Week 10 Football Notes

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Tech football team begins its season-ending two game road trip Saturday in Durant, Oklahoma, where the Wonder Boys will meet Southeastern Oklahoma State for a 2 p.m. kickoff.

The Wonder Boys (3-6, 3-5 Great American Conference) and the Savage Storm (5-4, 4-4 GAC) will look to sort out a tight middle of the pack in the GAC standings, as Tech continues its challenging second half of the season that will see them face five consecutive squads with winning records to close out the year.

SOSU enters the contest a week after seeing its four-game winning streak snapped at the hands of undefeated Harding, but brings with it a potent offense that has put up 45 or more points in four of its nine games this season. The Storm offense can do its damage multiple ways, averaging 191.0 rushing yards and 236.7 passing yards a game.

They'll be tasked with keeping that pace up against a Tech defense that has developed into one of the stingiest in the league. The Wonder Boys have allowed only 17.8 points per game against Division II competition, including an impressive showing the past three weeks in which the unit has held three of the top four scoring offenses in the GAC to their lowest point totals of the season.

The Tech defense has forced 22 turnovers out of their opponents so far this season, and is the conference's top red zone defense, allowing teams to collect points on just 55.6 percent of their trips inside the 20.

When the teams flip possession, the Wonder Boys may look to get their ground game going, as the Storm allow 211.0 rushing yards per game to their opponents. Tech's three-headed attack of Kelton Smith, Justyn Oliphant and Brayden Stringer, who have combined for 653 rushing yards, will look to get things started. That should open up the passing lanes for quarterback Dennis Robertson, who has 1,506 yards and eight touchdown passes on the year.

The teams also bring two of the liveliest legs in the GAC into the contest, as SOSU's Jared Heim leads the conference with a 42.8-yard punting average. Tech's Clayton Watson isn't far behind, averaging 40.3 per kick.

The game will be broadcast live on 100.9-FM [KWKK] in Russellville, and online at www.arkansastechsports.com.