The Tiger football team is notable for participating in the first ever Intercollegiate game in Arkansas history, a 24-0 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks in the fall of 1897. The Ouachita Baptist Tigers compete in the Battle of the Ravine every year. This tradition started in 1895 when Ouachita Baptist played Arkadelphia Methodist College (currently known as Henderson State University), and won 8-0. This historical event was not played from 1951 to 1963 because of the excessive rivalry between the two schools. It resumed after 1963 and is still being played to this day. [2]
The Ouachita Baptist head coach from 1965 to 1995 was former Oklahoma Sooner and Arkansas Razorbacks player Buddy Benson. Coach Benson compiled a record of 161-140-8. He played for Bud Wilkinson at Oklahoma, and Bowden Wyatt at Arkansas. [3]
The Tiger's head coach since 1999 is Todd Knight. [4] He has led OBU to six conference titles.
The longtime radio voice of the OBU Tigers is Rex Nelson. [5][6] Nelson is a member of the Arkansas Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame.
On October 19, 2024, the #9 nationally ranked Ouachita Baptist Tigers beat the #1 ranked Harding Bisons 17-13, marking the first time in OBU history that the Tigers beat the #1 team in nation.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2013)
![[icon]](File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small}