LITTLE ROCK -- Central Arkansas coach Clint Conque is afraid
Harding didn't do him or his Bears any favor by knocking off
Valdosta State last weekend, 16-13 in overtime.
"My first reaction was, 'We're probably walking into an angry
bunch down in Georgia," Conque said Wednesday.
Central Arkansas (3-1, 2-0 Gulf South Conference) will play at
defending Division II national champion Valdosta State on Saturday
night, a week after the Blazers' 16-game winning streak was snapped
by Harding. Valdosta State (3-1, 1-1) dropped from No. 1 to No. 8
in the AFCA Division II poll.
The Blazers' Barrett Wilkes threw for 300 yards and a touchdown
against Harding, but he was intercepted four times. Conque expects
a better performance this week. Wilkes has completed 69.9 percent
of his passes this season.
"They have a tremendous amount of confidence in Barrett
Wilkes," Conque said.
Elsewhere in the GSC on Saturday, No. 12 Arkansas Tech (3-0,
2-0) hosts West Alabama (2-2, 0-2) after another close win, 38-35
over Southern Arkansas. The Wonder Boys' three victories have been
by a combined 16 points.
Harding (3-1, 1-1) will try to build on its win over Valdosta
State when it plays at No. 18 North Alabama (3-0, 2-0), and No. 23
Delta State (2-2, 1-1) is at Henderson State (1-3, 0-2).
North Alabama beat Delta State 56-21 last weekend.
Arkansas-Monticello (1-3, 1-1) plays at West Georgia (2-2, 2-0).
The Boll Weevils earned their first win of the season last weekend.
They have scored only 35 points in four games.
On Thursday night, Ouachita Baptist (0-3, 0-2) hosts SAU (2-2,
0-2) in the first game televised as part of the GSC's new agreement
with Comcast-Charter Sports South and Cox Sports.
Also, Division I-AA Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-3, 0-2 Southwestern
Athletic Conference) will play Tuskegee (3-0, 3-0 Southern
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) in the Gateway Classic in St.
Louis on Saturday. Tuskegee is ranked No. 11 in Division II.
Central Arkansas is averaging 42.8 points per game. Now, the
Bears will face a defense that is allowing only 13.8.
Last season, Valdosta State beat Central Arkansas 22-12. The
Bears outgained the Blazers, but turned the ball over six times.
Four of the turnovers -- a fumble and three interceptions -- were
deep in Valdosta State territory.
"What we've learned from that," Conque said. "Is that you've
got to protect the ball in big games."