Volume 130, Issue 5: November 11, 2021

the

VOLUME 130, ISSUE 5

SIGNAL

NOVEMBER 11 , 2021

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F O U A C H I TA B A P T I S T U N I V E R S I T Y

CONTENTS PAGE 2 | WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM

COVER STORY.............................3 NEWS......................................4-5 ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT...............6 OPINIONS................................... 7 SPORTS......................................8

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Sara Patterson

SIGNAL

MacKenzie Hall

Langley Leverett

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

NEWS EDITOR

Wyatt Ashlock

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT & OPINIONS EDITOR

Dr. Jeff Root Adviser

Ryan York

SPORTS EDITOR

COPY EDITOR

Valeria Gomez SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Dr. Deborah Root Adviser

Caroline Derby

AD COORDINATOR

Abby Blankenship PHOTO EDITOR

Levi Dade

PHOTO EDITOR

Jackson Carter Online Adviser

Ouachita Baptist University Office: Evans Student Center Email: signal@obu.edu Phone: (870) 245-5210 The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published twice a month on Thursdays during the fall and spring semesters when school is in session. The newspaper is distributed free of charge; 1,200 copies are placed in more than 20 locations across campus.

Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or university. The Signal is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press and is printed by the Nashville Leader.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Letters to the editor are encouraged and accepted, unless libelous, irresponsible or obscene. Letters should be typed and include a signature and contact phone number, and must be less than 500 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and style. Letters should be sent via campus mail to Box 3761 or via email to signal@obu.edu.

COVER STORY WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM | PAGE 3

Spiva wins first place at AR INBRE conference

BY MALLORY GATSON Staff Writer

Josh Spiva, a junior chemistry and biomedical sciences double major, was awarded first place for his oral presentation at the Arkansas Idea Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (AR INBRE) conference on Oct. 29. The AR INBRE program was established with the purpose of broadening the geographic distribution of National Institute of Health funding for biomedical and behavioral research.

Approximately 100 students from colleges around Arkansas attended the event, 20 of which were Ouachita students. The group of students from Ouachita were able to attend this conference through the funding of the Patterson Research Program in Ouachita’s school of Natural Sciences.

The program allows undergraduate students to do research with a science faculty member for nine weeks during the summer. Research is required for a Bachelors of Science in the school of Natural Sciences.

Spiva participated in the research program last summer and presented this research at the conference.

As he was preparing for the summer, Spiva began searching for summer research opportunities in his field. In the end, he decided to research with Dr. Sharon Hamilton, associate chemistry professor in the Patterson School of Natural Sciences.

“I looked for research programs during the summer and also looked at lab availability,” Spiva said.

“Dr. Hamilton’s [lab] allowed for extended research.”

At the conference, Spiva gave an oral presentation over wound dressings. There are two types of wound dressings: traditional and modern. Spiva focused on the

modern wound dressings, arguing that they are more advanced and helpful.

Throughout his research, Spiva has focused on how to incorporate proteins into wound dressings.

In order to accomplish their research goals, Hamilton and Spiva collaborated with a professor from the University of Arkansas. This professor helped provide them with the protein, which was a necessary component for the research.

Spiva started conducting his research at the end of May and finished at the beginning of August. Although the conference is now over, his research is ongoing as he will continue to work in Dr. Hamilton’s lab. Moving forward, Spiva hopes to publish his findings in an academic publication in the near future.

After the conference concluded, students returned to their respective universities. Participants were notified of their awards on Monday, Nov. 1.

“There were expectations to place, but not to win first place,” Spiva said. “There were five other people who had really cool research projects that were very different from mine.”

When Spiva found out he placed, he was logging into his biochemistry class on Zoom. His friend, Jade Dorman, also a science major, notified him that the results had been posted on the AR INBRE website.

Spiva was extremely shocked and felt as if that moment was surreal. He devoted numerous hours to his research, but in the end the reward was well worth it.

“It has been great because the science department is very closeknit,” Spiva said. “The close knit aspect comes from upperclassmen helping others with assignments and being mentors for those that are younger. I really loved that

when I was an underclassman.

