Waxahachie, TX

October 22, 2018 | Blake Cochran

The Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) football team defeats Texas Wesleyan University when CJ Collins found Bryant Dotson for a 21-yard touchdown pass to put them on top 53-46 with a few minutes left in the game. The Lions are now 2-0 against the Rams after winning last year 42-7, this win has SAGU in sole possession of 3rd place in the Sooner Athletic Conference and a half-game behind OPSU for 2nd. For the 2018-2019 season, they are 5-3 overall and 4-2 in the SAC.

The first half was all offense as SAGU and TWU combined for a total of 76 points, Lions led by a score of 42-34. To start the game both teams scored two touchdowns each in less than five minutes of gameplay; Da’vonte Mitchell for TWU had a 52-yard run in 43 seconds; Samuel Northey had a 71-yard bomb to Blayne Rowe to tie the score up then the Rams went back ahead on a similar play when Donavan Isom found Le’Mant Monroe for a 73-yard touchdown. After Monroe’s score, CJ Collins dominated through the air finding two targets for four touchdowns to end the first half; three of them going to Jeremy Carr and one to Northey.

Scoring on the first possession of the second half was key to the Lions victory. They had a nine play 80-yard possession over a two minute and 35-second span when Tluang Hmung knocked in a 25-yard field goal to put the Lions up 45-34. The Rams held the ball for the remainder of the quarter topped off by a four-yard touchdown run from Desmond Nisby to bring them within five points, 45-40. TWU decided to go for a two-point conversion to bring them within three points but the pass from DJ Robinson was no good and the score remained 45-40 with the Lions on top. The Lions were stopped in the 4th quarter then Nisby scored his fourth touchdown of the game to give them a 45-46 lead with less than six minutes left in the game. Lions took over the ball and took advantage when Collins found Dotson on the 10 play possession and a two-point conversation to put them up by seven points, 53-46. The Lions stop the Rams on the next possession and finish homecoming with a victory over Texas Wesleyan.

Collins had a field day completing 41 of his 65 pass attempts for 561 yards and six touchdowns.  Carr, Northey, Dotson, Toras Hill , and Rowe each had touchdowns with Carr leading the way with 17 receptions for 241 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, Landon Jones had 21 total tackles on the game with one sack and two tackles for a loss. Coby Roach had his second interception of the year to go with eight tackles.

The Lions next game will be Saturday, October 27nd at home against Oklahoma Panhandle State University in a battle for 2nd place. The kickoff is at 2 pm in Waxahachie against two of the top three SAC teams.

Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The university was established in 1927, and now offers more than 70 associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu