The Ouachita Baptist Tigers football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Ouachita Baptist University located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The team competes in NCAA Division II and are members of the Great American Conference. Ouachita Baptist's first football team was fielded in 1896. The team plays home games at Benson-Williams Field at Cliff Harris Stadium in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Todd Knight has served as head coach for the Tigers since 1999.
| Ouachita Baptist Tigers football | |
|---|---|
| First season | 1896 |
| Athletic director | David Sharp |
| Head coach | Todd Knight 24th season, 152–101 (.601) |
| Stadium | Benson-Williams Field at Cliff Harris Stadium (capacity: 4,500) |
| Field surface | Artificial turf |
| Location | Arkadelphia, Arkansas |
| NCAA division | Division II |
| Conference | Great American Conference |
| All-time record | 474–433–43 (.522) |
| Playoff appearances | 6 (NCAA Division II) 2 (NAIA Division I) |
| Playoff record | 1–6 (NCAA Division II) 0–2 (NAIA Division I) |
| Conference titles | 13 |
| Rivalries | Henderson State (rivalry) Harding |
| Colors | Purple and gold[1] |
| Website | obutigers.com |
History
editThe Tiger football team is notable for participating in the first ever Intercollegiate game in Arkansas history, a 24–0 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks in the fall of 1897. The Ouachita Baptist Tigers compete in the Battle of the Ravine every year. This tradition started in 1895 when Ouachita Baptist played Arkadelphia Methodist College (currently known as Henderson State University), and won 8–0. This historical event was not played from 1951 to 1963 because of the excessive rivalry between the two schools. It resumed after 1963 and is still being played to this day.[2]
The Ouachita Baptist head coach from 1965 to 1995 was former Oklahoma Sooner and Arkansas Razorbacks player Buddy Benson. Coach Benson compiled a record of 161–140–8. He played for Bud Wilkinson at Oklahoma, and Bowden Wyatt at Arkansas.[3]
The Tiger's head coach since 1999 is Todd Knight.[4] He has led OBU to six conference titles.
The longtime radio voice of the OBU Tigers is Rex Nelson.[5][6] Nelson is a member of the Arkansas Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame.
On October 19, 2024, the No. 9 nationally ranked Ouachita Baptist Tigers beat the No. 1 ranked Harding Bisons 17–13, marking the first time in OBU history that the Tigers beat the No. 1 team in nation.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2013) |
Conference affiliations
edit- Independent (1897, 1906–1926, 1928–1930)
- No team (1898–1905, 1943–1944)
- Arkansas Association (1927)
- Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (1931–1942, 1945–1994)
- NAIA Division I independent (1995–1996)
- Lone Star Conference (1997–1999)
- Gulf South Conference (2000–2010)
- Great American Conference (2011–present)
Championships
editConference championships
edit| Season | Overall record | Conference record |
|---|---|---|
| 1927* | 6–1–2 | Arkansas Association |
| 1934 | 8–2 | Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) |
| 1941 | 8–3 | AIC |
| 1966* | 6–4 | AIC |
| 1970* | 8–2 | AIC |
| 1975* | 9–2 | AIC |
| 1982 | 8–3 | AIC |
| 2011 | 7–3 | Great American Conference (GAC) |
| 2014 | 10–1 | GAC |
| 2017 | 9–3 | GAC |
| 2018 | 12–1 | GAC |
| 2019 | 11–1 | GAC |
| 2022 | 11–1 | GAC |
*Indicates co-championship
Postseason appearances
editNCAA Division II
editThe Tigers have made six appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 1–6.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Second Round | Minnesota–Duluth | L, 45–48 |
| 2017 | First Round | Ferris State | L, 19–24 |
| 2018 | Second Round Quarterfinals |
Indianapolis Ferris State |
W, 35–7 L, 14–37 |
| 2019 | First Round | Lindenwood | L, 38–41 |
| 2022 | First Round | Northwest Missouri State | L, 17–47 |
| 2024 | First Round | Central Oklahoma | L, 31–38 OT |
Notable former players
editFormerly in the NFL
edit- Carl Allen, RB/DB, Brooklyn Dodgers
- Cliff Harris, DB, Dallas Cowboys, member of NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Gregory Junior, DB, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Bill LaFitte, E, Brooklyn Tigers
- Ed Neal, OL, Green Bay Packers
- Julius Pruitt, WR, Miami Dolphins
- Chuck Taylor, LB, Brooklyn Tigers
- Chris Rycraw, RB, Green Bay Packers
- Phillip Supernaw, TE, Tennessee Titans
Rivalries
editHenderson State
editReferences
edit- ^ Ouachita Baptist University Athletics Branding (PDF). Retrieved April 18, 2016.
- ^ Nelson, Rex. "Encyclopedia of Arkansas". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
- ^ "Benson lost the 'Bob,' not will to win | Arkansas Democrat Gazette". www.arkansasonline.com. 2011-05-03. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
- ^ "HIGH PROFILE: Todd Knight, a coach at Ouachita Baptist University, helps develops young men — both on and off the field | Arkansas Democrat Gazette". www.arkansasonline.com. 2023-09-17. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
- ^ "Rex Nelson Interviews". pryorcenter.uark.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
- ^ "Rex Nelson (1959–)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
- ^ "Ouachita Baptist Historical Data". 2007-06-08. Archived from the original on 2007-06-08. Retrieved 2020-10-18.