By BRIAN RAMSEY | OBU Sports Information

ARKADELPHIA — The Ouachita Baptist University football team will play its first home game of the 2022 season this Saturday, September 10 against Southern Nazarene.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Cliff Harris Stadium at Benson-Williams Field. Gates open at 4 p.m. General admission tickets will be available at the ticket booth for $8.

The game will be broadcast live on the Ouachita Football Radio Network on affiliate stations throughout the state of Arkansas. The game will also be broadcast live on YouTube through the Ouachita Sports Digital Network. Live stats will also be available. All links can be found at www.OBUtigers.com/coverage.

Ouachita enters Saturday’s game ranked No. 16 in the latest American Football Coaches Association Top 25 Poll, and No. 13 by D2Football.com. The Tigers opened the 2022 season last Thursday, September 1 with a 42-32 road win over Oklahoma Baptist.

SNU also opened the season last Thursday night, falling at home to Arkansas-Monticello by a score of 46-20.

Tiger offense report

Offensively, the Tigers relied on the run game in the season opener, as they did all of 2021, when the team  ranked fourth in the nation in rushing yards per game. Running backs TJ Cole and Kendel Givens picked up  right where they left off from the 2021 season, each crossing the 100-yard mark plateau. Cole finished two  yards shy of 200 with 20 carries for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Givens had 13 carries for 142 yards and two touchdowns, while also finding the endzone on a 42-yard receiving touchdown.  

Tiger defense report

Defensively, the Tigers put together a solid 45 minutes in the opener with the exception being the 20 points  scored by the Bison in the fourth quarter. Individually, Terrell Gibson, last year’s leading tackler, again led  the Tigers against the Bison with 10 total tackles (eight solo), including two tackles for a loss of a combined  two yards. Gibson was also in on pass breakup. Ty Compton and Josiah Johnson both had seven tackles in  the win. Johnson came up with two sacks in the win for a combined loss of 16 yards. Both sacks came in  the fourth quarter, helping the Tiger pitch a shutout in the first 15 minutes. Trey Proctor had six tackles in  the win, while also hauling in an interception with a 17-yard return. Andrew Hayes had a productive game in  the secondary with six tackles and three pass breakups. Jacobi Nolen was responsible for Ouachita’s other  takeaway in the game with a fumble recovery late in the third quarter. 

Tiger special teams

Ouachita did not attempt a field goal in the season opener against Oklahoma Baptist, but Gabe Goodman was  6-for-6 in extra point attempts. Goodman also handled the kickoff duties with eight for an average of just  under 60 yards, including two touchbacks. Joe Couch had five punts for an average of 37.4 yards per punt,  highlighted by his long of 49 yards and one punt downed inside the opponent 20-yard line. Xaylon Falls had  on kickoff return for 22 yards. Justin Dean had two kickoff returns for 40 yards. In addition to Trey Proctor’s  17-yard interception return, he also grabbed a bouncing ball in the middle of the field on a punt and returned it 17 yards.