BETHANY, Okla. – The Southern Arkansas football team was able to overcome a slow start against Southern Nazarene University on the road on Saturday afternoon as the Muleriders eventually went on to cruise past the Crimson Storm by a score of 55-20.
 
Over half of the Muleriders' (3-2, 3-2 GAC) total points would come in the fourth quarter alone as SAU found the endzone five times in the final frame. Three of those touchdowns were monster plays that went for at least 49 yards each.
 
The first of those lengthy touchdown scores was a 49-yard catch and run by Michael Nunnery from quarterback Barrett Renner, while the second was a 49-yard rushing burst up the middle by William McKnight. The final big play tally for the Muleriders in that fourth quarter was a 54-yard scoop-and-score by Kendrix McCann following a sack fumble caused by Davondrick Lison.
 
Before the scoring eruption by the Muleriders in the fourth quarter, SAU was locked in a dog fight with the Crimson Storm, who came into the game looking to pick up their first win since the final week of the 2012 season, a string of 26 straight losses.
 
The Crimson Storm would take the opening possession of the game and marched 52 yards down the field before settling for a 40-yard field goal from Carlos Anguiano to put SNU up 3-0 early in the game. That 3-0 lead was the first lead of any margin for the Crimson Storm in the series history against Southern Arkansas, which now sits at four games.
 
On the ensuing possession, the Muleriders would take it 72 yards down the field for their first score of the game, a seven-yard rush by Deandre Jenkins, but a missed extra point made it a 6-3 game. On SNU's next possession, the Crimson Storm would run the ball deep into Mulerider territory before settling for a game-tying field goal of 22 yards.
 
Stoned at a six-all tie, the Muleriders would finally jump back on top near the end of the first half as McKnight scored from 32 yards out to give SAU a 13-6 lead into the break.
 
Offense on both sides would remain sluggish as the Muleriders' first two possessions ended in turnovers, one on downs and the other on a lost fumble. For Southern Nazarene, a pair of punts on their first two drives kept it a one-score game, 13-6.
 
With 5:34 remaining in the third quarter, however, the Muleriders would find the endzone on a five-yard bootleg rush by Renner to extend their lead out to 20-6.
 
A lost fumble by the Muleriders in the first minute of the fourth quarter gave the SNU new life and the Crimson Storm quickly marched the ball into the redzone before the drive stalled at the SAU 18 yard line. Electing to kick their third field goal of the game, SNU's Anguiano booted it through the uprights that would have made it a 20-9 game, but a holding penalty against SNU pushed them back 10 yards to the SAU 28. Following the penalty, SNU chose to forego to the field goal and went for it on fourth down. On that fourth down play, QB James Mauro looked for the endzone, but was picked off by Darren Crawford at the SNU 2-yard line.
 
The Muleriders then promptly went 98 yards on just four plays to make it a 27-6 score. The score on that drive was the 49-yard TD pass from Renner to Nunnery.
 
A seven-play, 81-yard touchdown drive by the Crimson Storm on their ensuing possession kept the game close, 27-13, but a pair of McKnight rushing TDs on consecutive possessions and the scoop-and-score from McCann put the game on ice for the Muleriders, but SAU would tally one final touchdown with 31 seconds left as redshirt freshman Demario Hayes scored his first career touchdown on a four-yard plunge up the middle.
 
As a team, the Muleriders would total 571 yards, making it the fourth game out of five this season that SAU has eclipsed 500 yards of total offense. A majority of those yards came through the air as Renner threw for 354 yards on 23-of-35 passing with one touchdown. On the ground, SAU ran for 217 net yards and six TDs with 95 of those yards and three TDs coming from McKnight.
 
Defensively, the Muleriders were led in tackles by Malik Preston with 10 stops. McCann, from his defensive end position registered six tackles, 1.0 sacks, and the fumble recovery. Opposite of McCann on the line was Davondrick Lison, who returned to action after missing last week, and Lison made his presence known with a pair of forced fumbles and 1.0 sacks.
 
The Muleriders will now return home for the 100th Homecoming Football Game at SAU as they will play host to GAC-newcomer Oklahoma Baptist University on Saturday, October 10. That day is also Hall of Fame Day at SAU as nine new members will be inducted into the SAU Sports Hall of Fame at halftime. Kick-off for the contest is set for 2:30 p.m. at Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field.