Ouachita Baptist University continues Gulf South Conference football action this Saturday, Sept. 19, as the Tigers look to defend their seven-game win streak against No. 16 Valdosta State University in the Tiger’s 2009 season opener at A.U. Williams Field.
Ouachita (2-0) will host the Blazers in a matchup that has become more competitive each of the past four seasons, as the Tigers led Valdosta 6-3 at halftime last season, before losing a 29-6 GSC matchup to the Blazers.
The Tigers lead the nation currently in turnover margin (3.5), turnovers lost (0) and fumbles lost (0). Sophomore quarterback Eli Cranor is second in the nation in passing efficiency with a 207.97 rating in his debut season as the starting signal caller. Senior running back Keldrick Johnson is sixth in the nation in rushing with a 143 yards per game effort. Cranor’s favorite target after two weeks, freshman wide receiver Jaime Harris, leads the GSC and is 14th in the nation with 116.5 yards receiving per game.
After winning their first Gulf South victory of the season, Ouachita looks to extend their longest win streak since 1970, when Head Coach Buddy Benson led the Tigers to a seven-game streak. The school record for a consecutive win streak is 1967-68, when Ouachita won five games at the end of the ’67 season, then won the first five games of 1968. The current seven game win streak is the longest current streak in the Gulf South Conference.
Against West Georgia in week two, Ouachita scored 41 first half points, winning 48-14. The Tigers recorded 424 yards of total offense, including 239 yards rushing. Johnson led all rushers with 24 carries for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman running back Demarcus Collier was also effective in the ground game, finishing with 72 yards on nine carries with two touchdowns. Junior defensive lineman Taurus Williams recorded his first sack of the season, while junior defensive lineman Bryan Church led the team with six tackles. Junior linebacker Blake Burkett recorded five tackles, while three other Tigers recovered fumbles, including a 52-yard recovery for the final Ouachita touchdown in the second half.
Cranor enters the matchup with VSU, with a 20-for-31 passing effort for 333 yards and five touchdowns, with no interception on the season. Preseason All-GSC selection Johnson leads the running attack with 286 yards and four touchdowns. On the receiving end, Harris has only four receptions, but has made the most of each one, recording 233 yards and three touchdowns.
Three-year Starters Church and Burkett lead the Tiger defense. Church leads the team with 9.5 total tackles, while Burkett has recorded 7.5 tackles. Junior defensive back Desmond Smoot and freshman linebacker Augustine Ume-Ezeoke each lead the team with one interception each. Freshman linebacker Landon Freeman leads Ouachita with two sacks on the season.
Valdosta State (1-1) defeated Southern Arkansas 32-7 last week, after falling to Newberry 31-24 to open the season. In the Newberry game, Valdosta allowed 21 straight second half points, as Newberry pulled the upset over the Blazers, who collected Division II national championships in 2004 and 2007.
Against Southern Arkansas, Valdosta held the Muleriders to 39 total yards of offense, including -14 yards rushing.
The Blazers are led by Indiana University transfer Kellen Lewis at quarterback. Lewis who has completed 36-of-52 passes for 340 yards in his first two games at the Division II level. Lewis has thrown one touchdown and two interceptions. The Blazers ground game has been run by committee so far in 2009, as four running backs have rushed for 40 yards or more in two games, led by Michael Brown with 86 yards on 17 attempts.
Defensively, Larry Dean leads Valdosta in total tackles with 18, followed by Ratu Rabelo and Demarcus Flanagan with 13 tackles each.
Kickoff for the game will be 7 p.m. at A.U. Williams Field.
