BETHANY, Oklahoma – Oklahoma Baptist's football season ended the same way it started - with a one-point overtime loss.
Southern Nazarene ended its 32-game losing streak with a 33-32 overtime win over Oklahoma Baptist Saturday.
The Bison took a lead with 30 seconds left in the game, but SNU tied the game on a field goal as time expired and Oklahoma Baptist missed a two-point conversion in an attempt to win the game in the first overtime and came up empty.
"I just felt like we had a good play called that we wanted to execute and we were just a couple of inches away from making the play and winning the game," said Bison coach Chris Jensen.
OBU came up empty on two drives inside the SNU 25 in the first half, failing to convert on fourth down both times.
"Not being able to move the ball from such great field position probably energized them a little bit and we were recovering for the rest of the half," Jensen said.
Southern Nazarene got on the scoreboard, marching 84 yards on 13 plays. Johnathan Martin beat the OBU pass rush and got the 15-yard touchdown pass to James Mauro for a 7-0 lead with 5:46 to go in the first quarter.
The score stood as neither team moved the ball well until late in the second quarter. SNU took a 9-0 lead when a bad snap was batted out of the OBU end zone for a safety with 1:13 left.
The Crimson Storm went ahead 16-0 with 39 seconds left in the first half.
OBU got its offense going in the third quarter, starting on the opening drive.
"We came out with a level of determination in the second half, but you have to credit Southern Nazarene they came out and played the whole way through," said Jensen.
An 11-yard run by Frankie Edwards got things started and Dez Stegall hit Cagney Roberson for 15 yards to convert a third and eight. That combo worked again for a 16-yard gain. OBU converted a fourth-and-eight with a 10-yard pass from Stegall to Jacob Ellis and Frankie Edwards capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown run to cut the SNU lead to 16-6 with 11:04 remaining in the third.
The Bison defense forced a punt and marched 80 yards for another score. Ellis had a 16-yard run and Stegall hit Ellis for a 15-yard pass play and Derek Serowski for a 20-yard gain. Ellis capped the drive with a three-yard run and Trey Tully added the point after to make it 16-13 with four minutes left in the third.
OBU got the ball at their own 13 after another punt and used a 33-yard run by Ellis and a Stegall-to Josh Pettijohn pass of 19 yards before Ellis finished the drive on a 20-yard scoring run with six seconds left in the third quarter, giving OBU a 20-16 lead.
Southern Nazarene answered the bell with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Mauro to Elden Coleman for a 23-20 lead with 13:11 left in the game.
OBU had yet another drive stall just outside the red zone in the fourth quarter and the Bison missed a 40-yard field goal with 8:14 to play.
The Bison forced and took over on their own 40 with 1:57 remaining in the game. OBU converted a fourth and five with a big catch from Roberson for 16 yards. The Bison converted a second fourth and five play, getting an eight-yard run by Stegall.
Stegall then hit Josh Pettijohn for a 26-yard scoring strike with Pettijohn breaking tackles before falling over the goal line with 30 seconds left.
Tully's PAT hit the left upright and bounced SNU's way, leaving the door open.
Tully's kickoff went for a touchback but the Bison were called for unsportsmanlike conduct and set SNU up at the 40. The Storm covered 39 yards on a hook and ladder pass play to the OBU 21. Carlos Anguiano would boot in a 35-yard field goal as time expired in regulation.
SNU scored on the first drive of overtime with Terence Olds covering all 25 yards on second down. SNU hit the PAT for the 33-26 lead.
OBU struggled and needed a terrific catch by Roberson for a 14 yard gain on fourth and three. Stegall fooled everyone on a keeper and ran for the two-yard touchdown to make it 33-32. Stegall's PAT pass for the win was incomplete and SNU celebrated its first win as an NCAA school.
Zach Bishop and Jailen Garrett had 10 tackles each for OBU with new school records for both players. Bishop became the first Bison to record more than 100 tackles in a season (106) and Garrett 's seven solo tackles gave him the single season record of 59 solo tackles. Levi Jennings had the only sack for the Bison and Derek Davis broke up three passes.
Ellis ran for 158 yards on 24 carries to lead the Bison and Stegall threw for a season-best 235 yards on 18 of 34 passing. Roberson had his best day receiving, picking up 111 yards on seven catches.
OBU finished the season at 2-9.
