<p><em>This segment is sixth of an 11-part series, highlighting game recaps of the 1988 Savage Football season. The Savages became the only football team in Southeastern’s Athletics history to finish the regular season undefeated en route to their 11th conference championship before upsetting No. 1 Central Arkansas in the first round of the NAIA playoffs at Paul Laird Field. Southeastern fell to Adams State (Colo.) in the second round, also at Paul Laird Field.</em></p><p><em>The stories, written by then-Sports Information Director Harold Harmon, were published in the</em> Durant Democrat<em>, and reproduced for web use by M. Shane Baxley.</em> </p><p>October 23, 1988<br />Coach Jon Lantz’s Savages tied the second best start in Southeastern football history here Saturday afternoon.</p><p>The unbeaten Savages made it 6-0 with a solid 36-0 thumping of Southwestern on a beautiful day for football with a dandy crowd on hand despite school being out for teachers’ meeting.</p><p>The Savages are now 2-0 in Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference play with Northwestern coming in Saturday for Homecoming.</p><p>Southeastern simply took apart the nation’s seventh-rated defense with quarterback Greg Neece triggering an offense that produced 203 yards rushing and 207 passing.</p><p>The wind was blowing for the second straight week and it was almost a rerun of the Northeastern game.</p><p>The Savages spent most of the first-period punting into a 15-20-mile-per-hour south wind before finally cranking up an 80-yard drive that used 9 plays and took 3:34 off the clock.</p><p>Corey Ransom, who has scored in every game this year, capped the drive with a 1-yard burst with just 1:12 left in the opening round.</p><p>Mike Nelson, who hasn’t missed an extra point all season, didn’t miss this time. He went on to hit 4 for 4 extra points, and Ransom ran a 2-point conversion when SW failed to cover properly.</p><p>Versie Graham punched in from a yard out with 13:26 left in the second quarter to close out an 83-yard march in 5 plays and 1:38.</p><p>Two big plays sparked the drive as Oscar Wright broke loose for 48 yards, and Durant’s Tadd Hammel hauled in a pass from Neece for a first-and-goal at the Bulldog 1-yard line.</p><p>Graham got that TD two plays later to make it 14-zip with Nelson’s automatic placement.</p><p>The second stanza belonged to Versie, as a matter of fact. The Hugo junior scored on an 11-yard pass from Neece, then roared 50 yards to make it same song, third Versie with his third touchdown of the period to climax a 72-yard drive in 5 plays and 1:40.</p><p>This time Ransom ran the conversion when SW failed to cover the old swinging gate play as the Savages lined up away from the ball. <br />When the Bulldogs didn’t react properly, Ransom got the snap and took it to the end zone for two points.</p><p>That made it 29-zip at the half.</p><p>The third quarter saw the Bulldogs make a run at it on their first possession. They marched from their own 14 to the Savages 27 before running in to a fourth and 1 when two passes imcomplete.</p><p>Coach Paul Sharp called time out to talk it over, and the ‘Dogs decided to go for it. James Hicks, their big-play tailback, got the call and the ball.</p><p>He also got a load of Savages, led by David Hall and Girardeau Chisholm. Hicks was handled for a loss of a yard.</p><p>The Savages couldn’t move and to punt. SW got three plays before QB Todd Hudson hit flanker Bob Ward on what could have been a TD.</p><p>Freshman David Moore caught with Ward and his fierce tackled the ball the loose. Stewart Bond was there to fall on it at the Savage 7.</p><p>Eight plays, 93 yards and 4:16 later, Ransom put the Savages on the board again. The payoff came on a pass from Neece that covered 60 smooth yards with excellent downfield blocking.</p><p>Nelson kicked again, and it was 36-0 with 2:29 left in the third quarter. That ended the scoring and the teams played out the clock with SW never really threatening.</p><p>“When I saw the way our defense was attacking Hicks, I thought we would be able to do something against their offense,” Coach Lantz said.</p><p>“I told our kids they could look at SW’s seventh-ranked defense as a handicap or a challenge.