WEATHERFORD, Okla. – A multitude of miscues and turnovers early in the game put Southern Arkansas down 17-0 with 10:55 left in the second quarter, but a tremendously resilient defensive effort the remainder of the game kept the contest within reach and SAU went on to score 21 unanswered points to come-from-behind and upend Southwestern Oklahoma, 21-17, in the opening week of the 2016 season.
 
RECORDS
Southern Arkansas (1-0, 1-0 GAC) | Southwestern Oklahoma (0-1, 0-1 GAC)
 
SCORING PLAYS

• Southwestern Oklahoma 7, Southern Arkansas 0

1^st Q 12:08 | Garrett Luke 0-yard FUMBLE RECOVERY (PAT GOOD) | 6 plays, 39 yards, TOP 1:52

• Southwestern Oklahoma 14, Southern Arkansas 0

1^st Q 9:01 | D.J. Jones 86-yard PASS from Marc Evans (PAT GOOD) | 2 plays, 88 yards, TOP 0:46

• Southwestern Oklahoma 17, Southern Arkansas 0

2^nd Q 10:55 | Tyler Peterson 21-yard FIELD GOAL | 13 plays, 61 yards, TOP 5:05

• Southwestern Oklahoma 17, Southern Arkansas 7

2^nd Q 4:15 | Michael Nunnery 12-yard RUN (PAT GOOD) | 9 plays, 51 yards, TOP 4:24

• Southwestern Oklahoma 17, Southern Arkansas 14

3^rd Q 8:29 | Garrett Turnbull 12-yard PASS from Barrett Renner | 9 plays, 74 yards, TOP 3:41

• Southern Arkansas 21, Southwestern Oklahoma 17

4^th Q 7:06 | Karonce Higgins 26-yard PASS from Barrett Renner | 3 plays, 31 yards, TOP 1:16
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After six unsuccessful offensive possessions in which SAU turned the ball over four times and punted twice, the Muleriders took advantage of a short field following a punt and a 12-yard run by Michael Nunnery capped off a 9-play, 51-yard drive that put the first points of the 2016 season on the board for SAU with 4:15 left in the second quarter.

 

• From there, the Muleriders collectively settled in and the defense, in particular, sunk their teeth in as they did not allow the Bulldogs to score the rest of the game. In fact, the Muleriders' defense forced seven turnovers over the final two and a half quarters. Among those turnovers, SAU picked off a pair of passes, recovered a fumble, and stopped the Bulldogs on 4^th-Down four times.

 
TURNING POINT

• With 8:22 left in the fourth quarter, the Muleriders forced a three-and-out of the Bulldogs. On the ensuing punt SAU found themselves with great field position after an eight-yard shank punt gave the Muleriders the ball at the SWOSU 31-yardline

 

• After a pair of running plays with Dajunn Harris that made it 3^rd-and-5, the Muleriders caught the Bulldogs by complete surprise on a backside pass play that saw Karonce Higgins on the receiving end of a wide-open 26-yard touchdown pass from Barrett Renner.

 

• That TD pitch-and-catch from Renner to Higgins proved to be the game-winning score as the Muleriders' defense turned the Bulldogs over on their final two possessions of the game with the final TO being an interception by true freshman Lorenzo Watkins.

 
OF NOTE

• This was the sixth game all-time between SAU and SWOSU with the two teams having played nothing but close games. All six games have been decided by nine points or less with a combined margin of victory now standing at 24 points. SAU is now 5-1 all-time vs. SWOSU

 

• With the win in the season-opener, the Muleriders are now 4-1 in such games since the start of the 2012 season. It was also the Muleriders' third road game to open a season during that stretch and SAU is now 2-1

 
UP NEXT
The Muleriders will be at home next week and welcome in Northwestern Oklahoma on Family Day on the campus of Southern Arkansas. The game is scheduled to kick-off at 6 p.m. and it will be the first time that the Muleriders will play on the updated GeoSurfaces Turf and under the only LED-lit lights in the state of Arkansas.