Southern Arkansas University 2001 Rider Football Volume 2 -- Issue 6 HTTP://WWW.SAUMAG.EDU/ATHLETICS Monday, October 8, 2001 Southern Arkansas University vs. Delta State University WHEN: October 13, 2001 WHERE: Cleveland, MS @ Travis E. Parker Field KICKOFF TIME: 1:00 p.m. The Series (DSU 12-5-0) The Muleriders first met the Statesmen in 1951, the VS. year SAU graduated their first senior class after moving up from the junior college ranks. SAU won that game 14-0 and also won their second meeting 27-20 in 52. DSU walloped the Riders in 53 42-0 and made it a rout in 54 with a 53-0 blanking. The Riders and The Coaches Statesmen would not play again until 1958 when SAU SAUs first-year head coach, Steve Quinn claimed a 13-6 win to go up 3-2 in the series only for (Ouachita Baptist, 1985), is off to a 2-3-0 start with DSU to shut out the Riders in 59 28-0. The series was the Muleriders following a 37-26 loss to West Georgia interrupted again and not resumed until 1980 when DSU last week. DSUs third-year head coach, Steve took their first lead in the series by a 4-3 margin with an Campbell (Troy State, 1988), is 24-6 with the Statesmen 18-7 decision. After skipping five years, SAU and DSU after last weeks shocking 70-12 loss to Valdosta State. met again in 1986 with the Statesmen winning 28-13 and followed with a 21-14 decision in 87, a 31-10 victory in 88 and a 35-14 triumph in 89 to improve So far this season... their series lead to 7-3. The Riders and Statesmen did Southern Arkansas University vs. not play again until 1995 when SAU moved into the NCAA Division II ranks and the Gulf South Conference. Texas A&M-Commerce L 13-17 @ Valdosta State University L 14-41 DSU won that meeting 20-7 and claimed a 34-13 win @ Ouachita Baptist University W 10-3 in 96 to go ahead 9-3 in the series with their seventh University of West Alabama W 38-7 straight win over SAU. In 1997, SAU defeated the State University of West Georgia L 26-37 Statesmen 24-6 in route to the conference championship but lost the following season 26-25 on a last second DSU field goal that prevented another GSC title for the Delta State University vs. Riders. SAU pitched a shutout over DSU in 1999 with Mississippi Valley State University W 25-3 a 24-0 win but Delta once again broke the hearts of the University of West Alabama W 47-7 @ University of North Alabama W 21-3 Riders with another last-second win in 2000, 30-28, in @ Harding University W 40-21 route to the GSC and national championships. Valdosta State University L 12-70 Media Coverage KVMA 107.9 FM in Magnolia, AR with Dan Gregory on play-by-play and Jay Adcox on color commentary and Lane Jean on the sideline; WDTL 92.9 FM in Cleveland, MS with Matt Jones on play-by-play, Richard Webster as color commentator and Andy Murphy on the sideline; Through the DSU Website: http://www.deltast.edu/pubinfo/sportinfo/sport-index2.html Last Season Team Leaders DSU took a 3-0 first quarter lead on a 37-yard SAU LEADERS: field goal by Billy Dorgan and went ahead 10-0 in the second period on a 30-yard scramble by quarterback In five games, QB Ted Williams has rushed for Josh Bright and Dorgans PAT. SAU got back in the 448 yards but has lost 100 for a net of 348. He has game with an 86-yard touchdown pass play from quarterback Tim Barrington to wide receiver Michael scored three touchdowns and averages 3.6 a carry. Beck and Jason Williams extra point. SAU went ahead HB Forrest Curry has a net 263, a 5.8 average, and 14-10 on an eight-yard touchdown run by fullback has two touchdowns. Williams has completed 39 of Scott Schroeder and Williams PAT only for fullback Rico McDonald to score from the six and Dorgans 101 pass attempts for 586 yards and four touchdowns kick put DSU back in front. The Statesmen padded with seven interceptions. WR Nik Lewis has 13 catches their lead on a 10-yard pass from Bright to Deforest Hart with only 1:20 left in the half and what proved to for 178 yards and three touchdowns, WR Jason be the winning margin on a 34-yard Dorgan field goal Bennett (three games because of an injury) has 12 with :00 remaining in the half, 27-14, DSU. The Riders fought back with a one-yard catches for 127 yards and Edwin Skipper six catches touchdown keeper by Barrington and a Williams PAT for 163 yards and a touchdown. K/P Saul DeLa Cruz to narrow the deficit to 27-21 