By OAKLEE FIELDER
Sports Editor
The Ranger football team lost to the Harding University Bison in the NWOSU home and season opener of the 2025 season.
The Rangers were the underdogs heading into the game, as they were ranked number twelve in the GAC preseason coaches poll. Harding, ranked number one in the poll, was expected to have an easy win.
The game started with the Rangers winning the coin toss and deciding to defend to start the first half.
The Rangers defense was able to make impressive stops, slowing the Bison’s offensive charge down the field. Unfortunately, it was only slowed and not stopped.
The Bison scored the first points in the game at the 10-minute mark of the first quarter.
The Rangers were unable to produce anything offensively all game, as they went through the first half with no points on the board.
Eventually, the Bison started scoring and couldn’t stop. They scored on every drive in the first half, ending it 35-0.
From the start of the game, it was apparent that the Ranger offense wouldn’t be able to do much against the Bison defense.
Every play the Rangers tried, the Bison seemed to be able to counter it. In the first half, the NWOSU offense did not cross the 50-yard line to enter the Harding side of the field.
The second half didn’t go much better for the Rangers. They received to start the third quarter, had three plays, and punted at the 23-yard line.
After a first and ten for Harding, there was a forced fumble caused by NWOSU Ranger Malik Young. It was picked up by Aiden Lewis, who ran eighty yards to the endzone to score the Rangers’ first touchdown of the year. After a point-after-touchdown attempt from Kale Purvis that was good, the Rangers were down 42-7.
In the fourth, the game slowed down. Only one more touchdown was scored by Harding.
There was a fumble from Harding recovered by Sam Mitchum to give the Rangers their final possession. Harding got the ball back, kneeled twice, and won the game 49-7.
The Rangers defense played an impressive game, stopping multiple drives from Harding and causing a forced fumble to score the first points of the game.
The Rangers’ next game is against the Arkansas Tech University Wonderboys. They will play at Arkansas Tech at 7 pm.