WEATHERFORD – A dramatic fourth-and-19 touchdown with just 1:14 remaining decided Saturday's Paul Sharp Cup, as Ouachita Baptist stunned SWOSU Football 42-38 on SWOSU Saturday inside Milam Stadium.
 
The Bulldogs (5-5) saw a three-game win streak and their hopes of reclaiming the Paul Sharp Cup both slip away in the final moments. The Tigers (7-3) notched their sixth straight victory and ninth consecutive win in the series.
 
SWOSU appeared poised to seal the win late after rallying for a go-ahead touchdown with under three minutes to play. Quarterback MJ Rivers capped a six-play, 54-yard drive with a diving two-yard rush to give the Bulldogs a 38-35 lead.
 
But on the ensuing possession, Ouachita faced fourth-and-19 near midfield when its quarterback stepped up in a collapsing pocket and delivered a 51-yard strike down the middle of the field for the game-winning score. SWOSU's final drive after the heartbreak stalled with a pair of sacks and nearly a third as time expired.
 
The fourth quarter was a dramatic finish to a wild, high-scoring afternoon. Tied 28-28 entering the final 15 minutes, Ouachita briefly took control after a running-into-the-kicker penalty erased a field goal and extended the drive. The Tigers capitalized on the next play to go ahead 35-28.
 
SWOSU answered with a 42-yard field goal from Ethan McBee, then forced a punt on the next Tiger possession thanks to Aza'in Brown's third-down sack. That set up Rivers' go-ahead score before Ouachita's late-game heroics swung the outcome back once more.
 
The first half set an early tone for the shootout. The two teams combined for 563 yards and 49 points in the opening 30 minutes alone. After trailing 14-0 early, the Bulldogs exploded for 28 points before halftime. Braxton Etheridge started the rally with a short touchdown run, followed by Red Martel's 56-yard score to tie the game at 14-14. Bodie Boydstun hauled in a 51-yard touchdown from Rivers to make it 21-21 after one quarter.
 
SWOSU's defense forced two key turnovers before halftime to preserve a 28-21 lead. Shane Armstrong forced a fumble recovered by Kelton Moore, and Malcolm Murphy added an interception in the red zone to halt another Tiger drive.
 
SWOSU's offense cooled off after the break, managing just 34 yards in the third quarter as Ouachita pulled even. The fourth quarter then featured three lead changes and the dramatic finish.
 
The Bulldogs narrowly outgained Ouachita 449–426, surpassing the 440-yard mark for the third consecutive week. SWOSU's defense also posted a season-high six sacks, but nine penalties and a fourth-quarter interception proved costly.
 
Rivers finished with 173 passing yards, 114 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns. Martel added 108 yards on 16 carries — his third 100-yard outing of the year. Armstrong anchored the defense with a season-high 13 tackles, two sacks, and three tackles for loss.
 
SWOSU (5-5, 5-5 GAC) closes out the regular season next Saturday at rival Northwestern. A win would clinch the program's first winning season since 2015.