GOODWELL, Okla. – Wayland Baptist gave up 19 first-period points and couldn't mount enough of a comeback to overcome Oklahoma-Panhandle State as the Pioneers dropped their Sooner Athletic Conference opener here Saturday afternoon, 25-18.
Wayland (1-2, 0-1 SAC) made it a one-possession game when quarterback
Brook Quinones, after a 72-yard pass to
Chase Ragsdale, connected with
Brandon Sanders on an 8-yard touchdown toss then found
Brenden Strickland for a two-point conversion with 1:15 to play.
The Pioneers couldn't pull off the onside kick but did quickly force a 4
th-and-17 punt. Wayland got the ball at its own 43 but had time for only one play, which saw
Jacob Boswell catch a pass but be tackled for no gain as time expired.
The Pioneers, who defeated OPSU in Plainview on Oct. 31, 29-24, trailed 19-7 after the first quarter as the Aggies (1-4) put up three touchdowns, the last two on long pass plays of 81 and 63 yards. Their first TD came after the Aggies recovered a Wayland fumble at the Pioneer 15-yard line.
Wayland's first-quarter TD came on a 7-yard run by freshman
Jaden Miles one play after a 53-yard rush by
Christian Vaughn.
WBU pulled to within 19-10 at halftime after a 20-yard field goal by
Jeffery Lucido with just two seconds before intermission.
After OPSU prevented a Wayland touchdown with an interception at the Aggie 5 on Wayland's first drive of the second half, Lucido missed a 35-yard attempt after a fumble recovery
Chester McVade set up the Pioneer offense with a first down at the Aggie 19.
OPSU converted another long pass play, this one 84 yards, to stretch its lead to 25-10 midway through the third.
The game featured seven turnovers, including the INT and a pair of fumbles by the Pioneers. Wayland recovered three fumbles, by McVade,
Caleb Howard and
Samuel Daily, plus a pick by freshman
Carl Walker-Lane.
Thirteen Pioneers were credited with 18 receptions.
Wayland ended with 16 first downs, one more than OPSU, but converted just 5-of-20 third-down tries and came up empty on half of its four red-zone opportunities.
Wayland next hosts Lyon, Ark., at 2 p.m. Feb. 27. It will be the first game of the 2020-21 season for the Scots, who opted not to play last fall.