The biomed science program has allowed me to make great friendships, and the professors are phenomenal. That has created a really good experience in the science center.”

Spiva has found that students at Ouachita are invested in helping each other succeed.

“I think that the university as a whole is very big on helping each other get oriented. No matter what you are going through, someone else has been through it and they will be there to help you,” Spiva said. “The opportunities that Ouachita provides are similar to that of a bigger school, and so being at a smaller school has not hindered me at all.”

Spiva plays an active role in the American Chemical Society (ACS), where he serves as vice president. He is also an active member of Tri Beta, the biology honor society and the Ouachita Student Foundation (OSF).

Spiva encourages freshmen to venture outside of their comfort zones and participate in extracurricular activities on campus.

“Do not let your freshman grades discourage you and get involved in something even if it is on a smaller scale,” Spiva said. “Freshman year can be a huge learning lesson if you apply it as such.”

Spiva got involved with activities on campus as soon as he could. He first joined the ACS his freshman year. He was eager to dive into the science community on campus because of his passion for the field.

Spiva has decided that medicine is the best way to serve people with his talents in science. After Spiva graduates, he is interested in obtaining both an M.D. and a Ph.D. He would like to work in a clinical research setting where he gets to do lab work, as well as see patients.

Top: Junior chemistry and biomedical sciences major Josh Spiva gives an oral presentation on the advantages of modern wound dressings. When Spiva learned that his presentation won first place, he was shocked. (photo courtesy of Josh Spiva) Bottom: Spiva spends much of his time in the Harvey Jones Science Center as he is the Vice President of the American Chemical Society and is involved in Tri Beta, the biology honor society. Spiva encourages younger students to take advantage of the opportunities that exist at a smaller school like Ouachita. (photo by Levi Dade)

NEWS

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Battle of the Ravine week exudes Tiger pride

BY EMILEE WEBB Staff Writer

Battle of the Ravine (BOTR) week is an annual tradition that encourages students to show their Tiger pride through a variety of activities leading up to the highly anticipated football game against the Henderson Reddies.

Capturing Ouachita’s rivalry with Henderson State University (HSU), BOTR is known as the shortest road-trip in the NCAA, as players and fans only have to travel across the street even if their team is playing “away.”

This year’s game will take place on Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. at Cliff Harris Stadium. Although the main event is not until Saturday, BOTR festivities have already begun.

One important BOTR event, the flag football championship game, took place last week.

The men’s and women’s intramural flag football champions for Ouachita faced the intramural champions at Henderson. Both Ouachita teams came out with a victory. These wins certainly boosted students’ morale for the week ahead.

This week will be filled with events for current students of all classifications and even future Tigers. One of Ouachita’s most memorable traditions, Guard the Tiger, will be held Monday through Thursday with an exciting campus-wide event on Thursday night.

Throughout the week, Student Senate will host the annual Guard the Tiger event, which is the central spirit tradition of the week. The students’ main goal is to protect the tiger, the statue in the middle of campus, from HSU students.

Seniors began on Monday night, followed by juniors on Tuesday night and sophomores on Wednesday night. The freshmen class will finish up on Thursday night with a campus-wide event. Each night,

Left: The men’s and women’s intramural flag football teams both won against Henderson in their “Battle of the Ravine” championship games on Nov. 4. These victories elicited excitement that continues to build as the football game approaches (photo by Coleman Callan) Right: The Tiger football team prepares to play against Henderson in the last Battle of the Ravine game in 2019. Students look forward to filling the stands to cheer on the Tigers this year. (photo by Hannah Smith)

Student Senate members will be taking down the names of every participant from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., and every student that successfully protects Ouachita’s beloved tiger for the entire five hours will receive a free T-shirt.

Kathryn Totty, junior class senator and co-chair for the special events committee on Student Senate, had a special role in planning the festivities. She invites all students to not only to participate with

their class, but to attend the event on Thursday night as well.

“Thursday is the big campus-wide event, but it is also the freshmen’s night to guard the tiger.

