Bulldogs Ready for NSU

October 18, 2006

WEATHERFORD -- Southwestern Oklahoma State University’s game with arch rival Northeastern State University has taken on an added measure of importance for the Bulldogs. SWOSU needs a win in this important divisional matchup if the Bulldogs hope to stay in the Lone Star Conference North race.

The Bulldogs are 3-4 overall and 0-1 in division play after a 35-7 beating at Southeastern Oklahoma State University last week. NSU is 3-4 and 1-0 after a 20-17 win at home against Texas A&M-Commerce. Both teams are chasing front-running Central Oklahoma who at 5-2 and 2-0 in the North is alone atop the North standings. 

SWOSU and NSU have split the last two meetings between the two schools with each winning on their own home turf. The Bulldogs were 21-16 victors in 2004 while NSU rallied for a 17-13 victory last year. Both teams are considerably better than the previous two squads that combined for a record of 4-37 between them during 2004 and 2005 seasons.

One key that will likely influence the outcome of the game will be how well SWOSU star cornerback Desmond Baker can contain NSU’s fleet-footed wide receiver Jarrett Byers. Baker ranks second in the entire LSC with seven passes defended and returned an interception 16 yards for SWOSU’s only score against Southeastern. Byers leads the league with 704 receiving yards on 38 catches. He has scored more touchdowns, 10, than any other LSC player regardless of position. He is certain to attract considerable attention and even more so since it was his 86-yard touchdown against SWOSU that started the Redmen’s second-half rally a year ago.

The Bulldogs will hope to jump start an offense that has alternated from looking spectacular to sour and everything in between. SWOSU has twice gained more than 400 yards, but also have twice been held without an offensive touchdown.

Quarterback Jimmy Sangster has taken 430 of the SWOSU’s 433 offensive snaps. He has been sacked just three times in 176 pass attempts thanks primarily to the solid play of offensive lineman Jonathan Dobrinski, Austin Ellis, Mike Davison and Matt Wakefield, starters in all seven games.