MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Behind an overall dominant effort defensively spurred by the performance of junior Dawson Scott, three rushing touchdowns from senior quarterback OB Jones and pair of 40+ yard field goals from the right leg of redshirt freshman Hayden Nitz, (RV) Southern Arkansas handled Southeastern Oklahoma 34-19 in Great American Conference Week 1 action on Thursday night in front of a buzzing crowd from inside Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field.
The Muleriders, under second-year head coach Brad Smiley, employed a stifling attack on the defensive side of the football holding the Savage Storm to just 49 yards rushing on 28 attempts (1.8 yards per rush), sacking SOSU quarterback Bryce Fields five times and forcing an early fumble recovery, while also grabbing a pair of interceptions.
Scott, a rush end from Mexia, Texas, led the defensive charge recording eight total tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss (14 yards) including 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery which came on the game's second play from scrimmage after junior defensive back Melvin Smith Jr. laid a thunderous hit on Fields who was scrambling near the Savage Storm sideline.
That turnover would lead to an 11-play drive, SAU's first of the season, that stalled at the SOSU10 and resulted in the Savage Storm blocking a 27-yard field goal attempt, the first of Nitz's young career, from the left hash. However, despite momentum created by the special teams play, Southeastern Oklahoma would be turned away via three and out which set the stage for the Muleriders' opening scoring drive of the night.
On the tenth play of the drive with the Muleriders having already drove 40 yards and facing a 4th and goal from the one, Jones punched in his first of three scoring runs on the ground and Nitz's first career extra point gave the Muleriders a 7-0 advantage with 4:01 to play in the first quarter.
The Savage Storm answered as the third play of the drive resulted in Fields connecting with All-American Marquis Gray for a 62-yard touchdown with 2:32 remaining before the first quarter break. In the final twenty seconds of the quarter, the Mulerider pass rush again impacted as Fields attempted to scramble away from a pursing Scott only to toss an interception to grad transfer Steven Adair, who was making his Mulerider debut, as Fields was falling to the ground as a result of Scott's contact.
Southern Arkansas took advantage of the turnover as Jones again capped a scoring drive with a one-yard plunge on fourth and goal from the one. Nitz's extra point pushed SAU up 14-7, but it was the placekicker's next kick that resulted in something a Mulerider hasn't done in twenty years.
Zay Woods jumped a sideline attempt from Fields and intercepted the third-down pass at the SOSU 34 yard line to set up the Muleriders inside the Savage Storm 35 leading by seven. A short rush and two incompletions led to Nitz lining up for a 49-yard attempt from the right hash which he drilled to give SAU a two-possession lead with 10:14 prior to the half.
The make was the longest by a Mulerider placekicker since Thomas LaToof nailed a 51-yarder on October 18, 2003 at Delta State. It was the longest field goal by a Mulerider at Wilkins Stadium since Jason Williams hit a 49-yard field goal on August 29, 1999 against Southeastern Oklahoma State in the first Division II matchup between the programs.
Southeastern Oklahoma used the final ten-plus minutes of the half to produce an 80-yard scoring drive, but a missed extra point allowed a 41-yard field goal by Dylan Cox to draw the Savage Storm to within a point of the lead with 18 seconds before the intermission.
Out of the halftime break, the Muleriders needed just over three minutes to increase their lead as a 75-yard drive, highlighted by a 60-yard scamper from Jones on 3rd and 2, was completed with Jones threading the needle to DJ Wagoner who made a nice catch along the side of the southeast endzone for a ten-yard scoring strike and an eight-point lead at 24-16 following Nitz's extra point.
Nitz would knock in a second attempt from 40+ at the 11:01 mark of the fourth quarter in response to Cox's make from 37 yards that momentarily brought the SOSU deficit to one possession at 24-19. With just under seven minutes to play, it was again Jones, this time from two-yards out to put what would be the finishing touches on the night as the four-play, 39-yard drive put SAU up 34-19.
That Mulerider scoring drive was set up by arguably the biggest play of the game as Elvin Calhoun and Hosea Singleton along with several other Mulerider defenders stuffed Nate Omayebu's 4th and 1 carry from the SOSU39 to give the Muleriders the football and a chance to build its lead to two touchdowns. Prior to what would be SOSU's final drive of the night, Andrew Schreiner (44.2 avg.) legged a 51-yard punt to flip the field and pin the Savage Storm inside their own 15 yard line, down 15 with less than three minutes to play.
Jones finished 19-for-26 for 117 yards and the scoring toss to Wagoner. Wagoner hauled in four passes for 32 yards. Cole Williams led with seven catches for 45 yards, while D'evin McDonald brought in a 30-yard pass as part of a two-catch night. Jones finished with 95 yards rushing on 19 carries at five yards a carry. Jariq Scales totaled 79 yards at 6.1 yards per carry.
Singleton, Woods, Consonery and Adair all registered four tackles to follow Scott's performance. In their Mulerider debuts, Singleton and Consonery each broke up a pass, while Adair grabbed the aforementioned pick. Deonta Barnes registered three tackles and two QB hurries in his first game in the Blue and Gold.
Southern Arkansas totaled 358 yards on 82 plays; 26 more than Southeastern Oklahoma which managed just 260 total yards. SAU controlled the football for nearly 34 minutes and grinded through ten penalties a season opener for the eighth time in the past nine seasons and for the ninth time in 11 GAC seasons. It was the 24th victory all-time for the Muleriders against the Savage Storm and it marked the sixth win in August and 12th victory on a Thursday since its first NCAA season of 1995.
Southern Arkansas heads to the Sooner State for the first of three trips west this regular season. The Muleriders meet East Central in Ada as the only Thursday night contest on the GAC slate in Week 2. The Tigers dropped their opener 41-13 on the road at Henderson State. Kickoff from Koi Ishto Stadium on September 7 is set for 6 p.m. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
