Tigers debut at No. 21 in AFCA poll

After a thrilling 24-14 victory over No. 16 Valdosta State on Saturday, Sept. 21, Ouachita Baptist University debuts at No. 21 in its first selection in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Poll.
The victory extends the Tigers’ current winning streak to eight games, the longest since 1968.
The win against the Blazers is the first in the program’s history, after going 0-9 against Valdosta State since Ouachita joined the Gulf South Conference in 2000. It was Ouachita’s first victory over a Top 25 opponent since the 2003 season, when the Tigers defeated Southeastern Oklahoma State and Central Arkansas. The selection to the AFCA poll is also a program first for the Tigers.
With the victory, Ouachita improves to 3-0 on the season and 2-0 in Gulf South Conference play. Head Coach Todd Knight’s Tigers are two games shy of the school record for consecutive wins, a 10-game streak under Knight’s former coach, Buddy Benson, spanning the final five games of the 1967 season through the first five games of 1968.
Ouachita received eight votes in the AFCA poll after their 48-14 victory over GSC opponent West Georgia in week two, but it wasn’t enough to reach the Top 25. The Tigers earned 116 votes after their victory over Valdosta to reach No. 21 in the poll.
Grand Valley St. (Mich.) at 4-0, still holds the top spot in the top-25 poll. Followed by GVS, are Abilene Christian (Tx.), GSC member North Alabama, Bloomsburg (Pa.) and Central Washington to round out the top five teams in the country.
The Tigers are one of three GSC schools listed in the poll, including North Alabama at No. 3 and this week’s opponent, Delta State (2-1), at No. 9. Delta State opened the season with a 28-17 loss to then No. 24 Texas A&M-Kingsville, followed by blowout victories over Arkansas-Monticello (42-3) and Harding (48-10).
Kickoff for Saturday’s GSC matchup with Delta State is set for 7 p.m. at A.U. Williams Field. Listen to live game action online at athletics.obu.edu/broadcasts/.