GAC Week 8 Scores and Thoughts

[Bisonfan from FLA]

Week 8 of football is in the books in the GAC. Let’s take a look at the scores and a few comments about the games. Feel free to make your own comments about each team and game.

Henderson 42-14 over UA Monticello.
Interesting how one injury for UAM really slowed down this team.

SE Oklahoma 32-13 over Southwestern Oklahoma
SEO will be rebuilding next year with some success to look back upon this year. With only three games left who will be the team that remains winless? Will it be SWO or NWO? Could both be looking for their first victory of the season when they face each other in the last week of conference play? Someone will have to win November 11.

Harding 54-20 over Southern Arkansas
SAU has a very good team; Harding is a complete team that wears downs the opponent. Just a matter of if Harding will host a playoff game (they will) and the opponent. Could this be the year they make s deep run? Region 3 is a strong region but you have to keep your eye on the Bisons! SAU could be in line for a bowl invitation. We will just have to wait and see.

Ouachita 31-24 over Arkansas Tech
Did OBU just feel a little flat this week or are they not as talented as previously thought? Or could it be that A-Tech is finally getting their game going and putting up a more spirited fight?

Southern Nazarene 27-13 over East Central Oklahoma
SNU is the stronger of the Oklahoma teams this year.

Oklahoma Baptist 28-7 over Northwestern Oklahoma
With only three games left who will be the team that remains winless? Will it be SWO or NWO? Could both be looking for their first victory of the season when they face each other in the last week of conference play? Someone will have to win November 11.

[Riders]

First off…. Congratulations to Harding. I tip my hat to you. You guys are a well oiled machine and I hope you make a deep playoff run. That Delacruz kid is tough!

SAU offensively moved the ball well against the Harding defense. We ran the ball a lot better than I thought we would and were efficient with the passing game. I felt like we were in this game going into the 3rd, but SAU just couldn’t get out of their own way. An uncharacteristic fumble by Jones at the Harding 30 and not scoring from the 3 yard line just can’t happen if SAU expects to compete with the elites of the conference. And I, for the life of me, cannot understand why we pull Jones, and put our backup QB in, when the game is still within reach. Don’t get me wrong, he is gonna be a good player for us, but Jones was moving this offense effectively the whole game. Backup moves us down the field into Harding territory then throws one of the ugliest interceptions I’ve ever seen. I’m sure there is a reason for the switch, I just don’t get it.

SAU defensively…. Got obliterated!! I understand it’s Harding. I understand it’s one of the hardest offenses around to stop. And I understand that offense is gonna embarrass a lot of defenses. But to not make One. Single. Adjustment to try to stop it, just baffles me. The same defensive alignment the entire game. A defensive alignment we have never run before this game. There was no plan B. One of the SAU players told me that a HU player made the comment to him during the game, and I’m paraphrasing “Why the hell are y’all not changing your defense and allowing us to pile on the yards?” He said all he could do is shrug his shoulders and say “Good question!” I’m not saying the end result would have been any different, but geez, do some coaching and give these guys a fighting chance.

Kudos to HU. Not sure we win even if all those things I’m lamenting about didn’t happen, but it would have hopefully been more competitive. I will say this in closing, HU had the ball at the SAU 9 with about 1:30 left on the clock. After reading some other posts about HU piling on at the end of the OBU game, I fully expected them to try to hang 60 on us for style points, but I was wrong. They kneeled it twice. HU must really not like OBU! Lol

[OldBison]

SAU has definitely improved as the season has progressed. They moved the ball better on us than any team in recent weeks. I couldn’t figure out why they pulled OB Jones and went to their backup QB either. I assumed because they were falling further behind they needed to get their passing game going and the backup was more of a passer. Except for one good run Jones wasn’t gaining that many yards with his legs but because he was such a run threat we really couldn’t rush him and had to focus in containing him. Defensively it looked to me like SAU sold out to stopping the zone dive, passing options and pretty much ignored all the other options of the Flexbone all day.

[TheBigShow22]

NWOSU/SWOSU - Who will win! Not sure either picks up a win before coming into this one. I believe both have new coaches this season. It will be interesting to see how both recruit this year. This game will keep a team from going winless, but both need to win in recruiting to be better than this!

[Ranger Rick]

NWOSU/SWOSU - Who will win! Not sure either picks up a win before coming into this one. I believe both have new coaches this season. It will be interesting to see how both recruit this year. This game will keep a team from going winless, but both need to win in recruiting to be better than this!

The new NWOSU Coach just picked up where the old one left off. I wouldn't bet a dime on either team to win when they meet. I see our old coach took with him the inability to beat SNU when he left for the East Central O- Coordinator job.

[OPSUALUM77&81]

The new NWOSU Coach just picked up where the old one left off. I wouldn't bet a dime on either team to win when they meet. I see our old coach took with him the inability to beat SNU when he left for the East Central O- Coordinator job.

I am a bean counter but have never done any work for higher education or college athletics. However, it is readily apparent that the Oklahoma schools will always be in the lower echelon in D2 due to a lack of resources. Yes, you may have a one or two year uptick, but sustained success is just a fantasy. It is hard for a proud Okie to say, but settle in for sustained mediocrity.

