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Southern Arkansas University Athletics

Official Athletics Site of the Southern Arkansas University Muleriders
Karonce Higgins vs. Arkansas Tech (8-30-18)
SAU Communications
36
Winner Southern Arkansas SAU 3-0 , 3-0
12
Southwestern Okla. SWOSU 1-2 , 1-2
Winner
Southern Arkansas SAU
3-0 , 3-0
36
Final
12
Southwestern Okla. SWOSU
1-2 , 1-2
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
SAU Southern Arkansas 0 7 14 15 36
SWOSU Southwestern Okla. 3 7 2 0 12

Game Recap: Football | | By: Jacob Pumphrey

Defense strong again, Higgins logs banner day receiving as #25/24 Muleriders surge past SWOSU, 36-12

WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The Southern Arkansas defense recorded a second half shutout and forced three turnovers for the third-consecutive game, while senior wide receiver Karonce Higgins registered just the fourth 200-yard receiving game in program history as the #25/24 Muleriders erased a halftime deficit to surge past Southwestern Oklahoma State 36-12 on Saturday night at ASAP Energy Field in Weatherford, Oklahoma.
 
RECORDS
#25/24 Southern Arkansas Muleriders (3-0, 3-0 GAC)
Southwestern Oklahoma State (1-2, 1-2 GAC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – First Half
  • Southwestern Oklahoma State used their opening drive of the game to cover 65 yards in 14 plays which resulted in a 27 yard field goal from the Bulldogs' Jackson Wilhite to cap the 6:15 offensive series.
  • The Muleriders' first possession almost mirrored that of SWOSU's as SAU needed 11 plays to move 67 yards in 5:23. However, a 22 yard field attempt from freshman Austin Wilkerson was pushed right and no good.
  • The Mulerider defense would force a quick three-and-out on the Bulldogs' next drive, but after Southern Arkansas turned it over on downs on their second drive of the contest, SWOSU started the ensuing drive at their own 44 yard line.
  • Southern Arkansas would continue to bend without breaking defensively as the Bulldogs moved into SAU territory inside the 35 yard line, before being turned away and forced to punt.
  • The Muleriders' lone scoring drive of the first half started at their own 13 yard line following the SWOSU punt.
  • A pair of big plays highlighted the 87 yard scoring march beginning first with sophomore running back Keiandre Purifoy carrying for 21 yards on the series' first play.
  • Five plays later and with the Muleriders facing a 3rd and 15 from their own 39 yard line, redshirt senior quarterback Barrett Renner hooked up with his favorite target in classmate Karonce Higgins for a 61 yard strike that saw Higgins fly by a defender along the home sideline to haul in the 101st touchdown pass of Renner's career.
  • SWOSU answered with another long drive that covered 63 yards, but ended without points as Wilhite failed to connect on a 25 yard field goal attempt that missed wide right on the same end that Wilkerson missed from in the first quarter.
  • Southern Arkansas would be unable to grab the momentum on their next offensive drive as they were forced to punt after just three plays.
  • Southwestern Oklahoma, however, would find the end zone and grab the lead before the break as Casey Freeman found a streaking JR Omigie for 35 yards and a score with just over 90 seconds to play in the first half.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – Second Half
  • After a second straight week with a slow start offensively, it did not get much better for the Southern Arkansas offense to begin the third quarter as a chop block penalty led to a stalled drive for the Muleriders in the first possession of the second half.
  • It would get worse before it got better for Southern Arkansas in the third quarter after the Mulerider defense forced a punt on SWOSU's first drive of the second half. Kane Bowen's punt traveled 48 yards and after hitting inside the five-yard line, bounced out inside the one.
  • The next SAU drive would end as soon as it started as junior Sir Charles Perkins was taken down immediately after receiving the handoff for a safety giving SWOSU a 12-7 and the momentum with 9:27 to play in the third quarter.
  • The Mulerider defense once again rose to the occasion as they forced a quick three-and-out to give the SAU offense the football back and it would be a plentiful drive for Southern Arkansas.
  • The Muleriders would cash in twice in the final 3:30 of the third quarter to claim the momentum on Saturday night as Purifoy rushed from two yards out to give Southern Arkansas its first lead. That score was set up by Higgins' 36 yard catch from Renner one play earlier.
  • It was as if the SAU defense just needed a lead, as the Muleriders forced a three-and-out to set the stage for an offensive drive that ended with Renner connecting with junior Dalton Wright for a 39-yard touchdown pass that increased the SAU lead to 21-12.
  • The fourth quarter was all Southern Arkansas as the Muleriders held the football for 10:40 racking up 160 yards of offense including Renner's second scoring strike to Higgins; this time from 29 yards out to push the lead to 17. That score came after a 40-yard kickoff return by junior Desmond Jones which followed a 12-yard sack-and-safety by senior defensive end DaVondrick Lison.
  • Additionally, SWOSU was backed up in their own end as a result of redshirt junior Jordan White's 63 yard punt that resulted in no return, while placing the football at the Bulldog 12 yard line.
  • The Mulerider defense would force a pair of turnovers in the final 6:40 of play; a forced fumble by sophomore Kobe McDonald which was recovered by redshirt junior LaMontrick Turner and an interception by sophomore defensive back Michael Newsome. Junior defensive back Lorenzo Watkins picked off a Freeman pass in the third quarter as well.
  • The exclamation point came on a 3rd and 18 for Southern Arkansas with Renner finding Jones for the score with 2:57 to play and giving the Muleriders a 36-12 lead.
 
