RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Following an undefeated regular season and the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Division II Football Championships, the coaches of the Great American Conference voted Ouachita Baptist as the preseason favorite for 2015, the conference office announced on Tuesday.
The Tigers received six of the 12 first-place votes. Coaches could not vote for their own teams. The Tigers must replace 13 All-GAC selections from their championship team.
Harding picked up three first-place votes and finished second in the poll followed by Henderson State. The Bisons earned a second trip to the DII Playoffs after ranking second in the country in rushing offense and third in rushing defense. For the first time since the middle of the 2011 season, someone besides Kevin Rodgers will operate the Reddie offense as the record-setting quarterback graduated holding virtually every major passing record at Henderson State and in the GAC.
Rivals East Central and Southeastern Oklahoma State shared fourth place. Each program qualified for bowl games in 2014. The Tigers participated in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl and the Savage Storm earned a spot in the Live United Texarkana Bowl. ECU returns wide receiver David Moore, the GAC’s leading returning receiver in terms of touchdowns, 10. Southeastern brings back quarterback Ryan Polite. His 2,917 yards of total offense and 19 passing touchdowns pace returning signal callers.
Southern Arkansas and Arkansas Tech followed in the polls. The Muleriders led the GAC in total offense and finished as one of just two teams in the country to average at least 300 passing yards and 200 rushing yards per game. The Wonder Boys posted a top-four scoring defense and total defense in the GAC, led by All-GAC linebacker Logan Genz. His 141 tackles ranked seventh in the country.
Southwestern Oklahoma State and Arkansas-Monticello placed eighth and ninth, respectively, in the poll. The Bulldogs must replace 2014 GAC Defensive Player of the Year and four-time All-GAC selection Devin Benton while the Weevils bring back wide receiver Cody Bordelon. No returningwide receiver accumulated more receptions and yardage per game than Bordelon.
Northwestern Oklahoma State, Southern Nazarene and Oklahoma Baptist rounded out the poll. The Rangers and Crimson Storm underwent coaching changes following last season. The Rangers brought in Matt Walter, a Northwestern graduate, while SNU named Craig Hubbard as its interim coach for the 2015 season. The Bison join the GAC from the ranks of the NAIA. After restarting the program in 2013, they went 8-3 in 2014.
The 2015 season, the fifth for the GAC, opens on Thursday, September 3 with four contests. Ouachita Baptist travels to East Central, Henderson State faces Southeastern Oklahoma State, Arkansas-Monticello hosts Northwestern Oklahoma State and Southern Nazarene plays Arkansas Tech. Two days later Oklahoma Baptist welcomes Harding for its first GAC contest and Southwestern Oklahoma State takes on Southern Arkansas.
