ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - No. 18 Henderson State, after scoring four touchdowns in the first half, managed just two field goals in the final two periods as (RV) Southern Arkansas overtook the Reddies late in the ballgame for the 35-34 victory.
Henderson totaled a season-high 517 yards as
Fredrick O'Donald recorded his second straight 100 yard game with 140 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.
Andrew Edwards backed up O'Donald's team-high rushing yards as Edwards accounted for 345 total yards and two scores while throwing an interception.
297 of HSU's 517 yards came in the first half as the Reddies scored a touchdown on four of five drives after their opening-series punt. Southern Arkansas kicked off the game with a five play, 65 yard touchdown drive that took all of one minute and 27 seconds, met by an HSU three-and-out as SAU held the early momentum.
With the Muleriders next drive starting on HSU's 44 yard line, SAU closed with a missed field goal, which Henderson took advantage of. With a 7-0 deficit staring the red-and-gray in the face, Henderson used back-to-back-to-back 11 play, 78 yard drives, a four play, 62 yard drives and six play, 54 yard drives to open a 21-7 lead.
After getting hit in the mouth, Southern Arkansas regrouped before answering with its own consecutive touchdown drives thanks to an HSU interception, giving SAU the ball at the Reddies 24-yard line for its second score. Just before the break, O'Donald used his second score of the game with 43 seconds left before intermission to give Henderson the 28-21 lead heading into the locker room.
Both offenses came out of the second-half gate slow with HSU being forced into a punt before SAU lined up to attempt their second field goal of the game. Mulerider head coach Brad Smiley tried to catch the Reddies off guard with a fake field-goal, however, but Henderson got to the would-be passer to maintain the seven-point lead.
Henderson used the slight momentum to kick its first of two second-half field goals for the double-digit advantage with 1:59 remaining in the third quarter. That momentum was quickly killed, thanks to an SAU 80-yard touchdown run from quarterback OB Jones. Both defenses continued their strong play in the second half as the teams traded punts before HSU's second field-goal came with 6:25 remaining in regulation.
With the Reddies pinned deep at their own 11-yard line and facing a 3rd and 12 in a one-possession game, Edwards found
Elijah George on a 66-yard throw to the Mulerider 23-yard line as Reddie fans had six on their minds. The next three plays proved to salvage the game for the visiting blue-and-yellow, as they took down Edwards behind the line of scrimmage on each of the next three plays before
Kolby King hit a season-long 47 yards for the six-point edge, 34-28.
With 6:18 on the clock and six points needed to make up, Southern Arkansas needed just 1:54 as the Muleriders scored the go-ahead touchdown six plays later on a miracle catch in the corner of the endzone off a deflected ball from the HSU defensive back.
With 4:18 still remaining for Henderson with three points being all that was needed, the red-and-gray worked the ball down to the SAU 38. Another two tackles-for-losses pushed the Reddies out of field-goal range as a final 4th and 10 play fell to the turf. Southern Arkansas ran out the remaining 1:51 to claim the 35-34 victory.
No. 18 Henderson St. (5-2) will remain in the Natural State while hitting the road for Monticello, Arkansas, when the Reddies meet Arkansas-Monticello Saturday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m.
