Saturday’s game between Southern Arkansas University and Henderson State University will be the 63rd meeting between the Muleriders and Reddies. A ‘Rider win will even the long-time series 31-31-1. The rivalry began in 1915 when SAU was a fourth-district high school and HSU was a Methodist college named Henderson-Brown. The Reddies won in 1915 and SAU failed to keep records in 1916, ’17 and ’18, possibly because of World War I. In 1919, HSU won 21-19 but SAU records are unavailable for the years 1920 through 1923, the year SAU became a junior college. In 1924 and ’25, HSU made it four in a row before the ‘Riders won for the first time over HSU in 1926. After the Reddies won the next two, SAU and HSU did not play again until 1935 but the results did not change as the Reddies won the next two years.
SAU again failed to keep records the next three years in 1937 through 1939. They may not have fielded a team in those depression years. In 1940, HSU won to take a 9-1 advantage before SAU won for the second time in 1941. From 1942 through 1945, there was no football at SAU because of World War II. The ‘Riders and Reddies did not play in 1946 but played in 1947 with SAU winning 33-6 and again in ‘48 35-13. HSU won in ’49 7-0 and the only tie in the ancient series was in 1950, a scoreless deadlock the year SAU had their first junior class in route to a senior college status.
In ’51, SAU won 35-14 in route to four victories in a row with HSU coming back to win in 1955. HSU’s longest series win streak was seven in a row between 1973 through 1979 and SAU’s best string of wins was from 1996 through last year, six in a row. SAU’s biggest win margin was in 2000 by an 86-27 margin while HSU’s most lop-sided win was 33-6 in 1974.
SAU’s second-year head coach Steve Quinn
(Ouachita Baptist, 1986) has a 12-8 record with the ‘Riders following last
week’s 33-13 upset loss to Harding. HSU’s second-year head coach, Jesse Branch
(Arkansas, 1964) is 5-16 with the Reddies following last week’s 35-7 win over
Arkansas-Monticello. Overall, he is 60-60-1 with one game remaining in his 11th
season.
SAU (7-3, 6-2) HSU (4-6, 4-4)
@ Midwestern State 26-35 Northwestern
Oklahoma 7-58
@ Texas
A&M-Commerce 27-23 @
Stephen F. Austin 7-55
West Georgia 42-21 Central
Arkansas 21-68
@ Valdosta State 28-31 @
West Georgia 3-44
@ North Alabama 43-33 Arkansas
Tech 18-12
Central Arkansas 38-21 @
West Alabama 30-27
Delta State 30-10 Harding 29-8
@ Ouachita Baptist
(4 OT) 50-47 @
Delta State 14-44
Arkansas-Monticello 48-0 Ouachita
Baptist 14-28
Harding 13-33 @
Arkansas-Monticello 35-7
Nov. 16-@ Henderson
State 3 p.m. Nov.
16-Southern Arkansas 3 p.m.
KVMA 107.9 FM in
Magnolia with Dan Gregory in his 21st year as voice of SAU
athletics, Jay Adcox as color commentator and Lane Jean on the sidelines; KDEL 1240 AM in Arkadelphia with Grant Merrill the
play-by-play announcer and Hal McAfee as the color commentator.
SAU, 11th in Don Hansen’s Football Gazette last week, fell from the Top 25 to 26th
while Harding moved up to 24th after their win over the ‘Riders. D-2 Football.com and Dopke D-2 both
dropped SAU from their Top 25 from 20th and 13th,
respectively. The American Football
Coaches Association has
dropped SAU out of the poll from 24th. Valdosta State is second in all four
polls and is the only GSC team recognized in the Top 25 with the exception of
HU at 24th in the Football Gazette.
Valdosta State 31-Arkansas Tech 24;
Central Arkansas 47-West Alabama 7; North Alabama 36-West Georgia 26; Ouachita
Baptist 35-Delta State 25; Henderson State 35-Arkansas-Monticello 7; Harding
33-Southern Arkansas 13.
Arkansas-Monticello @ Delta State, 1:30 p.m.; North Alabama @ West
Alabama, 1 p.m.; Arkansas Tech @ Central Arkansas,1:30 p.m.; Ouachita Baptist @
Harding, 2 p.m.; Valdosta State @ West Georgia, 6 p.m.; Southern Arkansas
@ Henderson State, 3 p.m.
