ARKADELPHIA – The 19th-ranked Ouachita Baptist University football team had only 20 minutes of possession, but managed to knock off Southwestern Oklahoma State 42-3 on Thursday night at home in the 2024 season opener.
The victory extends Ouachita’s streak to 17 consecutive seasons with a win on opening day. It also gives the Tigers their 17th straight win in home openers.
The longest scoring drive for the Tigers was six plays and 53 yards, but the other scores were either set by big plays or turnovers.
The first score followed a SWOSU fumble in the final minute of the first quarter. Eli Livingston connected with Chris Henley, Jr. deep over the middle on the second play of the drive, and then Henley scampered to the endzone for what ended up being a 73-yard touchdown.
After forcing a turnover on downs, the Tigers scored again this time on a three-yard touchdown rush by Kendel Givens to cap a six-play 53-yard drive with 8:16 remaining in the second quarter.
Another short drive came next, needing just two plays to march 63 yards with 5:44 remaining before half. Livingston found Carter McElhany over the middle, and McElhany ran for 45 yards for a 54-yard scoring play.
The Tigers went up 28-0 at halftime following a four-yard touchdown catch by Garrison Jackson from Livingston to cap another six-play 53-yard drive with 1:20 remaining in the half.
In the second half, the Tigers and Bulldogs exchanged turnovers with Ouachita cashing in for a pair of scores. The first was a two-play 21-yard drive capped by an eight-yard rushing touchdown by Livingston with less than two minutes into the third quarter.
The Tiger defense responded with a three-and-out, and Connor Flannigan set his team up for another quick score with a 50-yard punt return. Three plays later, Givens found the endzone again, this time from one yard out to put the Tigers up 42-0 with 9:46 remaining in the third.
SWOSU avoided the shutout with a 25-yard field goal at the 11:08 mark of the fourth quarter. The Tigers kept the Bulldogs out of the endzone, though, with a goal-line stand in the final seconds of the game. Josiah Johnson also helped Ouachita hold SWOSU without a touchdown with an interception in the endzone early in the fourth quarter.
Livingston finished the game 8-for-10 through the air for 195 yards and three touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 91 yards on nine carries.
Josiah Johnson and Jax Miller tied for the team lead in tackles with 11 each. Mikey Gonzalez added eight tackles, including two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.
As a team, the Tigers ended up with 17 tackles for a combined loss of 51 yards.
Thursday’s win moved Ouachita to 10-1 in the Paul Sharp Cup standings. The Ouachita-SWOSU game was dubbed the Paul Sharp Cup in honor of the late coach who led the Bulldogs to the NAIA national championship in 1996. Sharp, the brother of current Ouachita Director of Athletics David Sharp, was a graduate of Ouachita and was an assistant coach for the Tigers from 1974-78. Overall, the Tigers are now 16-4 all-time against SWOSU.
The Tigers are back in action next Thursday, September 12 on the road against Northwestern Oklahoma State. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. in Alva.
