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BETHANY, Okla. — From the time Southern Nazarene stepped off the field in 2010 to the time the first whistle sounded tonight, there was much hyperbole that surrounded SNU. Southern Nazarene answered the bell and showed everyone that the hype was every bit as real as it sounded.

The 19th-ranked Crimson Storm (1-0) opened the 2011 season with its second straight win over a top 25 opponent by throttling No. 21 Kansas Wesleyan, 52-23.

SNU put up a school-record 615 yards on the night, breaking last year's record of 613 set against Northwestern Oklahoma State. It wasn't just an air attack either for the Storm who gained 215 yards on the ground on 48 carries.

The wealth was spread wide throughout the entire offense for SNU. Derick Perkins and Damian Johnson combined for 136 yards on 35 carries. Perkins led the way with 82 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns while Johnson had 54 yards on 18 carries. Jonathon Boone was right behind with 52 yards on three carries. Perkins also went over the 1,000-career rushing yards mark on his first carry of the night.

“D.D. and Derick are both exceptional backs,” said SNU Head Coach Mike Cochran. “They both are starting tailbacks and can be used at anytime. That allows you to keep a pair of fresh legs on the field. Jonathon also did a great job tonight and that makes us that much deeper there.”

It was much of the same in the passing game as 10 different players recorded a reception. Brady Wardlaw went 28-for-47 and threw for 400 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Nearly three receivers had 100-yard games. David Balenseifen led the way with four catches for 99 yards and pair of touchdowns while Timmie Fuller had 96 yards on four catches and a touchdown. Jarod Martin went over 1,000 yards receiving in his career as he pulled down five passes for 86 yards.

“Brady is a coach on the field,” said Cochran. “He understands the offense. He tries to get us in the situations we need to be. When he settles down and just plays, he's a heck of a football player and a great quarterback. We have multiple weapons in wide receivers that we can go to on a number of plays. Defenses can't lock down on just one guy. This offense is designed to spread the ball around. It takes a good strong core of receivers to make it work and I am pleased with those guys.”

On the defensive side, Michael Hicks led the way with 12 tackles while Jonathan Jenkins-Dill had the only sack of the night. Matt Pruitt may have had the defensive play of the night when he picked off a pass and took it 61 yards the other way for six.

SNU gave up 386 yards on the night with 215 on the ground and 171 through the air.

Kansas Wesleyan scored on the first drive of the game on an 11-play, 58-yard drive, but the Crimson Storm gained a little momentum back when they blocked the extra-point attempt. SNU got on the board with 5:55 left in the first when Ian Sanders picked up where he left off from last year with a 26-yard field go to bring SNU within three at 6-3.

The Crimson Storm took their first lead of the game at 10-6 with 1:10 left in the first quarter when Derrick Perkins capped a 10-play, 80-yard drive with a 3-yard run. Perkins carried the ball six times for 48 yards in that drive alone.

The Coyotes responded just a minute later with a 40-yard touchdown pass to end the first quarter with a 14-10 lead after completing a 2-point conversion.

Wardlaw and Balenseifen combined to put the Storm back up 17-14 when Wardlaw hit the senior wide receiver for a 31-yard strike to finish off a 6-play, 56-yard drive. KWU answered on the ensuing drive with a 45-yard field goal to knot it at 17.

It took SNU just 20 seconds to respond as Wardlaw hit Fuller on the first play of the drive for a 79-yard touchdown pass to give the Storm a 24-17 lead that SNU carried into the half.

SNU scored on the opening drive of the third quarter when Wardlaw hit Smith for a 5-yard touchdown that finished off a 12-play, 70-yard drive to give the Storm a 31-17 lead. Wardlaw was 5-for-8 for 53 yards on that drive. Perkins added to the lead with a two-yard run to make it 38-17 for the Storm. SNU started that drive with the ball on the KWU 11-yard line after recovering a fumble on the punt return.

KWU cut it to 38-23 with an 8-play, 62-yard drive to start the fourth quarter, but SNU blocked the extra-point attempt for the second straight time to keep the 15-point lead.

SNU put the game away though with a Wardlaw to Balenseifen 29-yard touchdown pass with 7:29 to play and the Pruitt Interception return with just under seven to play.  

“I think we probably had some early season jitters and were very excited so we were rushing things,” said Cochran. “We were not making reads and then playing fast on both sides of the ball, but once we settled down we played pretty good football”

SNU will now get set to host Haskell Indian Nations (Kan.), Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.