Having home field advantage in any sport has always been taken as the home team has the advantage in their head to head competitions.
This statement has never been more significant than in the matchup between the University of Arkansas at Monticello and Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
In 12 previous contests between the two schools, dating back to their first meeting on November 12, 2011 the stage was set for the home team to be the odds on favorite in the matchups.
UAM would win that first contest 35-21 at Convoy Leslie Cotton Bowl Stadium.
From that point forward the home team would always be on top of the scoreboard at the end of the contest with the only exception being on September 9, 2017 when the Bulldogs finally broke the streak with a 20-19 win at Convoy Leslie Cotton Bowl Stadium.
Overall UAM currently has a 6-1 record at home against the Bulldogs but has never tasted victory on the road with SWOSU holding an 0-5 record in Weatherford, Oklahoma.
On the road to Weatherford for their second contest of the 2024 season, the Weevils would fall behind early in the contest.
Each team’s defense would force the offense to punt on their first possessions.
The Bulldogs would get a turnover on the Weevils second drive of the contest after Demilon Brown would be intercepted by Desmond Greene at the UAM 20 .
SWOSU would take advantage of the turnover, scoring on a one-yard run by Logan Johnson.
Ethan McBee added the extra point to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 8:32 remaining in the first quarter.
The score would be the only points scored in the quarter with UAM’s final drive of the quarter being extended to the second quarter after an eight-yard completion to Josh Dixon from Brown for a first down.
The Weevils would get on the board on the drive on a 22-yard field goal by Tanner Steenbock with 11:45 remaining in the half to cut the lead to 7-3.
The Weevil defense would force the Bulldogs to punt on their first drive of the second quarter but the Weevils would turn the ball over on their first play of their drive after Xavien Cox intercepted Brown’s pass at the UAM 18.
SWOSU would once again take advantage of the UAM turnover with Kai Kunz connecting with Baylor Nash for a 24-yard touchdown pass.
McBee would add the extra point to give the Bulldogs a 14-3 lead with 9:02 remaining in the half.
After the Bulldog kickoff, the Weevils would begin their drive at their own 15 yard line.
The Weevils would go to the ground attack for the first five plays of the drive with Tyler Reed gaining 25 yards on four carries, including a 12-yard run, and Brown adding 11 yards.
After a short one-yard pass from Brown to Jordan Mansfield, Reed and Brown would push the ball to the Bulldog 19 after an eight-yard run by Reed and an 11-yard run by Brown.
Brown would connect with Reed for an 11-yard gain to the eight followed by a seven yard run by Reed to the Bulldog one.
Brown would get his only passing touchdown of the contest on the next play, completing a one-yard pass to Dixon for the score. It would be Brown’s 49th career touchdown pass, passing Hunter Leppert for seventh on the all-time list, it would also mark the first career touchdown at UAM for Dixon.
Steenbock would add the extra point with the Weevils cutting the lead to 14-10 with 3:55 remaining in the half.
Brown would be intercepted for the third time in the contest before the end of the half but the score would remain 14-10 at the half.
SWOSU would receive the ball to begin the third quarter with Steenbock kicking the ball into the endzone for the touchback to give SWOSU the ball at their own 25.
Kunz would complete two long passes on the drive, one for 25 yards and a second for 34 yards before running the ball in for a one yard score.
After the extra point, the Bulldogs had extended their lead to 21-10 with 11:40 left in the quarter.
The Bulldog defense would force the Weevils to punt on their next possession with the Bulldogs taking over on their own 40 after a seven-yard return.
The Bulldogs would cover the 60 yards on the drive in 12 plays, adding to their point total with a 10-yard run by Kunz with 4:31 remaining in the quarter.
After adding the extra point, the Bulldogs led 28-10.
Royal Williams would get a 25-yard return on the Bulldog kickoff to begin the Weevil drive from their own 28 yard line with 4:25 remaining in the quarter.
Brown would gain nine yards on the first two plays of the drive to the UAM 37 followed by a two-yard run by Slade LeBlanc for a first down.
The Weevils gained a first on the next pass, a 15-yard throw to Isaiah Cross to the Bulldog 46.
A second pass to Cross would gain 20 yards to the Bulldog 26 followed by a two-yard gain by LeBlanc to the 24.
An incomplete pass to the endzone to Cross would result in a roughing the passer penalty against SWOSU that would give the Weevils a first down at the 12.
LeBlanc and Reed would gain seven yards on the next two plays to the five with Brown finishing the drive, taking the ball in from five yards for the score.
Steenbock added the extra point to cut the lead to 28-17 with 49 seconds remaining in the quarter.
After forcing SWOSU to punt on the first drive of the fourth quarter, the Weevils would begin their drive at the UAM 35.
After a one-yard loss, Brown would connect with LaDarius Fair for a 24-yard pickup to the Bulldog 42, but the Bulldog defense would push UAM back into their own territory with a nine-yard sack at the UAM 49.
After the sack, Brown would gain a first down with a 20-yard run to the Bulldog 31 followed by a 13-yard pass to Dixon to the 18.
Reed would gain 10 yards on the next carry to the Bulldog 8 with Brown taking it in with 11:05 remaining in the contest.
The Weevils would add the two-point conversion with a Brown run to cut the lead to 28-25.
The Weevil defense would once more force the Bulldogs to punt with 9:01 remaining with UAM taking possession on their own 20.
Reed would get the carry to start the drive with a nine-yard run to the 29 with Brown breaking free on the next possession with a 71-yard touchdown run.
After the kick by Steenbock, the Weevils took the lead 32-28 with 8:16 remaining in the contest.
After another defensive stand by the Weevils, forcing the Bulldogs to punt from their own 40, the Bulldog punt would be blocked by Jonathon Cajigal with Cajigal recovering the blocked ball at the Bulldog 12.
On the first play of the drive, Reed would cover the 12 yards on a run up the middle for the touchdown.
With 7:25 on the clock, Steenbock would put the ball through for the extra point to extend the Weevil lead to 39-28.
Each team would have one more possession in the contest with the Weevils taking a knee at the SWOSU 19 to end the contest with a come from behind victory for their first win on the road in Weatherford, Oklahoma after scoring 29 unanswered points including 22 in the fourth quarter.
Demilon Brown would complete 16 of 22 passing for 205 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions.
Brown’s 415 yards in his first two games puts his career yardage at 6,258 yards, moving him up to into sixth passing Jay Austin’s 6,178 career total and is now 276 yards from tying Hunter Leppert for fifth all-time.
Brown would also add a 100-yard rushing game to his totals, leading the Weevils with 128 yards and three touchdowns.
Tyler Reed added a 100 yard game, recording 104 yards and a touchdown.
Isaiah Cross would lead the team in receiving with 71 yards.
Josh Dixon would record the only Weevil passing touchdown reception with one and would have three receptions for 23 yards.
AJ Bullock led the Weevils with nine tackles.
With the win, UAM moves to 2-0 on the season for the third consecutive year.
UAM will return to Convoy Leslie Cotton Bowl Stadium on Thursday, September 19, for a 6 p.m. kickoff, hosting the defending DII National Champions, the Harding University Bison.
Harding travels to Monticello as the number one ranked team in ACFA Division II Coaches Poll.
Harding defeated the Weevils last season 59-19 on the road in Searcy in 2023.
