GAC football

[LeftSider]

GAC members have several national championships in many sports. Almost all of them are in NAIA. Here are the NAIA football champs.

1993	East Central
1996	Southwestern Oklahoma State
1999	Northwestern Oklahoma Stat

Two of my high school coaches played on that ECU team. They were both pumped that I was going to an option team, shout out the tigers.

[Tdobson]

I am curious with all the changes at Harding, will they still be the conference favorite?

[FoothillBison]

I am curious with all the changes at Harding, will they still be the conference favorite?

Yes.

[OldBison]

I am curious with all the changes at Harding, will they still be the conference favorite?

Here’s what I expect the pre-season rankings for the GAC to be:

1. Harding
2. Henderson State
3. Southern Arkansas
4. Ouachita Baptist
5. Arkansas Tech
6. East Central
7. Southwestern Oklahoma
8. Southeastern Oklahoma
9. UAM
10. Oklahoma Baptist
11. Northwestern Oklahoms
12. Southern Nazarene

Here’s how I expect them to finish:

1. Harding
2. Ouachita Baptist
3. Arkansas Tech
4. Henderson
5. SAU
6. Southwestern Oklahoma
7. East Central
8. Southeastern Oklahoma
9. Northwestern Oklahoma
10. Oklahoma Baptist
11. UAM
12. Southern Nazarene

[Mulerider]

Here’s what I expect the pre-season rankings for the GAC to be:

1. Harding
2. Henderson State
3. Southern Arkansas
4. Ouachita Baptist
5. Arkansas Tech
6. East Central
7. Southwestern Oklahoma
8. Southeastern Oklahoma
9. UAM
10. Oklahoma Baptist
11. Northwestern Oklahoms
12. Southern Nazarene

Here’s how I expect them to finish:

1. Harding
2. Ouachita Baptist
3. Arkansas Tech
4. Henderson
5. SAU
6. Southwestern Oklahoma
7. East Central
8. Southeastern Oklahoma
9. Northwestern Oklahoma
10. Oklahoma Baptist
11. UAM
12. Southern Nazarene

What makes you put ATU at the expected finish of 3rd? Do you think they finally have the puzzle pieces together?

[OldBison]

What makes you put ATU at the expected finish of 3rd? Do you think they finally have the puzzle pieces together?

I think Thompson is starting to figure some things out plus they’ll have one of the most experienced rosters in the GAC. I think they win at least 2 more games than last year. How about the Muleriders? They ended the season kind of flat last year. Lost some players at key positions. Where would you put them for 2026?

[D2_connoisseur]

The game I am most looking forward to for the 2026 season is when the crimson storm return to Arkadelphia to play the purple tigers. They have split the last two with the away team winning both. SNU with a dominant performance in 2024 and then dropping a close one in 2025. I know coach knight is game planning constantly for this matchup. Early score prediction 31-21 SNU!

[Mulerider]

I think Thompson is starting to figure some things out plus they’ll have one of the most experienced rosters in the GAC. I think they win at least 2 more games than last year. How about the Muleriders? They ended the season kind of flat last year. Lost some players at key positions. Where would you put them for 2026?

I haven't looked at who's coming back and who we are loosing, but gut feeling with the coaching situation tells me somewhere between 3rd and 5th. I think 3rd and 5th could be a toss up between Henderson, SAU, and ATU. I think OBU comes back and gets second place next year. If any Oklahoma schools have a breakout year, then i would say it could be a toss up between 3rd and 6th.

The biggest trouble SAU is going to face is winning the games they are supposed to. They can pull out an occasional upset, maybe once a year, but lose games they shouldn't on paper. Historically though, anything about a .500 record is probably going to satisfy most Mulerider Football fans. We have realistic expectations. I'm beyond tired of the silo scheduling, though.

[OldBison]

8-3 was a really good year for the Muleriders especially with their win over Henderson. I still can’t believe they lost that game to ECU. With the way things are in Region 4, a GAC with anything other than an 11-0 or 10-1 record is going to be on the outside looking in. I’m hearing you say you don’t see SAU getting to 10-1 or even 9-2 in 2026.

[the Northeasterner]

Or at least until they end the self destructive silo.[/QUOTE]


I actually disagree I think the silo allowed them to sort themselves out into a pecking order. The one thing about the GAC is they don't have a lot of depth. The Arkansas schools are all fighting over the same few students between the four state schools and the two privates are fighting over NE Texas players. Now that they actually have an order they can actually go out and play The silo and really profit and would really help the Oklahoma schools especially get some funds by playing FCS.


But the silo allows Harding to only have to play four hard games during the regular season and then be ready for the playoffs

[Mulerider]

Or at least until they end the self destructive silo.

I actually disagree I think the silo allowed them to sort themselves out into a pecking order. The one thing about the GAC is they don't have a lot of depth. The Arkansas schools are all fighting over the same few students between the four state schools and the two privates are fighting over NE Texas players. Now that they actually have an order they can actually go out and play The silo and really profit and would really help the Oklahoma schools especially get some funds by playing FCS.


But the silo allows Harding to only have to play four hard games during the regular season and then be ready for the playoffs

[/QUOTE]

But for someone who wants to watch the games, it gets extremely boring when the majority of the GAC teams don't play someone different. Like, think about that from the fan experience perspective.

[FoothillBison]

Or at least until they end the self destructive silo.

I actually disagree I think the silo allowed them to sort themselves out into a pecking order. The one thing about the GAC is they don't have a lot of depth. The Arkansas schools are all fighting over the same few students between the four state schools and the two privates are fighting over NE Texas players. Now that they actually have an order they can actually go out and play The silo and really profit and would really help the Oklahoma schools especially get some funds by playing FCS.


But the silo allows Harding to only have to play four hard games during the regular season and then be ready for the playoffs

[/QUOTE]

I say this every year. I hate as a fan the silo schedule and playing the same opponents gets boring. However, it works out PERFECTLY for Harding most years. Half the games are competitive, the others allow the youngins to play. This results typically in HU being healthier than their opponents in the playoffs. We all know that it hurts us for seeding. However, if I'm an Administrator for HU, I don't think I'd change it.

[Bisons10]

2026/2027 season for GAC football might need to be the most discussed season in a few.. preseason, I honestly don’t think it will be as cut and dry as it has been in the last few seasons

[the Northeasterner]

I actually disagree I think the silo allowed them to sort themselves out into a pecking order. The one thing about the GAC is they don't have a lot of depth. The Arkansas schools are all fighting over the same few students between the four state schools and the two privates are fighting over NE Texas players. Now that they actually have an order they can actually go out and play The silo and really profit and would really help the Oklahoma schools especially get some funds by playing FCS.


But the silo allows Harding to only have to play four hard games during the regular season and then be ready for the playoffs

But for someone who wants to watch the games, it gets extremely boring when the majority of the GAC teams don't play someone different. Like, think about that from the fan experience perspective. [/QUOTE]

I do not disagree with the fact that I think it needs to go away. But I don't blame them for putting it in place and I think it launched the GAC into a legitimate conference by allowing a Ouachita Harding and Henderson an easier path in the playoffs. Can you imagine how much harder would have been for them to have to go all the way to Michigan to play those GLIac teams instead of waiting back in Arkansas for round 2