Conference Overall
Valdosta State 8-0-0 10-0-0
Harding
6-2-0 8-2-0
Southern Arkansas 6-2-0 7-3-0
Central Arkansas 5-3-0 7-3-0
Ouachita Baptist 5-3-0 5-4-0
Henderson State 4-4-0 4-6-0
Arkansas Tech 3-5-0 4-6-0
Delta State 3-5-0 3-7-0
North Alabama 3-5-0 4-6-0
West Alabama 2-6-0 4-6-0
Arkansas-Monticello 2-6-0 2-7-0
West Georgia 1-7-0 3-7-0
SAU: For the season, RB Torrence Jones has rushed for 589 yards on 94 carries and has scored 12 touchdowns. In passing, QB Ted Williams has completed 71 passes in 147 attempts for 1,241 yards and 11 touchdowns. WR Nik Lewis has caught 57 passes for 1,090 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also has returned 14 punts for 179 yards, a 12.8 average. RB’s Rodney Hill and Donald Butler have returned 15 and 12 kickoffs for 313 and 360 yards, respectively, for 20.9 and 30-yard averages. SS Brian Davis has 88 tackles, 43 solos, has a tackle for a loss, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and four interceptions. LB Keenan Washington has 86 tackles (in only nine games), 11 for losses, has two sacks, an interception, a pass breakup, a hurry and four forced fumbles.
HSU: QB Blake Christenson has rushed for 769 yards on 182 carries with 13 touchdowns. FB Jayvian Johnson has 550 yards on 103 carries and two touchdowns. Christenson has completed 53 passes in 134 attempts for 681 yards and one touchdown. K Zach Elbert has converted all 21 PAT’s and is five of seven on FG’s, hitting two of three over 40 yards. Defensively, LB Alan Houston has 126 tackles, 71 solos, has a forced fumble, seven passes broken up, 10 tackles for losses and a sack. LB Earl Wilson has 67 tackles, 28 solos, three passes broken up, three tackles for losses and a sack.
“This (Harding) was a tough loss for our football team. We had worked
very hard to get to this point and to accomplish the things we have this
season. We had some good efforts on the field, but failed to make plays in
critical situations. Against good football teams, you cannot make the type of
mistakes we made during the football game. We continued to give effort, but our
overall execution wasn’t very sharp. We must show the type of character and
determination that has gotten us to this point in order to finish the season
the way we want to finish. We must continue to work hard and improve.”
“This week’s game (Henderson State) is going to be a test for this team.
Henderson is coming off an impressive win over (Arkansas) Monticello and is
playing very good football. They are well-coached and their players have a lot
of confidence in themselves and their program. We must maintain our focus and
prepare well in order to be successful. Playing on the road is also tough in
the GSC and going to Henderson is no exception.”
Magnolia, Arkansas Location Arkadelphia, Arkansas
3,100 Enrollment 3,500
1909 (SAU in 1976) Established 1890
Gulf South Conference Gulf South
NCAA Division II Affiliation NCAA Division II
Dr. David Rankin President Dr. Charles Dunn
Jay Adcox Athletics Director Sam Goodwin
Steve Quinn Head Coach Jesse Branch
Houston Taylor Sports Information Matt Bonnette
Muleriders Nickname Reddies
Royal Blue & Old Gold Colors Red & Gray
Wilkins (6,000) Stadium Carpenter-Haygood (9,600)
(870) 235-4117 Pressbox Phone (870) 230-5035
*HSU athletic Director Sam Goodwin was head football
coach at SAU in 1979 and ’80. After serving as an assistant at Arkansas under
Lou Holtz, he was head coach at Northwestern State before returning to HSU, his
alma mater.
*HSU president Dr. Charles Dunn is a Magnolia native
and a graduate of SAU.
*In NCAA South Region rankings, Valdosta State is
first, Carson-Newman second, Faytetteville State third, Catawba fourth,
Tuskegee fifth, Fort Valley State sixth, Harding seventh, Virginia State
eighth, Southern Arkansas ninth and Tusculum 10th. Had SAU won last
week over Harding, it is believed SAU would have moved to fifth but would have
got the fourth seed in the national playoffs because Tuskegee is not going to
participate in post-season play. Usually, the Gulf South Conference gets two
members in the playoffs but it now appears Valdosta will be the only league
representative this year. It is also the first year since SAU has been a GSC
member for only one conference team (Valdosta) to be ranked in the nation’s Top
25. The GSC traditionally leads the nation with the most ranked teams in the
nation.