GOODWELL, Okla. — The Oklahoma Panhandle State football team (3-5, 2-4 SAC) celebrated its large class of 17 seniors ahead of the final 2025 home game Saturday against No. 25 Texas Wesleyan (6-3, 6-0), a 46-12 loss.
 
When the game began, it was tough sledding for OPSU as it sought a third straight win at Anchor D Stadium. The Aggies struggled to move the ball, committed costly penalties and could not capitalize on opportunities as the game got away from the home team in the second half.
 
Panhandle State's defense fought throughout the afternoon, though, stopping the Rams on downs on their opening drive and forcing a field-goal attempt on their subsequent possession.
 
In the second quarter, the Aggie defense bent but did not break, keeping the No. 25 Rams out of the end zone and limiting them to four field goals in the frame.
 
OPSU's best offense, however, came from its special teams, starting with a punt that bounced off a TWU player and was recovered by the hosts for a big gain. Though the Aggies were unable to capitalize on that renewed possession in the second quarter, David Zeller returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown with 5:24 to play in the half, his second return score of the season.
 
The Aggies had two chances to get within a score at halftime – which would have allowed them to potentially take the lead to open the third quarter – but a sack stopped their penultimate drive and the clock wound down to zeroes in their final possession before the intermission.
 
Despite trailing 22-7 at the half, OPSU did show big-play ability in those final drives with a 30-yard pass from Chance Guadiz to Justin Lewis and a 31-yard run by Rylan Johnson, respectively.
 
Guadiz ripped off a 40-yard rush on the opening play of the third quarter as the Aggies had it deep in TWU territory, but a turnover killed the momentum. Later, down 29-7, JaCobie Johnson appeared to intercept a pass near midfield only for a penalty to negate the play.
 
Turnovers and struggles to move the ball continued to hurt OPSU in the second half, though punter Loren Snead made the most of it with boots of 46, 65 and 56 yards, the last of which pinned the Rams at their own one-yard line. Jake Morones took advantage of that punt as he stuffed TWU's rushing attempt a couple plays later for a safety that made it 46-9.
 
Seniors Tach Brewer and Eric Barlow were featured on the ground over the last two OPSU drives, with Brewer also completing a 21-yard pass to William Rodriguez III. That completion helped set up a 31-yard field goal from Carlos Vazquez, which concluded the day's scoring.
 
Morones and Nate Orta were kept busy defensively with nine tackles apiece, and Charles Holmes III had a game-high four pass breakups against the SAC's top-ranked passing game.
 
Seniors Honored: Pregame, the following OPSU seniors were honored: Dillon Laurer, Wally Palega Jr., Tach Brewer, Loren Snead, D'Kyri Williams, Christopher Magee, Dylan Thibodeaux, Eric Barlow, Rudy Valenzuela, Carlos Vazquez, William Rodriguez III, Zayden Hoots, Kaden Richardson, Richmond Howell, Armando Lucero, Jeremyah Rollins and Elzie Barnett III.
 
What's up next: The Aggies look to get back in the win column when they travel Nov. 8 to play Texas College (0-7, 0-5 SAC) for a 1 p.m. kickoff.