Bison Get OT Win in Ada

ADA - Oklahoma Baptist got its first season-opening win Thursday since joining the NCAA in a game that came down to kicks, beating East Central 27-26 in overtime.
 
Luke Wendl had two field goals for the Bison while ECU missed two extra points as OBU claimed a one-point win – its second overtime victory in Ada since joining the Great American Conference.
 
OBU had not won its football season opener since 2014 win the NAIA Bison topped Southwestern College of Kansas on the road 47-17.
 
The Bison made good use of its spring and preseason conditioning to gut out the win on a muggy night.
 
"The way our guys trained, they earned this win tonight," said OBU Coach Chris Jensen.
 
Trinity Benson went 75 yards on ECU's first play for a rushing touchdown for a 7-0 lead 16 seconds into the game.
 
OBU went 38 yards on seven plays and scored on a 41-yard field goal by Luke Wendl.
 
The Tigers scored again on a six-play drive for a 13-3 lead heading into the second quarter.
 
OBU started its first TD drive with 8:06 left in the half. Tyler Stuever scored on a 30-yard run. Wendl added the PAT to pull the Bison to within 13-10 with 5:47 to play in the half.
 
The Bison defense stifled ECU and gave the offense the ball with 4:30 left in the second quarter.
 
Preston Haire completed passes of 22 and 21 yards to Cagney Roberson to set up a 10-yard touchdown pass from Haire to Josh Pettijohn for a 17-13 Bison lead with 1:12 left in the half.
 
East Central drew first blood in the second half with a touchdown drive for a 20-17 lead.
 
OBU drove all the way to the Tiger two but a fourth down penalty saw the Bison settle for a game-tying 24-yard field goal by Wendl with 13:17 left in the fourth quarter.
 
A 43-yard field goal try by Wendl hit the crossbar with 37 seconds left in regulation.
 
In overtime, OBU scored on a six-yard run by Stuever and Wendl added the extra point.
 
After an ECU TD jaunt, Wyatt Austin's PAT try hit the left upright and fell away for the Bison win.
 
Haire finished the night completing a school records of 31 passes and 49 attempts, resulting in 315 yards, with Roberson on the receiving end for seven catches and 122 yards while Pettijohn corralled eight passes for 66 yards.
 
Stuever rolled up 78 yards and two touchdowns for a 6.0 average.
 
Linebacker Josh Arnold posted 10 tackles with Felipe Alvear adding seven while Robert Lolofie registered 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss among his six tackles. He shared the sack with Jonah Lebischak.
 
Ke'Landus Culton had two pass breakups, including a long-ranging play to force the end of an ECU drive late.
 
Now 1-0, the Bison host Southeastern Saturday, Sept. 8, at 1 p.m.