</p><p>“Obviously, they took it as a challenge.</p><p>“Our defense held them to 258 yards and our offense picked up 410 yards. You have to be pleased with that.”</p><p>Asked about the Savages’ chances to win the OIC, Lantz said, “We don’t spend much time talking about the winning the conference.</p><p>“We spend our time talking about playing well, playing hard and doing our best. If we do that, the OIC race will take care of itself.</p><p>“I won’t allow myself to look ahead too far. I realize if we win two of our next three we’ll make the playoffs, but we still have to win them.</p><p>Lantz said he was surprised at the spread.</p><p>“Southwestern was coming off a very emotional win over East Central,” Lantz said. “I thought they played real well early, but went flat after the first couple of series.”</p><p>Southeastern ran 11 fewer plays than the Bulldogs but made them count, almost doubling the ‘Dogs by averaging 6>03 yards per play to SW’s 3.27.</p><p>Neece was up to usual tricks, rushing 17 times for 63 yards after having 38 subtracted on losses. He again turned in some key runs to keep drives alive.</p><p>The Savage QB also hit 11 of 18 passes for 207 yards and 2 touchdowns with the longest that 60-yard strike to Ransom. He was not intercepted.</p><p>Eight Savages caught passes as Neece spread it around. Ransom had 2 for 88 and a TD. Graham had 2 for 9 and a TD and Kelly Meek caught 2 for 16.</p><p>Wright, Jim Bell, Hammel, Lance Butler and Curtis Armor had one catch each.</p><p>Graham added 61 yards in 9 carries; Wright had 48 in two tries. Ransom was held in check with only 27 yards and a TD in 10 carries. </p><p>Southeastern intercepted three passes and recovered four fumbles to keep the ‘Dogs leashed.</p><p>Lantz said he thought SW played better in the second half.</p><p>“We didn’t play as well in the second half,” Lantz said. “One time, I looked up and saw the home stands about half full. Some of the fans left early, but I think it was because we had the game in control.</p><p>“I thought we what we had to in the first half and established control of the game. We had a good effort on both sides of the ball.</p><p>“I thought we were less aggressive in the second half.”</p><p>Lantz still didn’t want to talk about the conference race, but did answer Bob Colon of the Daily Oklahoman by saying, “I still think when it’s all said and done, Northeastern will have a say in who wins the OIC.</p><p>“You can’t count East Central out by any means (the Tigers defeated Northwestern Saturday to go 1-1 in the OIC race.</p><p>“Again, we don’t talk about that. We just try to concentrate on playing as well as we can.”</p><p>Without looking at the film, Lantz said he felt David Hall had a great game at defensive tackle.</p><p>“I hate to keep saying the same thing about Hall, but he’s unblockable. We can’t block him in practice and nobody else has been able to do it this year.</p><p>“What can you say about Neece? You can look at his stats, as great as they may be, and still never get a true picture of what he does for us. He’s the trigger-puller.”</p><p>The Savages respected Southwestern’s defense and know full well what the offense was capable of doing with Hicks at tailback.</p><p>Suffice it say Southeastern met the challenge in great shape. Hicks had 106 yards rushing, but was held in check when it counted.</p><p>QB Todd Hudson hit 9 of 29 passes for 133 yards and had 3 intercepted, two by David Moore and one by Stewart Bond.</p><p>Hall was credited with 3 solo tackles, 4 assists, 1 tackle for minus-2 yards and two quarterback losses of 9 and 7 yards.</p><p>Joe Khoury had 5 solos and 6 assists with three for losses totaling 9 yards, one QB sack for minus-5 and he also recovered two fumbles.</p><p>Overall, it was another excellent team effort, and the Savages are now looking forward to tying the all-time best start, 7-0, with a big win against Northwestern at Saturday’s Homecoming game.</p><p>Get your tickets early.</p><p><em>Part 7 of the series will be the Northwestern game recap.</em></p><p><em>The Southeastern Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is hosting the 1988 Savages for a reunion on Nov. 8 during the annual SE-ECU rivalry game. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m.</em></p>
