2023 GAC Preseason Poll/Guesses?

[Predatory Primates]

Ok, am I understanding correctly. According to the MIAA’s announcement only Central Oklahoma and Washburn can schedule home games against non-conference opponents because they are the only two teams that have a bye during the first two weeks of the season?

That's not what I got from reading it, but it kind of reads like the author used Google translate to write it, so I'm not sure.

[BulldogLB]

unless he took the weights with him, you should be fine.
he seemed like a cool guy. talked position specific training which is kind of refreshing.

he may have stayed if you weren't working out in what is equivalent to a middle school gym. I'm joking for sure. NOTHING in this region is worse than SWOSU's weight room.

That is a surprising take. What did you think was so terrible about it? It’s a separate facility, pretty new, and has everything a football team needs for S&C? Unless all the other OK schools upgraded since 2019, I don’t see how it’s the WORST. That title would have been held by UCO up until the money injection (which I am obviously jealous of)

[BulldogLB]

Porter is indeed back. Redshirted back in 2017. Dude's been around for awhile haha.

That is insane lol. Dude is two years younger than me, came in two years after me, and I graduated in 2019. I don’t fully understand how he got this much eligibility lolol. Good for him though! He’s a baller.

[LukeMcConnell1]

That is insane lol. Dude is two years younger than me, came in two years after me, and I graduated in 2019. I don’t fully understand how he got this much eligibility lolol. Good for him though! He’s a baller.

Yeah it's pretty crazy.

2017- Redshirt
2018- Redshirt freshman
2019- Redshirt sophomore
2020- No season
2021- Redshirt junior (played four games, hurt)
2022- Redshirt senior
2023- Redshirt senior + COVID year from 2020

Depending on the medical redshirt requirements--I've seen 30% and 40% of season played, but I think it's 30%--he could've had another! haha. But the four games played in 2021 puts him over the 30% threshold.

[Mulerider]

GAC really needs to step up and get Non-Conference games going. Could really help the GAC with recruiting for Football.

[OldBison]

GAC really needs to step up and get Non-Conference games going. Could really help the GAC with recruiting for Football.

How about we get the Wonder Boys or the Reddies to go FCS to make an opening for a non-conference opponent?

[Predatory Primates]

GAC really needs to step up and get Non-Conference games going. Could really help the GAC with recruiting for Football.

The ncaa needs to step in and straight outlaw silos.

[Mulerider]

How about we get the Wonder Boys or the Reddies to go FCS to make an opening for a non-conference opponent?

Well the Reddies are broke and with A-State stepping in, not sure that will happen. The Wonder Boys would probably have the most in terms of a pocket book to go D1 FCS. Stadium size I believe would need to increase though. Basketball gym should be big enough. Not sure how the overall program would tranlsate though. A-Tech still has more students enrolled currently than UCA.

I could also see Harding go D1 FCS if they realllly wanted to. Would have to bust open some alumni funds though. Other than that, not sure anyone in Oklahoma could. Outside of maybe OKBU? Not sure, couldn't find much on OKlahoma Schools.

SAU continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Long way to go before they would ever dare be consdiered D1 as a possiblity.

[Tech Boys]

Tech would need to add three sports for D1, and two of them must be men's sports. With the scholarship increases for the new men's sports and football, more women's sports would likely need to be added to satisfy Title IX. We don't have all the facilities needed for new sports. That's a lot of upfront costs plus the D1 membership fee for little or no return on investment especially being in the shadow of the pigs. Then there is the need to nearly quadruple the athletic budget.

[OldBison]

Well the Reddies are broke and with A-State stepping in, not sure that will happen. The Wonder Boys would probably have the most in terms of a pocket book to go D1 FCS. Stadium size I believe would need to increase though. Basketball gym should be big enough. Not sure how the overall program would tranlsate though. A-Tech still has more students enrolled currently than UCA.

I could also see Harding go D1 FCS if they realllly wanted to. Would have to bust open some alumni funds though. Other than that, not sure anyone in Oklahoma could. Outside of maybe OKBU? Not sure, couldn't find much on OKlahoma Schools.

SAU continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Long way to go before they would ever dare be consdiered D1 as a possiblity.

It would take a major stadium upgrade and serious increase in donor support for the Bisons to go FCS. I can see it happening in the future but no time soon. I think we’ll see some sort of reshuffling of MIAA, GAC and GSC teams before we see teams from these D2 conferences jump to FCS.

[TigerGuy]

Well the Reddies are broke and with A-State stepping in, not sure that will happen. The Wonder Boys would probably have the most in terms of a pocket book to go D1 FCS. Stadium size I believe would need to increase though. Basketball gym should be big enough. Not sure how the overall program would tranlsate though. A-Tech still has more students enrolled currently than UCA.

I could also see Harding go D1 FCS if they realllly wanted to. Would have to bust open some alumni funds though. Other than that, not sure anyone in Oklahoma could. Outside of maybe OKBU? Not sure, couldn't find much on OKlahoma Schools.

SAU continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Long way to go before they would ever dare be consdiered D1 as a possiblity.

The only D2 school in Oklahoma even REMOTLEY close to making the jump is UCO.

[ReddieMade]

For the same reason I agreed with OBU being preseason favorite last year, I could see HSU being No. 1 or No. 2 in the preseason poll from coaches for 2023.

The Reddies won 8 games in 2022 with a super young team. 16 of 22 players that started in the Battle of the Ravine return, which doesn’t include a DT who was leading the GAC in sacks when he tore an ACL at Harding and a starting DB from 2021 who went FCS and has come back.

Have to replace Malone at WR, but GAC Freshman of the Year returning at QB, 1000 yard rusher returning, as well as two All-GAC guys on the OL and the DL.

Ouachita and Harding have earned the right to say the league goes through them, but Henderson will be good. The Reddies have been right on the cusp since 2019 but this could be the year they break through.

[Boomer dad]

Will be interesting to see what Henderson can do this year. Big changes in offensive staff and a new play caller this year

[BulldogLB]

I’ll give my pre-season rankings. Unfortunately I’ve been taken over by work, so I haven’t been able to keep up with as much during this off-season. Weatherford has been quiet, and I haven’t heard much about what’s going on.

Last I heard, they had gotten a QB transfer from Mississippi State that has some crazy arm talent, but questionable decision making. I would expect to see an improved defense, but offense will be a big question mark. The new OC was previously the head coach at Panhandle State, and I really like the guy. I don’t know much about his style.

To the rankings. My top three could be in any order and I’d be okay with it.

1. Harding
2. Henderson
3. Ouachita
4. Southeastern OK
5. East Central
6. Southern Arkansas
7. Arkansas Tech
8. SWOSU
9. Monticello
10. Southern Nazarene
11. Oklahoma Baptist
12. Northwestern Ok