OBU Routs SNU in Regular Season Finale

BETHANY, Okla. - Sophomore Tyler Stuever accounted for a school-record five touchdowns including four on the ground as the Oklahoma Baptist Bison rolled Southern Nazarene in their final regular season contest by the score of 52-27.

With the win, Oklahoma Baptist completes their most successful season since joining NCAA Division II at 7-4, has now won 11 straight games over Oklahoma schools, has completed a second consecutive perfect record against its Oklahoma counterparts (5-0), and will now await for a potential bid to a bowl game early next week.

The Bison finished with 393 total yards in the contest including 222 on the ground while the OBU defense had one of their best outputs of the season, holding the Crimson Storm to 209 total yards on the day. The Bison had 24 first downs and were 5 of 10 on third down and 2 of 2 on fourth down. The Bison controlled time of possession at 31:12 while the OBU defense forced a pair of turnovers.

The Bison took the opening kickoff and wasted no time to grab the lead as it only took three plays. Stuever got his day started with a 40-yard touchdown run on a beautiful cut inside the hole and the Bison were off and running with a 7-0 lead.

On the ensuing kickoff, a muffed short kick by SNU was recovered by Trajan Lands, giving the Bison excellent field position. It took three plays again as Haire wasted no time, finding Stuever wide open as he strolled into the endzone for a 17-yard score and a 14-0 lead just two and a half minutes into the contest.

The OBU defense got off to a great start of their own including a sack from Myles Russell to force a punt. However, the punt was muffed and bounced into the endzone where SNU recovered to make it a 14-7 game.

On the next OBU possession, a tipped pass found the hands of SNU defense, setting them up with great field position where a few plays later they would even the game at 14 a piece. 

Moving into the second quarter, SNU used a 13-play drive, going the length of the field and including a 22-yard pitch and catch from Haire to Joshua Cornell and a 23-yard run from Stuever. The combination of Stuever and Isaiah Mallory set up a three yard Stuever plunge and a 21-14 lead.

The two teams exchanged possessions mimdway through the second quarter before OBU found themselves in a punting situation as the return was fumbled thanks to a big hit from Eryk Preston, Jr., who also recovered the loose ball, to give OBU great field position.

The OBU drive stalled and set up a made 34-yard field goal from Luke Wendl to push the lead to 24-14 with 3:21 to play. Again, the OBU defense came up big and got a stop to give the Bison the ball back with 1:34 to go in the half.

OBU got back-to-back completions from Haire to Jacques Henderson and Noah McGraw before Stuever took care of the rest, scoring his fourth touchdown of the first half on a three yard score to give OBU a 31-14 lead at the break.

After a three-and-out to start the second half by the Bison defense, the OBU offense used a nine play drive and ate up nearly five minutes of clock. Henderson struck again with a 28-yard completion as OBU moved the ball deep into SNU territory where Haire found Noah McGraw on an easy one yard score for a commanding 38-14 lead.

Stuever would add his fifth touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter while Drew Trent scored his first career touchdown late in the game with a 14-yard scramble as OBU answered a pair of late SNU scores for the 52-27 win.

Haire was 14 of 19 for 171 yards and two scores while Stuever now has 11 touchdowns in his last three games and has a run of 40 yards or more in his last three contests. Mallory had 13 carries for 45 yards while Trent rushed four times for 30 yards. Henderson caught four balls for 57 yards while Cornell had a pair of catches for 53 yards.

SNU was led by Gage Porter with 25 carries for 124 yards and two scores while Nate Walker carried seven times for 52 yards and a score.

Trajan Lands had eight tackles and a fumble recovery to lead the defense while Josh Arnold and Elijah Tomlin each had six tackles. Russell had four tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack while Seth Meacham had two tackles for loss and a sack.

Jake Hansen had 13 tackles while Jaden Simmons had 11 tackles to lead SNU. Trenton Smith had seven tackles and an interception.

OBU finished the season at 7-4 and will await their postseason fate early next week.