WEATHERFORD, Oklahoma – A final shot to the endzone from
Jordan Walker to
Carter McElhany led to a 42-38 road win for the Ouachita football team on Saturday over Southwestern Oklahoma State.
Down 38-35 and facing a fourth down and 19 at midfield with just under 90 seconds remaining, Walker stepped up in the pocket and delivered a strike down the left hash to find McElhany in stride at the 10-yard line. McElhany's momentum carried him the rest of the way to put the Tigers (7-3) on top.
It was the final blow of a shootout that featured a combined 42 points in the first quarter. SWOSU (5-5) scored the only points of the second quarter to take a 28-21 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The second half was more of a defensive battle with the Tigers evening up the score with just under four minutes remaining in the frame on a nine-yard touchdown run from
Lyric Tredwell. Ouachita regained the lead with 9:03 left in the fourth on a one-yard touchdown run by
Chris Henley, Jr.
After being held scoreless in the third quarter, SWOSU got back on the board with a field goal at the 7:41 mark to make it 35-31 in Ouachita's favor. The Bulldogs regained the lead with just under three minutes remaining on a two-yard touchdown run by quarterback MJ Rivers. That set up the final drive for the Tigers, which also included a 27-yard pass and catch from Walker to Henley.
The Tiger defense came up big on SWOSU's final drive, getting two sacks from
Jaxson Carter and another hit on the Bulldog quarterback by
Cortavion McMillan to break up a pass on a fourth down conversion attempt.
Ouachita was dominant in the first five minutes of the game, scoring on the opening drive on a five-yard run by quarterback
Tre Nichols, forcing a three-and-out on SWOSU's first drive, and then scoring one minute later on a one-yard rush from Henley.
SWOSU came back with two quick scores of its own to even up the game at 14-14 at the 5:58 mark of the opening frame.
Henley found the end zone again at the 3:41 mark of the first quarter again on a one-yard rush, this time to put the Tigers up 21-14. SWOSU capped the opening-quarter scoring frenzy with a 51-yard touchdown pass just over a minute later to knot the game at 21-all. Rivers scored on a one-yard touchdown run at the 8:07 mark of the second quarter to put his team up 28-21, which held for the remainder of the first half.
SWOSU ended up with the edge in total offense 449-426. Henley finished with 71 rushing yards and three scores to go along with two receptions for 30 yards. Nichols was limited to just 70 yards passing on six completions, but the true freshman found success on the ground with 150 yards on 15 carries.
Jaxson Carter made his case for Great American Conference Defensive Player of the Week with a final tally of nine tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, and one forced fumble.
Jabarii Pharms and
Justin Crutchmer each added eight tackles.
Steven Weston had three pass breakups and recorded his team-high third interception of the season.
The Tigers extend their current winning streak to six with Saturday's victory over the Bulldogs. It also secures Ouachita's ninth straight win over SWOSU and gives the program at least seven wins in a season for the 31st time in program history.
The Tigers now turn their attention to Henderson State and the 98th Battle of the Ravine, which is set for next Saturday, November 15. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Cliff Harris Stadium.
