SBU BEARCATS (4-4) host Ouachita Baptist University Tigers (4-3)
October 25, 2008 • 1:30 PM • Plaster Stadium • Bolivar, Mo.
BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The SBU Bearcats will again look for their fifth win the season at home this Saturday against Ouachita Baptist University. Achieving at least five wins in a single season is something SBU has done only five times in school history. The winningnest seasons in SBU history were in 2001 (6-5 overall), 1991 (7-4 overall), and 1987 (7-4 overall).
THE OPPONENT: The Ouachita Baptist University Tigers are 4-3 this season, with a 2-game winning streak coming into their game with SBU. Two of their losses were against #1 Valdosta State (6-29) and (then) ranked Delta State (17-35). OBU and the Bearcats have a mutual opponent in Harding State, who the Tigers defeated 30-27 on October 11. The Tigers have a balanced offense, throwing for 216.7 ypg and rushing for 180.4. They have allowed, however, 120.1 yards on the ground and 308.3 yards in the air. Lance Parker, OBU’s quarterback, has a line of 203-116-5 with 12 touchdown passes.
TRENDS: Through SBU’s first seven games of the 2008 season, Steve Gachette has averaged 301.0 yards in the air. Johnnie King has been SBU’s leading receiver, with 56 catches (12.7) for 709 yards (101.3 average). Jeff Finnell has gained 568 yards (71.0 average) on the ground, which includes 10 touchdowns on the season. Tyrin Holt is SBU’s leading tackler with 78 (43 solo) followed by Jarred Schumpert, who has 69 take-downs (42 solo). The Bearcats have 30 sacks as a team, led by Clint Carroz with 7.
BROKEN RECORDS: On Saturday, with his two touchdown passes against Northeastern State, Steve Gachette became single-season record-holder for touchdown passes with 21. He broke Chis Lowe’s old mark of 19, set in the 2001 season. Gachette is also the career leader in that category, now with 36. Despite his record-setting pace, Gachette has yet to throw 2 touchdowns to the same player in the same game this season. As a team, the 2008 Bearcats now hold records for most touchdowns in a season (46), most points in a season (328), and most touchdown passes in a season (21). Justin Finch, who has converted 37 of 38 extra points, holds the record for most PATs in season.
SCORING STREAK: SBU is on track to break their ‘consecutive games without being shutout’ in the last game of this season. Should the Bearcats score in all 11 games in the 2008 campaign, they will have avoided the shutout for 44 straight times against Missouri S&T on November 8, which passes the old mark of 43 set in the 10th game of the 1992 season.
COACH ALLEN ON LAST SATURDAY’S LOSS: "It’s really pretty simple. We didn’t do a very good job of preparing or executing our game plan. Northeastern State was ready to play and we weren’t."
COACH ALLEN ON OUACHITA BAPTIST: "They are the second or third-best team on our schedule this season. They have a high powered offense and a very good defense. Saturday will be a good chance for us to see what kind of football team we are. Ouachita has three losses, and two of them were against nationally-ranked teams. OBU is a very good football team."
Game Notes
