Editor's Note: In the days leading up to the Live United Texarkana Bowl, we are reliving SWOSU Football's previous Bowl Game. Today, we share the official press release from the SWOSU Office of Public Relations following the 1996 NAIA National Championship game, won by the Bulldogs by a final score of 33-31. WEATHERFORD – Southwestern Oklahoma State University linebacker Mark Patterson tackled Chris Turner of Montana Tech in the endzone for a safety with 4:17 remaining and the Bulldogs pulled out an exciting 33-31 victory over the Orediggers at Milam Stadium in the NAIA Division I national championship contest.
The victory gave Southwestern its first-ever NAIA national championship title in football.
"We felt pressure to win this for the state of Oklahoma," SWOSU head coach Paul Sharp said in reference to the state's success in the past NAIA championship games. "We wanted to win it for a lot of reasons and are proud to be champions."
Around 4,500 fans were treated to a great football contest with the lead changing nine times.
Southwestern scored on its first possession of the game as the Bulldogs had to drive only 41 yards to get their first score with tailback Keith Kizzie scoring from one yard out. The extra point kick was no good and SWOSU led 6-0.
The Orediggers answered with their own scoring drive, moving 80 yards on 11 plays to take the lead. Quarterback Mark Jensen, who completed 18 of 29 passes on the day for 174 yards, found tight end Bryan Larson wide open from 25 yards out. Dustin Sersland's PAT made it 7-6 in favor of Montana Tech with 3:51 to play in the first quarter.
The two teams failed to move on their next two possessions but the Bulldogs scored early in the second quarter when quarterback Brad Woodard found a streaking Damon Willis on a 59-yard touchdown completion. Woodard's pass to Willie Brown for the two-point conversion fell short but the Bulldogs led 12-7.
Once again the Orediggers answered as MT drove 60 yards on 10 plays with the scoring play coming on a Jensen pass to Josh Vincent from 17 yards out. Sersland's kick made it 14-12.
Kizzie scored from 3 yards out with 2:04 remaining in the second quarter to put the Bulldogs back on top, 18-14. It looked like SWOSU would take the lead to the halftime dressing room but the Orediggers had different plans. Montana Tech took over at their own 29 with 1:59 to go in the half and moved quickly down the field. The Orediggers took the lead when Jensen connected with tight end Jeremy Poirier on an 11-yard scoring strike with only 17 seconds in the half. The Orediggers led 21-18 at halftime.
In the second half, Southwestern took the lead again as the Bulldogs scored on their first possession of the half. The Bulldogs moved 69 yards on 11 plays with Brown scoring on a 4-yard run with 10:14 left in the third quarter. SWOSU led 25-21.
Montana Tech pulled within a point as Sersland booted a 42-yard field goal with 3:07 to play in the third quarter. The Orediggers regained the lead when Chris Turner ran 18 yards with :19 to play in the third. Montana Tech led 31-25.
Southwestern tied matters up at 31 with 8:02 to play in the game when Woodard found tight end Charwick Reed from 10 yards out. A bad snap caused kicker Jeff Steindorf to go wide right on the extra point kick and the game was tied at 31.
Steindorf made up for the miss later. With the Bulldogs facing a fourth down and 21 from the Montana Tech 37, the Bulldogs decided to punt with 4:21 to play. Steindorf placed the ball at the 1 yard line. On the very next play, Patterson tackled Turner in the endzone.
Kizzie was named the game's outstanding offensive player rushing for 100 yards on 24 carries and scoring 2 touchdowns. Woodard threw for 171 yards, completing 8 of 19 passes and 2 touchdowns.
Montana Tech's linebacker, Paul Hladky, was named the game's outstanding defensive player with 14 tackles, two of them assists.
