MONTICELLO, AR – Jason Ceniti threw for 284 yards and a score, ran for 87 yards and another touchdown, and Oklahoma Baptist football forced five turnovers in a 34-20 win at Arkansas-Monticello in a Great American Conference matchup on Saturday, Oct. 10, at Willis "Convoy" Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium.

The Bison (3-3, 3-3 GAC) got off to an incredible start when the Boll Weevils (1-5, 1-5 GAC) threw an interception just three plays into the game. Elandis Peete broke on the ball near the OBU sideline and picked off UAM quarterback Drew Forkner at the UAM 26-yard line.

Four plays later, the Bison reached into their bag of tricks as Ceniti handed the ball to Jacob Trimble, who tossed it to a wide-open Haydn Thornton in the back of the end zone. Carter Lowry converted the ensuing PAT to give Oklahoma Baptist a 7-0 lead with 12:37 left in the first quarter.

The Boll Weevils needed just four plays to respond when Forkner found Isaiah Roberts over the middle for a 53-yard touchdown. UAM was unable to convert on the extra point as Rahsaan Jones blocked the kick to keep the Bison in front, 7-6, with 10:56 on the clock.

Oklahoma Baptist scored again on its next drive, which began with a 42-yard pass from Ceniti to Trimble to put OBU in the red zone. Ceniti scored on a nine-yard run two plays later, and the Bison led 14-6.

Arkansas-Monticello drove deep into Bison territory on its next possession and appeared poised to tie the game, but George Getanda intercepted Forkner in the end zone and returned it 25 yards to give OBU the ball back. Oklahoma Baptist was unable to turn the ensuing possession into points after a series of penalties, and Lowry was forced to punt.

Lowry scored the next points of the game when he connected on a 40-yard field goal to give OBU a 17-6 lead with 3:34 to play in the first half. The Boll Weevils got into the red zone with less than a minute remaining, but Brady Luff tackled Dave Alston for a four-yard loss as time expired, and the Bison took a 17-6 lead into the locker room.

After receiving the second-half kickoff, the Bison drove down the field on the strength of the run game, and Justin Pascone punched it in with a 12-yard touchdown run to give OBU a 24-6 lead with 9:29 on the clock.

Arkansas-Monticello answered with a touchdown drive of its own, sparked by a 45-yard scamper by Alston, who scored from six yards out to pull the Boll Weevils within two scores, 24-13, with 8:19 left in the third quarter.

That was as close as they would get, however, as Lowry booted a 43-yard field goal to make it 27-13 at the 4:43 mark. UAM drove to the OBU 10-yard line late in the quarter, but Rahsaan Jones forced a fumble and recovered it to give the Bison the ball back.

On the ensuing drive, Oklahoma Baptist put the game out of reach when Ceniti connected with Trimble over the middle for a 77-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 34-13 with 14:48 remaining.

The Boll Weevils scored with 3:07 left to make it 34-20, but Oklahoma Baptist recovered the subsequent onside kick and ran out the clock to secure its third victory of the season.

OBU finished with 428 yards of total offense while UAM tallied 514. The story of the game, however, was the turnover battle. The Bison committed none, while the Boll Weevils turned the ball over five times.

Ceniti finished 18-of-27 for 284 yards and a touchdown while also averaging 9.7 yards per carry. Trimble finished with four catches for 125 yards and a score, while Nick Harris hauled in a team-high six receptions for 61 yards.

Defensively, OBU was led by Luff's 13 tackles. Getanda and Bradley Amwayi added seven tackles apiece, while Jones recorded a tackle, forced fumble, fumble recovery, and blocked PAT.

Oklahoma Baptist returns to action on Thursday, Oct. 15, when it hosts East Central at 7 p.m. at Crain Family Stadium.