In the team huddle before the OT, UIW Coach Mike Santiago told his team they were going to win because before this he was 8-0 in extra periods over his career.

What happened next was UIW won the OT coin toss and elected to let its defense perform once more.  In the fourth quarter alone the Cardinals' defense forced the Aggies to go three and out four times so the percentages were in order in giving the ball to OPSU first.

Oklahoma Panhandle managed one first down after starting at the UIW 25.  UIW's Matt Sanders broke up a third down pass in the end zone, the Aggies missed on a 38-yard field goal try, and the Cardinals went on offense.

A short one-yard run by quarterback Eric Massoni followed by an incomplete pass set up another carry by Massoni for two.  Out came Thomas Rebold and he sent the field goal try home from 39 yards out and the Cardinals were winners.

To get to that point, UIW had opened the second half with a sustained drive but an interception at the OPSU 15 ended that threat.  On the next play Darryl Brister turned on the jets through the middle of the line and went 82 yards to put the Aggies up by three scores, 28-7.  That run combined with his first score, a 65-yard run, gave him 147 yards on just two carries.

After the kickoff return and a sideline penalty, Thomas Specia's next pass was intercepted at the UIW 27.  Six plays later Vincent Gay threw 18 yards to Doug Williams for another tally.  Brian Holmen again converted and it was 35-7 Aggies.

On the ensuing kickoff Trent Rios flashed 37 yards to the OPSU 48.  Five plays later J. J. Johnson scored from the one.  Of the six plays Johnson carried three times for 15 yards.  The other two plays were an 18-yard strike from quarterback Eric Massoni to wide receiver Dominic Hamilton followed by a 15-yard run to the one by Massoni.

After a short punt from OPSU, Incarnate Word used 10 plays to get into the end zone and further shorten the Aggie lead.  Again, it was Massoni and Johnson dominating.  The Cardinals threw the ball twice and Massoni completed both, one of 36 to Jacob Love and another for six to Andrew Mocio.

Johnson had four carries for 12 yards.  Massoni carried twice for eight yards including the one-yard scoring sneak behind linemen Patrick Martinez and Charles Segura.  It was 35-21.

With 4:12 remaining in the game the Cardinals made it even more interesting.  Another short OPSU punt gave UIW possession at the Aggie 46.  Consecutive passes from Massoni to Kenneth Pryor for 17 and the second for 29 to Hamilton who took it to the end zone.  Rebold added the point and it was suddenly 35-28.

Yet another short punt from the Aggies and the Cardinals were in business at the OPSU 21-yard line with 2:01 on the clock.  A Massoni keeper for two yards, a Massoni pass to Mocio for six more and finally a Massoni strike to Hamilton who lunged into the end zone.  Rebold converted and it was tied with 1:10 to go.

It was overtime.  And it was Oklahoma Panhandle's third consecutive game for extra periods.  Langston beat the Aggies in double overtime two weeks ago before OPSU defeated Southwest Assemblies of God in three OTs a week ago.

OPSU parlayed a quick strike with a pair of red-zone scores to run up a 21-7 margin at halftime.  The quick hit came of the form of that 65-yard run by Brister to jump in front 6-0 with 7:54 showing on the first quarter scoreboard.   The second OPSU tally came on an eight-yard toss from Gay to Williams. Holden added both PATs and the Aggies had a 14-0 lead after one period.

Incarnate Word narrowed the score when quarterback Specia threw five yards to tight end Caleb Kocian at 6:27 of the second.  Rebold added the point after.

Kocian's tally was set up on a Specia throw to wideout Todd Walker at the Aggie 10-yard line.  Walker took a vicious hit and a helmet-to-helmet call was made pushing the ball halfway to the goal.  After Walker, down for several minutes, was aided to the sideline, Specia made the throw for the TD.

Just over four minutes later, at 2:02, Oklahoma Panhandle's Brister got his second score of the day on an eight-yard run.  Holmen's PAT ended the first half scoring and the Aggies went to the locker room up 21-7.

In the statistical department Massoni carried the day for UIW.  Passing he was 11 of 22 for 151 yards and two scores.  He also ran eight times for 32 yards and a score.  Receiving, Hamilton had five catches for 83 yards an a pair of tallies.

As a team the Cardinals and Aggies within reach of each other.  OPSU amassed 381 yards total thanks largely to 284 on the ground.  Meanwhile UIW recorded 346 total yards including 238 through the air.

Next up for Incarnate Word is an October 10 game at home against East Central Oklahoma of the Lone Star Conference.  Kickoff is 2 p.m. at Benson Stadium.