MIAMI, Okla. – With the score tied 13-13 at halftime, Blinn College football was in a position to get a win on the road but Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College scored 21 straight points to open the second half to earn a 41-27 victory Thursday night.
“We played a high-character game and fought all the end to the end,” said Ryan Mahon, Blinn head coach.
The loss effectively ends the season for the Buccaneers as Blinn finishes the 2016 campaign with a 5-4 record and 3-4 in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference.
Blinn did get three rushing touchdowns from running back D’Anthony Hopkins as he finishes his sophomore season with 18 rushing touchdowns.
Hopkins was able to open the scoring up for Blinn with a 1-yard touchdown for a 6-0 lead with 7:16 left in the first quarter. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M was able to tack on 10 straight points to take a 10-6 lead with 6:22 left in the half.
The Buccaneers were able to retake the lead when Weston Elliott found Earnest Patterson Jr. for a 21-yard touchdown strike for a 13-10 lead late in the second quarter. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M kicked a field goal before the half to tie the game up at 13-13 at halftime.
Northeastern Oklahoma A&M came out on fire in the second half by throwing two touchdown passes and recovering a Blinn fumble for a touchdown to record 21 unanswered points for a 34-13 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Blinn did put up a fight in the fourth quarter when Hopkins ran in touchdowns of six and five yards, respectively. Even with the two touchdowns from Hopkins, Blinn was only able to get within 14 points on two different occasions as Northeastern Oklahoma A&M ran out the clock after recovering an onside kick to close out the victory.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 34 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
