Week 7 Game Notes - "Hunt for Red October" Version

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys football team returns to action this Saturday, October 13, traveling to Alva, Oklahoma for a matchup with Northwestern Oklahoma. A 2 p.m. kickoff from Ranger Field is scheduled.

Live audio, video, and statistics are available at www.arkansastechsports.com. The game will be broadcast live on 102.3-FM (KCJC) in Russellville. 

While Tech seeks to snap a two-game skid, they will do so against a foe that the Wonder Boys have had a significant amount of respect against historically. Arkansas Tech (2-4) enters Saturday's game on a seven-game winning streak against NWOSU (2-4), downing the Rangers 66-10 in Russellville last season. 

While NWOSU has an identical record to the Wonder Boys, an added challenge is presented in NWOSU's solid play at home this season. The Rangers are 2-1 on their home field, with the sole loss for NWOSU coming at the hands of undefeated league leader No. 5 Ouachita Baptist.

The running game will be critical for both squads. Tech and NWOSU rank third and fourth in the Great American Conference in rushing yardage, respectively, with the Wonder Boys carving out 179.8 yards per game on the ground while Northwestern Oklahoma racks up 170.2. The Wonder Boys have had a measure of success stopping the run allowing just 126.5 yards per game on the ground while the Rangers have allowed 165.2 yards. 

Tyson Gatewood has done the bulk of the running for the Rangers, averaging 63.8 yards per contest to rank ninth in the league, while Bryan Allen leads the GAC with 93.3 yards per contest. Allen is in hot pursuit of a pair of records - both the Great American Conference and Arkansas Tech career rushing records. Ahead of Allen are a pair of Wonder Boys legends - all-time leader Larry Brown and his 3,603 yards from 1968-71 and Eddie Meador, who ranks second with 3,410 career yards. Allen needs just 140 yards to pass Meador for second and 333 yards to pass Brown for the all-time record. 

Another record that Allen is chasing is the all-time GAC mark of 3,453 yards currently held by former Southeastern Oklahoma back Devlon Wortham. Allen needs 183 yards to claim sole possession of that mark, but Allen is not the only active player chasing the mark. Ouachita Baptist's Kris Oliver sits just 21 yards behind Allen, and both players could surpass the previous mark by Wortham in the next two weeks, and challenge one another for the record down the stretch.