SWOSU Football (5-5, 5-5 GAC) will travel to Alva for their final game of the 2025 season to take on Northwestern.

The Bulldogs saw their three-game winning streak come to a heartbreaking end last weekend against Ouachita Baptist. The Tigers converted a fourth-and-19 from their own 49-yard line for a touchdown over the top of the defense, lifting them to a 42-38 victory and their ninth straight win in the series to retain the Paul Sharp Cup.

Offensively, the Dawgs have reached new heights this season. They are averaging 28.3 points per game and have scored 30 or more in seven of their last eight contests — marking the first time in the program's NCAA Division II era that SWOSU has hit that mark in seven games within a single season. The Dawgs also eclipsed 440 yards of total offense for the third straight week.

Defensively, last week's game snapped the Bulldogs' four-game streak of holding opponents to 14 points or fewer — their longest such run since 1997. Despite the setback, SWOSU's defense still made its presence felt, recording a season-high six sacks. However,  nine penalties and a late fourth-quarter interception by the offense ultimately derailed their bid for a fourth consecutive win.

This week, the Bulldogs will look to replicate last year's dominant performance against Northwestern, when they controlled every phase of the game in a 50-0 victory. That win marked SWOSU's first shutout since 2002, their largest margin of victory, and their first time scoring at least 50 points since 2015. All-time in division II, SWOSU holds a slight edge in the series with an 8-6 record. When playing in Alva, the two programs have been evenly matched, splitting the meetings with four wins apiece.

As a team, the Bulldogs have climbed to fourth in the GAC in scoring offense, averaging 28.3 points per game. They rank fifth in total offense at 371.9 yards per game, with 214.2 of those coming on the ground — just behind Ouachita Baptist and national rushing leader Harding, who averages 449.2 rushing yards per contest. Through the air, SWOSU sits ninth with 157.7 yards per game but boasts the third-highest team completion percentage in the conference. The Bulldogs' offensive efficiency rating of 140.8 ranks third-best in the GAC.

Red Martel continues to be the focal point of the Bulldog rushing attack, averaging 83.9 yards per game — one of just four players in the GAC to average more than 80 yards per contest. He currently ranks inside SWOSU's NCAA Division II era top ten for both yards per carry (5.7) and rushing yards per game. Last week, Martel logged his third 100-yard performance of the season, finishing with 108 yards and breaking off his second-longest run of the year — a 56-yard touchdown burst.

Quarterback MJ Rivers also continued his dual-threat production, recording his second game this season with over 100 yards both passing and rushing. He is the first quarterback in SWOSU's Division II history to accomplish that feat multiple times in a single season. Rivers currently ranks fourth in the GAC with 151.7 passing yards per game. He owns the second-highest completion percentage in the conference at 64.1% and is tied for the league lead with 17 touchdown passes.

Baylor Nash ranks seventh in the GAC in receiving, averaging 42.1 yards per game. He's hauled in 24 receptions for 421 yards and five touchdowns — the second-most touchdown grabs in the conference. Isaac Norris has added 28 catches for 317 yards, averaging 31.7 yards per game with four scores, while Elijah Reed leads the team in receptions with 33, totaling three touchdowns and 27.8 yards per contest.

On the defensive side, the Dawgs rank seventh in the GAC in scoring defense, allowing 24.3 points per game, but stand fourth in total defense, giving up just 342.4 yards per contest. Through the air, SWOSU has been one of the league's toughest units, allowing only 155.9 passing yards per game — third-best in the conference and seventh nationally.

Zack Roberts leads the Bulldogs with 59 total tackles, while Shane Armstrong follows closely with 57, including 33 solo stops. Armstrong also has 7.5 tackles for loss, placing him among the GAC's top ten in that category.

SWOSU's defense has been disruptive up front, tallying a GAC-leading 24 sacks — tied with Southern Arkansas for the most in the league. On the other side of the ball, the Bulldog offensive line has been one of the conference's most reliable units, allowing just 10 sacks all season, the third-fewest in the GAC. The Dawgs also excel on third down defensively, holding opponents to a 32.5% conversion rate, second only to Harding.

Northwestern has won two of its last three games, earning victories over Southern Nazarene and Arkansas-Monticello — both at home in Alva. The Rangers enter the matchup averaging 15.2 points per game, which ranks 10th in the GAC, while allowing a league-high 39.1 points per contest. Offensively, they have struggled to establish the run, ranking last in the conference with just 92.1 rushing yards per game, while defensively they surrender nearly twice that amount on the ground.