BETHANY, Okla. - It was one of the wildest games to date this season in the Great American Conference as Northwestern Oklahoma State and Southern Nazarene faced off in Bethany, Okla. for a thrilling game that ended with the Crimson Storm on top of the Rangers, 44-37.

The rushing game was the big factor for the Rangers on the afternoon where the visitors racked up 224 yards on the ground, with Anthony Cota leading the way with 90 yards and a score. Jake McClurg and Jacob Peyton made up the bulk of the rest of the rushing attack totaling yards of 60 and 54 respectively with three TD's between them.

McClurg also threw for 207 yards and a TD this afternoon with the lone passing touchdown going to Gavin Garner.

On the defensive side of the ball, Maurice Wright Jr. led the way for the Black-and-Red with nine total tackles one of which was for a loss of two yards.

For the first time in history and 15 tries, the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm football team finished a game in victory against the Rangers on the field. Northwestern did however forfeit the game back in 2006 to the Storm, making it their only win over the Black-and-Red until today.

The scoring started pretty early this afternoon as on their very first drive of the game, the Crimson Storm took the ball to the promised land in just six plays, making it a 7-0 lead.

The one TD would be the only points either team could muster in the first 15 minutes of play however.

Before Northwestern could put any points on the board, the Storm notched a field goal, making it a 10-point advantage, but the lead was quickly cut to three on a six yard pass from Jake McClurg to Gavin Garner in the corner of the endzone.

The MO all night for the hosts however; was that they were able to make something happen every time the Rangers made a move and after the six-yard TD pass, the Crimson Storm ran it for the score from 38 yards out to push it to 17-7.

The final score before the half came by way of SNU also as they took a big 23-7 advantage into the break on an eight-yard scamper by Quarterback Jacob Spady.

Coming out of halftime, the home team came out of the locker room hot for the second time, making it an early 30-7 lead, but the Rangers were also a little different following the halftime adjustments.

On their very next possession, Northwestern took it back to a 16-point game on a two-yard rush by McClurg and the extra point by Zave Goodrich.

Remaining on the gas pedal, SNU marched the ball right back down the field, 61 yards on seven plays and posted seven more on the board following a 22-yard rush by Nate Walker who had two TD's on the day.

Not willing to go down without a fight, Northwestern was once again on the attack and made it a manageable game again after a successful 11 play drive that ended with Cota toting the rock across the goal line.

The TD by Cota ended the scoring in the third period and it only got more interesting from there.

With 14 minutes and change to play in Q4, the Rangers finally got the best of Spady, as Dakota Driskill intercepted his pass at the Southern Nazarene 35 where the visitors started with excellent field position.

Just two plays later following a McClurg pass to Horatio Smith for 28 yards, Peyton rushed it into the endzone from seven yards out. Being down 16, coach Walter elected to go for two and the try was successful as McClurg hit his target, Baley Garza for the 2-point conversion, making it an eight-point game.

Perhaps the biggest momentum swing happened at the beginning of the ensuing kickoff where Steven Gordon of SNU was forced into a fumble by Sid Irwin Jr. and the ball was recovered by Northwestern's Cam White at the 22-yard line.

The Rangers didn't waste any time again getting back into the endzone for the second time in just 1:10 on a 10-yard scamper by McClurg.

For the second straight time the Black-and-Red converted on a 2-point conversion, tying the game up at 37 all after being down 23 at the beginning of the third quarter.

The miraculous comeback was thwarted immediately however as the Crimson Storm return man, Jakel Davis took Lesnick's kickoff 93 yards back the other way and into the endzone for the go-ahead and eventual winning score.

The Rangers had one more solid chance to make something happen, getting all the way down to the 22 yard line and on fourth down looked to pass, but the ball was dropped, resulting in a turnover on downs and the eventual demise of the visiting team, 44-37.

UP NEXT
Northwestern will return home to Ranger Field for the final two games of the year where they will play host to Oklahoma Baptist on November 4 and then Southwestern on November 11 for Senior Night.