ASHLAND – Gunner Yates is the Frontier Conference Offensive Player of the Week again after victimizing Eastern Oregon with an electric 269-yard performance on Saturday at Raider Stadium.

Southern Oregon's sophomore running back rushed for a 65-yard touchdown on his first touch of the day, fell one yard short of another TD after traveling 67 a little later, and averaged 12.8 yards on 21 carries in the 49-21 victory.

The rushing-yardage total was Yates' second-highest and marked his sixth time in triple digits this season. It also put him back on top of the NAIA leaderboard at 137.0 yards per game. Among those averaging over 100, he ranks third at 6.8 yards per attempt. No one else in that group has rushed for more than 18 touchdowns; Yates' school-record number is up to 25.

With 1,376 rushing yards this fall, Yates is approaching the SOU single-season record of 1,713 that his father, Griff, established in 1997.

He and the Raiders moved up two spots to No. 14 in Monday's NAIA Top 25 poll. At 8-2 overall and 5-2 in the Frontier Conference, they likely need a win in their final regular-season game Saturday at College of Idaho to earn their first NAIA Championship Series berth since 2017.