MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Redshirt junior Micah Small hauled in seven passes for a career-high 187 yards and two touchdowns and Southern Arkansas received three field goals from junior placekicker Austin Wilkerson for the second-straight game, but it was not enough as the host dropped its homecoming affair with (RV) Southeastern Oklahoma State 38-24 on Saturday afternoon from Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field. SAU falls to 2-4 in Great American Conference play, while the Savage Storm improve to 5-1.
SOSU led 7-3 after the opening quarter and built an eight-point lead entering the intermission as the Muleriders used all three of Wilkerson’s kicks (25, 25, 37) to keep the deficit at a single possession. Through three quarters, the Muleriders would remain within eight points as the Savage Storm led 24-16. Southeastern Oklahoma tacked on two scores in the fourth quarter to claim the Week 6 meeting and even the series at 5-5 since the programs’ first matchup as GAC opponents in 2011.
Small’s first score came at the 12:50 mark of the third quarter and covered 37 yards from the arm of senior quarterback Hayden Mallory. Mallory completed 17 passes for 276 yards and his second touchdown toss found Small from 39 yards out with just under 10:30 to play in the game and cut the SOSU lead down to just seven points at 31-24.
The Savage Storm would not only run six-plus minutes off of the clock on the ensuing drive while holding a seven-point lead, but would find the end zone for the final time to run its advantage up to 14 points with just 4:11 to play in the game.
Small now has 37 catches for 648 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He is the first Mulerider pass catcher with 150+ receiving yards in a game since former All-American Ka’Ronce Higgins logged 161 yards against East Central on October 20, 2018. Wilkerson is now 8-for-8 on field goal attempts this season. Redshirt freshman Jariq Scales led SAU with 69 yards on 15 attempts.
Defensively, SAU was led in tackles by junior Brock Floyd who posted 11 stops. Freshman Rayvon Ingram added ten tackles, while redshirt freshman David Walker recorded eight tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Redshirt freshman Andrew Schreiner punted just three times and averaged 45 yards with a long of 58 and two landing inside the twenty.
The loss snaps the Muleriders’ impressive 24-game home winning streak against Oklahoma schools.
The Muleriders prepare for the program’s annual pilgrimage east into Union County for a Murphy USA Classic matchup with Arkansas Tech. It will be the tenth appearance all-time for SAU in the twelve years of the game. Southern Arkansas has won three times in Memorial Stadium since the first playing of the classic in 2009, but meets the Wonder Boys for the first time in El Dorado. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Information on purchasing tickets will be made available as soon as possible. Live coverage links will be available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
Cross-posted from SAU Muleriders CommunicationsSE Oklahoma State spoils SAU’s homecoming 38-24