BETHANY, Okla. – SWOSU Football imposed its will on the ground Thursday night, running for over 300 yards and holding Southern Nazarene to a single score in a dominant 31-6 road win.
The Bulldogs (3-4) rushed 56 times — tying their season high — for 322 yards and two touchdowns, marking their second 300-yard rushing effort of the year. The total trails only their 388-yard performance against Oklahoma Baptist earlier this season.
The ground game again paved the way for efficiency through the air. SWOSU needed just 10 pass attempts to add two more touchdowns — both hauled in by Elijah Reed, who caught his second and third scores of the season.
Reed provided both first-half touchdowns, helping SWOSU to a 17-0 halftime lead that also featured an Ethan McBee field goal. While Reed finished the drives, it was the run game that moved the offense. Red Martel set the tone early with 95 yards in the opening quarter and crossed the century mark before halftime. He ended the night with 147 yards on 18 carries — his second 140-plus-yard game of the year — as the Bulldogs racked up 189 rushing yards before the break.
After halftime, quarterback Braxton Etheridge joined the scoring action with a pair of short rushing touchdowns — the first (and second) of his season. He found the end zone from five yards out in the third quarter, then added another late in the fourth to seal the 31-6 win.
Southern Nazarene's lone touchdown came midway through the fourth quarter but was followed by a failed two-point attempt.
SWOSU's defense turned in another complete performance, forcing six punts and limiting the Storm to 3.5 yards per carry without relying on turnovers. SNU's two best drives, both in the first half, ended with missed field goals from 55 and 37 yards.
The Bulldogs outgained the Storm 381-290 — the second-fewest yards allowed by SWOSU this season, coming just a week after their season-best defensive effort against Southern Arkansas.
MJ Rivers finished 4-of-9 passing for 52 yards and two touchdowns, shaking off an interception on the opening drive. Reed was his top target, catching all four completions for 52 yards and both scores.
Defensively, Justus Conway led with eight tackles, including two for loss. Hudson Haas and Malcolm Murphy each tallied five tackles and a sack.
SWOSU returns home next Saturday for Homecoming against East Central. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Flex-Chem Field.
