RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – The Ouachita Baptist University football team has been selected No. 2 with three first-place votes in the 2025 Great American Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Tigers return more than 60 lettermen and 12 starters from last year's squad that finished 10-2 overall, won a share of the GAC championship, and advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Last year's championship marked Ouachita's seventh GAC title, which is best in the league. The Tigers made the NCAA playoffs for the sixth time in program history.

Ouachita enters the 2025 campaign on a stretch of 16 consecutive winning seasons, which is the longest active streak among college football teams in the state of Arkansas. The Tigers open up on the road against East Central on Thursday, September 4. The first of six home games is set for September 13 against Southeastern Oklahoma State.

Harding, the other team to share the 2024 GAC title, is voted as the league's preseason favorite with the other nine first-place votes. Southern Arkansas is picked No. 3 followed in order by Henderson State, Southeastern Oklahoma State, East Central, Arkansas Tech, Southwestern Oklahoma State, Arkansas-Monticello, Southern Nazarene, Oklahoma Baptist, and Northwestern Oklahoma State.