SHAWNEE - Oklahoma Baptist (2-1) re-entered the win column following a 36-3 dominant win over Southeastern Oklahoma State (0-3) in front a packed Crain Family Stadium. The OBU defense owned the day, limiting the Savage Storm to a single field goal while forcing five turnovers on Saturday night.
The Bison held Southeastern to 210 offensive yards, including a mere 48 yards on the ground.
Defensive backs Chase Whitebear, Tainique Taylor, Brandon Spencer recorded interceptions to highlight OBU's historic day. Whitebear added a fumble recovery to couple a team-best eight tackles. Two others, Rian Fields and Ameer Johnson, got in on the action with a fumble recovery and a forced fumble, respectively.
The success didn't stop there. Linebacker Scooter Baker was one of five different Bison to register a sack tonight on top of five Oklahoma Baptist tackles-for-loss.
Aidan Thompson led the Bison charge with 219 yards through the air and career-best three touchdowns, completing 61.5 percent of his pass attempts. His favorite target tonight, Michael Marshall, went for a career-high 136 yards on six receptions with two touchdowns. On the ground, E.J. Moore churned his way to 105 yards and three scores, a part of OBU's 158 rushing yards.
After Southeastern put three points on the board with a field goal in the opening quarter, Oklahoma Baptist answered with a 31-yard dart from Thompson to Marshall to cap a six-play 53-yard drive. The duo re-connected six minutes into the second quarter, this time on a 17-yard reception to put the Bison ahead 13-3.
That touchdown came after Taylor collected his first career interception on Bison Hill, putting the offense in scoring position. This began the trend of turnovers, carried on by Whitebear moments later with a fumble recovery that he returned to Southeastern's 31-yard line.
E.J. Moore capitalized on SE's miscue with a one-yard touchdown to raise the Bison lead to 20-3.
Whitebear followed up his recovery with an interception, paving the way for a 27-yard field goal from freshman Luke Watkins, before heading into the break with a 23-3 advantage.
OBU's good fortune carried into the second half, starting with Moore's second touchdown of the contest late in the third stanza.
Oklahoma Baptist kept their foot on the gas with a Haven Lysell-Stewart's touchdown to widen the margin to 30 points before Brandon Spencer picked off SE's Weston Conway to cap the victory. It was Lysell-Stewart's first career touchdown, and the second interception of Spencer's career.
The Bison hit the road next Saturday for a 6:00 p.m. matchup at East Central (1-2). OBU has beaten the Tigers three out of the last four years.
