BETHANY, Okla. — The fans at the SNU Football Stadium got a great opening show as Southern Nazarene recorded its largest margin of victory since joining Division II with a 45-20 win over East Central Saturday in its home opener.
 
The Crimson Storm (1-1, 1-1 GAC) knocked off the Tigers (0-2, 0-2 GAC) for the second straight year marking the first time SNU has defeated East Central in back-to-back games.
 
SNU totaled 365 yards as it ran for 256 and threw for 109. Jacob Spady threw for all 109 yards and two touchdowns as he was 7-for-16 in passing attempts. The senior also led the team in rushing with 129 yards on 22 carries. Spady hit Reid Roelofs four times for 56 yards and a touchdown while Nate Walker had 41 yards receiving on one catch that led to a score. Alfred Grear ran for 97 yards on four carries and a touchdown.
 
East Central struck first with an 80-yard drive to lead 7-0 with 7:42 left in the first, but the Crimson Storm answered early in the second. Jacob Spady hit Nate Walker who slid through the Tiger's defense for 41 yards to complete the six-play, 75-yard drive as SNU knotted it at 7-7.
 
Angel Hernandez gave SNU its first lead of the game when the sophomore picked off an ECU pass and ran it 57 yards to the house as the Storm took a 14-7 lead with 9:30 left in the half. Southern Nazarene tacked on one more touchdown with just 2.2 seconds left in the half when Jacob Spady lofted up a jump ball to Reid Roelofs who hauled it down. That completed a 13-play, 64-yard drive as the Storm took a 21-7 lead to the locker room.
 
SNU didn't waste any time out of the locker room as it scored on the first drive of the third to lead 28-7. Lakeem Christmas took the kickoff and went 98 yards right in front of the ECU sideline to push the lead to 21. The Tigers cut it to 28-13 with 10:38 left in the third, but Carlos Anguiano ripped a 35-yard field goal with 2:01 left in the third to put the Storm on top 31-13.
 
Spady scored his lone rushing touchdown with 6:55 left to play on a six-yard run to cap a 9-play, 86-yard drive to give SNU a 38-13 lead. The Storm put it away with 4:56 left when Grear broke loose for an 81-yard run to give SNU a 45-13 lead.
 
The Tigers added seven with 1:43 remaining on a fumble return, but that was as close as the Tigers came.