PHOTO CAPTION: Representatives present at Tuesday's press conference for the 2022 Murphy USA Classic included (from left to right): Ouachita President Dr. Ben Sells; Ouachita Director of Athletics David Sharp; Murphy USA Classic Event Chairman John Thomas Shepherd; Murphy USA Community Relations Ambassador Don Miller; SAU Head Football Coach Brad Smiley; SAU President Dr. Trey Berry; and SAU Director of Athletics Steve Browning. Photo courtesy of SAU Athletics.

EL DORADO, Arkansas – Representatives from Ouachita Baptist University and Southern Arkansas University met on Tuesday for a press conference in anticipation of the upcoming Murphy USA Classic football game to be played on October 22 at Memorial Stadium in El Dorado.

Ouachita will be playing in the event for the fifth time overall and the fourth time against SAU. The Tigers hold a 3-1 all-time record in the event and a 2-1 record against SAU.

The Murphy USA Classic was originally created in 2009 as the Boomtown Classic, and since then has featured a yearly contest between two teams from Arkansas in what was then the Gulf South Conference, now the Great American Conference. All six GAC teams from Arkansas have competed in the event at least once.

As a title sponsor, Murphy USA's involvement has helped transform the game into an expansive tailgating event, bringing together each school's alumni presence in an afternoon of football revelry as the two GAC rivals prepare to meet on the gridiron.

Event chairman John Thomas Shepherd said, "The Murphy USA Classic offers a one-of-a-kind game day experience, bringing two teams together in a town filled with plenty of alumni from both schools. We are thrilled to welcome both outstanding teams, along with their fans. This event allows residents of El Dorado and the surrounding area to experience big-time college football at home. In turn, hosting this game allows El Dorado to showcase all that is has to offer to the thousands of fans who attend from all over the region."

Tailgating activities are expected to begin at 11 a.m. on the grounds of Memorial Stadium and Fifth Street, with kickoff slated for 2 p.m. More information about the event, including ticket sales, will be released soon.

Ouachita opens the 2022 season on Thursday, September 1 with a road trip to take on Oklahoma Baptist for a 6 p.m. kickoff.