Game notes for University of Arkansas-Monticello (0-0) @ Southern Arkansas University (0-0)

The Series (SAU, 46-29-1, since 1913)

This will be the 77th meeting between Southern Arkansas
University and the University of Arkansas-Monticello
in a series that began in 1913. SAU has a 46-29-1 advantage
over the Boll Weevils and claimed six consecutive wins, not
counting the UAM forfeit in 1999 to the Muleriders, until the
Weevils snapped the streak in Magnolia in 2004, 33-31. SAU
blanked UAM, 48-0, in 2003. Before the UAM squeaker in
2004, the last win by the Weevils in the series was 27-20 in
1996. Southern Arkansas rebounded from the 2004 setback
by rolling over Arkansas-Monticello, 52-21, in 2005.

The largest margin in the ancient series was a 91-0 shutout
by SAU in 1925, while UAM’s most decisive win was 51-
13 in 1978. The longest consecutive SAU win streak against
UAM was 11 in a row from 1967 through 1977, while UAM
has twice won five in a row over the Muleriders, from 1962
through 1966, and again from 1992 through 1996. Only once
in the long-standing series has there been a tie, a scoreless
deadlock in 1933. The series between the Muleriders and
Boll Weevils is the oldest, and longest, of any SAU rival.

The Coaches
This will be the 56th game for Steve Quinn (Ouachita Baptist,
1985) as head coach of the Muleriders. He finished his first
season at SAU in 2001 with a 5-5 record, was 7-4 in 2002, and
improved to 9-3 his third season, guiding SAU to an NCAA
Division II national playoff berth. In 2004, the Muleriders
slumped to 5-6, the first losing season at SAU since 1996, before
improving to 6-5 last season. Quinn is now 32-23 at SAU.
A native of Mena, Quinn played at Ouachita Baptist for legendary
OBU coach Buddy Benson along with former SAU and
current Arkansas State University Coach Steve Roberts and
current OBU Coach Todd Knight. Quinn, who had previously
been the assistant head coach for Roberts at SAU, returned as
the head coach of the Muleriders after a year at Northwestern
State University (La.), where he was on the staff of Roberts,
serving as assistant head coach. Quinn had previously coached
at Pascagoula High School, Ouachita Baptist, Baylor University,
Northwestern Missouri State, and Eastern New Mexico
State as an assistant.

UAM’s Gwaine Mathews (Delta State, 1988) is in his second
year as head coach of the Boll Weevils. UAM was 1-10
overall last year and 1-8 in the GSC. Before arriving at Arkansas-
Monticello, Mathews was the defensive coordinator at
Tennessee-Chattanooga for the previous two years. He served
in the same capacity at North Alabama in 2001-2002, and also
at his alma mater, Delta State, from 1998-2000. A native of New
Orleans, La., Mathews began his coaching career at De La
Salle High School in New Orleans. After his college ball at
Delta State, Mathews went to the Canadian Football League
where he played parts of two seasons for the Winnipeg Blue
Bombers.

Media Coverage
Radio: KVMZ 99.1-FM in Magnolia, with Dan Gregory in his
25th year as voice of the Muleriders, Jay Adcox with color
commentary and Lane Jean on the sideline; KWRF 105.5-FM in
Warren, with Jimmy Sledge on play-by-play, and Paul Smith on
color.

Upcoming in the GSC
Sat., Arkansas-Monticello @ Southern Arkansas - 6 p.m.
Presbyterian (S.C.) @ West Georgia - 6 p.m.
Thurs., Harding @ Southwest Baptist (Mo.) - 6 p.m.
Thurs., Southern Arkansas @ Nicholls State (La.) - 6 p.m.
Thurs., Northeastern State (Okla.) @ Arkansas Tech - 7 p.m.
Thurs., Henderson State vs. Central Arkansas - 7 p.m. (LR)
Thurs., Concordia College (Ala.) @ West Alabama - 7 p.m.
Next Week in the GSC
Sat., West Virginia Tech @ Delta State - 6 p.m.
Sat., Ouachita Baptist @ Missouri Southern State - 6 p.m.
Sat., Valdosta State @ Albany State (Ga.) - 6 p.m.