Box Score
Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – A senior class consisting of 15 players played the leading role as SWOSU defeated Southern Nazarene 42-14 on Senior Day at Fast Lane Field. The Bulldogs rolled up 609 yards of offense and scored two touchdowns in each of the first three quarters as they earned their fifth win of the season.
After receiving the opening kickoff, SWOSU marched 73 yards in nine plays to take a 7-0 lead on an eight-yard pass from
Dustin Stenta to
Teverick Boyd. The SWOSU defense made a quick stand on defense, allowing Stenta to connect on a second touchdown pass. For the second consecutive week,
Hunter Dinkines was the target and this touchdown pass of 78 yards became the longest play from scrimmage for SWOSU this season.
Southern Nazarene got on the board late in the first quarter with a 61-yard touchdown pass from Trey Hills to Alex Reed that made the score 14-7 with 3:57 remaining in the first.
Early in the second quarter, Stenta laid claim to another SWOSU single-season record as he threw his 20th touchdown pass of the season. Stenta found
Ryan Corbin from 10 yards out to put SWOSU on top 21-7 with 14:24 to play in the half. After two huge defensive stands from the Bulldogs defense, Stenta again found Corbin, this time from 39 yards and the senior tight end leapt into the end zone to extend the lead to 28-7.
SWOSU kept the ball on the ground for the majority of the second half, but the run game was working.
Karl Hodge and
D.C. Walker both had big afternoons on the ground and it was Walker that capped off a six-play drive with a three-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter. SWOSU then upped the lead to 42-7 as Stenta scored on an 11-yard run with 7:43 to play in the third.
Hill found Jarod Martin for a five-yard touchdown pass late in the third to cut the lead to 42-14 and both teams completed the fourth quarter scoreless, allowing SWOSU to earn the victory with that final margin.
Stenta posted one of the more memorable performances of his career on Saturday, completing 22-of-29 passes for 336 yards and four touchdowns. He spread the ball around to seven different receivers, finding Boyd seven times for 120 yards and Corbin seven times for 88 yards.
Hodge and Walker finished with 100 and 88 yards, respectively, on the ground as the Bulldogs rolled up a season-high 253 rushing yards.
The Bulldogs defense also posted their best effort of the season, limiting Southern Nazarene to 243 yards of total offense, including just 71 yards on the ground. SWOSU finished with three sacks and a season-high 12 tackles for loss, with nine different players contributing.
Ryan Feller finished with a team-high nine tackles, one sack and three tackles for loss while
Jim O'Brien,
Tanner Thompson and
Tyler George each posted seven tackles.
Steven Townsley intercepted two SNU passes in the end zone, ending drives and taking away scoring opportunities from the Crimson Storm.
SWOSU improves to 5-4 on the year, with an identical conference record as they head into their lone non-conference game of the season. The Bulldogs head to Stephenville, Texas next Saturday to face former Lone Star Conference foe Tarleton State in a game that will kick off at 2 pm.
