ARKADELPHIA -- Ouachita Baptist senior running back Kris Oliver became the all-time career rushing leader in the Great American Conference on Thursday as the Tigers poured on the pressure and pounded Southern Nazarene, 41-0, at Cliff Harris Stadium.
Oliver, of Arkadelphia, took a handoff with six minutes remaining int he third quarter and scampered for a five-yard gain. The short run gave him this conference's all-time career rushing record.
The senior carried the ball 28 times for a season-high 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the victory. Oliver now has eight touchdowns this season and also holds the GAC record for 100-yard rushing games with 16 in his career.
Oliver ran for 1,176 yards as a freshman, 761 as a sophomore and 795 as a junior. He already has 699 this season to give him 3,431 for his career.
Ouachita (8-0) remained alone atop the GAC standings with the victory. The Tigers are ranked No. 4 in both the American Football Coaches Association's Division II poll and D2Football.com poll.
They collected 27 first downs on 271 rushing yards and 170 passing yards for a total of 441. Southern Nazarene (1-7) was held to just 140 total yards of offense.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Brayden Brazeal passed for 133 yards and a score with 59 more yards on the ground. Backup true freshman Caleb Sallisbury ran for two more touchdowns in the final quarter.
Ouachita led 20-0 after the third frame Thursday before adding three more touchdowns in the final quarter.
Oliver gave the Tigers the lead with 6:53 left in the first quarter on a nine-yard touchdown run. Brazeal connected with receiver La'Darius McElroy for a 23-yard touchdown at almost the same point of the second quarter. McElroy finished with three catches for 47 yards.
Kicker Cole Antley added a 39-yard field goal and a 22-yard field goal in the third quarter.
Oliver ran five times in seven plays during the Tigers' first scoring drive of the fourth quarter. He capped the drive with a four-yard score.
The Tigers only needed four plays to score again. Sallisbury found Hayden Waller for a 33-yard completion to set up his own one-yard touchdown run.
Caleb Porchia then forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and the ball was recovered by Ouachita's C.J. Heckard. Sallisbury found the end zone again two plays later from two yards out.
Southern Nazarene embarked on its best drive late in the fourth quarter, picking up multiple first downs. Freshman defensive lineman Hunter Swoboda forced the ball loose on the ninth play of the drive. Justin Dean fell on the loose ball and Ouachita was able to finish the game in victory formation.
Ouachita will be back on the road in a week against Arkansas-Monticello (3-4). The Boll Weevils are celebrating homecoming today against Oklahoma Baptist (2-5).
Sports on 10/20/2018