October 19th, 2024 11:30pm
From Ouachita Baptist sports information
ARKADELPHIA – The ninth-ranked Ouachita Baptist University football team recorded a 17-13 victory over top-ranked Harding University on Saturday at home in front of a standing-room only crowd.
The Tiger victory snaps Harding's 25-game winning streak, which included the 2023 national championship. It also puts Ouachita alone at the top of the Great American Conference standings at 7-0.
Ouachita's defense stepped up to the challenge against the nation's top offense, holding the Bisons to 288 yards of total offense and only 13 points. The Bisons were averaging 554 total yards and 61 points per game heading into Saturday's game.
Harding finished 1-for-12 on third downs, had two fumbles, was forced to punt five times, and only made into the red zone once.
After forcing a three-and-out on Ouachita's first drive, the Bisons struck first with a touchdown at the 9:30 mark of the first quarter to cap a seven-play, 69-yard drive. Ouachita answered with a long scoring drive on 10 plays and 69 yards to score on a three-yard run by Kendel Givens at the 3:42 mark.
Following three-and-outs by both teams, the Bisons regained the lead on a 52-yard field goal by Magnus Lepak at the 9:55 mark of the second quarter. Again, the Tigers answered, this time with a nine-play, 61-yard drive capped by a 25-yard field goal by reigning GAC Special Teams Player of the Week Dax Jaggers with 5:44 remaining before halftime to make it 10-10.
On the ensuing kickoff, Harding made its first mistake with a fumble on the return recovered by the Tigers at the HU 25-yard line. However, the Tigers did not capitalize, going three-and-out and actually losing 20 yards before punting the ball back to the Bisons. Harding finished the first half with an 11-play, 72-yard drive capped by a 42-yard field goal from Lepak with 24 seconds on the clock to put his team up 13-10 at the break.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Tigers opened up the playbook to take their first lead of the game with 12:58 remaining in the fourth with a handoff to Connor Flannigan who then threw a pass back to quarterback Eli Livingston who was left open for a four-yard touchdown.
Both defenses took over for the rest of the game with neither team having more than six plays in a possession until the last minute when Harding ran 10 plays, but the Tiger defense stepped up at the buzzer forcing an incomplete pass to seal the win.
Livingston finished 10-for-18 passing for 109 yards. Givens totaled 47 rushing yards on 13 carries. Flannigan finished with five receptions for 62 yards in addition to his four-yard touchdown pass.
Dawson Miller paced the Tiger defense with 16 total tackles. Jaraylon Burks added 12 tackles. Kenta Jones had nine tackles and a forced fumble.
Ouachita is on the road next Saturday, October 26 to take on Arkansas Tech. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in Russellville.