BETHANY — Ian Sanders had attempted just three field goals the entire year coming into Saturday's game, but kicked three of the biggest field goals of his career, including the game-winning kick as time expired as Southern Nazarene upset No. 23 Langston, 30-27.
The Crimson Storm (7-4, 4-1 CSFL) battled back from being down 20-10 in the third quarter and scored 17 straight to lead 27-20 later in the fourth. The Lions (6-4, 3-2 CSFL) scored with 1:19 left to play to tie it at 27 and set the stage for Sanders' heroics.
Langston squibbed the kickoff to Alex Reed who took it all the way to the SNU 49. Brady Wardlaw rushed for two yards and hit David Balenseifen for a seven-yard reception to set up third-and-one. Derick Perkins picked up the first down with a two-yard push and then made it second-and-six with a four-yard run to take it to the Langston 40. Wardlaw again faced third-and one after a five-yard pass to Terrence Smith and got a first down at the Langston 21-yard line thanks to a holding penalty. After running down the clock and running towards the middle of the field Sanders set up for the kick, but the Lions called back-to-back timeouts to attempt to ice Sanders. It had no affect as the freshman put it straight through the uprights for the win.
It was the first time Southern Nazarene had knocked off Langston since 2006 when head coach Michael Cochran posted his best record at SNU, going 7-4 and 3-1 in the CSFL. The win over the Lions ties the school record for wins and it is the best record in school history in the CSFL.It was also the first win over a ranked team in school history.
Jarod Martin also set the school record for most receiving yards in a single-season after he totaled 92 yards on five catches and scored a touchdown. Martin took his season total to 980 yards which puts him past Jared Elmore's mark of 972 yards set back in 2008.
A defensive mark was also tied as freshman Matt Pruitt tied the school record for interceptions in a season with his eighth pick of the season.
Perkins also set a career-high with 123 rushing yards on 20 carries and averaged 6.2 yards per carry.
Wardlaw threw for 281 yards on 25-for-39 passing. He had two touchdowns on the day with one through the air and one on the ground. Wardlaw hit Smith nine times for 98 yards, including a 58-yard reception.
Langston took the first lead of the game on a 37-yard field goal on the Lions' second drive of the game to take a 3-0 lead. Sanders tied the game with 3:51 left in the first on a 37-yard field goal as SNU knotted the game at 3-3.
The Lions drilled their second straight field goal to start the second quarter after Anth Fernandez put a 32-yard attempt through the uprights. Langston scored the first touchdown of the game with 3:37 left to play when Carlos Ross completed a four-play, 80-yard drive with a 57-yard scamper to put LU up 13-3.
SNU answered just before halftime with a five-play, 52-yard drive that was capped by a Wardlaw to Martin 16-yard, touchdown pass to make it 13-10 at the half.
The Lions scored on their first drive of the first second half when Chad Miller hit Ross for a 32-yard touchdown to give LU a 20-10 lead, but the Crimson Storm responded on the ensuing drive with a seven-play, 53-yard drive that was capped by another Sanders field goal to make it 20-13.
Perkins then tied the game at 20-20 with 11:17 left to play when he finished off a five-play, 80-yard drive and Wardlaw made it 27-20 when he crossed the goal line with a quarterback dive with 2:23 left. That was just enough time for the Lions to go 70 yards in just 1:04 to tie the game, but that still left more than a minute and SNU used it all in the win.
