RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas Tech will try to shake off its first loss of the season Saturday night while also ending a decade-long drought in Monticello.
The Wonder Boys travel to face Arkansas-Monticello at 6 p.m. Saturday at Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium. Tech enters the Great American Conference matchup 2-1, while the Boll Weevils are still searching for their first win at 0-3.
Arkansas Tech hasn’t won on UAM’s home field since 2015, dropping its last four trips to Monticello.
Saturday will be the 82nd meeting between the two programs in a series that dates to 1928. Arkansas Tech owns a 46-32-3 advantage overall, but the series has been almost perfectly even in Monticello at 18-18-1.
The Wonder Boys are coming off a 34-17 home loss to Ouachita Baptist, a game in which the Tigers controlled the ball for nearly 40 minutes and piled up 447 yards of offense.
Tech did find some life through the air, throwing for a season-high 251 yards.
That could be important this week.
UAM is allowing 455 yards per game and ranks near the bottom of the GAC defensively. The Boll Weevils have been particularly vulnerable against the pass, allowing 259 yards per game through the air.
Quarterback Carter Hensley has handled nearly all of Tech’s passing work this season, completing 51 of 73 attempts for 581 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
JD Decausmaker leads the receiving corps with 11 catches for 149 yards, while 13 different Wonder Boys have already recorded at least one reception.
On the ground, Tracy Daniels leads Tech with 155 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns. The Wonder Boys are averaging 369 yards of offense and 25.7 points per game through three contests.
Monticello, meanwhile, has been competitive despite its winless start.
The Boll Weevils scored first last week against Henderson State before falling 35-24. Their offense is averaging 24.3 points and 355.7 yards per game.
Running back Dave Alston has been UAM’s biggest threat on the ground with 277 yards on 48 carries, while quarterback Drew Forkner has thrown for 645 yards and four touchdowns.
Forkner has also been intercepted four times, something a Tech defense that already has three picks this season will be looking to take advantage of.
Linebacker Kolbey Ballowe leads Arkansas Tech with 22 tackles, while Brandon Wheeler has a team-high two sacks.
The game will be another early-season test for second-year Tech coach Roy Thompson, who led the Wonder Boys to a 7-4 regular season and their first postseason appearance since 2017 in his first year in Russellville.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Saturday in Monticello.
