Delta State University vs. Southern Arkansas University

          When: October 19, 2002//Where: Magnolia, Arkansas @ Wilkins Stadium//Time: 2:30 p.m.

 

                                                                                Homecoming

 

                                             The Series (DSU 13-5-0)                  

          Saturday’s Homecoming game between Southern Arkansas University and Delta State University will be the 19th meeting between the Muleriders and Statesmen in a series that began in 1951. SAU won the first two meetings, 14-0 and 27-20. DSU collected their first win of the series in ‘53 by tossing a 42-0 shutout and extended the margin of victory in ’54 to 53-0 to even maters. SAU and DSU did not play again until ‘58 with the ‘Riders winning 13-6 but the Statesmen bounced back to blank the ‘Riders in ’59 28-0 and again deadlocking the series at three wins each.

            It would be 21 years before SAU and DSU met again, Delta winning 18-7 in 1980. The next clash was in 1986 when former SAU coach Jim (Red) Parker led his Statesmen to a 28-13 win and followed that with a 21-14 decision in ’87. DSU went on to win the next two years, 31-10 in ’88 and 35-14 in ’89.

            When SAU and DSU played again in 1995, both were members of the Gulf South Conference. The Statesmen won 20-7 and captured their ninth consecutive win over the ‘Riders in ’96 34-13. In 1997, SAU snapped the string of losses with a 24-6 victory in route to the GSC championship. Delta squeaked past SAU in ’98 26-25 to deny the ‘Riders of another title but the ‘Riders surprised a favored Statesmen team in ’99 with a 24-0 shutout. DSU eked out a 30-28 win over the ‘Riders in 2000 in route to a national championship and the Statesmen won last year 28-7 to take a 13-5-0 lead in the series.

 

                                                  The Coaches

                This will be the 17th game for Steve Quinn as the second-year head coach of the ‘Riders. He is 9-7-0 heading into the DSU game.

            This will be only the seventh game at DSU for first-year head coach Rick Rhoades. He is off to a 1-5-0 start with the Statesmen.

 

                                                            2002 Results

SAU (4-2-0; 3-1-0)                                                      DSU (1-5-0; 1-3-0)

@ Midwestern State                26-35                           @ Northwestern State    7-35

@ Texas A&M-Commerce            27-24                           @ Mississippi Valley     (OT)            26-28

West Georgia                           42-21                           @ Valdosta State              0-42

@ Valdosta State                28-31                           West Alabama                                   24-30

@ North Alabama                       43-33                           West Georgia                                    27-21

Central Arkansas                      38-21                           @ Arkansas Tech             17-24

 

                                                            GSC Last Week

            Valdosta State 45-Arkansas-Monticello 17; Arkansas Tech 24-Delta State 17; Ouachita Baptist 38-North Alabama 24; Henderson State 30-West Alabama 27; Harding

University 13-West Georgia 0; Southern Arkansas 38-Central Arkansas 21.

 

 

 

                                                            GSC This Week

West Georgia @ West Alabama, 1 p.m.; Arkansas Tech @ North Alabama, 1:30 p.m.; Ouachita Baptist @ Arkansas-Monticello (HC), 3 p.m.; Valdosta State @ Central Arkansas, 3 p.m.; Harding University @ Henderson State, 3 p.m.; Delta State @ Southern Arkansas (HC), 2:30 p.m.

                                                GSC Standings

                                                                                Conference          Overall

                        Harding University            4-0-0               6-0-0

                        Valdosta State              4-0-0               6-0-0

                        Central Arkansas            3-1-0               5-1-0

                        Southern Arkansas            3-1-0                4-2-0

                        Arkansas-Monticello            2-2-0               2-3-0

                        Ouachita Baptist            2-2-0               2-3-0

Henderson State            2-2-0                        2-4-0

West Alabama                        1-3-0                        3-3-0

                        West Georgia                        1-3-0               3-3-0

                        Arkansas Tech                        1-3-0               2-4-0

                        Delta State                1-3-0               1-5-0

                        North Alabama            0-4-0               1-5-0

 

                                                The Rankings

D-2 Football.com has Valdosta State ranked second nationally with Central Arkansas falling to 11th after their loss to Southern Arkansas last week. Unbeaten Harding University is only 22nd and Southern Arkansas is unranked. Don Hansen’s Football Gazette has Valdosta State ranked third, Harding 15th, Southern Arkansas 16th and Central Arkansas falling to 20th. Dopke D-2 ranks Valdosta State third, Harding 12th, Southern Arkansas 17th and Central Arkansas 19th. The American Football Coaches Association poll ranks Valdosta State second, Central Arkansas 14th and Harding 18th with SAU unranked.