TURNING POINT(s)
  • The turning point of SAU's win could easily be lost in the box score, but won't easily be forgotten. Facing a 3rd and 12 from their own 20 yard during their second drive of the second half while also trailing 12-7, Renner stepped up in the pocket and found redshirt senior wide receiver Kile Pletcher who, with a pair of defenders draped over his back, made a tremendous play on the football while going to the ground for 15 yards and new set of downs for the Muleriders. Six plays later, Southern Arkansas would take a lead that they would not relinquish.
 
OF NOTE
  • Renner's touchdown pass to Higgins moved the southpaw into second place all-time on the collegiate touchdown passing list in the state of Arkansas. Renner broke a tie with former Central Arkansas quarterback and current UCA head coach Nathan Brown. Renner is now 20 touchdown passes from tying Henderson State's Kevin Rodgers for the state's collegiate record.
  • Additionally, his 362 yards through the air give him 10,804 career passing yards which moves him into second all-time on the state of Arkansas's collegiate passing yards list as he moved past Brown and Arkansas State's Ryan Aplin.
  • The veteran quarterback completed 71% of his passes on Saturday night.
  • Higgins' two touchdowns receiving give him 25 for his career and bring him 11 scoring receptions away from tying Nik Lewis' program record. He currently has 2,257 yards receiving; 595 yards back of tying Lewis' program record in that category. Additionally, Higgins needs just 27 catches to break former teammate Jonathan Weisheit's career program record set last season (175).
  • Higgins finished a reception shy of tying the single-game program record of 14 set by Kenneth Brown twice during the 1986 season. The last Mulerider receiver with a dozen or more grabs in a game was Higgins against Ouachita last season. The Searcy, Arkansas native's 237 yards receiving on Saturday night is the second-most in school history and just ten yards shy of tying the single-game record set by Chris Terry at Southeastern Oklahoma in 2013. It is the most receiving yards for an SAU wide out in a game since current Tampa Bay Buccaneer Tanner Hudson's 166 yards last season against Ouachita.
  • Purifoy and Perkins carried the load on the ground as the duo combined for 27 carries and 124 yards with Purifoy finding the end zone.
  • Lison recorded a sack on the safety and it gives the fearsome defender 19.5 for his career; 5.5 sacks away from matching David Sanders' career program best total of 25.0.
  • Watkins and senior Anthony Washington each finished with six tackles with the latter recording 3.5 tackles for loss totaling 13 yards. Redshirt junior Stacy Lawrence and sophomore Antonio Washington chipped in with five stops apiece with the younger Washington brother adding 1.5 tackles for loss. Lawrence broke up four passes.
  • SAU recorded 8 tackles for loss and forced three turnovers with all three coming in the second half. The Mulerider defense has recorded three turnovers in all three games this season.
  • White punted four times for 167 yards at an average of 41.8 yards per punt with two landing inside the twenty. Jones averaged 33 yards per kickoff return in two attempts.
  • Southern Arkansas is 3-0 to start a season for the first time since 2012 when that year's team started 4-0, finished 8-3, and lost a 36-35 thriller to a Hal Mumme-led McMurry University in the C.H.A.M.P.S Heart of Texas Bowl.
 
UP NEXT
Southern Arkansas returns home to Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field for a September 22 matchup with Northwestern Oklahoma State. It will be Family Day on the SAU campus and kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Live coverage links available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
 
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