WAXAHACHIE, Texas – The nationally-ranked, league-leading Louisiana Christian University football team scored 14 unanswered second-half points to turn a one-point lead into a 31-23 victory over the Nelson Lions on Saturday afternoon at Stuart B. Lumpkins Stadium to remain the sole undefeated team remaining in Sooner Athletic Conference play this season.
A 14th-ranked Louisiana Christian squad (7-1, 5-0 SAC) struggled to put away a Nelson squad on its homefield, but survived the threat.
After Nelson (1-6, 1-4 SAC) took an early lead, Preston Baker tied the game 3-3 with a 30-yard field goal late in the first quarter, capping a 12-play, 86-yard drive that consumed 7:27. The Wildcats went on top when Bryce Perkins connected with Omarius Davis for a 19-yard touchdown with 11:26 left in the second quarter. Nelson tied the score at 10 before Perkins scored on a 10-yard run with 1:49 remaining, sending LCU into halftime ahead 17-10.
The Wildcats’ advantage narrowed to 17-16 with 11:30 left in the third quarter after a Nelson touchdown and missed extra point. A 97-yard Travis Adams kickoff return restored LCU’s one-TD advantage.
Backup quarterback Matthew Cates Jr. ran for a six-yard score to up the lead to 31-16 with just over five minutes left to play. Nelson cut the margin to eight with 2:52 left, but the Wildcats held on.
Jaterrius Johson led LCU’s ground game with 81 yards on 16 carries, while Datlan Cunningham added 57 yards on 13 attempts. The Wildcats finished with 144 rushing yards and 373 total yards despite converting just 3-of-15 third downs. Perkins completed 11-of-25 passes for 163 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
The ‘Cats are back on the road for their next outing, at winless Texas College on Saturday.