[Flying Tiger]

I said a few weeks ago that the Tigers had moments of greatest followed by some really bad series. Last Saturday was an example of a bit of the former and a lot of the latter. For most the game, Ouachita looked flat, uninspired, and ill-prepared, but I'm wondering if a part of that might be we have underestimated Arkansas Tech. They have been only blown out once (SAU really worked them over), but otherwise their losses, including Henderson, have been close. Is Tech one of those teams that has more talent than advertised and plays up or down to the level of the competition? I came away from our game disappointed in the Tigers, but the more I got away from the game, the more I became impressed with the Wonder Boys in certain key areas. Maybe Tech is in the process of rebuilding the program.

Harding was what they have been all season...yes, talented, but more importantly, focused. They don't take any Saturdays off.

HSU played very well, but UAM has not been a threat to anyone since they lost their quarterback. He was their offense.

The only Oklahoma game I didn't see coming was ECU. I was expecting them to beat SNU but it appears they didn't show up even to play on their own turf. On Thursday, if Ouachita goes into Shawnee without some fire in their bellies, the Tigers might be in the midst of a major storm warning.

[OldBison]

Flying Tiger, I checked the Ouachita- ATU throughout the afternoon last Saturday while I sat in the visitor’s stands in Eldorado at the Harding-SAU. The further along the games went the more surprised at the spread in the score of the OBU-ATU game. It seems the three-game winning streak the Wonder Boys prior to last Saturday’s game gave them some confidence. The last few year the Harding-ATU game has always been anti-climatic. ATU not been able to make a game of it whether it was played in Russellville or Searcy. Looks like there will be no easy games for the Bisons for the remainder of the season.

[Bisonfan from FLA]

Flying Tiger said: "Harding was what they have been all season...yes, talented, but more importantly, focused. They don't take any Saturdays off."

Not replying as a Bison fan, fawning/gushing over the compliment, but as a fan of sports I appreciated this comment. You said a similar statement after the Harding/OBU game and now that I see it again I am even more impressed with what you said and the thought behind it.

Many/most times sports comments talk about strengths in playing ability such as offense and defense, coaching/manager decisions and such like. Yet you hit on a topic of focus, the ability to zero in on what is that inner drive that causes one to propel themselves and do what their talent allows but also to reach deeper and play with a different intensity. What a well voiced point of view and as a fan of the sport of football, thank you.

[Flying Tiger]

Flaying Tiger said: "Harding was what they have been all season...yes, talented, but more importantly, focused. They don't take any Saturdays off."

Not replying as a Bison fan, fawning/gushing over the compliment, but as a fan of sports I appreciated this comment. You said a similar statement after the Harding/OBU game and now that I see it again I am even more impressed with what you said and the thought behind it.

Many/most times sports comments talk about strengths in playing ability such as offense and defense, coaching/manager decisions and such like. Yet you hit on a topic of focus, the ability to zero in on what is that inner drive that causes one to propel themselves and do what their talent allows but also to reach deeper and play with a different intensity. What a well voiced point of view and as a fan of the sport of football, thank you.

I try to look at things objectively and feel it’s important to point out when college kids excel no matter where they are. Harding’s team this year has impressed me on several levels. Hat’s off to you all. Embrace the joy of this season.

[OBUGrad]

I said a few weeks ago that the Tigers had moments of greatest followed by some really bad series. Last Saturday was an example of a bit of the former and a lot of the latter. For most the game, Ouachita looked flat, uninspired, and ill-prepared, but I'm wondering if a part of that might be we have underestimated Arkansas Tech. They have been only blown out once (SAU really worked them over), but otherwise their losses, including Henderson, have been close. Is Tech one of those teams that has more talent than advertised and plays up or down to the level of the competition? I came away from our game disappointed in the Tigers, but the more I got away from the game, the more I became impressed with the Wonder Boys in certain key areas. Maybe Tech is in the process of rebuilding the program.

Harding was what they have been all season...yes, talented, but more importantly, focused. They don't take any Saturdays off.

HSU played very well, but UAM has not been a threat to anyone since they lost their quarterback. He was their offense.

The only Oklahoma game I didn't see coming was ECU. I was expecting them to beat SNU but it appears they didn't show up even to play on their own turf. On Thursday, if Ouachita goes into Shawnee without some fire in their bellies, the Tigers might be in the midst of a major storm warning.

Tech has improved, yes, and give them credit. But that game had more to do with Ouachita being incredibly flat. Should have won by much more.

Tech won’t be an issue for Harding, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see them beat ECU or SE…or both of them. Wouldn’t be shocked if they lose both either.

[Predatory Primates]

Harding is just a wrecking ball in the GAC this year. I see them being a really dangerous playoff team.

I hope I get to see the old clock eating option face off with the hurry up spread that UCM is running in the playoffs. The contrast in schemes could make it really fun to watch.

[OldBison]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Bisons in a PO game against an air raid style offense. I haven’t seen the Mules play this year. From the comments made on the D2.com show last night it sounds like their defense might be their weak spot. I wonder how they’ll do against Mo So and Hays to finish the season?

[LukeMcConnell1]

https://www.d2football.com/gac-week-eight-recap/

[Predatory Primates]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Bisons in a PO game against an air raid style offense. I haven’t seen the Mules play this year. From the comments made on the D2.com show last night it sounds like their defense might be their weak spot. I wonder how they’ll do against Mo So and Hays to finish the season?

IDK. Pitt's pass D is pretty solid, and they had to score almost 40 and stop them at the goal line to beat UCM. IDK if they could do it to Pitt twice, but that tempo can really wear a defense out. You might stop em 3 times, then they score in a minute and a half.

UCM'S D is improving, but they run a 33 stack. That's a sellout D, so they tend to do better against one dimensional teams than they do against more balanced teams.

That said. It's hard to say what scheme they would run against the triple?