DURANT, Okla. – Offensive struggles plagued the Northwestern Oklahoma State University football team Saturday afternoon as the Rangers fell 37-9 at the hands of Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant.
Northwestern's record dropped to 1-4 this season, while Southeastern improved to 3-2. The Rangers return home for the first of back-to-back home games as they host East Central at 4 p.m. for the annual Homecoming game.
Horatio Smith had the biggest highlight of the game for Northwestern when he took a kickoff return 85-yards to the house in the fourth quarter. It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown for the Rangers since Jarion Tudman did so against Southern Arkansas in 2006.
Dakota Driskill was the leading tackler for the Rangers with 12 total tackles, eight solo of the solo variety, and Maurice Wright Jr. was credited with 10 tackles, six solo.
Northwestern's defense was able to force two Savage Storm turnovers in the first half, including a Trey Merritt interception on the first SOSU drive of the game. Merritt finished the game with seven tackles.
However, the first half was all Southeastern as they put up 27-points on the scoreboard in the first 30 minutes of action to go into the break leading 27-0.
One bright spot for the Ranger offense in the first half was the play of running back as freshman Tyson Gatewood rushed for 48 yards before halftime. He finished the game with a team high 84 yards, and fellow freshman Calion Baker tallied 26 yards on the ground.
Tyler Beasley saw his first career action when he entered the game late in the first quarter. He finished the contest three-for-eight passing. Gavin Garner had a team high 17 yards receiving and Myles Mitchusson totaled caught three balls for 10 yards.
In the second half, the Rangers came out with some fire in the third quarter with the defense forcing the Savage Storm to punt in their first two possessions. On the second Southeastern possession of the third, the Savage Storm was forced to start the drive on their own four-yard line due to a perfectly place punt by Blake Humble.
The poor field position created from Humble's punt gave the Rangers excellent field position when Northwestern got the ball back. NWOSU turned the opportunity into three points on a 37-yard field goal off the foot of Zave Goodrich to make it a 27-3 ballgame.
Goodrich is two-for-two this season in field goals made.
Southeastern tacked on a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter and a field goal late in the quarter to extend its lead to 37-3.
The Savage Storm collected 388 yards of total offense in the game, led by quarterback Rollin Kinsual with 195 yards passing and Jaylen Sims with 114 yards on the ground.
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