All students can come on Thursday night. We have many big events planned including an axe throwing trailer, a food truck that is free to students, and booths and tents for each of the organizations,” Totty said. “We are excited for this event to give students an exciting atmo-

sphere to prepare for Battle of the Ravine.”

There will also be a special BOTR visit day for prospective students on Saturday, Nov. 13th.

During the visit day, prospective students will get the chance to meet with their academic dean, participate in a campus tour and experience Ouachita’s most exciting game of the season. There will be many future tigers and alumni on campus, so prospective stu-

dents will experience the spirit of Ouachita in full.

Both freshmen and sophomores have not experienced the thrill and commotion of BOTR week yet.

Even for the upperclassmen, one year without Battle of the Ravine was enough to make them miss the tradition. The entire student body is elated to welcome this tradition back to campus, and to welcome alumni and prospective students to experience it alongside them.

NEWS

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Students participate in worship during a Refuge service. James Renshaw and Jacob Cates serve as Refuge speakers, while Katelin Cotton and Wade Wilson serve as Refuge music leaders. (photo by William Read)

Refuge creates space for learning and worship

BY JULIA SHANDS

Staff Writer According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a “refuge” is a place that provides shelter or protection, and for many Ouachita students, that is exactly what Refuge provides. Although Refuge allows students to take a break from the noise of pressing deadlines and exams, Refuge wouldn’t happen without the hard work and passion of four students: Jacob Cates, James Renshaw, Katelin Cotton and Wade Wilson.

Cates is one of the two Refuge speakers that delivers the message every other Thursday night. Every week, he coordinates with his co-leader, Renshaw, to prepare the sermon, select passages and determine prayer focuses.

“This semester I have been so humbled by the hard work and intentionality of everyone on the Refuge team, including the band and tech team,” Cates said. “So many people are needed to make Refuge happen, and everyone that

has helped plan each week has been going above and beyond and demonstrated a Christ-like humility in serving.”

“I feel like the Refuge team’s main goal for the semester, and for Refuge in general, has been to provide a space for students to meet with God and for the Spirit to move,” Cates said. “It’s been so meaningful to me because, while we seek to do everything with excellence, there has been a spirit of humility that we are all just students, coming together to worship God and hear from His word.”

Leading Refuge has been full of meaning for Renshaw, but it has also been full of challenges.

“From knowing many Refuge speakers from the past, I would say any of us would be lying if we didn’t admit at least being sad one night to see friends not there,” Renshaw said. “To put tons of work into a message, and then realize that so many people that you care about didn’t come to hear it does get discouraging at times.”

Renshaw has been able to turn

disappointment into growth.

“However, that ties into another aspect of leadership that you learn and that is humility,” Renshaw said. “We don’t do Refuge to please ourselves in any way. We do it to serve, grow and help the students around us. It’s the little things like a text in the middle of the night saying how God impacted them at Refuge that’s so cool.”

Cotton is a Refuge music leader.

She is responsible for helping plan the music and service with Wilson and the speakers.

“Wade and I prayerfully plan out each service in a way that would create a service that would ultimately bring the Lord the most glory,” Cotton said. “We try to plan with wisdom and discernment.”

The saying, “God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called” rings true for Cotton as she has gone throughout the semester.

“I often feel nervous about being under-equipped for both Refuge and my calling to worship ministry full-time,” Cotton said. “Although, the Lord has been so faithful to

remind me that He really does equip the called and not call the equipped. I am constantly reminded of His goodness and power.”

Many students arrive at Refuge and sing the worship songs without much thought of the reason behind what they’re singing, but a lot of work goes into preparing the music for the service.

“We plan the songs off of what the sermon will be over,” Cotton said. “We go through the passage that will be taught and allow the Holy Spirit to bring to mind songs that would fit well with the passage. With every song that is brought up, we go through each lyric to make sure that its theology is sound. That it is not just a song about being a Christian, but a song that lifts praises to the Lord directly. We would never want to choose a song that focuses on ourselves or one that teaches wrongly about God’s character or His Word.”

While Wilson hopes that students grow in their faith by coming to Refuge, he believes that Refuge has grown him in many ways too.

“Working with the team has taught me how to work with others more effectively,” Wilson said.

