ONU RIDES BIG FIRST HALF TO WIN 2022 NCCAA VICTORY BOWL

WAXAHACIE, Texas – Three touchdowns and some stellar defense propelled the Olivet Nazarene University football team to a 21-16 win over the Southwestern Assemblies of God (SAGU) Lions in the 2022 NCCAA Victory Bowl Friday evening.

This was ONU's sixth appearance in the Victory Bowl, and the win maintains the perfect record for the Tigers, who move to 6-0 all-time in the bowl game. 

The Purple Wave made their presence known early on, forcing fumbles on SAGU's first two drives of the game. The Tigers made them pay with back-to-back touchdown drives.

The first came on a methodical 11-play drive that ended with Cameron Crouch finding Jalen Dunnigan from 21-yards out on 4th & 10 to put ONU up early. The second fumble was forced on the SAGU 10-yard line. It only took one play for Arthur Walker to put the Tigers up 14-0 in the first quarter.

Oscar Grimaldo put the finishing touches on a big first-half for ONU with a 47-yard pick-six to put the Tigers up three touchdowns to SAGU's field goal as the teams headed into the break.

The Tigers were left off the scoreboard while SAGU found life in the second half. The Lions scored two unanswered touchdowns and were threatening to score again. With five minutes left to play, SAGU took over in ONU territory and put together a drive that got into the redzone.

On 3rd & 5 from the 9-yard line, the Tiger defense forced two incompletions to hold off the late SAGU threat. After a big first down completion to Brian Jenkins, Crouch and the Tigers lined up in victory formation to cement their sixth Victory Bowl title.

GAME VITALS

Final: Olivet Nazarene 21, SAGU 16

Records: Olivet Nazarene 7-4 | SAGU 7-4 

Location: Lumpkins Field | Southwestern Assemblies of God University | Waxahacie, Texas

QUICK HITS

• ONU is now 6-0 in their six appearances in the Victory Bowl.

• The Tiger defense forced three takeaways, including a 47-yard pick-six by Oscar Grimaldo.

• ONU dominated the time of possession, 46:26-28:34.

• Jalen Dunnigan scored the 28th receiving touchdown of his career.

• Arthur Walker, Evan Leake, and Crouch combined for 199 yards rushing.

--ONU—

*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu