SWOSU Wins Opener, 29-15

August 28, 2008

BOXSCORE Statistics

ALVA, Okla. – Southwestern Oklahoma State University kicked off its 2008 football season in rousing fashion with a 29-15 win over longtime rival Northwestern Oklahoma State University. The victory was the Bulldogs fourth straight in a series that stretches nearly 100 years between the two neighbor schools.

Quarterback Steve Day threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns, including a game-clinching scoring toss after the Rangers had climbed back to make things interesting. Day connected with tight end Joe Sawyer for a 61-yard score, putting the Bulldogs comfortably back in command at 29-15 with 3:32 to play.

Sawyer, a transfer from Utah’s Snow Junior College, played magnificently in his first game as a Bulldog. He caught seven passes for 116 yards and snatched a two-yard dart whistled by Day on the last play of the first half. The score gave SWOSU a 16-0 lead heading into the locker room.

The Bulldog defense regrouped after a shaky start in which they allowed the Rangers 64 yards on their first possession before stiffening when it counted. Dayshaun Webb intercepted NWOSU quarterback Billy Barefield in the endzone to snuff out the drive.

SWOSU then marched 79 plays after Webb’s interception and got to as far as the Ranger one-yard line. Two running plays netted nothing and Spenser Daniel came in and kicked clean a 18-yard field goal for the game’s first points. Daniel scored SWOSU’s first nine points kicking field goals of 18, 40 and 26 yards.

Both teams traded scores to begin the second half. Barefield scored on a 46-yard keeper to bring the Rangers to within 16-7 with 4:42 remaining in the third. SWOSU answered when Johnathan Haggerty got free on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Day to put the Bulldogs back ahead 22-7.

NWOSU had a chance late after Cotton Green scored on a three-yard pass from Barefield to cut SWOSU’s lead to 22-15 with 4:25 to play. The Rangers elected against the onside kick and sent the ball back to the Bulldogs the conventional way. The move backfired as Day found Sawyer for the seventh, and last, time of the game, this one a 61-yard strike over the middle that sealed the outcome.

SWOSU churned out 363 yards of total offense while limiting NWOSU to 290 yards. The Bulldogs forced three turnovers while only giving the ball back to the Rangers once.

Defensively, SWOSU was led by Jaron Burgess, a converted wide receiver from two years ago. Now as a linebacker, Burgess recorded 12 tackles, most on the team. Ruzell McCoy had nine tackles, including three which resulted in losses of 14 yards.

SWOSU will return to NCAA Division II play in its next game when it travels to play Eastern New Mexico University on Saturday, Sept. 6.