“I have also learned about the importance of prayer. It is easy to go through the motions of planning the service week to week and to forget that Refuge will not be a fruitful time if God is not involved in the planning process and the service itself. Praying for Refuge means having discipline to not get stuck in the flow of life and to depend on God.” While the team does work hard, Refuge is more than just well-prepared speakers and talented musicians.

“We hope that, in the same way, everyone comes to Refuge having surrendered their hearts to whatever God wants for them,” Wilson said. “We are not the best musicians, and we are not the best speakers. We should not come to Refuge merely to hear good music and good speaking, but we should come prepared to worship God, learn from His Word and enjoy fellowship with other believers.”

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT PAGE 6 | WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM

Marvel releases unique spectacle, shocks all

BY WYATT ASHLOCK

Arts/Entertainment & Opinions Editor Superhero movies come out all the time, but Marvel’s “Eternals” (2021) is a different breed of a superhero movie.

Throughout history the Eternals have stayed in the shadows, not interfering with human conflict unless deviants are involved. After the events of Thanos in “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), a new threat arrives that will bring them out of the shadows to try and save all of humanity from extinction.

Director Chloé Zhao makes a mark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) that will never be

forgotten. Her take on the Eternals is very well done, as she does an excellent job at introducing 10 new heroes and many other characters, while giving each of them their own story and character development.

Each actor was perfectly selected for their role and brings more representation to the MCU. Marvel introduces their first deaf superhero, with Lauren Ridloff’s portrayal of Makkari, and the film also introduces more characters of color into the universe.

Several elements of this movie are admirable. The cinematography and musical score make for a true work of art. While traveling through different times and places,

Zhao does a superb job at making sure the audience feels connected to the movie throughout the entire

“I rate this film a 4 out of 5 tiger paws.”

-Wyatt Ashlock experience, and the music adds a captivating sense of suspense and excitement. While the story does cram a lot of information into one movie, it also has a balanced vari-

ety of comedy and drama to keep it serious yet light-hearted.

Moreover, the cinematic-generative imagery (CGI) in this movie is unlike anything Marvel has taken on before. From fulI worlds, weapons and characters, “Eternals” is a spectacle from beginning to end.

My only drawback is that at certain points it feels like the movie should have been split into two parts, so that each of the characters could have more rounded character arcs. Since this movie introduces plenty of new concepts including Celestials, Deviants and other mystical terms, the audience will have to pay close attention.

I went into this movie hesitant, but it blew me away. It was spec-

tacular, and I cannot wait to see what will happen next for the Eternals after the cliffhanger that ends the movie. While I did not necessarily agree with some of the plot decisions, I still think it is among of the most unique movies I have seen.

This installment is definitely in my top five Marvel movies of all time. The movie also has a few surprise character introductions that will shock audiences.

I highly recommend that anyone go see this movie, even if you have never seen a Marvel movie before.

This is a great movie to start with to dip your toe into the Marvel Universe. I rate this movie a 4 out of 5 tiger paws.

Guitarmageddon excites crowd

BY WYATT ASHLOCK

Arts/Entertainment & Opinions Editor The Division of Music hosted an epic concert most commonly known as Guitarmageddon on Monday, Nov. 8. The concert brought students together for a time of epic music. For senior students, the event kicked off their “Guard the Tiger” night as part of Battle of the Ravine week.

Guitarmageddon is directed by Dr. Bruce Johnston and his Guitar Seminar class, which all guitar principal majors take each semes-

ter. Johnston and his students work hard each semester to put on an amazing concert for everyone.

The concert, a bi-annual event held by the OBU guitar and bass music majors, began about six years ago. Dr. Gary Gerber wanted the guitar majors to have an opportunity to host their own performance on campus and presented the idea to Johnston.

“I wanted to do something a little less formal than a concert hall performance,” Johnston said. “It needed to feel more like a ‘gig’ at a venue.”

Johnston then met with Tim Har-

rell, director of Student Life, and they decided that Dr. Jacks would be the best place for the concert.

