PINEVILLE, La. – The #9/#14 Louisiana Christian University football team scored 31 straight points to blow open a tie game and roll to a 45-14 win over the Ottawa (Ariz.) Spirit on Senior Day at Wildcat Field on Saturday, winning the Sooner Athletic Conference Championship outright and clinching an automatic berth in the 2026 NAIA Football Championship Series.
The win gave #9/#14 Louisiana Christian (10-1, 8-0 SAC) 10 wins on the season, the first time hitting double-digit wins in the new era of Wildcat football while also giving LCU an unblemished mark in conference play, also a first since the program reformed in 2000. The SAC Title is LCU's third since joining the conference in 2021, and the first where the Wildcats won't have to share the honor. The Wildcats will make their second appearance in the NAIA Football Championship Series. Their previous appearance in the NAIA FCS came in 2023.
LCU seemed to set the tone early, taking in the opening kickoff from OUAZ (7-3, 6-2 SAC) and marching down the field in seven plays with
Bryce Perkins finding
Omarius Davis behind the defense for a 36-yard scoring connection and a 7-0 lead.
However, a turnover on downs and a fumble stunted two other promising drives for the Wildcats deep in Spirit territory. The next time LCU touched the ball, a bad snap was recovered by OUAZ at the Wildcat 20. The Spirit took advantage, scoring on their first play following the turnover, tying the score at 7-7 after the second play of the second quarter.
But the missed opportunities and mistakes early would not hinder the Wildcats as LCU answered the OUAZ touchdown with an eight-play, 70-yard drive where, again, Perkins found Davis alone, this time from 32 yards out and a 14-7 Wildcat lead early in the second quarter.
The Wildcats added a 38-yard field goal by
Preston Baker and an eight-yard scoring pass from Perkins to
EJ Scott right after the two-minute timeout to extend the lead to 24-7 at halftime. The score remained that way all the way into the fourth quarter.
Made sure no late comeback would thwart the incoming championship celebration. Perkins called his own number with a one-yard touchdown run to cap an eight-play, 62-yard drive less than 75 seconds into the final period.
The big play came several minutes later a
Jonathan Moore-LeDay drove his blocker right back into the OUAZ quarterback which knocked the ball out of his hand.
Trace McHugh picked up the loose ball and rumbled 45 yards to the end zone for a 38-7 LCU lead with 7:46 left in the contest.
A big return on the ensuing kickoff set up the Spirit at the Wildcat 11, which OUAZ would cash in on three plays later, but that would be the final highlight for the Spirit on the day.
Datlan Cunningham, who went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season in the contest, got over the 1K mark in style, busting loose for a 28-yard touchdown run for the game's final score.
Perkins was 18-of-26 for 307 yards and 3 touchdowns while adding another score on the ground.
His favorite target was Davis who had six catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns.
Xavion Butler had four catches for 100 yards.
Scott also made six catches which accounted for 59 yards and a score.
Cunningham also had a day, rushing 28 times for 135 yards and a touchdown and getting over 1,000 yards for the season during the contest.
Jaterrius Johnson got the ball 13 times and gained 61 yards.
OUAZ's defense allowed team to gain 247 yards per game during the season, 80 on the ground and 167 through the air. The LCU offense obliterated those numbers Saturday, putting up 468 total yards, 307 passing and 161 rushing and showing why it is the fourth-best offense in the NAIA in 2026 in terms of scoring and yards per game.
The 2026 Sooner Athletic Conference Champion Wildcats now await their assignment in the NAIA Football Championship Series, a 20-team tournament which starts next weekend. The top-12 teams, as determined by the NAIA National Selection Committee, will receive a bye into the second round while seeds 13 through 20 will play in the first round.
LCU will find out its who and where it'll play next at 6 p.m. on Sunday when the NAIA Football Championship Series Selection Show airs on the NAIA's YouTube channel.
