MAGNOLIA – Records, on records, on records. The (RV) Southern Arkansas Mulerider Football Team tied three individual Great American Conference records as well as broke one of its own offensive records from the program’s modern era. SAU Football moves on to 8-2 in the 2024 season for the second-consecutive season with eight or more wins. The final score between the Muleriders and Rangers of Northwestern Oklahoma State came out at 78-0. After the first quarter, Southern Arkansas held a 20-0 lead, but a 34-point second quarter would have the Muleriders leading 54-0 at halftime. Head Coach Brad Smiley made sure other players got their moment and they shined as bright as they could have, outscoring NWOSU 24-0 in the second half.

Where to begin with the Mulerider Offense, initially led by junior quarterback and four-time GAC Offensive Player of the Week? Southern Arkansas’ offense witnessed 790 yards of total offense, a new program record in the modern era that shattered the old record of 637 yards of offense against Henderson State back in the 2000 season when the Muleriders demolished the Reddies 86-0, the modern era scoring record for SAU Football.

The Blue and Gold’s 78 points tied the Great American Conference’s record for most points scored in game. The 11 touchdowns tied the record for most touchdowns in a contest for the league’s history, as it is just the fourth time in GAC history that a team has recorded 11 endzone trips and is the first since Henderson State defeated McKendree in September of 2013. That’s 11 years since a GAC member has scored 11 touchdowns in game.

Rushing the ball, Southern Arkansas’ offense recorded 403 yards seven rushing touchdowns. Ten Mulerider carried the rock and of those ten, the program’s leading rusher Jariq Scales led the pack with 112 yards on the ground with a long rush of 53 and one touchdown. Of those seven rushing touchdowns, six SAU ballcarriers accounted for those with Barton being the lone rusher with a pair of touchdowns.

Through the air, Southern Arkansas accounted for 387 passing yards with four touchdowns. 12 Muleriders recorded a reception with senior Rasheen Green recording 146 yards on five receptions, along of 52, and one touchdown. Four different members in the Blue and Gold threw a pass for the afternoon contest with Barton leading that group with 247 yards, completing 15 of his 19 attempts, throwing for two touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Adam Parker saw the field the majority of the second half and did not let up on the Rangers as the Natchitoches, Louisiana native completed seven of nine passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. The redshirt freshman stood in the pocket and took a lick from the NWOSU defensive line, but not without throwing over the shallow middle to senior Cole Williams on the crossing route. The senior, making his return from injury, went on for 80 yards to the crib. True freshman Colin Hitchcock completed a pair of passes for eight yards, and while he did not throw in his outing, fellow true freshman Caleb Johnson rushed four times for 49 yards with a long of 41 to the house for six, his first score of his career. Finally, and most certainly not least, in his final game at Rip Powell Field, Matthew Whitten took the handoff from Barton that took the focus off of 10 and had him sneak his way to the endzone where the Princeton, Louisiana native (Whitten) found his quarterback for the score.

Only two of the three records in the Great American Conference have been mentioned, that is because the third came from the Mulerider defense. SAU’ defense allowed just 53 yards total to the Rangers with 55 rushing yards, and yes, -2 passing yards. Those -2 ties both the GAC and Mulerider Football’s program record (1957 vs Arkansas-Monticello).

The Rangers saw the Southern Arkansas side of the field just once, and for one play at that. The NWOSU offense’s one play on the Muleriders’ side of the field resulted in a fumble for a five-yard loss back to their own side of the field.

The Muleriders await the results from around the country as they look to climb that Super Region Three ladder towards their first NCAA DII Playoff berth since 2003.

Southern Arkansas travels to Monticello, Arkansas for the final game of the 2024 regular season as the Muleriders take on the Boll Weevils in the 99^th edition of the Battle of the Timberlands.