“I let everyone play on every song, which means we’re basically a guitar ensemble,” Johnston said. “With everyone playing on every song, it becomes quite an overwhelming guitar aesthetic; so I jokingly called it ‘Guitarmageddon’ the first semester. We held it, and it just stuck.”

Guitarmageddon helps students learn to navigate the band dynamic and hosting one off performances.

“We work really hard to put this thing together,” Johnston said. “We

Dr. Bruce Johnston and his students perform at Guitarmageddon. The group has worked all semester to put on this concert. (photo by Hannah Adamson)

inevitably always end up biting off more than we can chew when it comes to the amount of material and level of difficulty; so we’re up on that stage working hard to pull

it off.”

Over 100 people attended Monday night’s show, making it one of the most attended Guitarmageddon performances yet.

Arts Engagement Calendar Music Credit:

Music Credit:

Jazz Band Concert Nov. 16th at 7:30 PM McBeth Recital Hall

Chamber Winds Concert Nov. 18th at 7:30 PM McBeth Recital Hall

Music Credit:

Percussion Ensemble and Guest Artist, Dr. Tom Burritt Nov. 22nd at 7:30 PM McBeth Recital Hall

Music Credit:

Music Credit:

Festival of Christmas Dec. 3rd-4th at 7:30 PM Jones Performing Arts Center

Lessons and Carols Dec. 6th at 7:30 PM McBeth Recital Hall

OPINIONS

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Implementing healthy habits in college impacts well-being, productivity, relationships

BY VALERIA GOMEZ Staff Writer

“College student” and “healthy” can be in the same sentence; it is all about setting your priorities intentionally and developing the right habits.

The way you treat your body and mind matters. Once you make positive changes, differences will emerge. Here are some healthy habits you can implement in your busy routine.

1. Make time for movement.

Try different activities every week; this will help you figure out what you like and what you do not. While going to the gym is an option, it does not have to be the only option. If the gym is not your thing, go for a walk, ride a bike, rock climb, play sports or try a fitness class offered by Rec Life, like Zumba or Yoga. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, or do not park close to the entrance so you can get more steps in. Small changes matter. Movement keeps you healthy and improves your mood.

2. Focus on what you can add in, instead of cut out.

Eating healthy at college is not the easiest when the options are limited. Focus on what you can add to your meals rather than cut out. If you love mac and cheese, try to include some protein next time. Have fruit with your breakfast, or add a vegetable to your dinner. Cutting out foods can be overwhelming and unnecessary. Food is meant to be enjoyed, and your body is meant to be nourished.

3. Prioritize sleep This may be an unpopular opinion, or at least one you don’t want to hear, but you need to sleep when you are in college. You can stay up until 3 a.m. once in a while, but do-

ing that every day will impact your memory, mood and focus. Getting at least seven hours of sleep every night can make a major difference between feeling rested or completely exhausted. You will perform better in not only academics and athletics, but in your relationships as well.

4. Skipping meals is nothing to be proud of.

Skipping meals does not give you an honorary badge. Your body needs food to function correctly and carry you through the day. Sitting in class while being hungry is distracting and painful. We all have a busy schedule, but not eating is not the solution to your busyness.

Treat meal time as non-negotiable.

Set the goal to eat at least three meals a day– your body will thank you.

5. Take a day off from schoolwork.

Use one day of the weekend to be fully present and do things that you enjoy. Schoolwork is important but you also need a break from it. Taking one day out of the weekend to do things that bring you joy will help you avoid burnout.

Giving yourself a break once every week will improve your emotional health as well. This can be a great opportunity to spend intentional time building relationships.

Hang out with people who leave you feeling refreshed and encouraged as you prepare for the week to come, or try to spend meaningful time with yourself.

You can be a healthy and thriving college student when you learn to prioritize and develop good habits.

Start slowly, and do it at your own pace. Small progress is still progress. Most of all, do not forget to celebrate your victories, and to be proud of how far you have come.

