Monday, December 3, 2018

Tigers Finish Historic Season

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – For the second consecutive season the Ouachita Baptist football team falls to Ferris State by a final score of 37-14 at Cliff Harris Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

No. 4 Ouachita (12-1) went 377 days between losses to No. 2 Ferris State (14-0). In between those losses, the Tigers won a school record 12 games, went undefeated in the regular season for the second time in school history and most importantly won their second consecutive Great American Conference Titles. The Tigers now have four conference championships in the past eight seasons.

For the second consecutive season the Tigers led the GAC in All-Conference selections and this season they set a school record with five All-Region selections.
Today, however, Ouachita not only had to battle the No. 2 team in the nation but they also had fight a 20 mile per hour wind that swirled throughout the game.

It has been over a year since the Ouachita defense gave up 30 plus points in a contest. The Tiger defense entered Saturday's matchup as the top ranked scoring defense in the country. Ferris State seemingly stayed on the field the entire game. The Bulldogs offense ran 90 plays for 509-yards, while the Tigers offense ran just 59 plays in the game.


The usual formidable rushing attack was stifled all game. The Tigers rushing attack came into the game averaging 277-yards per game, Ferris State held Ouachita to just 86-rushing yards the entire game. However, the Tigers passing game remerged as redshirt freshman quarterback Brayden Brazeal (England, Ark.) completed 18 passes for 195-yards and a pair of scores in the game.

Brazeal ended the game as the Tigers leading rusher with 48-yards. Junior wide receiver Allie Freeman (Little Rock, Ark.) had his best game of the season with 10 receptions for 115-yards and a touchdown in the loss.

On the defensive side of the ball sophomore defensive lineman Dameyun McDonald (Helena, Ark.) recorded a career high 16 tackles and a sack in the game. All-Region cornerback Keandre Evans (Junction City, Ark.) contributed 11 tackles, while Airric Parker (San Diego, Calif.) and Hayden Lassiter (Warren, Ark.) each had 9 tackles in the contest.

Ferris State Harlon Hill trophy candidate Jayru Campbell threw for 128 yards and a score. Campbell added an additional 47-yards on the ground during the game. Marvin Campbell led the Bulldog rushing attack with 75-yards and a rushing touchdown. Sy Barnett ended up being the Bulldogs top receiver with four receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown. On the defensive side of the ball, Sam Heyboer led the team with seven tackles and an interception.

First Quarter: Ouachita 0, Ferris State 7
Ferris State won the coin toss and deferred the ball until the second half. By winning the coin toss, the Bulldogs forced the Tigers offense to throw into the wind to start the game. After a three-and-out by the Ouachita offense, Ferris State took over at their own 30-yardline.

The Bulldogs appeared to have a positive drive going until back-to-back botched snaps led to a sack. With the wind behind them the Ferris State punter angled the ball out of bounds at the Tiger seven-yard line.

Brazeal and Freeman hooked up on back-to-back plays to move the Tigers up to their own 35-yard line. Ouachita then began to move the ball down the field methodically, until an incomplete pass forced a fourth down on the Ferris State 21-yard line. The Tigers sure footed kicker Cole Antley (Atlanta, Ga.) trotted out for a 38-yard field goal. The wind blew the ball wide left and kept the game scoreless.

Ferris State took over with 3:56 left in the quarter. On the second play of the drive, Keyondre Craig found a seam and exploded for a 42-yard run. Three plays later Derrick Portis ran the ball in from 14-yards out to give the Bulldogs the early lead.

After the Tigers were forced into their second three-and-out of the quarter, disaster struck for Ouachita. Ferris State blocked the punt and fell on the ball at the Ouachita 27-yardline. It was the first punt block given up by the Tigers special teams unit all season. 

Second Quarter: Ouachita 0, Ferris State 27
40 seconds into the quarter, the Ferris State punched the ball across the endzone to give the Bulldogs a 14-0 advantage.
Ouachita, once again went three-and-out but punter Jake Ford (Australia) had his best punt of the season. A 63-yard bomb that was pushed by the wind into the endzone for a touchback.

After a failed fourth down attempt by Ferris State, Ouachita took over on the Bulldogs 26-yardline. Although the offense was unable to generate much yardage, it appeared the Tigers would at least get a field goal out of the drive. Antley came out for a 46-yard field goal and for just the second time all season the Tigers allowed an opponent to block the field goal.

Ferris State fed off the momentum and went on a 15-play, 71 yard drive that ended with a Bulldog touchdown. The wind once again played a factor in the kicking game as the extra point went wide left.

The Tigers tried to get a drive going in the final moments of the quarter but a Brazeal interception ended the Ouachita drive two plays in.

The Bulldogs finished the half with a 10-play, 52 yard scoring drive and went into the locker room up 27-0.

Third Quarter: Ouachita 7, Ferris State 30
Ferris State received the opening kickoff of the second half and began a 17-play, 64-yard drive. The drive might have ended in a field goal but the Bulldogs took nearly eight minutes off the clock.

Ouachita took over on their own 35-yard line after the Bulldogs kicked the ball out-of-bounds. Four plays later Brazeal found Freeman for a 43-yard touchdown reception.

Fourth Quarter: Ouachita 14, Ferris State 37
The Bulldogs ended the third quarter on the Tigers 20-yard line. Ferris State lined up for a field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter. Ouachita defensive back Keandre Evans blocked his second kick of the season.

On the Bulldogs second possession of the quarter, Ferris State running back Evan Cummins punched the ball in from a yard out to end the scoring for the Bulldog offense.

With 2:41 remaining in the game Ouachita took over on their own 41-yard line. Brazeal methodically picked apart the defense as the Tigers worked the ball down the field. Brazeal found senior wide receiver Lamar Haynes in the endzone for his second touchdown pass of the afternoon.

Although this is the end of the road for the 2018 football season, the Tigers have a lot to look forward to in the 2019 season. Be sure to follow the official social media accounts of Ouachita athletics and Ouachita football for all the latest offseason news.

Former Lumberjack Hayden Lassiter had 9 total takles *7 solo and 1 for a loss of yards) . LaFoy Smith had 1 solo tackle.

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