Box Score
Box Score (html)
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Facing an undefeated opponent for the second straight week, the SWOSU football team was again handed a setback, falling 45-17 to No. 8-ranked Henderson State on Saturday afternoon.
Twice early the Bulldogs were able to take the lead, but both were short lived as the potent attack of Henderson State displayed their quick-strike ability.
Kevin Cantrell put SWOSU on the board with a 23-yard field goal – the first of his Bulldog career – with 6:13 to play in the opening quarter. The score was setup by a bad snap on a Henderson State punt which gave SWOSU great field position at the Reddies three yard line.
Henderson State quickly responded with a six-play, 74-yard drive that was capped off by Kevin Rodgers connecting on a 38-yard touchdown to Robert Jordan, giving HSU a 7-3 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the quarter.
The Bulldogs then embarked on a 12-play drive that used up just under five minutes on the clock. On that 12th play,
Dustin Stenta found
Brad Smithey in the back of the end zone from eight yards out, putting SWOSU back on top 10-7 with 14:12 to play in the second quarter.
It took the Reddies just two plays to reclaim the lead as Rodgers hit Darius Davis for a 72-yard touchdown that turned the game in favor of Henderson State. HSU finished the second quarter with 17 unanswered points, taking a 24-10 lead to the break.
The run for HSU continued as they scored on two more touchdown passes from Rodgers in the second half before a rushing touchdown from Kevin Nichols with 4:58 to play in the game made it 45-10.
In the first extended action of his SWOSU career,
Ryley Claborn led the Bulldogs on a 12-play drive to close out the game, culminating with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Smithey which made the final margin 45-17.
Offensively, SWOSU finished with 328 yards of total offense, including 120 yards on the ground against the GAC's best rush defense. In his first start of the year,
Karl Hodge carried the ball 21 times for 68 yards while
D.C. Walker rushed 14 times for 47 yards.
Stenta bounced back from last week's performance by going 16-of-29 for 147 yards and a touchdown. Claborn was 8-of-9 for 61 yards and a touchdown in relief action.
Ryan Corbin was the top target of the SWOSU quarterbacks, catching seven passes for 52 yards while Smithey made five receptions for 35 yards and reached pay dirt twice.
The SWOSU defense relented 457 yards of offense to the nation's leading offense but did hold Henderson State to 79 rushing yards, marking the fifth straight game the Bulldogs held their opponent under 100 yards rushing.
Kale Sawatzky finished with a team-high eight tackles (five solo, three assist) in the game while five players –
Abram Piggee,
Cliff Nyagesiba,
Steven Townsley,
Terrance Franklin &
Devin Benton – each recorded seven. Benton also recorded the Bulldogs lone sack of the game.
The loss marks the first consecutive losses for SWOSU in 2013 and evens up the Bulldogs record at 3-3 (3-3 GAC) for the year. Road action takes the Bulldogs to Southeastern Oklahoma State next Friday evening for a 6 pm kickoff in Durant.
