WEATHERFORD, Okla. – SWOSU Football was victorious over Northwestern 41-28 on Saturday, sending out the seniors with one last taste of victory.
The win snaps a five-game losing streak the Dawgs brought into the contest. Three of those losses were within a single possession. It was time to get on the other side of that.
Saturday's 41-28 final score wasn't as close if the Bulldogs managed to eliminate a pair of special teams breakdowns and a costly fumble. Northwestern took a pair of kickoffs for scores in the first half and fell on a fumbled ball at the 1-yard line for a defensive score. Outside of those, they managed just two offensive touchdowns, one in each half, on the night.
The lack of Ranger scoring was courtesy of the Dawg defense.
They forced three turnovers in the game. Richard Silva came away with his first interception of the year, a red zone interception in the first quarter, to halt a Northwestern drive. Ashton Hamby added to that in the third quarter with an INT of his own, and then sealed the game with a fumble recovery on Northwestern's final drive.
SWOSU won the turnover battle 3-1 and added another turnover on downs in the red zone.
They also got a special teams score for the second week in a row. Logan Engle blocked a punt in the first quarter, and it bounced straight into Elijah Reed's hands for the 30-yard scoop n' score.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs clicked on offense out of the gate and tallied 34 of their 41 points in the first half. They led 34-21 at the break.
Out of the halftime locker room both sides scored just one touchdown each in the fourth quarter after a scoreless third. SWOSU outgained the Rangers 386-320 (yards) on the night.
Dexter Brown got work all game. He had 27 touches at running back for 71 yards and three scores.
Isreal Watson, playing his last game, caught six balls for 124 yards and a score. His touchdown came in the second quarter on a 61-yard catch. Tylan Morton extended the play and found him open waiting by the sideline 30 yards downfield. A Ranger defender overran the thrown ball and Watson had only green turf in front of him from there.
Jacob Karsak caught the other Morton touchdown pass in the contest, a 25-yard pitch and catch that came in the second quarter.
Senior Tylan Morton finished 19-26 for 264 yards and two passing touchdowns.
The Bulldogs finish the season 4-7. It's the most wins the program has seen since 2016.
