LITTLE ROCK – The #11 Louisiana Christian University football team scored the final 38 points to defeat the Arkansas Baptist Buffaloes 62-13 Saturday afternoon at Earl Quigley-Bernie Cox Stadium, securing at least a share of the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) championship for the second consecutive year and third time in four seasons.
Bryce Perkins connected with
Xavion Butler for a 63-yard touchdown just 36 seconds into the game, then found
Omarius Davis for a 55-yard score with 11:57 remaining in the first quarter.
Datlan Cunningham added a 12-yard touchdown run to build a 21-0 lead. Perkins finished 9-of-16 passing for 208 yards and two touchdowns without an interception.
#11 Louisiana Christian (9-1, 7-0 SAC) led Arkansas Baptist (2-9, 2-6 SAC) 21-7 after the first quarter, and
Preston Baker's 24-yard field goal extended the margin before Arkansas Baptist cut it to 24-13 with 8:09 left in the second. Cunningham answered with a 26-yard touchdown run with 3:58 left. Baker added a 29-yard field goal with 24 seconds remaining to send the Wildcats into halftime ahead 34-13. Baker made both field-goal attempts and all eight extra points for 14 points.
The Wildcats paired four second-half rushing touchdowns with a defensive shutout. Cunningham scored from 8 yards out in the third quarter, completing a three-touchdown performance that included 146 yards on 17 carries.
Jaterrius Johnson followed with an 18-yard touchdown run and finished with 139 yards on 11 carries.
Kevon Johnson contributed 62 yards on 10 carries, including a 4-yard fourth-quarter score, before
Kedrian McNeil capped the scoring with a 28-yard touchdown run with 3:39 left.
LCU amassed 635 yards of offense, including 427 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
Travis Adams added 43 yards on three carries as the Wildcats averaged 8.7 yards per rush. Butler finished with two catches for 74 yards, Davis caught two passes for 68 yards and
EJ Scott contributed three receptions for 40 yards. LCU averaged 9.8 yards per play and committed no turnovers.
The defense limited Arkansas Baptist to 277 yards and stopped all three fourth-down attempts.
Jonathan Moore-LeDay recorded 1.5 sacks,
Jermarian Jackson added one and
Marques Hampton contributed a half-sack as part of LCU's 12 tackles for loss. Hampton and
Ernest Mitchell each intercepted a pass.
The Wildcats will clinch the SAC's automatic berth into the NAIA Football Championship Series with a loss by Ottawa (Ariz.) in either of its final two games. Should the Spirit (6-2, 5-1 SAC) defeat Texas Wesleyan (5-4, 5-1 SAC) on Saturday night, LCU will have to take business into its own hands next Saturday when OUAZ comes to Pineville on Senior Day for the regular season finale. Kickoff of Saturday's contest against the Spirit is set for 2 p.m. at Wildcat Field and will be live streamed on YouTube through the 446Sports channel.
