Bison Defeat SWOSU for Third Win

WEATHERFORD – Oklahoma Baptist returned to the in-state portion of its schedule with a 47-39 win at Southwestern Oklahoma State Saturday to reach three wins in a season for the first time since joining the NCAA.
 
OBU is now 3-0 against Oklahoma teams, having also beaten Southeastern and East Central.
 
The game came down to a play in which Matthew Tigert stripped a Southwestern receiver of the ball deep in Bison territory with Felipe Alvear recovering.
 
"What a great way for Matthew Tigert to finish this game," said OBU Coach Chris Jensen. We're 3-0 against Oklahoma teams and we wanted to finish this season strong. We stopped ourselves a few times on offense."
 
Southwestern got on the scoreboard first on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Casey Freeman to JR Omigie with 14:18 left in the first quarter.
 
The Bulldogs forced a punt, but Hayden Ashley's booming kick sailed over the head of Jalen Carr, who tried unsuccessfully to pick the ball up on the run and OBU recovered Ashley's 68-yard punt at the Southwestern one-yard line.
 
Tyler Stuever finished the drive with a TD run from a yard out and Connor Watts added the point-after to tie the score at 7-7 with 12:49 left in the quarter.
 
Haire scored on a two-yard run to finish a 13-play, 45-yard drive for a 14-7 Bison lead with 8:18 left in the first quarter. Haire completed a 15-yard pass to Noah McGraw and Stuever has an 11-yard run to set up the score.
 
Southwestern tied the score on a 25-yard pass from Freeman to Omigie with 8:18 to go in the first, but that wild first quarter was not quite finished.
 
Haire and McGraw hooked up for a three-yard scoring pass to finish off a nine-play, 65- yard drive for a 20-14 lead with three minutes remaining in the first. Haire had passes of 11 yards each to Josh Cornell, Jacques Henderson and McGraw and a 24-yard toss to Cagney Roberson on the drive.
 
Darrian Moss lunged into the end zone to finish an eight-yard scoring run for a 27-14 OBU lead with 11:51 remaining in the second quarter. Haire had an 11-yard run and a 20-yard pass to Abel Wills. Moss started the 62-yard drive with a 10-yard run.
 
Southwestern added a 24-yard field goal by Jackson White as the first half clock expired with OBU leading 27-17.
 
OBU extended the lead to 34-17 when Haire finished off a six-play, 71-yard drive with a six-yard TD run. Josh Pettijohn had a 13-yard reception from Haire in the drive.
 
Eli Paul became the fourth Bison to score on the ground with 22 seconds left in the third quarter, scoring from three-yards out to cap a nine-play, 47-yard march. McGraw had a 23-yard reception to highlight the drive.
 
Southwestern made it a 41-24 game with a Jared Rayburn touchdown run with 13:03 left in the game.
 
OBU made it 47-24 after a 42-yard drive. Eli Paul rushed for 15 yards and Haire hit Cornell from 10-yards out for a touchdown with 10:12 to go.
 
Southwestern closed to within 47-31 with 7:41 remaining on a 31-yard Freeman-to-Rayburn touchdown pass. The Bulldogs scored and converted the two-point attempt to make it 47-39 with 4:15 to play.
 
Southwestern picked off a pass and drove to the OBU eight before the Bison got a stop on fourth-and-two.
 
The Bulldogs got one last chance but Matthew Tigert ripped a fumble loose and Felipe Alvear made the recovery for OBU at the Bison five.
 
OBU rushed for 165 yards and Haire passed for 271. Haire was 32-of-50 passing with McGraw and Pettijohn catches seven passes each. McGraw led with 75 yards receiving. Haire led the ground attack with 74 yards.
 
Ke'Landus Culton and George McClendon led the Bison with six tackles each while Lolofie registered a sack.
 
The Bison head home next week, taking on Northwestern Oklahoma State in the OBU Homecoming Game at 2 p.m.