OBU going bowling

[Lionheart88]

I can't find an official press release anywhere, but I've seen all over Twitter and Facebook that OBU will be playing Tarleton State in the Heart of Texas Bowl in Cotteras Cove, TX (outside Killeen) on December 7th.

[OPoraquê]

Lionheart88, I hope this isn't just an unfounded rumor, but looking at OBU's schedule, they were beaten by an average of 6.33 points in all their losses, including to bowl-bound Harding and NCAA playoff-bound HSU (with their nation-leading passing, offense and points scored, by a QB who if he plays 4 seasons may be one of the all-time best in NCAA Division II).

Plus, not quite 1/3 of OBU's students come from Texas.  What an interesting treat that could be for the Tigers.

EDIT: There'd be a lot of purple in this one, purple Texans vs. purple Tigers.  Also, if it happens the two schools had one common opponent (Southwestern Oklahoma), beaten by 17 by both OBU and Tarleton.

[Lionheart88]

It was largely OBU players, coaches, and professors who I saw posting/tweeting about it.

[OPoraquê]

Thanks, lionheart88.  Hope nobody got pranked...looks like the Heart of Texas bowl is for community college teams, unless they've added a DII match:

http://www.njcaa.org/sports_nationalChampionship.cfm?category=National%20Championship&sid=11&divid=0&slid=5

[pathos]

Thanks, lionheart88.  Hope nobody got pranked...looks like the Heart of Texas bowl is for community college teams, unless they've added a DII match:

http://www.njcaa.org/sports_nationalChampionship.cfm?category=National%20Championship&sid=11&divid=0&slid=5

It turned into a D2 bowl last year, I believe.

[Lions84]

There was an article about it in the Stephenville TX Newspaper yesterday about this.

[OPoraquê]

Hmmm...here's the article, and Ouachita Baptist is in the headline:  http://www.yourstephenvilletx.com/sports/college/article_a0346d2f-6aaa-5cb8-8bce-dbf3944f9e95.html

Tarleton State is indeed going bowling.

As expected, plans for the Texans to participate in the Champs Heart of Texas Bowl were cemented Tuesday. Tarleton (7-3) plays Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) (7-3) at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at Bulldawg Stadium in Copperas Cove.

(...)

Tarleton and Ouachita Baptist have had similar seasons. Each began the year with five consecutive wins, only to lose three of their last five games. OBU finished third in the Great American Conference. The school is located in Arkadelphia, Ark.

"I don't know a lot about them. We haven't even set up our film exchange yet," Fowler said of OBU. "Everything I do know suggests they are well-coached team that is sound in everything they do. They do a lot of things offensively trying to mis-formate (out-formation) you, their defense is sound and they play as hard as anybody."

Tarleton was eliminated from the Super Region IV playoff picture with a 44-7 home loss to North Alabama in its regular-season finale last Saturday. OBU took No. 4 Henderson State to the wire and beyond, falling 60-52 in double overtime.

I wonder why there's no mention on the OBU web site?  For some reason, OBU athletics has been slow to update this season.  Not for lack of good news...their football, volleyball, women's soccer teams have winning records.  Their men's tennis program had two players go to what appears to be the biggest pre-season college tennis (separated by NCAA Division levels) tournament and come back in 2nd place (singles) and 3rd place (doubles).  Their wrestling team faced 3 NCAA Division I teams (including the #8 team in the nation Illinois) and beat one of the teams in a dual while picking up individual wins over each of the other two this past weekend.

Hope they announce something soon.  Anyway, thanks for correcting me on this, guys.

[OPoraquê]

Tarleton State web site reporting this as well:  http://www.tarletonsports.com/news/2013/11/19/FB_1119130100.aspx

[Lionheart88]

Here we go: http://www.obutigers.com/news/2013/11/20/fb_1120132253.aspx

[OPoraquê]

Here we go: http://www.obutigers.com/news/2013/11/20/fb_1120132253.aspx

Just saw it.  Great news for the football Tigers!  Really, with between 1/4 and 1/3 of Ouachita Baptist's student population from Texas, quite a neat thing.  Only problem...right in the middle of finals week, I think.

[Lionheart88]

The saturday before finals week, actually.

[OPoraquê]

Are you a student there, Lionheart88?  (My son's a junior at OBU.)

[Lionheart88]

Alum, but I stay in touch with friends and former professors, come back for a lot of games in various sports, that sort of thing.

[OPoraquê]

Good deal.  I'm amazed by the things I see people from the school do.  There's no perfect college anywhere, but that school is blessed.  (And believe me, I'd wanted my son to go to a different college originally, but OBU offered him the most money.  And I'm glad he ended up there.)  Hope they never forget their roots.