heading into the final quarter and the Riders went up 28-27 with 4:00 has connected on four of five field goal attempts and remaining on a two-yard run by halfback Forrest Curry 11 of 12 PATs. CB Jordan Babineaux has three and Williams conversion. Dorgans 43-yard field goal interceptions and is second in total tackles with 38. with only 47 seconds to play lifted Delta to a hard- earned come-from-behind 30-28 squeaker in route LB Keenan Washington is first in tackles with 40, FS to the national title. Brian Davis is third with 36, LB Eddie Key fourth with 34 and LB Tim Rose fifth with 33. Injuries DSU LEADERS: RIDERS: FB Rico McDonald has 484 net yards rushing and SAU had an injury early in their game with West Georgia when their most experienced defensive six touchdowns and an average of 5.3 yards per carry. lineman, Chad James, injured an ankle. It is not known QB Josh Bright has 237 yards, a 4.5 average and two how severe the injury is at this time. Wide receiver touchdowns. Bright has completed 43 passes in 76 Jason Bennett is questionable after attempting a few attempts for 611 yards and five touchdowns with only plays last week vs. the Braves but had to hobble off one interception. WR Jody Jennings has 12 catches the field. FB Scott Schroeder remains sidelined for for 169 yards and one touchdown and WR James the season with a wrist injury. Grubbs has seven catches for 164 yards and two STATESMEN: touchdowns. Punter Blake Koenigsberger has punted QB Josh Bright was injured in last weeks VSU 20 times for a 39.9 average and is three of eight on game but the Statesmen report no injuries for their field goals. LB Jamall Johnson is the leading tackler game with the Riders. with 32 with LB Tedric Polk second with 24. GSC Last Week Of Interest Valdosta State 70 @ Delta State 12 *DSU was balanced last week on offense against Arkansas Tech 32 @ West Alabama 10 VSU, running for 178 net yards and passing for 178 Central Arkansas 51@ Harding 27 for 356 total yards. VSU rushed for only 149 yards but passed for 364 for 513 total yards. So much for West Georgia 37 @ SOUTHERN A RKANSAS 26 wanting a balanced offense since VSU won 70-12. Ouachita Baptist 10 @ Ark.-Monticello 13 North Alabama 22 @ Henderson State 7 *DSU has won two of their last three meetings, both in Magnolia, with less than a minute remaining in the game. In 1998, DSUs Blake Koenigsberger GSC This Week kicked a 23-yard field goal with eight seconds left to *Ark.-Monticello @ Arkansas Tech 2:00 pm give the Statesmen a 26-25 win that cost SAU a GSC *Henderson State @ Central Ark. 3:00 pm title. In 2000, Billy Dorgan toed a 43-yard field goal SOUTHERN A RKANSAS @ Delta State 1:00 pm with 47 seconds remaining for a 30-28 decision over *Harding @ Valdosta State 12:00 pm the Riders and the Statesmen went on to the league North Alabama @ Ouachita Baptist 2:00 pm and national title. *West Alabama @ West Georgia 1:00 pm * = HOMECOMING *SAU has returning and pre-season first-team All- GSC picks center Trey LaValle and linebacker Eddie Key. DSU has guard Chris Booker (Clarendon, Ark.), GSC Next Week tackles Reed Stringer and Max Weathers, quarterback Josh Bright and fullback Rico McDonald on offense *Central Arkansas @ Arkansas-Monticello 3:00 pm *Arkansas Tech @ SOUTHERN A RKANSAS 2:30 pm but none on defense. LaValle has been selected pre- *Delta State @ Henderson State 3:00 pm season first-team All-American in three-major Harding @ North Alabama 1:30 pm publications while Booker was also named on all three Ouachita Baptist @ West Georgia 6:00 pm and McDonald first-team on one and second-team Valdosta State @ West Alabama 1:00 pm on another. * = HOMECOMING Gulf South Conference Standings Conference Overall Institution W L Pct. For Opp. W L Pct For Opp Valdosta State 4 0 1.000 212 63 6 0 1.000 295 75 Arkansas Tech 4 0 1.000 103 52 5 0 1.000 135 78 Central Arkansas 3 1 .750 155 97 5 1 .833 288 123 West Georgia 3 1 .750 110 67 5 1 .833 174 114 Delta State 3 1 .750 120 101 4 1 .800 145 104 Arkansas-Monticello 3 1 .750 82 75 4 2 .667 130 127 Southern Arkansas 2 2 .500 88 88 2 3 .400 101 105 North Alabama 1 3 .250 58 98 2 3 .400 95 125 Harding1 3 .250 87 126 1 4 .200 98 140 Ouachita Baptist 0 4 .000 34 77 1 4 .200 75 90 West Alabama 0 4 .000 52 151 1 5 .167 87 184 Henderson State 0 4 .000 34 140 0 6 .000 64 236 Coach Quinn says..