ALVA, Okla. -- Northwestern Oklahoma State bottled up the nation's top offense, but eighth-ranked Henderson State used timely plays from its defense and special teams to close out a 42-0 win Saturday afternoon at Ranger Field.
HSU came in averaging 66 points and 697 yards per game offensively but generated just three touchdowns. The Rangers came away with three interceptions against All-American quarterback Kevin Rodgers - NCAA Division II's top passer and reigning National Player of the Week - and held him to a season-low 181 passing yards.
"Our game plan going in was to try and give him some looks that he hadn't seen before," said Northwestern head coach Alan Hall. "Our rally point was, let's not give up the great big play. Make them throw the ball underneath and try to make some tackles."
HSU (5-0, 4-0 Great American Conference) scored half of its points on three key plays. The Reddies blocked a 43-yard Kevin Ditch field goal attempt midway through the first quarter, and Chris King raced 70 yards the other way for a 14-0 lead.
Tim Llewellyn intercepted a Reid Miller pass at the Ranger 25 and returned it for a score with 3:09 to go in the first half to make it a 35-0 lead.
Northwestern shut out the HSU offense in the second half but surrendered one final score on another pick-six. Zack Richardson did the honors this time, running one back for 36-yards.
The Rangers' best chance came on a fourth quarter drive that gave them third-and-goal from the HSU-5. L.T. Pfaff relieved Miller at quarterback with just over 12 minutes to play and led a 12-play, 75 yard march. He took three shots at the endzone from the 5, but the Rangers couldn't convert, instead turning the ball over on downs.
Derrick Thompson led the Rangers with a career-high 14 tackles. That's the most by any Northwestern defender in two seasons under defensive coordinator John Falvey. Alex Hemberger (11 tackles) and Kollin Retter (10) also finished with double-digit totals.
Retter had two of the three Ranger interceptions. Hemberger had the other.
Miller completed 8-of-19 passes for just 42 yards, while tossing a pair of interceptions. Pfaff went 3-for-8 for 36 yards.
Javari Liggins carried 13 times for 24 yards. Northwestern managed 51 yards and averaged 1.9 yards per carry against an HSU unit that came in ranked third nationally in rushing defense.
Mervin Stewart and Liggins each had three catches to go with two more from Montrell Logan.
"This team that we played today is the eighth-ranked team in the country, but they didn't get this way overnight," Hall said."That's where we're trying to get to. So we'll continue to grow day and in and day out, and we're going to get there eventually."
Northwestern drops to 0-5 for the second-straight year but only the fifth time in school history. The 2012 group rebounded to win their last four games.
The Rangers will look to rebound beginning next Saturday at Ouachita Baptist. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
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