by Ashley Watts, Sports Editor
Northwestern Oklahoma State University football team lost to No. 14 Harding last Saturday during the Homecoming game, 47-13.
NWOSU’s record dropped to 2-6 on the season, while Harding moved to a 6-1 record in the Great American Conference.
On the defensive side of the ball, senior Maurice Wright Jr. led the Rangers with 25 tackles.
Up next for the Rangers in tackles, was redshirt sophomore Nehemiah Lewis had 12 tackles for the game.
Marcus Brent and Juan Licea also came in with a total of 10 tackles each.
Brian Holiday, Lewis and Brent also each had a tackle that was a loss of yards for the Bison.
To go with his 25 tackles Wright also forced two fumbles, with Alejandro Aaron recovering one.
This was the lone turnover that the Bison had throughout the whole game.
The Rangers offense surpassed the season average yards given up by the Bison. Harding has one for the top defenses in the GAC conference.
Northwestern collected 308 yards on offense, which included 207 yards through the air and 101 yards on the ground. Harding was only allowing 231.6 yards per game in total defense, 155.9 yards a contest in pass defense and 75.7 yards rushing per game.
Harding scored the first touchdown of the game, but Aharon Barnes blocked the PAT attempt.
Northwestern then got on the board late in the first quarter when Torrence Stevens found Kentrez Bell on a trick play deep over the middle for a 68-yard connection.
Bell was unfortunately ran down and tackled at the one-yard line. NWOSU was unable to score a touchdown, but Conner O’Neal made a field goal from 21-yards.
NWOSU would end the half scoring on back-to-back drives.
The first one was when Trent Easly found a wide open Bell for a 25-yard touchdown. The second score on the back-to-back drives came when O’Neal hit another field goal as time expired in the first half.
Easly finished the game with 9-of-26 passing for 139 yards and a sol touchdown, while Stevens was 1 for 1 for a total of 68 yards.
Bell led the Rangers with four catches for 108 yards, while Garner and Stevens each had a pair of catches.
Rapheal Edwards Jr. had one catch for 20 yards. Jacob Peyton was agina the leading rusher for the Rangers with 107 yards on 12 carries.
The road team came out of the half and did not surrender another score, while also collecting three touchdowns and two field goals in the later half.
Chancey was the leading rusher for the Bison with 206 yards, including a 45 yard run, with two touchdowns.
As a team Harding collected 413 yards on the ground and Preston Paden was 1-2 throwing with 56 yards.
The NWOSU Rangers return home next Saturday afternoon to take on Oklahoma Baptist.