Arkadelphia, Ark.-It took Southern Arkansas University four overtimes to squeak past the inspired Ouachita Baptist University Tigers here today before the Muleriders managed to win 50-47. Trailing 31-10 in the third quarter, OBU feasted on SAU turnovers to tie the game. ‘Rider kicker Thomas LaToof could have ended it in regulation but missed a 32-yard field goal to bring on overtime. In the fourth overtime, SAU running back Torrence Jones scored from the one to end the marathon 50-47.
The hard-earned win by the favored ‘Riders improved their overall record to 6-2 and their Gulf South Conference record to 5-1. The inspired Tigers fell to 3-4 overall and to 3-3 in conference play.
It was SAU’s third overtime game since joining the GSC in 1995 and was the first time for them to win. In previous extra periods, both in 1999, the ‘Riders were stunned in overtime by underdog Arkansas-Monticello in 1999 23-20, which cost SAU a conference championship (later forfeited by UAM for use of ineligible players) and SAU fell to Arkansas Tech in the last game of the season 20-17 in the GSC championship game. The two three-point overtime losses denied SAU a perfect season.
In the first overtime, SAU running back Rodney Hill scored from the 11 and LaToof added the conversion, 38-31. OBU completed a fourth and 11 pass to set up tailback Montoya Brown’s three-yard touchdown run and Jack Byrd added the PAT, 38-38.
In the second OT, OBU went first and on second down, SAU cornerback Carl Bucknor intercepted Tiger quarterback Tyler Washburn’s pass and all the ‘Riders had to do was either score or kick a field goal. On fourth and one at the 16, LaToof’s kick was partially blocked, leaving it 38-38 and bringing on the third overtime.
OBU drew pass interference on a first down pass from quarterback Damian Melancon to wide receiver Nik Lewis and Jones scored from the 10 the next play. From the third overtime on, each team must go for a two-point conversion if they score. Melancon’s pass was incomplete, leaving it SAU 44-OBU 38.
The Tigers took it to the one in six plays where Washburn sneaked over to tie it. He tried to keep for the conversion but was stopped, leaving it 44-44.
OBU went first in the fourth extra period and on fourth and three at the 18, got a 35-yard field goal by Byrd to take their first lead of the game, 47-44, and put pressure on SAU of having to either score a touchdown or tie it with a field goal.
On first down, Melancon fired a pass to Lewis for 23 yards to the two. Two carries by Jones stuck it in the end zone to finish it 50-47.
The only score in the first quarter was on a 37-yard LaToof field goal that put SAU ahead 3-0. The field goal was set up by a fumble by Brown when tackled by SAU linebacker Keenan Washington and recovered by strong safety Brian Davis on the SAU 40.
SAU made it 10-0 when Melancon passed complete for a 31-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Edwin Skipper and LaToof converted, 10:42 left in the second quarter. OBU got their first score on Byrd’s 22-yard field goal with 6:51 left in the half, 10-3.
The ‘Riders beat the halftime clock by driving 80 yards, most of the yardage on Melancon to Lewis passes. The touchdown was on a 19-yard pass from Melancon to Lewis with only 11 seconds left in the half. LaToof’s toe put SAU up 24-10 at the half.
SAU scored in a minute and 32 seconds to open the second half on a 41-yard touchdown strike from Melancon to Lewis and LaToof’s kick made it 31-10. OBU began their comeback when quarterback Chris Lammers passed for 12 yards and a touchdown to wide receiver Tommy Potts and Byrd’s kick closed it to 31-17, 5:53 left in the third quarter. The drive covered only 29 yards after Melancon was sacked attempting to pass and fumbled to OBU linebacker Andrew Westfall.
The Tigers then gained momentum by 43 driving yards following a short punt and the return. Freshman tailback Josh Holcomb scored from the four and Byrd’s PAT closed the margin to 31-24, 5:51 left in the game. The Tigers were in a frenzy moments later when Hill fumbled the kickoff on the SAU 31 and OBU cornerback Sam Porter recovered. Washburn converted a fourth down and four at the 12 to keep the drive alive on an 11-yard pass and sneaked over from the one. Byrd’s kick evened it, with 2:13 left.
Fighting the clock, SAU drove to the Tiger 15 where LaToof missed the field goal that would have won it in regulation.
In team statistics, SAU had 25 first downs, OBU 22; SAU had 191 yards rushing and OBU 196; SAU passed for 290 yards and OBU 203; SAU had 481 yards total offense and OBU 399; SAU had six fumbles with three lost and OBU fumbled three times and lost one; SAU had one pass intercepted and OBU two; SAU had six penalties for 41 yards and OBU five for 55; SAU punted four times for a 36.2 average and OBU three times for a 27-yard average; and SAU had a 26:13 possession time to 33:47 for OBU.
Individually, Melancon, a red-shirt freshman filling in for the injured Ted Williams, had 109 yards rushing on 23 attempts and completed 16 of 22 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns with one interception. Lewis caught eight passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns.
For OBU, Brown rushed for 121 yards on 26 carries and a touchdown and Washburn was seven of 19 pass attempts for 64 yards and had two intercepted while Lammers was eight of 14 for 139 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Bucknor, Washington and cornerback Charles Rollins had 11 tackles each and Davis had 10 for the ‘Riders. Bucknor and Rollins had tackles for losses, Washington a forced fumble, Davis a fumble recovery returned seven yards, Bucknor
an interception, along with linebacker DeVares Campbell, and Bucknor had two passes deflected, Rollins three and Campbell one.
For the Tigers, safety D’Morea Hadnot had 11 tackles, an interception returned two yards and a pass deflected. End Maurice Doaty had nine tackles, including three for 17 yards in losses, a fumble forced and a sack for minus nine yards.
The win gives SAU a 29-28-2 advantage in the series. The ‘Riders meet Arkansas-Monticello here next Saturday at 2 p.m.