ADA, Okla. – The Southern Arkansas football team got off to a quick start on the road against East Central University on Saturday evening at Norris Field, but ECU would surge back into the game, eventually out-scoring SAU by a score of 47-40.
 
The Muleriders (1-1, 1-1 GAC) got off to their quick start offensively after the defense forced a turnover on East Central's first possession of the game as A.J, Steele picked off ECU's Spencer Bond at the ECU 27-yard line. On the ensuing possession, the Muleriders would rush the ball seven times before Deandre Jenkins scored from six-yards out.
 
On their very next possession, SAU would go up 14-0 as they marched down the field 93 yards on 12 plays for a score. That lengthy drive chewed up nearly five minutes off the first quarter clock and ended with a 28-yard TD pass from Si Blackshire to Tevin McDonald.
 
After forcing the Tigers (2-0, 2-0 GAC) to punt on their next possession, the Muleriders got the ball back with 1:23 left in the first quarter. That drive would carry over into the second quarter as the Muleriders scored once more, this time on an 8-yard wide receiver sweep by Zikerious Ware. The ensuing extra point would push right and was no good, making it 20-0 SAU.
 
On ECU's ensuing possession, the Tigers would elect to go with a no-huddle offense and it proved to be effective as they moved the ball down the field en route to putting up their first points of the game on a 10-yard TD pass from Bond to David Moore. That ECU drive would cover 69 yards on 11 plays in 2:33.
 
Prior to that, the Mulerider defense was in total control as they held ECU to -3 yards of total offense on nine plays.
 
After a SAU punt pinned ECU at their own 11-yard line, the Tigers would quickly put another score as Bond broke an 80-yard rush for a touchdown, making it 20-14 SAU.
 
The Muleriders would respond with a lengthy five-minute drive that ended with a TD pass from Blackshire to Tanner Hudson with just 44 seconds before halftime. The momentum for SAU on that score did not last long, however as their extra point was blocked and returned by ECU's Quiman Black 98 yards for a two-point defensive PAT, making it 26-16 SAU.
 
Starting a drive on their own 34-yardline with just 40 seconds left before the half, ECU would work their way into field goal range and kick a 45-yard field goal with time expiring in the half to make it a seven-point SAU lead, 26-19.
 
With just over 11 minutes left in the third quarter, ECU's Bond knotted the score up at 26-all as he raced in from eight-yards out. That would be the lone score in the third quarter.
 
Heading into the fourth quarter and tied at 26-all, SAU and ECU would trade scores to make a tie game at 33-all. After ECU grabbed their first lead of the game with 10:51 left in the fourth quarter, SAU answered back on their first play from scrimmage on their ensuing possession as Johnson turned a short route into a 65-yard touchdown after he broke several arm tackles.
 
The Mulerider defense would then go out and force a big turnover on downs, giving the Muleriders the ball at their own 36-yardline with 9:24 left.
 
A methodical drive then ensued as the Muleriders picked up three first downs on the drive, bringing the ball inside the redzone with just over five minutes left. Unfortunately, the Tigers would force an SAU fumble at the ECU 18-yardline, giving them the ball back with 4:35 left in the game.
 
Despite the turnover, the SAU defense held strong and forced ECU to punt the ball away with 2:58 left to play. The Muleriders would start that next offensive possession at their own 18-yardline. A two-yard rush by Blackshire on first down would be the only yards the Muleriders would gain on the drive as consecutive incomplete passes forced SAU to punt with just 37 seconds running off the clock.
 
Starting with the ball on their own 42-yardline, ECU worked the ball into Mulerider territory, but were faced with a third and 10 from the SAU 28-yard line. A 24-yard pass conversion brought the ball to the SAU 4-yardline. On the next play, ECU's Bond would fake a hand off and roll to his right for the go-ahead score.
 
SAU would get the ball back with 44 seconds left, but a well-covered kickoff pinned SAU at their own 13-yardline. After a pair of contested incompletions, ECU intercepted Blackshire at the SAU 35-yardline to seal the game.
 
The Muleriders will remain on the road for their next game as they travel to Weatherford, Okla. to take on Southwestern Oklahoma. That game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, September 20 at Fast Lane Field.