By RANGER ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
After an hour and a half delay, the teams finally took the field and action got underway at Ranger Field last weekend.
Despite a well fought game that saw the Rangers have a chance to drive the field and score the tying touchdown, the final score ended up being 42-34 in favor of Ouachita Baptist. This week the Rangers will look to defend their home turf once again, this time against the Tigers of East Central University on homecoming day.
The Tigers will come to Alva with a 1-3 record in GAC play, fresh off a 36-34 overtime loss to Oklahoma Baptist. The Tigers have two opponents that the Rangers have also faced in Henderson State and Ouachita Baptist, losing to both opponents.
On offense the Tigers come in ranked ninth in the GAC averaging 23 points a game. The Tigers offense is led by senior wide receiver standout David Moore, who ranks fourth in the GAC in both receptions and receiving yards with 22 receptions for 392 yards and six touchdowns.
The Tigers will start Brooks Holder at quarterback, who is eighth in the GAC in total offense. East Central will look to capitalize on a Northwestern defense that is currently ranked last in the conference.
As for the defensive side of the ball, the Tigers sit third in the conference in total defense, trailing only nationally-ranked teams Harding and Henderson State. Linebacker Camnick Campbell will be the one to watch on the defensive side of the ball, leading the defense with 36 total tackles.
The key statistical match-up in this one will be how Northwestern’s conference leading pass offense will fair against East Central’s conference leading pass defense. The Rangers have struggled against top-tier defenses in the conference such as Henderson State and Southern Arkansas, but have capitalized on average or weak defenses such as Arkansas-Monticello and Ouachita Baptist.