Leviticus cultivates spirit of thankfulness for forgiveness

BY SARA PATTERSON Editor-In-Chief

Halloween has come and gone and Christmas will be here before we know it. The Arkadelphia Walmart is already playing Christmas music and selling every kind of holiday decor. Standing between us and Christmas cheer is the often-overlooked middle child of holidays, Thanksgiving. I’ll be honest, it is not my favorite holiday of the three either. But, I do love the spirit of thankfulness that it inspires in me.

I want to explore thankfulness through a means that I am sure no one is expecting: the Old Testament book of Leviticus. Like Thanksgiving, this book seems to take on the role of the overlooked middle child in the Bible. I wonder what your personal experience with Leviticus has been like. Has it discouraged your well-meaning attempt to read the Bible all the way through in a year? Have you avoided it for most of your life because you’ve heard there isn’t much there, like I have?

Growing up in church, I’ve heard dozens of jokes about the countless rules in Leviticus and came away with the assumption that it was a legalistic book that only had value for people in the Old Testament time period. However, by reading through Leviticus with the guidance of a textbook and Christian Studies professor, Dr. Doug Nykolaishen, I’ve learned that there is much more to it. The book of Leviticus can inspire gratitude in the heart of the believer for what Jesus has sacrificed on our behalf.

Rather than a survey of outdated religious rituals, Leviticus addresses the central concern in a fallen world: how people marked by sin

can live in God’s presence. Leviticus begins by giving instructions for a few different kinds of animal sacrifices. All of these sacrifices are part of God’s elaborate object lesson to teach his people about the magnitude of his holiness and the weight of human sin. The sacrifices also foreshadow the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice.

To give scriptural context rather than just assuming you’ll take my word for it, I will share key sacrifices in Leviticus and their meaning for the worshipper’s rela-

“This is the abundant life: living out of constant thankfulness for the One who has saved us because we have no means to save ourselves.”

-Sara Patterson

tionship with God. When the worshippers gave the purification or “sin” offering (Leviticus 4), they were identifying with the animal, acknowledging that the animal was taking the punishment that their sins deserved. The burnt offering (Leviticus 1) involved the burning up of an entire sacrifice. Because of how the smoke would rise upward, this offering represents consecration, the setting apart of something as holy. Lastly, the fellowship or “peace” offering involves eating a meal, which represents fellowship with God (Leviticus 3). The order that these sacrifices are given to God in Leviticus 9 is the same as the order I described them in, and it suggests that people could not enter into fellowship with God until their sins were atoned for and they were consecrated to God. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and only a blood sacrifice undoes

the effects of human sin. Sacrifices were the means of establishing a relationship with God in the Old Testament.

Leviticus does not teach that God’s people were saved by the Law in the Old Testament. God implemented the sacrificial laws so that people could have access to him, and he would later offer that access by sending Jesus to die as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

In Romans, Paul explains that everyone is sinful and lacks righteousness (Romans 3:23). He even specifies that no one in the Old Testament was saved by keeping the law (Romans 9:30-32). Rather, they were saved by faith. Hebrews 11, often referred to as the “Hall of Faith,” describes many people in the Old Testament who were saved by their faith in God. Sacrifices were a necessary object lesson to illustrate that a blood sacrifice is the necessary and appropriate punishment for sin, but that object lesson is no longer needed because Jesus Christ paid the sacrifice. Now, we are still saved by our faith. When we believe in Jesus Christ and trust that his death on the cross has atoned for our sins, we are saved. Obedience to God is the natural result of our faith, but has never been the means by which we are saved.

As we enter the Thanksgiving season, I hope that you enjoy a meal with loved ones and are reminded of the incomparable fellowship you have with a holy and loving God. Let us give thanks for all that Jesus sacrificed so that we can have unlimited access to him even though we are sinful. This is the abundant life: living out of constant thankfulness for the One who has saved us because we have no means to save ourselves.

SPORTS

PAGE 8 | WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM

The Ouachita Baptist University Tigers face off against the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Bison on the line of scrimmage. The Tigers are 8-2 heading into The Battle of the Ravine. (photo by Levi Dade)

BOTR has high stakes for Tigers, Reddies

BY CAROLINE DERBY Staff Writer

After two years of anticipation, The Battle of the Ravine (BOTR) is back for its 94th season. This year, the competition will be on Ouachita’s home turf at Cliff Harris Stadium on Nov. 13, with kick-off at 1 p.m. The Tigers are 8-2 heading into the Battle of the Ravine, and the Reddies are 9-1.

