ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita Baptist University football team opens its 2025 season this Thursday, September 4 on the road against East Central University.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Koi Ishto Stadium on the ECU campus in Ada, Oklahoma. The game can be heard on the Ouachita Football Radio Network originating at KARN-FM 102.9 in Little Rock and available on stations throughout the state of Arkansas. A list of stations can be found at www.OBUtigers.com/broadcast. Links to live video, live audio, and live stats can be found at www.OBUtigers.com/coverage.

The purple Tigers enter Thursday night's game as the 15th-ranked team in NCAA Division II according to the latest American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll. D2Football.com has the Tigers at No. 11 this week.

Ouachita enters the 2025 campaign on a streak of 16 consecutive seasons with a winning record, which is the longest active streak among all college football programs in the state of Arkansas. The Tigers are also carrying a streak of 17 straight wins on opening day.

East Central is coming off a 5-6 record in 2024 and has been picked No. 6 in the 2025 GAC preseason coaches' poll. This is the 28th all-time meeting between Ouachita and ECU in football. The purple Tigers have won 11 in a row over ECU and hold a 22-5 all-time advantage.