By RICHARD THIBERVILLE JR., LCU Sports Information Director
The Louisiana Christian University football team will bring a chance to clinch a share of the Sooner Athletic Conference championship into the final week of the season after the Wildcats routed the Arkansas Baptist Buffaloes 77-6 Saturday afternoon at Wildcat Field.
The Wildcats head to Surprise, Ariz., for the regular season finale this weekend, hoping to clinch a share of the SAC championship when they take on 12th-ranked Ottawa on Saturday.
They were in charge from the outset in their home finale, highlighted by four interceptions by freshman safety Kylon Polk, who returned one 53 yards for a touchdown.
Louisiana Christian (7-3, 6-1 SAC) asserted its dominance immediately, taking in the opening kickoff and rollilng down the field behind Jaterrius Johnson, who capped it with a 23-yard scamper to the end zone for a 7-0 lead not even 75 seconds into the contest.
After forcing Arkansas Baptist (2-8, 1-7 SAC) into a three-and-out, the Wildcats took advantage of good field position following a Buffaloes penalty on the punt. It took five plays for LCU to get back to paydirt as ASH product E.J. Scott took the handoff on an end around and raced 16 yards to the end zone.
LCU took full control of the contest with a 35-point second period. Bryce Perkins ended a five-play, 52-yard drive by finding Scott behind the defense for a 41-yard touchdown as LCU went up 21-0.
After the ensuing ABC drive ended with Polk’s third interception, former ASH star Datlan Cunningham busted loose for an 82-yard touchdown scamper as the Wildcats pushed the lead out to 28-0.
Arkansas Baptist pulled some trickery on the following kickoff, using a reverse on the return to bust free for a touchdown and score its lone points of the day.
The Wildcats answered in just four plays as Perkins found Scott free again, this time from 21 yards out to make it 35-6 with 7:29 still left in the second quarter.
On ABC’s ensuing possession, Jordan Oglesby forced a fumble which Ashton Sanders Jr. recovered and brought back to the Buffaloes six-yard line. Johnson pounded in from the one-yard line on fourth and goal for a 42-6 Wildcat lead with 5:21 left before halftime.
Backup quarterback Phillip Joes II connected with Darrell Waldren on a 55-yard scoring play as LCU went up 49-6.
LCU’s Cunningham scored on a 7-yard run before Polk’s fourth, and final, final interception of the day made direct impact on the scoreboard. He housed a 53-yard pick-six as LCU’s lead grew to 63-6. Backups played the rest of the way.
Perkins was 13-of-21 through the air for 217 yards with two touchdowns and was not intercepted.
Scott was the top target, catching four passes for 74 yards and both scores. He also had one rush, which went 16 yards to the end zone. All told, Scott accounted for 90 yards and three touchdowns.
Cunningham was the top rusher with just seven carries to get 105 yards and two scores. Johnson was also handed the ball seven times, getting 68 yards while also entering the end zone twice.
Oglesby led the defense with 12 tackles, 2.5 for loss, and two sacks while forcing a fumble.
Polk had four tackles to go with his four interceptions and a touchdown. The Wildcats outgained the visitors 611-327.