After stunning the college football world by beating NCAA Division I Northwestern State 42-37 last Thursday night, the Louisiana Christian University football team swept the Sooner Athletic Conference’s weekly football honors.
Alexandria Senior High product Datlan Cunningham was named the conference’s Offensive Player of the Week with Ernest Mitchell named the Defensive Player of the Week and Centenary transfer Obadiah Butler named the Special Teams Player of the Week.
It was only the 13th time an NAIA football team has defeated an NCAA Division I opponent, the first time for LCU.
Cunningham, a redshirt junior running back, earned the honor after rushing for 117 yards on 14 carries, an 8.4 yard per carry average, and two touchdown He scored on a two-yard plunge in the first quarter and then broke loose on a 37-yard scoring scamper on the first drive of the third quarter.
In the final two minutes, facing a third-and-13 with a chance to secure the improbable victory, the ball was handed to Cunningham who busted loose for a 16-yard gain for the game-clinching first down. This is Cunningham’s second career SAC Offensive Player of the Week award.
Mitchell, a redshirt freshman cornerback from East Ascension High School, was the point man in two transformative defensive plays. Late in the second quarter with NSU leading 27-14 and threatening to add more, the ball was forced loose and Mitchell hopped on it in the end zone for a touchback, ending the threat. That was the first of two straight Demon drives that got into the LCU red zone but ended with a turnover right before the half, keeping the Wildcats in the game heading to the break.
After Cunningham’s 37-yard jaunt to start the third quarter which got the Wildcats back within a score, Mitchell read a slow-developing screen pass, jumped the route, intercepted the ball, and took it back 42 yards for a TD to give LCU the lead again, 28-27, and spur the comeback win. He also made a pair of solo tackles in the victory. This is Mitchell’s first career SAC Player of the Week award.
He will likely be a contender for national NAIA Defensive Player of the Week honors next week. The NAIA did not name players of the week for the Week Zero games last weekend.
In his LCU debut, Butler, a senior running back from Crowley who was a standout last season at Centenary, returned two kickoffs in the first quarter. The second one he took back 65 yards to the Demon 25-yard line, setting up a Wildcat touchdown which gave LCU a 14-13 lead. NSU did not allow another opportunity to return a kick in the contest.
The ‘Cats are home for the first time this season as Langston comes to Pineville on Saturday to open the conference portion of the schedule for both teams. Kickoff of Saturday’s contest against the Lions (0-0) is set for 6 p.m. at Wildcat Field and will be televised on 446Sports.