SHAWNEE, Okla. - The Northwestern Oklahoma State football team fell to Oklahoma Baptist, 16-8, on Saturday night.

The game was a tale of two halves, as the Bison jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first half, while the Rangers battled back in the second half with a grueling, 18-play, nine-minute drive in the third quarter where the Rangers turned it over on downs at the Bison 1-yard line.

The Bison struck again to take a 16-0 lead midway through the fourth quarter, but the Rangers responded with the first offensive touchdown of the season when Caleb Deal connected with Isaiah Taylor on a 2-yard pass to cut the deficit to 10. The Rangers went for and converted the 2-point try to bring the game back to one possession, but the ensuing onside kick landed in the arms of Oklahoma Baptist, and the Bison ran out the final 2:30 of the game to drop the Rangers to 0-3 on the season.

Caleb Deal finished as the leading passer and rusher for the Rangers, as he threw for 158 yards and a touchdown on 18-31 passing, and ran for 57 yards on 19 carries. Ivory Wilright finished as the leading receiver with five catches for 39 yards. On the defensive side, Cade Reynolds led the way with 11 total tackles, including two tackles for loss.

The Rangers will head back to Ranger Field for a matchup with East Central on Sept. 27th at 6 p.m.

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