SWOSU Loses Football Finale, 37-16

November 5, 2005

Weatherford, OK - Southwestern Oklahoma State University played well in some areas but a sloppy first-quarter start was too much to overcome as the Bulldogs lost 37-16 to visiting Texas A&M-Commerce. The Bulldogs ended 2005 season with a 1-10 record and 0-5 in the Lone Star Conference North Division. TAMC improved to 5-5 and finished second in the division at 4-1 with the win.

SWOSU gave up 18 first-quarter points on a safety, a fumble at their own four-yard line, an interception and a bungled punt attempt. TAMC started in SWOSU territory on four of their first five possessions, including twice inside the Bulldog six-yard line.

The margin could have been even worse if it were not for a Bulldog defense that played inspired for much of the night. Tommy Musa had a goal-line stop on a fourth-down play while Greg Franklin and Jon Patterson brought down another Lion short of the endzone that forced a field goal.

Leading 18-0, TAMC looked to add to its cushion on a field goal, but Franklin fought through the line and blocked it where it was scooped up by Musa had a nifty return before being hauled down.

Commerce built their lead to 25-0 at the halftime break and added another field goal to expand it to 28-0 before SWOSU’s offense caught fire behind quarterback Steve Day. The freshman signal caller marched the Bulldogs 65 yards on 11 plays which included a 16-yard pass hookup to Derek Wall to the Lion’s eight-yard line. Will Freeman then scored on a four-yard run and Commerce’s lead has been trimmed to 28-7 with 2:14 to play in the third quarter.

Commerce added a field goal to go up 31-7 before Day put the troops again on another scoring march. This time the Bulldogs went 76 yards on seven plays, highlighted by a 33-yard catch by wide receiver Chase Pratt. Pratt, who had two receptions in the game, ended his Bulldog career as the school’s all-time leading pass catcher with 133 catches for 2,149 yards.

The Bulldogs’ touchdown score came on a 10-yard pass from Day to Danny Howard with 11:27 which cut TAMC’s lead to 31-14. Howard ended the game with nine receptions and became the school’s single-season record holder for most catches in a year with 50.

Despite losing by 21 points, SWOSU had more first downs (21-13) and outgained the Lions in total yards (261-251). The Bulldogs undoing was the five turnovers.

Day accounted for most of SWOSU’s yards as he completed 21-of-33 passes for 222 yards and one touchdown.

Defensively, Michael Hart added to his team-leading tackles of 88 with 15 stops while freshman Ruzell McCoy had 13 tackles in his first collegiate start.