ARKADELPHIA- As the saying goes, you find out the most about someone in the most challenging of circumstances. Down 28-15 in the third quarter, Ouachita Baptist came storming back in the fourth quarter with 22 points, capitalizing on a game-winning, 9-play, 51-yard drive with 1:02 remaining, that proved to be the difference in a 37-34 victory over Harding in a Gulf South Conference battle at A.U. Williams Field in Arkadelphia on Saturday.
Ouachita (3-1, 1-1 GSC) trailed 28-15 with 6:04 remaining in the third quarter when Harding (1-2, 0-2 GSC) quarterback Josh Powell found receiver Kurt Adams for a 16-yard score. It was the ensuing time of play, however, that had fans and players alike in hysteria in the closing minutes of an important early season GSC test.
The Tigers scored on back-to-back possessions with 8:57 remaining in the fourth quarter, as senior quarterback Eli Cranor converted a red zone opportunity with a three-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Nico Hobbs to close the gap at 28-22.
After a fumble by Harding running back Jeremy Holt was recovered by the Tigers at the Harding 23 on the next play of the following drive for the Bison, Ouachita capped off a 24-yard drive on five plays with an 11-yard touchdown blast from freshman running back Ricky Brown. Turnovers were a familiar theme for Harding on the night, as the Bison lost three fumbles and an interception on the evening.
Just like any rivalry game, the ending never unravels that easily, and it proved to be true on Saturday night. Harding would go to work immediately, answering back with a 64-yard drive on five plays, ending in a 10-yard end around from Holt, giving the visitor’s the lead back at 34-29. The one downside to the drive for the option-oriented minded Harding squad: it only took 2:33 on the lock, leaving plenty of time for an answer from Ouachita.
An answer would be exactly what the Tigers had in mind, converting on 4th-and-3 from the Harding 14 and following with the game-changing run by Brown to put Ouachita up for good, as junior receiver Clinton Dewitt added a two-point conversion reception from Cranor to set the final margin at 37-34.
“I feel like we came out flat, but to win like that with a GSC game at stake is crucial,” Ouachita Head Coach Todd Knight said. “Our kids fought hard tonight and the turnovers we created I feel like were the difference in the game. Even though we gave up a bunch of yards, we created turnovers when we had to and made stops when we needed them.”
On the night, Cranor was efficient at 24-for-40 for 319 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. The Ouachita ground game was led by led by a group of backs, including a team-high eight carries for 42 yards from sophomore Daniel McGee, and big second half runs from Brown on five carries for 40 yards and two touchdowns.
It was a night for the offense, as both teams combined for 924 yards of offense, including a game-high 466 yards for the Tigers. On a night where numbers weren’t particularly differentiating, a 7-for-7 efficiency on red-zone opportunities made the all the difference for the Tigers. Leading the defense for Ouachita was senior defensive tackle Bryan Church with 12 tackles, while junior teammate Terrence Garrett added seven tackles. Sophomore defensive back Dijon Benton recorded the game’s only interception, while in the most extensive playing time of his career, redshirt freshman Devin Ball added four tackles, including two tackles for loss in the victory.
“Eli played fantastic tonight in leading our offense and making plays that we needed,” Knight said. “He was in some difficult situations and he did a super job in leading us throughout the game.”
Even though fans have come to expect gaudy rushing statistics and a lack of focus on passing for Harding, it was an eerily balanced night for Bison, as Powell finished with a season-high 9-for-14, 254-yard performance with three touchdowns, while teammates Jeremy Holt (102) and Kale Gelles (72) combined for 174 of the team’s 204 yards rushing. Leading the tackle charts for the Bison were Jason Thomasson with 10 tackles and Eddie Russ, Jr. with seven.
With the victory, Ouachita remains in the battle for the regular season GSC crown at 1-1, but the Tigers won’t have much time to celebrate with a 12.5 hour trip to GSC opponent Valdosta State on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 2 p.m.
“The trip to Valdosta has become familiar to our coaching staff over the years, but the main thing is for our players to get healthy and to turn our attention to the Blazers. We did a good job in week two of the season in traveling to Nebraska-Omaha and we’re looking forward to preparation for another long road trip and we’ll be ready to go next Saturday.”
