WACO, Texas – The Ouachita Baptist University football team has earned a No. 8 national ranking by the American Football Coaches Association to start the 2023 season.

The Tigers carry their top 10 streak into the 2023 season with 10 consecutive polls near the top, including the program's highest ever ranking of No. 3 in the final weeks of the 2022 campaign.

Overall, Ouachita has now been ranked in the AFCA Top 25 for 52 consecutive polls, including all the previous four seasons.

The Tigers finished 2022 at 11-1 overall following the program's sixth Great American Conference championship, fourth undefeated regular season, and fifth appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs. More than 50 lettermen return from last year's squad, including a combined total of 15 starters and nine all-conference players.

Ouachita was recently picked as the preseason favorite to defend its GAC title by the league's head coaches. The Tigers are the highest-ranked GAC team in the preseason AFCA poll, ahead of Harding at No. 14. Henderson State and Southern Arkansas are both receiving votes to start the year.