Some rivalry games are remembered because of who won. The greatest are remembered because nobody can explain the ending without reliving it. The Battle of the Ravine has produced three successful onside kicks in seven minutes, a fourth-and-25 conversion, a comeback stopped inches short, and three overtimes with an undefeated regular season at stake.
Battle of The Ravine: The Games Ended. The Arguments Never Did.
Choosing its 10 greatest games means weighing the finish against the consequence—and accepting that the argument will continue long after this ranking.
The Games That Refused to End
First belongs to Henderson’s 60–52, triple-overtime victory in 2013. Ouachita forced overtime with a field goal on the final play of regulation. Henderson then had to survive three extra periods before securing its second consecutive undefeated regular season. The game delivered 112 combined points, repeated chances for the result to turn and an unbeaten regular season hanging over every overtime possession. It earns the top spot because the drama and the consequence were inseparable.
Second is Ouachita’s 17–14 victory in 1949, a comeback whose explanation remains almost as startling as the result. The Tigers trailed 14–0 with seven minutes remaining. Ike Sharp executed three successful onside kicks during the closing stretch, repeatedly giving Ouachita the possession it needed. Otis Turner completed the comeback with the winning field goal. Many teams have rallied from two touchdowns behind. This one had to recover the opportunity to rally, again and again.
Third is Ouachita’s 21–20 victory in 1975. Facing fourth-and-25 on its final drive, Ouachita converted by inches. Two plays later, the Tigers scored the touchdown that helped defeat previously unbeaten Henderson. The number alone commands attention: fourth-and-25. The opponent’s undefeated record supplies the consequence. The inches explain why people still remember. These three games lead the ranking because each stretched belief before it settled the score. An afternoon that appeared finished became something else entirely.
Championships at the End of a Drive
Fourth is Ouachita’s 19–18 victory in 1982. The Tigers drove the length of the field for a late touchdown at Henderson and captured the AIC championship. The setting, the one-point margin and the title make this one of the rivalry’s defining finishes. It is difficult to write a better final assignment for a football team: take the ball, cross the field, beat the neighbor and win the conference.
Credits – Wes Pruett
Fifth is Ouachita’s 40–37 overtime victory in 2022. The Tigers entered Henderson’s stadium with an undefeated regular season within reach. They needed overtime to finish it, but they left 11–0. The victory also completed a six-game winning streak in the series. Ouachita had established sustained control, but the final game of that run required far more than simply showing up as the unbeaten team.
Sixth is Henderson’s 41–36 victory in 2011. Ouachita had already secured the inaugural GAC football championship, but Henderson built a 41–17 third-quarter advantage. The Tigers rallied and reached the final play with a chance to win. Chris Rycraw was stopped inches short of the end zone. That is what elevates the game. The comeback was not completed, but it came close enough to give both sides a permanent image of the finish. Henderson remembers the stop. Ouachita remembers the distance still needed.
Seventh is Ouachita’s 43–36 victory in 2008. Trailing 29–16, the Tigers scored 27 fourth-quarter points to reverse the game. A regionally televised Thursday-night matchup became a demonstration of how quickly a rivalry can punish the assumption that a lead is safe.
Eighth is Henderson’s 23–17 victory in 1969. The Reddies trailed by 10 at halftime before quarterback Tommy Hart led the comeback. Henderson finished with the victory and the AIC championship. It belongs because the game changed the season, not merely the mood of the town. A halftime deficit became a championship celebration.
Two Points, Two Endings
Ninth is Ouachita’s 15–14 victory in 1972. The Tigers scored a touchdown with 2:23 remaining and chose a two-point attempt. They converted and took the lead that became the final margin.
The finish carries a kind of clarity that makes it ideal rivalry history. A decision had to be made. One play had to work. It did.
Tenth is Henderson’s 7–6 victory in 1978. Ouachita again pursued a late lead with a two-point attempt. This time, the pass was deflected. Henderson held on. The connection to 1972 makes the pair especially memorable. The same rivalry presented a similar decision, but it refused to deliver the same ending.
There are difficult omissions. Henderson’s 1963 victory marked the rivalry’s return and delivered a share of a conference championship. Ouachita’s 2014 and 2019 victories completed unbeaten regular seasons. The Tigers’ 49–42 win in 2017 supplied another shootout, and their 2024 victory carried championship and playoff consequences.
A ranking cannot include everything without ceasing to be a ranking. This one favors the games in which the finish and the stakes amplified each other. It also leaves room for the distinction every fan understands: the greatest game and your favorite game do not have to be the same.
Your favorite might be the first one you attended. It might be the one you played in. It might be a game remembered most clearly because of the person standing beside you. That is why the list can be finished without the debate being settled. Ten games made this ranking. Generations of fans will make the case for what comes next. The final whistles ended the football. They never ended the arguments.
