By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
TEXARKANA, AR -The Missouri Western football team fought hard for three quarters, trailing only 29-27 entering the fourth quarter against Southern Arkansas.
However, the Muleriders (10-2) scored 14 unanswered points in the final period, benefitted from three Griffon turnovers and Southern Arkansas came away with a 43-27 win in the Farmers Bank and Trust Live United Bowl in Texarkana, Arkansas.
Missouri Western (8-4) got down 6-0 in the first quarter and never led in the game.
The Griffons scored a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter - a one-yard touchdown run by Seth Cromwell - but the point-after missed, leaving the game tied at 6-6.
Later in the second quarter, Southern Arkansas' Melvin Smith Jr. picked off Armani Edden and took it in for a 19-yard pick six.
Trailing 15-6 with 1:33 left before halftime, the Griffons marched 79 yards on three plays. Edden connected with Jake Berry on a five-yard touchdown pass, making it a 15-13 game at halftime.
Both offenses went to work comin out of the locker room. Each team scored touchdowns on each of their first two possessions, and Southern Arkansas still had a 29-27 advantage with 6:58 to play in the third.
The Muleriders were driving when the fourth quarter started, and their quarterback O.B. Jones took off on an 18-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth, putting Southern Arkansas up 36-27.
Missouri Western, again down nine, were driving, but got stood up on a 4th-and-1 from the Southern Arkansas 22.
Later in the fourth, still down by nine with 6:11 to play, Edden fumbled a snap on first down, which was recovered by Southern Arkansas on the Griffon 36-yard line.
The Muleriders scored the final touchdown with 2:12 to go, icing the game and securing for Southern Arkansas their first 10-win season since 1952 and their first bowl victory since 1990.
The Muleriders dominated the line of scrimmage, outrushing Missouri Western 390-178. Southern Arkansas also sacked Edden four times. The Griffons had no sacks.
Jones, the SAU quarterback, completed 16-of-23 passes for 162 yards and a score. He also rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown.
Jariq Scales, a first-team all-GAC running back, finished 17 carries for 172 yards and a touchdown. Kadyn Roach, the No. 2 running back, was close behind with 149 yards rushing on 20 carries. He also had a touchdown.
Edden completed 16-of-26 passes for Missouri Western, finishing with 194 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Jared Scott was the leading rusher for the Griffons, going for 94 yards on seven carries. Seth Cromwell carried the ball 12 times for 43 yards, scoring twice.
Jake Berrey and Jonas Bennett each had five catches and each of them caught a touchdown for MWSU. Berrey finished with 83 yards receiving - Bennett had 78.
C.J. Ravenell led Missouri Western defensively with 11 total tackles.
The Griffons struggled on third down offensively, going 3-of-10. The Griffons were also 0-for-2 on fourth down.
In all, Southern Arkansas had 552 total yards, averaging over seven yards per play - all while remaining turnover free as well.
The game was chippy throughout. Missouri Western was called on eight penalties - SAU on 11. The Griffons' star defensive end Dakari Streeter got ejected from the game early in the fourth quarter due to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that occurred during a point-after try.
Missouri Western hadn't lost a bowl game since 2008. The Griffons are now 8-4 in bowl games all time.
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