Nationally 16th-ranked Arkansas Tech University raced out to a 24-point halftime lead and went on to defeat Southern Nazarene University 52-0 in Great American Conference football at the SNU Football Stadium in Bethany, Okla., on Saturday afternoon.
It marked the first time since 1970 and 1971 that the Wonder Boys have posted a shutout in back-to-back seasons. Tech defeated SNU 46-0 in 2016.
The Wonder Boys (4-0) marched 60 yards in eight plays on their first possession of the day. Bryan Allen scored on a 2-yard rushing touchdown, Eric Perez added the extra point and Tech led 7-0 at the 10:06 mark of the first quarter.
ATU’s defense set the tone for the rest of the day on the ensuing Southern Nazarene drive. The Crimson Storm (2-2) reached the Wonder Boys’ 8-yard line before back-to-back quarterback sacks by Tech’s Hunter Hudson and Jared Loftis led to a missed SNU field goal.
Arkansas Tech controlled the rest of the game. Brandon Hunter’s 7-yard touchdown run, Perez’s 35-yard field goal and Ty Reasnor’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Tremel Glasper during the second quarter gave the Wonder Boys a 24-0 edge at halftime.
The second half was made memorable by Braden Stringer. The ATU senior running back matched his longest career run with a 63-yard carry for a touchdown at the 5:12 mark of the third quarter, and he was just getting started.
Stringer broke a Tech record that had stood for almost 63 years when he returned an SNU punt 93 yards for a touchdown with 1:35 left in the third period. He surpassed the previous Wonder Boys’ record set by Sammy May when he returned a punt 91 yards against Henderson State University on Nov. 5, 1954.
Tanner Gaines had a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and Cale Fulsom threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Drew Wade in the final minute of the third period to close out the scoring.
Reasnor completed 16-of-22 passes for 205 yards. Jackob Dean caught seven passes for 75 yards for the Wonder Boys, while Allen finished with 15 carries for 87 yards. Cua’ Rose led the Tech defense with seven tackles.
The Wonder Boys will host Ouachita Baptist University for a 6 p.m. GAC contest at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field in Russellville on Saturday, Sept. 30. Party at the Plaza will begin outside the stadium at 4 p.m.