The post Muleriders dominate Senior Day with record-setting offense and defense appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

Saturday, Aug. 27
Missouri Baptist at Lyon

Thursday, Sept. 1
Arkansas-Monticello at Southern Nazarene
Missouri State at Central Arkansas
Northwestern Oklahoma at Southern Arkansas
Ouachita at Oklahoma Baptist
Southwestern Oklahoma at Henderson State

Saturday, Sept. 3
Arkansas Tech at Southeastern Oklahoma
Austin at Hendrix
Cincinnati vs. Arkansas
Grambling State at Arkansas State
Harding at East Central
Lane at Arkansa-Pine Bluff
OUAZ at Lyon

Saturday, Sept. 10
Arkansas State at Ohio State
Central Arkansas at Ole Miss
East Central at Arkansas Tech
Henderson State at Northwestern Oklahoma
Hendrix at Washington
Lyon at Wayland Baptist
North American at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Oklahoma Baptist at Arkansas-Monticello
South Carolina vs. Arkansas
Southern Arkansas at Southwestern Oklahoma
Southern Nazarene at Ouachita
Southeastern Oklahoma at Harding

Saturday, Sept. 17
Arkansas State at Memphis
Arkansas-Monticello at Henderson State
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Oklahoma State
Central Arkansas at Idaho State
Hendrix vs. Howard Payne
Missouri State vs. Arkansas
Ouachita at Arkansas Tech
Southern Arkansas at Harding

Saturday, Sept. 24
Arkansas vs. Texas A&M
Arkansas State at Old Dominion
Arkansas Tech at Arkansas-Monticello
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alcorn State
Central Arkansas at Southeast Missouri
Harding at Ouachita
Henderson State at Southern Arkansas
Oklahoma Panhandle at Lyon

Saturday, Oct. 1
Alabama at Arkansas
Arkansas-Monticello at Southwestern Oklahoma
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Southern
Austin Peay at Central Arkansas
East Central at Southern Arkansas
Lyon at Langston
Oklahoma Baptist at Harding
Ouachita at Northwestern Oklahoma
Southeastern Oklahoma at Henderson State
Southern Nazarene at Arkansas Tech
Trinity at Hendrix
ULM at Arkansas State

Saturday, Oct. 8
Arkansas at Mississippi State
Arkansas Tech at Oklahoma Baptist
Harding at Southern Nazarene
Henderson State at East Central
Hendrix at Millsaps
James Madison at Arkansas State
Lindenwood at Central Arkansas
Lyon at Arizona Christian
Northwestern Oklahoma at Arkansas-Monticello
Southern Arkansas at Southeastern Oklahoma
Southwestern Oklahoma at Ouachita
Texas Southern at Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Saturday, Oct. 15
Arkansas at BYU
Arkansas State at Southern Miss
Arkansas-Monticello at Ouachita
Central Arkansas at Kennesaw State
Henderson State at Harding
Sewanee at Hendrix
Southern Arkansas at Arkansas Tech
Texas College at Lyon

Sunday, Oct. 16
Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Alabama A&M

Saturday, Oct. 22
Arkansas State at Louisiana
Arkansas Tech at Henderson State
Centre at Hendrix
Harding at Arkansas-Monticello
Ouachita at Southern Arkansas
SAGU at Lyon

Saturday, Oct. 29
Arkansas at Auburn
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Florida A&M
East Central at Ouachita
Henderson State at Southern Nazarene
Hendrix at Birmingham-Southern
North Alabama at Central Arkansas
Northwestern Oklahoma at Harding
South Alabama at Arkansas State
Southeastern Oklahoma at Arkansas-Monticello
Southern Arkansas at Oklahoma Baptist
Southwestern Oklahoma at Arkansas Tech

Saturday, Nov. 5
Arkansas Tech at Northwestern Oklahoma
Arkansas-Monticello at East Central
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Grambling State
Central Arkansas at Eastern Kentucky
Harding at Southwestern Oklahoma
Liberty at Arkansas
Lyon at Louisiana Christian
Oklahoma Baptist at Henderson State
Ouachita at Southeastern Oklahoma
Rhodes at Hendrix
Southern Nazarene at Southern Arkansas

