Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – A career game for
Ryan Corbin and an unforgettable evening for
Dustin Stenta highlighted the Southwestern Oklahoma State University football team's 35-17 victory over Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday night at Fast Lane Field.
Corbin caught nine passes for 158 yards while adding the two rushing touchdowns – in the only two rushing attempts of his career – for the Bulldogs. His longest reception of the night, a 59-yarder from Stenta early in the fourth quarter, moved Stenta atop the career passing list at SWOSU.
Stenta surpassed his quarterback coach
Steve Day's mark of 7,482 yards in the midst of his 343-yard passing performance. On the Bulldogs next drive, Stenta connected with
Brian Robinson for a 45-yard touchdown, which moved broke Day's record of 46 career touchdown passes. Stenta has current career marks of 7,612 yards and 47 touchdown passes.
It was Stenta that got the scoring started for the Bulldogs, capping off a nine-play, 94-yard drive midway through the first quarter with a 32-yard touchdown run to give SWOSU the 7-0 lead. A quarterback change for UAM jump started the Boll Weevils, who scored 14 straight points and take a 14-7 lead with 10 minutes to play in the first half.
At the end of a 15-play, 65-yard drive, SWOSU debuted a new look down around the goal line. Corbin lined up at quarterback on first and goal from the seven yard line, took the snap and powered his way into the end zone for his first rushing touchdown in a Bulldog uniform. The TD run tied the game at 14-14 with 5:22 to play in the second quarter and the teams would head to the break with that score.
After the teams traded punts early in the second half, SWOSU started to flex their muscle against the Boll Weevils. Stenta connected with
Teverick Boyd for a 70-yard touchdown pass which gave the Bulldogs the lead 21-14 with 3:56 to play in the third quarter. UAM closed the gap by three with a 38-yard field goal from Jamie McGee on the second play of the fourth quarter, making the score 21-17, but they would get no closer.
Stenta's record-breaking touchdown pass to Robinson with 11:00 to play in the game put SWOSU on top 28-17 and after forcing a Boll Weevil punt, the Dawgs put it away. SWOSU ran the ball nine times in a 10-play 86-yard drive which melted 4:29 off the clock.
D.C. Walker carried the ball at least eight yards on the first five plays of the drive. After Stenta scrambled 19 yards and set the Bulldogs up at the one yard line, Corbin plunged in from one yard out to make it 35-17 with 4:39 to play.
Stenta finished 20-for-34 for 343 and two touchdowns and added 78 yards rushing. He had two receivers, Corbin and Boyd, cross the 100-yard plateau receiving after Boyd added four receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. Walker carried the ball 18 times for 93 yards while
Karl Hodge added 12 carries for 58 yards.
The SWOSU offense outgained Arkansas-Monticello 587 to 310 with a commanding lead in rushing yards with 244. The Bulldogs defense limited UAM to just 84 yards on the ground and 226 through the air. The active SWOSU defense was led by
Ryan Feller who made 13 tackles (two solo, 11 assist) and
Cliff Nyagesiba and
Steven Townsley who both finished with 10. SWOSU had a season-high seven tackles for loss and got two sacks from
Jacolby Robinson and one each from
Tyler George and
Jake Doyle.
SWOSU improves to 3-1 for the second time in the last three seasons and they have now won four consecutive games at Fast Lane Field. That streak will be on the line next Saturday when the Bulldogs host unbeaten Ouachita Baptist at 2 pm. OBU improved to 3-0 with a 45-7 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State on Saturday.
