September 18th, 2026 6:35am
This is the week that will let us know how a lot of teams stand about a quarter of the way through the GAC season. The first in-state matchups are always fun and always provide close games that just have a little more smack talk than Oklahoma vs. Arkansas games do. After this week, I think we will have a much better idea of how this conference is shaping up by the time Saturday night rolls around.
Oklahoma vs Arkansas season tracker || Arkansas leads 8-4
Saturday Slate
Arkansas-Monticello (0-2) at Henderson State (2-0)
Let's just get this out of the way. Henderson State has scored 123 points in its first two games. The Reddies put up 57 against Southern Nazarene in Week One, then somehow found another gear against Oklahoma Baptist, scoring 66 points in a 66-9 demolition of the Bison.
UAM, meanwhile, is still looking for its first win of the season. That does not mean the Weevils have not had their moments. They put up 462 yards against East Central last week, with Drew Forkner throwing for 316 yards and three touchdowns. They scored 37 points and were right there with the Tigers late in the game.
But now they have to take that offense into Arkadelphia against a Henderson State team that has been putting up points at a ridiculous rate. That is not exactly the situation you want to walk into when you are still trying to figure things out.
I think UAM will have some success offensively, but Henderson State is going to create too many problems on the other side of the ball.
Henderson State 49, Arkansas-Monticello 14
Oklahoma Baptist (1-1) at Northwestern Oklahoma State (0-2)
This one might be the hardest game on the slate to figure out.
Oklahoma Baptist looked like one of the most impressive teams in the conference in Week One, knocking off Southern Arkansas 38-7. Then the Bison turned around and gave the ball away six times against Henderson State. That is a pretty dramatic change in two weeks.
Northwestern has had its own roller coaster. The Rangers opened the year with a 76-0 loss to Harding, then came back and scored 29 points against Arkansas Tech last week. They ended up losing 34-29, but at least there was some life on the offensive side of the ball.
Now, both teams have a chance to hit the reset button.
Oklahoma Baptist cannot afford another game like last week, and Northwestern finally gets a game against a team that is not ranked No. 2 in the country or sitting undefeated.
The Rangers will have their chances, but I think Oklahoma Baptist finds a way to make enough plays in the fourth quarter.
Oklahoma Baptist 24, Northwestern Oklahoma State 21
Southeastern Oklahoma State (1-1) at Southwestern Oklahoma State (0-2)
Southeastern opened the season with a win over Arkansas-Monticello before running into an Ouachita team that was ready to erase the memory of its Week One loss.
The Bulldogs have already played Arkansas Tech and Harding, two teams that came into the season with legitimate expectations. SWOSU lost both games, but neither one was completely out of hand.
In fact, the Bulldogs led Harding 7-6 after the first quarter and had them on the ropes late in the third last week before the Bisons eventually pulled away. After their performance I believe they have some confidence, especially in their defense.
SWOSU has been tested more than just about anyone in the conference through two weeks, and I think that experience pays off here. The Bulldogs are at home, they need the win, and I expect them to play with a little more urgency than we have seen in the first two weeks.
Southeastern will keep it interesting, but I think SWOSU gets off the 0-2 mark.
Southwestern Oklahoma State 28, Southeastern Oklahoma State 14
East Central (2-0) at Southern Nazarene (0-2)
The Tigers opened the year by knocking off Ouachita, then followed that up by surviving Arkansas-Monticello 42-37 in a game that felt like it could have gone either way late.
The biggest story has been Sergio Kennedy. Kennedy has been named the GAC Offensive Player of the Week in both weeks of the season, and he has accounted for four touchdowns in each of East Central's first two games. That is a pretty good start to the year.
Southern Nazarene, on the other hand, is still looking for its first win after opening the season against Henderson State and Southern Arkansas. The Crimson Storm did show some improvement last week, particularly on the ground, but East Central presents a different challenge. SNU should be able to score some points here.
The question is whether it can stop Kennedy and the Tigers enough times to keep up.
East Central 35, Southern Nazarene 17
Game of the Week
Ouachita Baptist (1-1) at Arkansas Tech (2-0)
This is the one I keep coming back to. Arkansas Tech is 2-0, but it has not exactly been blowing everybody out. The Wonder Boys beat SWOSU 26-20 in Week One and then Northwestern 34-29 last week. Two games, two wins, two close finishes.
Ouachita was picked near the top of the conference for a reason. The Tigers stumbled out of the gate against East Central, but they responded exactly how you would want them to, going on the road and beating Southeastern 23-17. That makes this a really interesting matchup.
Arkansas Tech has already proven it can win close games. Ouachita has already proven it can respond after a loss.
I honestly think this one is a toss-up. If this game were in Arkadelphia, I might lean toward the Tigers. But it is not. The Wonder Boys are at home, and after two close wins, I am going to give them just enough credit to pull this one out.
Arkansas Tech 28, Ouachita Baptist 27
Southern Arkansas (1-1) at No. 2 Harding (2-0)
Well, here we go again. Harding has spent the first two weeks reminding everyone why it was picked to win the conference.
The Bisons opened the year by putting 76 points on Northwestern, then followed that up with a 37-14 win over SWOSU. That gives Harding 113 points through two games while allowing just 14.
Andrew Miller has already established himself as one of the conference's top backs again, rushing for 178 yards and two touchdowns against SWOSU. Freshman Jeff Regan also gave the Bisons a huge play last week with his 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Now Southern Arkansas gets its shot. The Muleriders bounced back from their ugly Week One loss to Oklahoma Baptist with a 27-21 win over Southern Nazarene. That was a much-needed result, and SAU will need another big step forward this week.
The problem is that Harding has not exactly been giving teams much room for error.
The Bisons are at home, they have won 17 straight GAC games, and they have won 25 straight games at home.
Harding 58, Southern Arkansas 7