Saturday, Nov. 12
Arkansas Tech at Harding
Central Arkansas at Stephen F. Austin
Hendrix at Berry
Lyon at Texas Wesleyan
Ole Miss at Arkansas
Ouachita at Henderson State
Prairie View A&M at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Southern Arkansas at Arkansas-Monticello
UMass at Arkansas State

Saturday, Nov. 19
Arkansas State at Texas State
Jacksonville at Central Arkansas
LSU at Arkansas

Thursday, Nov. 25
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama State

Friday, Nov. 26
Arkansas at Missouri
Troy at Arkansas State

The post 2022 Arkansas college football composite schedule appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

JONESBORO – Former Arkansas State running back and All-America return specialist Alan Lamar and tight end Ross Painter were named Wednesday to the 2022 National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society.

The Hampshire Honor Society is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who each maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers.  A total of 1,559 players from 313 schools qualified for membership in the Society’s 16th year.

A-State has now had 31 players receive the honor all-time, including multiple selections each of the last three years.  The Red Wolves had a school-record five student-athletes earn the recognition in 2015.

A graduate transfer from Yale, Lamar’s lone season with the Red Wolves in 2021 saw him collect First Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors and earn All-America recognition as a return specialist from Pro Football Focus (PFF), Pro Football Network (PFN), Phil Steele and Sports Info Solutions (SIS).  He earned his bachelor’s degree in business from Yale and is currently pursuing his master’s in sport administration from Arkansas State University.

Painter spent the last four seasons as a member of the A-State football team, posting his first career touchdown in 2021. An A-State Athletics Director’s Honor Roll member, he earned his bachelor’s degree in sport management from Arkansas State University in December of 2020 and is currently pursuing his master’s in sport administration.

The NFF Hampshire Honor Society capitalizes on the NFF’s National Scholar-Athlete program by greatly expanding the number of scholar-athletes the NFF can recognize each year.  The program further strengthens the organization’s leadership role in encouraging academic performance by the student-athletes at the 771 college and universities with football programs nationwide.  The initiative has now honored 14,640 student-athletes since its inception.

The post A-State’s Lamar and Painter earn NFF New Hampshire Honor Society membership appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

ARKADELPHIA – D2Football.com has released its annual Elite 100 team with a pair of representatives from Ouachita Baptist University making the list.

Junior running back TJ Cole and senior cornerback Gregory Junior both earned a spot on the Elite 100 Second Team.

Cole adds this to an already full list of honors for the 2021 season. The Texarkana, Texas native was named to the All-Great American Conference First Team, the D2CCA All-Region Second Team, and the AFCA All-America First Team.

During the 2021 season, he broke the GAC single-season rushing record with a final total of 1,530 yards on 236 carries. That total ranks third on the Ouachita single-season charts. Cole was responsible for 18 touchdowns this past season, and finished the year with nine games out of 11 with at least 100 yards. He is on pace to eclipse the 3,000-yard career rushing milestone in 2022.

Junior is recognized as one of the best cover cornerbacks in the nation. The Crossett, Arkansas native helped Ouachita be the top pass defense in the GAC this season. The All-GAC First Team selection finished the year with 46 tackles, seven pass breakups, and was responsible for one safety.

Junior has accepted an invitation to participate in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in the last week of January. This is the premier postseason all-star game for draft-eligible college football players.

The post Ouachita’s Cole, Junior named to Elite 100 Team appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

SEARCY – For the seventh time since 2012, the Harding football finished the season ranked in the American Football Coaches’ Association Top 25. The 2021 team landed 10th in the final poll, its third time to finish in the top 10.

Harding went 11-2 this season and won the Great American Conference championship with a 10-1 conference record. The Bisons advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the fifth straight season and reached the second round of the playoffs after defeating Washburn 30-14.

Harding’s highest postseason finish came in 2016 and 2017 when the Bisons were No. 6 in the final poll.

The only other GAC team in the top 25 was Ouachita Baptist at No. 23.

