RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - No. 2 Harding (8-0, 8-0 GAC) continues to pace the Great American Conference as the only undefeated time while No. 19 Henderson State (7-1, 7-1 GAC) is the only one-loss team remaining after Southwestern Oklahoma State 3-4, 3-4 GAC) upset (RV) East Central in Ada, Okla.
(RV) Ouachita Baptist (6-2, 6-2 GAC) won its fourth game in a row, with the last three being by 31 points or more, as the Tigers remain unbeaten on the road. Southeastern Oklahoma State (6-2, 6-2 GAC) is the third two-loss team in the league after using another impressive defensive effort to win its third straight home game.
Arkansas Tech (3-5, 3-5 GAC) came within a point and a few inches short of upsetting the No. 19 Reddies in Arkadelphia while Southern Nazarene (2-5, 2-5 GAC) picked up its second win of the season in the second highest scoring game of the season in the GAC.
No. 19 Henderson State 28, Arkansas Tech 27
Henderson State and Arkansas Tech traded off 14-point runs to open play in Arkadelphia before a touchdown right before half put the Reddies up at the break, 21-14. The Wonder Boys scored on their first possession of the second half, but a low snap on the ensuing point-after try resulted in HSU retaining the lead, 21-20. Moments later, Arkansas Tech's Julien Lopez picked off Reddie quarterback Austin Ledbetter and returned it to the Henderson 22-yard line only for Tech to indeed take the lead three plays later, 27-20. Ledbetter recovered from the turnover by leading HSU on a 7-play, 53-yard drive resulting in the go-ahead touchdown with 1:17 remaining in the third. The Reddie defense forced punts on the Wonder Boys' next two possessions before the game-saving blocked field-goal with seven seconds on the clock.
No. 2 Harding 56, Arkansas-Monticello 17
Harding flexed its rushing attack muscle against the Boll Weevils, accumulating 503 yards on the ground while holding UAM to 137 such yards. Monticello opened the game with a 13-play, 53-yard drive resulting in three points for the early lead. The Weevils remained within reach of the Bisons after 30 minutes of play, trailing 21-17 at the break. Harding pulled away in the second half, winning the final two quarters, 28-0, forcing four UAM punts and an interception.
Southeastern Oklahoma State 40, Oklahoma Baptist 16
Southeastern Oklahoma State used a dominant second-half effort to run away from the Bison in Durant, Okla., 40-16. Trailing 10-6 at halftime, Southeastern forced three straight Bison punts before intercepting OKB on back-to-back possessions to close the contest while the Savage Storm scored 34 of the game's final 40 points. The Storm defense held Oklahoma Baptist to a season-low negative-26 rushing yards - SE's second straight game to hold opponents to sub-zero rushing yards.
(RV) Ouachita Baptist 52, Southern Arkansas 21
Ouachita Baptist slowly separated itself from the Muleriders in the first half, building a 24-14 lead at halftime, before pulling away for the 31-point victory. The Tigers scored 35 unanswered throughout the course of the second and third quarter, capped by an 89-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. Ouachita's last three wins have been by 31 points or more as part of OUA's four-game win streak.
Southern Nazarene 60, Northwestern Oklahoma State 37
Southern Nazarene scored its most points in GAC history Saturday when it accumulated a season-high 560 total yards, including 540 rushing yards, in its 60-37 victory against Northwestern Oklahoma State. The Crimson Storm never trailed in the contest, opening a 31-15 lead at halftime before shutting out the Rangers in the third quarter, 16-0, in route to the 23-point victory. The SNU offense recorded the second-most rushing yards in a conference game this season while quarterback Maddox Olatunde saw the highest single-game rushing yards in league play in 2026.
Southwestern Oklahoma State 23, (RV) East Central 21
The biggest win of the weekend came in Ada, Okla., as Southwestern Oklahoma State upset East Central, 23-21. The Bulldogs remained within striking distance the majority of the first half before a field-goal with nine seconds remaining in the opening half to take its first lead of the game, 17-14. A scoreless third quarter was met by a SWOSU touchdown after a 14-play, 76-yard drive that took 8:03 off the clock. A late fourth-quarter interception from Southwestern's Kelton Moore helped retain the upset before a failed onside kick signaled victory for the Bulldogs.
GREAT AMERICAN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Maddox Olatunde | Southern Nazarene | QB | So. | Arlington, Texas
Southern Nazarene sophomore quarterback Maddox Olatunde led SNU to the program's most points in GAC history with the 60-37 victory against Northwestern Oklahoma State. Olatunde assisted in the scoring barrage with 295 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns while adding 20 passing yards and a score through the air. Olatunde's 295 yards on the ground are the second-most single-game rushing yards in program history.
DEFENSIVE
Kelton Moore | Southwestern Oklahoma State | DB | Jr. | Grand Prairie, Texas
Southwestern Oklahoma State junior defensive back Kelton Moore helped secure the Bulldogs' road upset of (RV) East Central, 23-21. Leading 23-14, Moore kept the two-possession lead intact with a fourth-quarter interception at SWOSU's two yard line with 2:47 remaining in regulation. In total, Moore totaled five tackles, one tackle for loss, a pass deflection and the game-changing takeaway.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Corone Williams | Henderson State | DL | 5th | Ocala, Fla.
Henderson State fifth-year defensive lineman Corone Williams secured HSU's Homecoming victory over Arkansas Tech, 28-27. With ATU lining up for the game-winning field-goal with seven seconds left, Williams skied over the line to block the kick and retain the Reddies' unblemished home record.
WEEKLY AWARDS
GAC Offensive Player of the Week
Sept. 7 Sergio Kennedy, East Central
Sept. 14 Sergio Kennedy, East Central (x2)
Sept. 21 Austin Ledbetter, Henderson State
Sept. 28 Andrew Miller, Harding
Oct. 5 Tre Nichols, Ouachita Baptist
Oct. 12 Kaden Jones, East Central*
Oct. 19 Malik Young, Harding
Oct. 26 Maddox Olatunde, Southern Nazarene
*CFB Network Division II National Player of the Week
GAC Defensive Player of the Week
Sept. 7 Jeremiah Jennings, Oklahoma Baptist
Sept. 14 Kahlil Smith, Ouachita Baptist
Sept. 21 Keshaun Jackson, Southwestern Oklahoma State
Sept. 28 Kaleb Walker, Harding
Oct. 5 Kole McKnight, Southeastern Oklahoma State
Oct. 12 George Getanda, Oklahoma Baptist
Oct. 19 Connor Dean, Harding
Oct. 26 Kelton Moore, Southwestern Oklahoma State
GAC Special Teams Player of the Week
Sept. 7 Dean Roberts, Harding
Sept. 14 Jeff Regan, Harding
Sept. 21 Nate Stafford, Ouachita Baptist
Sept. 28 Charles Stinson, Arkansas-Monticello
Oct. 5 Brett Leonardt, Southern Nazarene
Oct. 12 Gabriel Ogura, East Central
Oct. 19 Carter McElhany, Ouachita Baptist
Oct. 26 Corone Williams, Henderson State