 

Media Coverage

KVMA 107.9 FM in Magnolia with Dan Gregory on play-by-play, Jay Adcox as color commentator and Lane Jean on the sideline; 92.9 WDTL FM in Cleveland with Matt Jones, Richard Webster and Andy Mundy.

 

                                                Team Leaders

SAU: Last week against Central Arkansas, RB Rodney Hill led the way with 64 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown and RB Torrence Jones had 61 yards on 13 totes and a touchdown. QB Ted Williams passed for 148 yards and a touchdown on 10 completions in 19 attempts but had two interceptions. The SAU defense held UCA’s rushing offense to 92 yards and their passing offense, ranked first in the nation, to 243 yards on 31 completions in 60 attempts with two intercepted. DB Charles Rollins had seven solo tackles with one assist, a forced fumble and a pass broken up. LB Keenan Washington six solos and two assists with two forced fumbles and DB Brian Davis five solos and two assists with an interception returned for 24 yards. WR Nik Lewis returned three punts for 56 yards.

DSU: The Statesmen were led in their game last week with Arkansas Tech by RB David Yeates, who rushed for 57 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown. QB Spencer Johnson was eight of 21 on pass attempts for 96 yards. WR Chris Parks caught four passes for 48 yards and WR Ellis Debrow caught two for 59 yards. RB Mario Purifoy had two KO returns for 60 yards. DT Anthony Maddox had four solos and seven assists.

 

                                                Coach Quinn

“I am extremely proud of our players and coaching staff. Playing against one of the best teams in the nation (Central Arkansas) last week was something they took as a challenge and responded to that challenge. I was especially pleased with our defensive staff and players. They felt they had not played well the previous week (against North Alabama) and did a great job of coming back ready to play.”

“We were able to get some turnovers from a football team that hasn’t turned it over a lot. Our secondary kept their aggressiveness and tackled well. It was a total team effort, defensively. Offensively, we were able to make plays to win. We responded when we had chances to let down. I was pleased we were able to complete passes to six different receivers. We still have a lot of room for improvement. We need to eliminate turnovers, penalties and mental mistakes as a football team. We have come a long way since starting the season and our effort has been very good. Any conference win is big, especially going into the final half of the season.”

“As any other week of the season, the most important game is the one you are preparing to play that week. Delta State is a good football team that had a very difficult schedule early in the season. They are starting to move the ball offensively and score points. They have the ability to make the big play. Defensively, they have good size and can run to the football. They have speed on special teams that makes them very solid. Their defensive line from end to end may be the best in the conference. They play physical and are difficult to keep blocked. We must maintain our focus this week in practice and prepare for another key GSC game.”                                                    

 

                                                Quick Facts

Southern Arkansas University                                                                                             Delta State University

Magnolia, Arkansas                               Location                                                Cleveland, Mississippi

Gulf South                                                         Conference                                           Gulf South

NCAA Division II                                             Affiliation                                             NCAA Division II

Dr. David Rankin                                                President                                              Dr. David Potter

Jay Adcox                                                    Athletics Director                                                Dr. Jim Jordan

Steve Quinn                                                    Head Coach                                           Rick Rhoades

Houston Taylor                                         Sports Information                                           Fred Sington

Muleriders                                                          Nickname                                             Statesmen

Royal Blue & Old Gold                                        Colors                                                   Forest Green & White

3,100                                                                   Enrollment                                            4,086

1909 (SAU in 1976)                                       Founded                                 1924

Wilkins (6,000)                                                      Stadium                                 Parker (8,000)

(870) 235-4117                                                Pressbox Phone                                   (662) 846-4592/4593

 

                                                                                Of Interest

                The 1952 Muleriders, the AIC champion 50 years ago, and the 1972 ‘Riders, the conference champion 30 years ago, will be introduced to the Homecoming crowd at halftime and will be honored after the game at the SAU Welcome Center.