ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - The Ouachita Tigers' football team (8-2) will face off against the Henderson State Reddies (6-4) Saturday afternoon in the 91st edition of the Battle of the Ravine.
 
The Tigers have won their last four games, including a big win 45-42 over Southern Arkansas last week. The team currently sits in first place in the Great American Conference and a win Saturday or an Arkansas Tech loss will clinch it a share of the conference title for the first time since 2014.
 
"You can't even worry about [winning the conference]," Head Coach Todd Knight said. "It's all about the Battle of the Ravine. We can talk about that when the game's over. It's all about our focus this week, our energy levels, our positive attitude, things like that going into the game trying to get ready. Our guys have done those things. They'll be prepared, and they're going to go out and play their best. When the dust is all settled, we can celebrate the things that have come because of the game."
 
In last week's win, the Ouachita offense put in an excellent performance. The Tigers accumulated 573 total yards, and were extremely balanced with just one more rushing yard than passing yard. Wide receiver Allie Freeman was named GAC Offensive Player of the Week, and defensive lineman John Rachal was named GAC Defensive Player of the Week for their performances in last weeks' game. Freeman caught eight passes for 121 yards and three touchdowns, while Rachal accumulated four tackles-for-loss, three of which were sacks.
 
Ouachita quarterback Austin Warford has put up excellent numbers this season, throwing for 1840 yards and rushing for 636 yards. Warford was named best quarterback in the GAC this week by Hero Sports. Last week against SAU, he was in-and-out of the game with a leg injury, but Coach Knight expects Warford to lead the Tigers on the field this week.
 
"Warford doesn't really have an injury," Knight said. "He rolled his ankle. Injuries are things you can't come back from. It's painful, but he should be good to go."
 
Henderson, on the other hand, has experienced an up-and-down season, but has won its last two games. Two weeks ago, the Reddies lost their homecoming game against East Central, but have won their last two over SAU and UAM. Despite its inconsistent play, the team is undefeated on the road and has been since 2011.
 
Henderson, as has been the case for many years, relies on a pass-dominant offensive attack. Their senior quarterback Evan Lassiter has thrown for 1892 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, but has also thrown 11 interceptions. The Reddies' leading receiver is Ben Johnson, who has caught 36 passes for 450 yards and six touchdowns this season. Cameron Sonnier leads the Reddie defense with 51 tackles, while Sheldon Watson has made 50 tackles and four interceptions.
 
"They've got a good football team," Knight said. "If you look at the last two weeks of the season, they've played the same two opponents as us and they beat both of those guys."
 
Ouachita currently trails in the all-time series between the two teams with a 41-43-6 record. The Tigers have won two of the last three, however, including a 30-27 away win last season. Ouachita has a 24-20-2 record at home in the Battle of the Ravine, but has not defeated Henderson at home in its last three attempts. Ouachita has a 3-2 home record this season.
 
Kick-off Saturday will be at 1 p.m. at Cliff Harris Stadium in Arkadelphia.