MasseyRatings.com had Harding No. 6 in its final ratings. D2Football.com has not released its final poll.

The post Harding finishes No. 10 in final AFCA poll appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

CLASS 7A

Championship

Bryant 42, Fayetteville 38

Semifinals

Fayetteville 29, Conway 21
Bryant 28, North Little Rock 13

Quarterfinals

Fayetteville 34, Cabot 27
Conway 49, Rogers 0
Bryant 42, Northside 10
North Little Rock 24, Bentonville 21

First Round

Cabot 53, Har-Ber 7
Rogers 51, Catholic 17
Northside 47, Bentonville West 21
North Little Rock 51, Southside 7

The post 2021 AAA Class 7A Football State Playoffs appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

CLASS 6A

Championship

El Dorado 27, Greenwood 17

Semifinals

Greenwood 45, Parkview 35
El Dorado 60, Marion 27

Quarterfinals

Parkview 41, Jonesboro 21
Greenwood 42, Mountain Home 0
Marion 59, Benton 37
El Dorado 48, Lake Hamilton 27

First Round

Parkview 52, Searcy 6
Mountain Home 21, Sylvan Hills 14
Marion 45, Russellville 21
Lake Hamilton 41, West Memphis 6

The post 2021 AAA Class 6A Football State Playoffs appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

CLASS 5A

Championship

Pulaski Academy 51, White Hall 19

Semifinals

Pulaski Academy 38, Greenbrier 28
White Hall 24, Little Rock Christian 14

Quarterfinals

Greenbrier 14, Wynne 0
Pulaski Academy 56, Magnolia 25
White Hall 35, Camden 14
Little Rock Christian 35, Nettleton 7

First Round

Greenbrier 31, Maumelle 28
Wynne 47, Lakeside 34
Pulaski Academy 36, Harrison 21
Magnolia 42, Valley View 14
Camden 26, Greene County Tech 21
White Hall 31, Farmington 17
Nettleton 33, Hot Springs 14
Little Rock Christian 53, Vilonia 29

The post 2021 AAA Class 5A Football State Playoffs appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

CLASS 4A

Second Round

Rivercrest vs. Malvern
Shiloh Christian vs. Ashdown
Ozark vs. Crossett
Southside vs. Arkadelphia
Warren vs. Trumann
Stuttgart vs. Elks
Robinson vs. Pocahontas
Prairie Grove vs. Lamar

First Round

Rivercrest – Bye
Malvern 28, DeWitt 20
Shiloh Christian 48, Cave City 7
Ashdown 35, Lonoke 14
Ozark 48, Huntsville 18
Crossett 49, Pottsville 7
Southside 28, Star City 24
Arkadelphia 56, Clinton 26
Warren-Bye
Trumann 27, Mena 14
Stuttgart 42, Monticello 7
Elks 29, Dardanelle 23
Robinson 35, Mills 8
Pocahontas 47, Fountain Lake 28
Prairie Grove 28, Westside 10
Lamar 21, Gentry 20

The post 2021 AAA Class 4A Football State Playoffs appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.

CLASS 3A

Second Round

Hoxie vs. Cedarville
McGehee vs. Melbourne
Prescott vs. Bismarck
Newport vs. Paris
Charleston vs. Centerpoint
Harding Academy vs. Rison
Booneville vs. Manila
Harmony Grove vs. Glen Rose

First Round

Hoxie – Bye
Cedarville 40, Atkins 12
McGehee 60, Walnut Ridge 12
Melbourne 40, Perryville 13
Prescott 56, Lakeside 14
Bismarck 18, Hackett 8
Newport 41, Lincoln 7
Paris 17, Riverview 14
Charleston – Bye
Centerpoint 29, Osceola 14
Harding Academy 56, West Fork 6
Rison 48, Jessieville 7
Booneville 49, Salem 21
Manila 49, Danville 25
Harmony Grove 35, Harrisonville 29
Glen Rose 53, Dollarway 12

The post 2021 AAA Class 3A Football State Playoffs appeared first on ArkansasSports.Net.