MAGNOLIA, Ark. – SWOSU Football fell behind by four scores in the first half, which proved to be a deficit too large to overcome as the Dawgs dropped a 42-20 decision to Southern Arkansas on Saturday at Mulerider Stadium.
SAU scored on their first drive and led 7-0 at the start of the second quarter, but broke things open with two scores in less than two minutes to open the period, including a 32-yard pick six that made it 21-0 with 13:08 to play in the half. The Muleriders would go on top 28-0 with less than two minutes before intermission, but SWOSU answered with an eight-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass from
Tyler Marr to
Jared Rayburn, which made it 28-6 at the break.
SWOSU's defense slowed the Muleriders in the third quarter, keeping SAU off the scoreboard while adding a 17-yard touchdown pass from Marr to
Marcellous Dowell that made it a 28-13 game late in the third quarter. That was as close as the Dawgs could get, however, as SAU added 14 points in the fourth quarter extend their lead before Marr found Rayburn on a 23-yard touchdown pass with 3:15 to play.
Southern Arkansas outgained the Bulldogs 455-to-343 on the day, with SWOSU doing the most of their damage through the air.
Tyler Marr finished 17-for-37 passing for 246 yards and three touchdowns in addition to a pair of interceptions. His top target was
Jared Rayburn, who hauled in eight receptions for 112 yards and two scores, his second straight 100-yard game, while
Kevin Fox, Jr., had three receptions for 70 yards.
Davotrick Dotrey and
Reshawn Parker led the Dawgs with eight tackles apiece while
Braden Sweet had seven stops and the Dawgs lone tackle for loss.
Dequann Gresham forced a fumble, but SWOSU was held without a takeaway for the second straight game.
"We came up against a Southern Arkansas team that was more physical than us today," SWOSU Head Coach
Chet Pobolish said following the game. "My message to the guys after the game is that we have to stick together in times like these. We win as a team and we lose as a team, so we have to stick together and prepare to get things turned around for next Saturday."
SWOSU, now 2-3 on the year, returns to ASAP Energy Field next Saturday to host Henderson State. That game is set for a 3:00 pm kickoff in Weatherford.
