DURANT, Okla. – For the first time since 2019, SWOSU Football defeated Southeastern Oklahoma State, earning a 35-14 road victory behind explosive scoring plays and a second-half defensive shutout.
The win is SWOSU's first in 2025, moving the Bulldogs to 1-2 after three weeks of the season.
Points came on big plays for the Dawgs, who scored on plays of 44, 66, and 54 yards, while also adding a 43-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter. Only two of SWOSU's scoring drives lasted longer than three plays.
After trailing 14-7 at halftime, the defense tightened up and did not surrender another point the rest of the way. The Bulldogs came up huge in the third quarter, limiting the Savage Storm to just 14 total yards across three possessions.
Entering the night, SWOSU had forced just one turnover through two games. Against Southeastern, the Dawgs came away with three — a second-quarter fumble recovery by Kelton Moore, along with two fourth-quarter interceptions from Jamori Ray and Aza'in Brown, who returned his INT 43 yards for a touchdown to seal the game.
Red Martel opened the scoring on SWOSU's first possession after the defense forced a punt. On a rush to the left sideline, he outran a defender in pursuit for a 44-yard touchdown — his first of the season.
Southeastern answered in the second quarter with two touchdowns to grab a 14-7 lead. Moore's fumble recovery nearly kept the game tied at 7-7 before halftime, but the Storm regained possession with 1:46 left in the half and marched 52 yards in six plays to score just before the break.
Coming out of intermission, SWOSU put together its longest drive of the night — a 15-play, 91-yard march capped by MJ Rivers finding Elijah Reed for Reed's first touchdown reception of the season to tie the score at 14-14.
On the next drive, Martel broke free again down the left sideline for a 66-yard touchdown run, giving SWOSU a 21-14 lead.
The Bulldogs' defense kept the Storm in check from there. Early in the fourth quarter, they delivered another critical stop on fourth-and-short to end a drive.
After a missed field goal, SWOSU's offense struck again when Rivers connected with Baylor Nash in stride for a 54-yard touchdown — Nash's first of the season — that extended the lead to 28-14.
Brown capped off the night with his interception return for a score in the closing minutes.
SWOSU finished with 197 rushing yards and 179 passing yards, outgaining Southeastern 376-335. The Bulldogs went 5-of-14 on third down and totaled 12 first downs compared to the Storm's 18. SWOSU did not commit a turnover while winning the takeaway battle 3-0.
Martel carried the ball 16 times for 167 yards and two touchdowns, while Rivers completed 11-of-15 passes for 179 yards and two scores. Nash hauled in four passes for 108 yards and his touchdown, with receptions of 34 and 54 yards.
Defensively, Zack Roberts paced all tacklers with 10. Delmontre Pryor forced the fumble that Moore recovered in the second quarter.
The victory sets up a Family Day matchup with Oklahoma Baptist next Saturday, September 27 at 6:00 pm in Weatherford.
