EAST CENTRAL 27, No. 20 OUACHITA BAPTIST 17
East Central trailed No. 20 Ouachita Baptist 10-3 after the first quarter before rattling off 24 unanswered points. The Tigers of Ada, Okla., outgained OBU, 429-260, won the turnover battle, 3-0, and dominated the time of possession, 37:15-22:45. Ouachita Baptist threatened late to make it a one-possession game before ECU delivered a goal-line stand at the two-yard line with 3:30 remaining in regulation.
(RV) SOUTHERN ARKANSAS 20, OKLAHOMA BAPTIST 38
The second upset of the week happened in Shawnee, Okla, as Oklahoma Baptist dominated (RV) Southern Arkansas, 38-20. The Bison decimated SAU through the air, totaling 261 yards – 127 of which went to wide receiver Nick Harris – and three scores. Similar to East Central, Oklahoma Baptist scored 21 unanswered points after trailing 20-17. Thursday was the Bison’s first home-opener victory since 2023 and their first victory over Southern Arkansas since 2021.
NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE 0, No. 2 HARDING 76
No. 2 Harding reintroduced itself to the college football world quickly in Thursday’s season opener, scoring 34 points in the first quarter in route to a 76-0 victory. The Bisons totaled a program-best 747 yards of offense while the defense registered a pair of program firsts by not allowing a first down all game while also holding NWOSU to minus-26 total yards.
HENDERSON STATE 57, SOUTHERN NAZARENE 21
The second lopsided victory of week one came in Bethany, Okla., as Henderson State (1-0) defeated Southern Nazarene (0-1), 57-21. The Reddies scored the first 30 points in the contest while their defense stimied the SNU passing attack after allowing just 50 such yards and winning the turnover battle, 2-1.
SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE 20, ARKANSAS TECH 26
Arkansas Tech (1-0) was the beneficiary of the sole one-possession game of opening week, defeating Southwestern Oklahoma State (0-1), 26-20. The Wonder Boys, despite being outgained 447-300, picked off SWOSU quarterback Knox Dyson three times, two of which came in ATU territory. After scoring the eventual game-winning touchdown with 1:56 left in regulation, a missed extra-point opened the door for Southwestern before a goal-line stand from Tech set off the celebration.
SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE 21, ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO 12
Southeastern Oklahoma State (1-0) held Arkansas-Monticello (0-1) to just 12 points as the Savage Storm defense lifted Southeastern to a 21-12 victory. With SE scoring the first 21 points of the game only to be held scoreless in the second half, the defense sacked UAM five times, stopped Monticello on fourth down three times and had an interception deep in SE territory late in the second quarter.
Week two of the GAC football season starts Thursday, Sept. 10 when Arkansas-Monticello heads to East Central while Arkansas Tech takes on Northwestern Oklahoma State, both at 6 p.m. No. 2 Harding meets Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, Okla., for the Thursday nightcap at 7 p.m.
The only meeting of two 1-0 teams this week will be in Arkadelphia, Ark. as Henderson State hosts Oklahoma Baptist from Carpenter-Haygood Stadium Saturday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. Ouachita Baptist at Southeastern Oklahoma State and Southern Nazarene at Southern Arkansas will also kick off at 6 p.m.
GREAT AMERICAN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Sergio Kennedy | East Central | QB | Jr. | Mansfield, Texas
East Central junior quarterback Sergio Kennedy led ECU to its first-ever road win over Ouachita Baptist. Kennedy kept the No. 20 Tigers on their heels all night with 311 total yards and two total touchdowns. Kennedy secured the Tigers’ win with a 52-yard scamper to paydirt with 10:44 left in regulation for the 27-10 lead before eventually taking the victory, 27-17.
DEFENSIVE
Jeremiah Jennings | Oklahoma Baptist | OLB | Sr. | Columbia, S.C.
Oklahoma Baptist senior linebacker Jeremiah Jennings became the first player in program history to record a pick-six and a blocked punt in the same game. Following a missed field goal for the Bison, Jennings picked up his momentum-swinging 42-yard pick-six to tie the game, 14-14. The Muleriders scored just six more points the rest of the way. Jennings added to his big second quarter with a blocked punt halfway through the quarter, resulting in three more points for the Bison.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Dean Roberts | Harding | K/P | So. | Mims, Fla.
Harding sophomore kicker matched a program record with a 10 made extra-points in his Bisons debut, adding 10 points to HU’s record-breaking 76-0 performance. In addition, Roberts also handled five kickoffs for 282 yards (56.4 avg), keeping NWOSU pinned deep in its own territory throughout the contest.
WEEKLY AWARDS
GAC Offensive Player of the Week
Sept. 7 Sergio Kennedy, East Central
GAC Defensive Player of the Week
Sept. 7 Jeremiah Jennings, Oklahoma Baptist
GAC Special Teams Player of the Week
Sept. 7 Dean Roberts, Harding
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