By ANDREW SANTANGELO, Athletic Communications
Photos by Leah Darnell
The 2019 football season is right around the corner. Northwestern Oklahoma State University find themselves improving ever so slightly from last season’s preseason poll coming in seventh in the GAC rankings compared to eighth previously receiving 58 votes to 55 votes last season.
“I thought they got it right,” said head coach Matt Walter. “Hopefully our guys use this as little motivation. Preseason polls aren’t worth a lot considering you still have to play the game it is all based on what you did last year. Every year is a new team completely, they have to gel together your culture has to sustain you that’s why those winning teams keep winning. The league got it similar to how I voted. We are definitely shooting for a lot higher than seventh.”
Northwestern’s toughest home game this season based off the conference poll will be the homecoming game against Harding on Oct 26. Harding comes into the year ranked second in the conference. The Rangers will seek revenge after dropping last year’s game 38-7.
Last year’s champion Ouachita Baptist (11-0) open as the conference favorites. Rangers will travel to face the Tigers on Sept. 21. Ouachita is followed by Harding, Southern Arkansas, Henderson State, Arkansas Monticello respectively rounding out the top five.
The season will kick off at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5 at East Central University who comes in ranked 11th.
The Rangers have four home games against the top six teams in their conference this year so a lot of fun history will be made at Ranger Field during the 2019 season!