Ouachita Baptist, Henderson State, Harding and Southeastern Oklahoma were always the front-runners for the conference championship and have maintained that status since the beginning of the season.

While Oklahoma Baptist’s record is 6-4, they beat Southeastern Oklahoma State. Meanwhile, Harding lost to Southeastern by

Football

Sat Oct 30

OBU 43 ECU 28 Sat Nov 6

SOSU 35 OBU 21

Men’s Basketball

Wed Nov 3 PSC* 64

OBU 76 *(Exhibition game)

one point, while Ouachita and Henderson State both lost to Harding earlier this season. In a jumbled mix of wins and losses, the Great American Conference (GAC) is experiencing a highly engaging season.

After falling 35-21 to Southeastern Oklahoma State University this past Saturday, the Tigers are hungry for a win, especially against the Henderson Reddies. If Ouachita wins this weekend, Henderson will be 9-2, and that would strip the conference championship away from HSU. One other scenario could give Ouachita a share of the conference championship. Ouachita would have to beat Henderson and Arkansas Tech would have to pull an upset over Harding.

However, Harding and Hen-

Volleyball

Thur Oct 28

OBU 3 UAM 2 Tues Nov 2

Harding 3 OBU 1 Thur Nov 4 SAU 1

OBU 3

derson will share the conference championship if Henderson loses and Harding falls to Arkansas Tech, who currently has a record of 4-6.

However, if Henderson wins BOTR and Harding wins against Arkansas Tech, then Harding and Henderson would share the championship.

Ouachita’s season started off with a nail-biter against Oklahoma Baptist, who has been giving teams a run for their money throughout the season.

When in Searcy, Arkansas, for week four of competition, the Tigers put up a good fight against Harding, scoring on the first drive of the game. However, with strong offenses and defenses on both sides, it was a contest, with the final score at 38-21, for Harding.

Men’s Swimming

Sat Nov 6 OBU 99

Delta St 123

Women’s Swimming

Sat Nov 6 OBU 85

Delta St 156

Men’s Cross-Country

Sat Nov 6 NCAA Central Regional

23rd of 31 teams

Ouachita rebounded strong the next week and put up 64 points on the board against Northwestern Oklahoma State University. The Tigers won the next four games, but then fell to Southeastern Oklahoma State at home this past weekend.

Two classes of students have never experienced BOTR. Both freshmen and sophomores look forward to the traditions and excitement that the week brings.

Freshmen running back Kendel Givens, who holds the second place all-time in single season touchdowns with 22 this year, looks forward to his first time playing the Henderson Reddies.

“I’m ready to experience that atmosphere as a player. Back in 2019, I came down on a visit and watched the Battle of the Ravine,”

Men’s Soccer

Thur Oct 28

FHSU 6 OBU 0 Sat Oct 30

Newman 5

OBU 0 Thur Nov 4 OBU 0

Harding 3

Women’s Cross-Country

Sat Nov 6 NCAA Central Regional

23rd of 35 teams

Givens said. “It was packed out, so I’m ready to see what it is like to actually play in one.”

There is expected to be anywhere from 10,000 to 14,000 people in attendance. Fans are more eager than ever to cheer on their team to victory.

Clearly, there is a lot riding on this game for both teams.

“I feel like it’s going to be a great week of practice, and I feel like it will be fun. This is a really big game, so everyone is ready to get after it this week,” Givens said.

As someone who has played in BOTR before, junior kicker Gabe Goodman is looking forward to hitting the field again this year.

“I’m excited to be a part of such a great and exciting tradition with two great football teams,” Goodman said.

Women’s Soccer

Thur Oct 28 OBU 0

SWOSU 3 Sat Oct 30

OBU 1 (2OT)

NWOSU 1 Tues Nov 2 OBU 2 (OT)

Harding 3 Sat Nov 6 ECU 1 (2OT)

OBU 2