GAME 11: SBU BEARCATS (7-3)
at ARKANSAS TECH WONDER BOYS (3-7, 2-6 GSC)

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13 • 2:00 PM
THONE STADIUM • RUSSELLVILLE, AR
RADIO: KBFL 99.9 FM (Josh Thompson, play-by-play)


LIVE STATS | INTERNET AUDIO | GAME NOTES

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- With just one game left in the regular season, the SBU Bearcats are looking at a chance to win a school-record eighth game, as they travel to Russellville, Ark, to take on the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys.

The Bearcats continue to be one of the highest-powered offenses in the nation, posting an average of 535 yards of total offense per game, the second-highest average in Division II. The Bearcats took a hit in total offense after last week's game against Division I-FCS #10 Southeast Missouri.

Senior quarterback Steven Gachette is looking to break some of his own single-season records in the final two games of the year. With five more touchdown passes, Gachette will tie his mark of 28 touchdowns from last year. Earlier this season, Gachette became just the fourth player in Divsion II history to record 2,500 yards of total offense in each of his four seasons. The senior quarterback is also just the second player to ever gain 2,000 yards rushing and 10,000 yards passing in his career.

Earlier this week, Gachette was nominated as one of six regional finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy. The Trophy is given to the best player in Division II, and this marks the second straight season that Gachette has been named a regional finalist.

Junior receiver Charles Johnson has quietly had the best season for a wideout in SBU history. Currently sitting at 1,101 yards Johnson is just the third Bearcat to rack up over 1,000 receiving yards in a season, and broke the single-season TD receptions mark, with 12 touchdowns on the year.

For the first time in eight games, the SBU defense failed to bring down the quarterback against Southeast Missouri. Casey Smith currently leads the team with 7.5 sacks, which ranks 30th in the nation.

One big way the offense has been supported this season is through the Bearcats' special teams play. Punt returner Chris Muhammad is averaging 19.7 yards per return, the second-best average in the nation, and tops among independent schools. Muhammad has two punts returned for touchdowns, and had a 103-yard fumble return for a touchdown last week against St. Joseph's. Last week, runningback/kick returner Chris Culbreth stepped up with a kickoff return for a touchdown, and 102 return yards in the game.

THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Keith Allen has already engineered a significant turnaround at SBU, moving
the 'Cats from 0-11 his first year as interim coach, to 5-6 in 2008, to the winning record of 6-5 in 2009. Allen served as defensive and recruiting coordinator before being named SBU head coach in 2007. His past coaching experience has included stops at San Jose State, Quincy, TCU and Oklahoma.

Steve Mullins is 10 games into his 14th season at the helm of the Wonder Boys. He enters Saturday's game with Harding as Tech's all-time winningest coach with an overall record of 88-61 (.591) and a Gulf South Conference record of 71-49 (.592).

Arkansas Tech holds a 3-0 advantage over the Bearcats all-time, but the two sides haven't met since 1999.

SCOUTING THE WONDER BOYS
The Wonder Boys come into their senior day game having lost their last three, by a combined score of 112-40.

The biggest strength the Wonder Boys bring into this week's matchup is their run defense. Arkansas Tech allows just 97 yards on the ground per game, 19th-best in the nation. Linebacker Brandon Wright and defensive lineman Derandus Frye have 12.5 and 11.5 tackles for loss, respectively, ranking them each 63rd and 85th in Division II.

Offensively, redshirt freshman Rico Keller has eight passing touchdowns, along with five rushing scores. Keller is completing just 48.1% of his passes for 1,193 yards on the year, and is averaging 44.4 rushing yards per game. Wideout Roger Jackson is Keller's favorite target, with 48 catches for 621 yards and eight touchdowns.