Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The Bulldog football team lost two fumbles and turned the ball over on downs three times after halftime and they were outscored 21-0 in the second half by the visitors from Northwestern Oklahoma State, who defeated the Bulldogs 28-6 on Senior Day at Fast Lane Field.
Karl Hodge provided the majority of the offense for SWOSU, finishing with a career-high 180 yards rushing on 28 carries, and he scored the only points for the Bulldogs on a three-yard plunge with 1:13 to play in the first half. After SWOSU's extra point was blocked, Northwestern countered with a 37-yard hail mary touchdown at the end of the half and converted their extra point for a 7-6 halftime lead.
Various miscues, including two lost fumbles and a snap over punter
Dalton Jackson's head, led the a big second half for NWOSU, who snapped a six-game losing streak against the Bulldogs. SWOSU matches their lowest scoring output of the season, which came in the season opener at Harding, despite totaling 358 yards of offense outgaining the Rangers by more than 40 yards.
Hodge concludes his senior season with 980 yards, the second-most at SWOSU in the NCAA Division II era, and 11 touchdowns. He finishes his career with exactly 1,700 yards to rank third at SWOSU and his career-high of 180 yards is the fourth-most by a Bulldog in the NCAA era.
Making his first start since the third game of the season,
Ryley Claborn finished 14-for-36 passing for 152 yards and he was intercepted one time. His top target was tight end
Collin Bricker, who hauled in six receptions for 63 yards.
Brad Smithey made three receptions in the game and finishes his career with 140, meaning he graduates ranking fourth in career receptions at SWOSU.
The SWOSU defense caused plenty of havoc for the Ranger offense, finishing with 11 tackles for loss.
Steven Townsley recorded a team-best 11 tackles and broke up one pass in his final game as a Bulldogs while
Austin Loomis tallied nine tackles.
Devin Benton and
Tanner Thompson each had 2.5 tackles for loss as Benton tied the single-season school record for tackles for loss with 23.0. He will graduate from SWOSU as the school's all-time leader in both sacks (18.0) and tackles for loss (50.0).
The loss ends the Bulldogs season at 3-7, tied for seventh in the Great American Conference with Arkansas Tech and Northwestern.
