Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – A pick-six by Southern Arkansas early in the fourth quarter built SWOSU a 24-13 deficit, but, as they did one week ago, the Bulldogs finished strong and scored two touchdowns in the final nine minutes to defeat the Muleriders 27-24 on Saturday night at Fast Lane Field.
Backup quarterback
Tim Morovick, who entered the game late in the first half in relief of
Ryley Claborn, threw for 153 yards and a touchdown, but his biggest mistake of the night came following a fourth-and-goal stand by the SWOSU defense. On second and eight from their own three, Morovick tried to find
Teverick Boyd but instead was picked off by Vincent Steward, who returned it five yard for the touchdown and gave SAU a 24-13 lead with 13:49 to play.
The Bulldog offense took the ball 35 yards before their next drive ended on the eighth play, leaving it to the defense to make a play to get the momentum back on the side of the home team. Just like one week ago, it was
Steven Townsley who made that play for the defense.
Tanner Thompson stripped an SAU receiver and the ball took a fortunate hop and landed in the hands of Townsley, who then raced 49 yards before being knocked out of bounds at the three yard line.
Karl Hodge took the ensuing handoff the remaining three yards, but a missed two-point conversion left the Dawgs behind 24-19 with 8:59 to play. With momentum clearly on their side, the SWOSU defense then dug deep for a three-and-out which was completed with a two-yard tackle for loss by
Zac Maynard on third and nine.
A short punt by SAU set SWOSU up with great field position and they needed seven plays to cover the 40 yards and take the lead. Morovick completed 2-of-3 passes, including a 13-yarder to
X'zavious Harrison on the first play of the drive, but it was
Matt Farris who capped off the drive with a one-yard scoring plunge. Morovick then connected with Boyd for the two-point conversion, making the score 27-24 in favor of the Bulldogs with 2:48 to play.
SAU would have two more chances, but their first drive ended on fourth and four as
Kevin Joseph broke up a pass from Si Blackshire. After SWOSU ran the ball three times and the Muleriders used up all their timeouts, SAU got the ball at their own 23 yard line with 1:07 to play and one final chance. SAU was driving and connected a long play to the SWOSU 31 yard line, but it was called back due to a penalty and the Bulldogs batted down the final attempt from Blackshire from 38 yards out to take the win.
Brad Smithey got the scoring started for SWOSU as he moved into fifth-place in all-time receptions by grabbing a 5-yard TD pass from Claborn on the Bulldogs second drive, one that was set up by a
Kale Sawatzky interception. Blackshire led the Muleriders to a six-play, 27-yard touchdown drive following a long kickoff return and tied the game at 7-7. SAU would tack on a field goal in the second quarter and take a 10-7 lead to the break.
Neither offense managed to get much going early in the third quarter but it was SAU scoring on a four-play drive midway through the quarter to go on top 17-7 with 5:46 to play in the period. Morovick then commanded a seven-play, 62-yard drive that included a 43-yard pass to
Carlos Smith on third and ten. After back-to-back completions to
Hunter Dinkines, Morovick found
Collin Bricker on an eight-yard slant to get the Bulldogs back on the board. A high snap caused the point after to fail, leaving the Bulldogs trailing 17-13 heading into the fourth quarter.
Morovick and the offense capped off the comeback, but it was the SWOSU defense that kept the Bulldogs alive for most of the night. Sawatzky and Townsley each had 12 tackles and a takeaway, with Sawatzky's interception in the first quarter and Townsley's fumble return early in the fourth. Thompson added 11 tackles, forced the fumble and one tackle for loss while
Kapena Olsen (nine) and
Austin Loomis (eight) each had strong nights tackling as well.
The reigning GAC Defensive Player of the Week,
Devin Benton, and his counterparts on the defensive line came up big as well. Benton finished with seven solo tackles and three tackles for loss, adding to his Great American Conference leading total, and two quarterback hurries.
Jake Doyle added four tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss and
Collier Ward had two tackles and a sack.
Tyler Follis effectively plugged the middle, recording a sack and seven tackles, including two big stops on the Bulldogs goal line stand early in the fourth quarter.
Offensively, SWOSU mustered just 252 yards of total offense with 193 of that coming after halftime.
Karl Hodge rushed for 75 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries but the Bulldogs finished with just 70 total yards rushing. Morovick was 12-of-23 passing for 153 yards and one touchdown but also threw two interceptions. Claborn was 8-of-12 for 29 yards and a touchdown before exiting.
Smithey hauled in five more receptions to move past Danny Howard and into fifth on the all-time receptions list.
Carlos Smith followed up his strong outing last week with four receptions for 79 yards while four other receivers: Harrison, Dinkines, Bricker and Boyd each had two catches for the Dawgs.
After three close calls against the Muleriders, the Bulldogs picked up their first all-time win over Southern Arkansas and improve to 2-1 (2-1 GAC) on the year. The win also allows SWOSU to stay near the top of the conference standings heading into next weekend's trip to Arkansas-Monticello.
