By BRIAN RAMSEY | OBU Sports Network

ARKADELPHIA — The fifth-ranked Ouachita Baptist University football team moved to 7-0 on the season with a 41-7 win over Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday at Cliff Harris Stadium.

The Weevils (3-4) came out with an efficient game plan on defense early in the game, keeping Ouachita (7-0) scoreless in the first quarter for just the second time of the season. UAM opened the scoring in the final minute of the first half on a 36-yard touchdown run to cap a nine-play, 80-yard drive.

From that point, the Tigers shut out the Weevils, getting 21 points in the second quarter to lead 21-7 at halftime, adding 13 in the third quarter, and seven in the fourth quarter. It was the sixth time Ouachita scored at least 40 points in a game this season, and the fourth time this season the defense held the opponent to just two scores or less.

The Tigers forced three turnovers on downs in the second half to keep the Weevils away from the endzone. Meanwhile, the Ouachita offense scored touchdowns on six of its 10 drives.

Ouachita was the nation’s No. 1 rushing team in the nation heading into Saturday’s game, and came through with more than its average. Behind the one-two punch of TJ Cole and Kendel Givens, the Tigers rushed for 386 yards on 53 attempts. Cole finished with 22 carries for 232 yards and two touchdowns, his second career 200-yard game. Givens ended up with 20 carries for 141 yards and three touchdowns.

Cole Flannigan was responsible for Ouachita’s other touchdown of the game, which was a 53-yard catch and score midway through the third quarter. Setting up that score was Ouachita’s first onside kick attempt of the season, recovered by kicker Dax Jaggers.

Cole and Harms each eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the season in the win UAM. Cole now has 1,040 rushing yards on 117 carries this season. Harms has now completed 55 passes for 1,027 yards.

Defensively, Jacobi Nolen turned in his second career double-digit tackles performance with a team-high 10 stops. Ty Compton and Jax Miller added six each.

Ouachita is now 7-0 for the fifth time in program history, and looks to make that 8-0 next Saturday, October 22 at the Murphy USA Classic against Southern Arkansas. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in El Dorado.