Football Fall Short in Battle of the Bell, 35-31 to Lions
October 13, 2024
GOODWELL, Okla.On Saturday afternoon, the Aggies football team hosted Langston University at the Battle of the Bell. Despite a strong start and impressive individual performances, the Aggies were edged out 35-31 by the Lions, continuing Langston's winning streak in the rivalry since 2015.
The game kicked off with an explosive play from Langston, as Ivory Wilright scored on a 69-yard pass from Torrence Bardel just 19 seconds into the game. The Aggies quickly responded, with quarterback Brandon Stephens connecting with wide receiver Draylon Roberson on a 47-yard touchdown to tie the score at 7-7.
The Aggies took control in the second quarter, starting with another Roberson touchdown, a 64-yard bomb from Stephens. The Aggies extended their lead to 21-7 after a 17-yard rushing score from Martin Blake. Langston answered back with a 9-yard touchdown, but OPSU closed the half strong, with Carlos Vazquez kicking a 25-yard field goal and a 6-yard rushing touchdown from Stephens to make it 31-14 at halftime.
However, the second half belonged to the Lions, as Langston rattled off 21 unanswered points, including an 80-yard touchdown run from Tyler Travis and the game-winning 10-yard touchdown pass to Wilright with 13:20 left in the fourth quarter.
Despite the loss, several Aggies hit significant milestones. Wide receiver Jalen Partida surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards, and quarterback Brandon Stephens became OPSU's all-time passing leader, surpassing Caleb Holbrook's record of 5,326 yards. Stephens finished the game with 203 passing yards and two touchdowns, both to Roberson, who totaled 114 receiving yards.
Martin Blake led the rushing attack on the ground with 111 yards on 16 carries, including a touchdown.
The Aggies head into a bye week before returning to action on Saturday, October 26. They travel to Tyler, TX, to face Texas College. Kickoff is set for 2:00 PM.
The game kicked off with an explosive play from Langston, as Ivory Wilright scored on a 69-yard pass from Torrence Bardel just 19 seconds into the game. The Aggies quickly responded, with quarterback Brandon Stephens connecting with wide receiver Draylon Roberson on a 47-yard touchdown to tie the score at 7-7.
The Aggies took control in the second quarter, starting with another Roberson touchdown, a 64-yard bomb from Stephens. The Aggies extended their lead to 21-7 after a 17-yard rushing score from Martin Blake. Langston answered back with a 9-yard touchdown, but OPSU closed the half strong, with Carlos Vazquez kicking a 25-yard field goal and a 6-yard rushing touchdown from Stephens to make it 31-14 at halftime.
However, the second half belonged to the Lions, as Langston rattled off 21 unanswered points, including an 80-yard touchdown run from Tyler Travis and the game-winning 10-yard touchdown pass to Wilright with 13:20 left in the fourth quarter.
Despite the loss, several Aggies hit significant milestones. Wide receiver Jalen Partida surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards, and quarterback Brandon Stephens became OPSU's all-time passing leader, surpassing Caleb Holbrook's record of 5,326 yards. Stephens finished the game with 203 passing yards and two touchdowns, both to Roberson, who totaled 114 receiving yards.
Martin Blake led the rushing attack on the ground with 111 yards on 16 carries, including a touchdown.
The Aggies head into a bye week before returning to action on Saturday, October 26. They travel to Tyler, TX, to face Texas College. Kickoff is set for 2:00 PM.
