They ranked eighth in both rushing (139.5) and passing (143.4) yards per game.
• The Dawgs brought back two of their top three wide receivers in Elijah Reed and Baylor Nash. They combined for 58 catches and 615 yards, and both started in all 11 games.
• In the backfield, they kept both of their top two running backs with Malik Roberson and Dante Dean. They combined for 626 yards and averaged just under four yards per carry last season.
• SWOSU will also be glad to bring back senior Ethane Hyche at the RB position after only suiting up for two games last fall when an injury cut his season short.
• When faced with a fourth down, SWOSU converted at a 55.6% rate, good enough for the third-best mark in the league. Their 15 conversions were the most of any team in the GAC.
• On special teams, SWOSU will have Ethan McBee kicking extra points and field goals. Last season he led the Dawgs to the highest field goal percentage (.875) of any team in the GAC. He also scored on 22-of-23 extra points during the year.

 
SWOSU Defensive Notes

• SWOSU gave up 30.5 PPG last season to place eighth in the conference. The Dawgs ranked seventh in rushing defense and tenth against the air attack.
• Although SWOSU was 10th in defense against the pass, they accumulated 15 interceptions over their 11 games. The 1.36 per game was the most of any team in the GAC.
• The Dawgs forced the ball loose 13 times, averaging 1.18 per game, which was tied for the most in the league with Southern Arkansas. They recovered 11, more than any other team. The 26 total turnovers forced were the most in the GAC.
• Two of the Dawgs' top defensive stars are returning this season with Zack Roberts and Felipe Tristan. They combined for 111 tackles throughout the year. Roberts snagged an interception for SWOSU while Tristan forced two fumbles.
• SWOSU allowed just a 68.9% conversion rate when opponents reached the red zone, a mark only bested by Ouachita Baptist at 68%. They also forced five turnovers in the red zone, tied for the best in the GAC.

2025 SWOSU Football

Offense: Spread
Defense: Multiple
Returning Letterwinnners: 27
Letterwinners lost: 28
Starters Returning: 14
Starters Lost: 8