MONMOUTH, Ore. --- The Western Oregon football team broke a scoreless tie at the half in a big way during a 31-3 win over Midwestern State on a rainy Saturday at a soaked McArthur Field to pick up its fifth win in a row and move to 5-0 at home in 2025.
The victory keeps the Wolves (7-2 overall, 6-1 LSC) - who picked up votes in the national top 25 this past week - alone in second place, just a game back of No. 8 Central Washington after the Wildcats defeated No. 16 Angelo State 38-21 at home on Saturday. WOU travels to take on Angelo State next week before hosting CWU in the season finale on Nov. 15.
The Wolves picked up their seventh win, the first time WOU reached that total since 2019 and tied for the most since WOU won nine games in 2007.
As for Saturday, both teams struggled with the wet conditions on the natural grass surface in the first half before the rain stopped and the sun peaked out in the second half.Â
The Wolves got on the board with 6:49 remaining in the first half when
Terayon Sweet broke free for a 34-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0. After an MSU (2-7, 2-5) field goal,
Jordan McCarty hit
Carson Workman for a 52-yard touchdown to make it 14-3 with 3:20 left in the third quarter.
WOU scored three more times in the fourth, a 17-yard
Jermaine Land touchdown run, a
Zane Colson 28-yard field goal and a 18-yard touchdown reception by
Isaiah Rickard from
Kainoa Jones to make the final 31-3.
The WOU defense dominated, allowing just 201 yards of offense, holding MSU to 3 of 15 on third-down conversions, sacking the Mustang quarterbacks four times and allowing MSU just one red zone opportunity.
Nijawn Sterling was a force at defensive tackle, leading the team with seven tackles, including 4.5 for loss, while adding 1.5 sacks, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup. Defensive end
LJ Imo had six tackles and a half sack, Daron Ulrich had five tackles and two pass breakups,
Malcolm Liufau had five tackles and a sack while
Kam Forest had an interception.
Offensively, WOU racked up a season-best 476 yards. McCarty finished 13-for-22 for 201 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Kainoa Jones finished 3-for-5 with 76 yards and a touchdown. Land led the team with 94 yards rushing on 15 carries to go along with a score while 10 different receivers caught 16 passes with
Jaylen Fite and
Cody Hall each catching a team-best three passes.
LSC Standings
Â
