September 7th, 2025 9:00am
The much-anticipated start of the Great American Conference season has finally arrived and this past Thursday’s games did not disappoint college football fans - unless of course your team lost. The good and bad news for all teams in the GAC is there’s little time to either revel in a big win or lick your wounds from a loss because a number of teams will face a Week Two challenge either this coming Thursday, September 11th or on Saturday, September 13th.
Southern Arkansas 49
Oklahoma Baptist 14
The post-Judd Barton era has begun in Magnolia, AR with the Muleriders finding a way to win via a QB committee of Adam Parker and Hezekiah Harris. Parker was 13/15 with 105 yards and two passing TD’s while Harris went 10/14 with another two passing TD’s and also garnered 48 yards on the ground with seven rushing carries. SAU will face SNU next week and then their first major challenge of the season comes in Week Three with Harding looming on the calendar.
Harding 49
Northwestern Oklahoma State 7
This game was essentially over by the end of the first quarter and with no offense to NWOSU but they were outmatched and outgunned in this contest by the Bisons. With 547 total yards including 484 on the ground, the Bisons simply wore down the Rangers who could only garner 66 total yards on offense. Again, the rushing committee of Andrew Miller, Josh Strickland Jr. and Braden Jay were too much for NWOSU to handle. Congratulations to QB Cole Keylon for his 37th starting win which is now a GAC record. The Bisons open up at home vs. SWOSU on Thursday, 9/11.
Arkansas Tech 32
Southwestern Oklahoma State10
The Wonder Boys brought home a first win for new head coach Roy Thompson on the road as ATU took care of business in Weatherford. ATU outgained SWOSU 366 to 245 total offensive yards and the Wonder Boy defense forced four key turnovers in their season opener. ATU opens up this coming Thursday at home against NWOSU.
Southeastern Oklahoma State 44
Arkansas Monticello 13
The Savage Storm looked to be firing on all cylinders in their home opener in Durant, OK on Thursday night. The SOSU defense forced four turnovers and the Savage Storm had a balanced offense with 216 passing yards and 207 yards on the ground. This was a key home opener win for head coach Bo Atterbury and the Savage Storm will face a major challenge next week on the road against Ouachita Baptist in Arkadelphia, AR.
Henderson State 48
Southern Nazarne 13
The Henderson State Reddies looked anything but actually ready for the season opener but a fourth quarter flurry of 28 unanswered points meant that HSU was able to seal the deal with a home opener victory in Arkadelphia on Thursday night. The Reddies travel to Shawnee, OK next Saturday to meet Oklahoma Baptist.
East Central 24
Ouachita Baptist 22
That’s right, you are reading the correct score. With eight minutes more total possession and 117 more total offensive yards, the ECU Tigers pulled out the upset win of Week One in the GAC. RB Cade Searcy had 174 yards on the ground and two key TD’s for the Tigers but with exactly two seconds left in the game, ECU kicker Gabriel Oguro kicked a 24 yard field goal to seal the game and bring a massive home opener win in Ada, OK. ECU will hit the road this next week and head to face UAM.