OTTAWA, Kan. - The Ottawa University Braves closed out the regular season in dominant fashion, riding a huge offensive day, explosive special teams, and key defensive plays to a 52–24 victory over Bethel College on Saturday afternoon at AdventHealth field.
1st Quarter
After the Braves' defense stopped Bethel with a fumble recovery by
Ibrahimi Mahdi, Ottawa marched 82 yards on 10 plays.
Luke Edwards capped the drive with a 17-yard touchdown pass to
AJ Moore at the 6:31 mark for a 7–0 lead.
The defense forced two more punts, and the offense took over near midfield late in the quarter. Edwards hit
Jayden Johnson for an 11-yard gain to set up the Braves deep in Bethel territory heading into the second quarter.
2nd Quarter
Just 53 seconds into the quarter, Edwards found Johnson again—this time a 20-yard touchdown to make it 14–0.
After a defensive stop,
Ike Prengel buried a 36-yard field goal for a 17–0 advantage.
Bethel finally got on the board with a 31-yard field goal with :32 left, but Ottawa answered instantly.
Hagan Johnson electrified the stadium with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, pushing the lead to 23–3 heading into halftime. The last time OU returned a kick for a touchdown was on Nov. 4, 2023 when Malik Patterson returned it 86 yards in OU's 27-24 overtime victory over Kansas Wesleyan University.
3rd Quarter
Bethel opened with a touchdown to pull within 23–10, but Ottawa answered immediately.
A 60-yard strike from Edwards to Moore set up
Key Long's 10-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead back to 30–10.
Just minutes later,
Ethan Gardner jumped a route and returned an interception 16 yards for a touchdown, making it 37–10.
Bethel responded with a long touchdown run, but Ottawa punched right back.
On the first play of the drive,
Jordan Clay sprinted 65 yards for a touchdown, and
Rowdy Keith added a successful 2-point conversion. Ottawa led 45–17 by the end of the quarter.
4th Quarter
A massive punt return by De'Anthony Curt set up Ottawa at the Bethel 1-yard line.
Key Long scored his second touchdown just 44 seconds into the quarter to stretch the lead to 52–17.
Bethel added a late score, but Ottawa's reserves closed out the final drive with a nearly four-minute possession to end the game.
OTTAWA STAT LEADERS
OFFENSE
- Luke Edwards: 11–20, 217 yards, 2 TD
- Jayden Johnson: 5 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD
- AJ Moore: 2 receptions, 77 yards, 1 TD
- Jordan Clay: 9 rushes, 100 yards, 1 TD
- Key Long: 2 rushes, 11 yards, 2 TD
DEFENSE
SPECIAL TEAMS
- Hagan Johnson: 2 kickoff returns, 92 yards, 85-yard TD
- De'Anthony Curt: 4 punt returns, 40 yards; 6 total returns for 113 yards
- Ike Prengel: 5/6 PAT, 36-yard FG
GAME SUMMARY
Ottawa showcased one of its most complete performances of the season—explosive offense, game-changing special teams, and a defense that forced turnovers and limited Bethel's passing attack.
The Braves piled up 498 yards of total offense and averaged 8.6 yards per play, while also scoring on offense, defense, and special teams.
Ottawa finishes the season with an overall record of 6-5 and a second place finish in the KCAC Kessinger Division with a mark of 4-1.
