Nelson 52, Langston 50
Waxahachie, TX | Nov. 8, 2025 — In a game that will be remembered for years to come, the Nelson University Lions delivered a Homecoming classic inside Lumpkins Stadium, defeating Langston University 52–50 in double overtime.
The day began with sunshine, smoke from the grills, and the buzz of alumni, students, and families filling the air, the perfect backdrop for a long-awaited return home after four straight road games. The Mighty Lions Band roared, cheer kept the crowd fired up, and the stands were electric from kickoff to the final snap.
Nelson struck first as quarterback Judah Holtzclaw connected with BJ Clark on a 29-yard touchdown to open the scoring. Cade Whitehead's PAT made it 7–0, capping a six-play, 67-yard drive that set the tone early for an explosive first half.
The Lions continued to build momentum, adding another score through the air as Holtzclaw found Jermaine Jones for an 11-yard strike, pushing Nelson's lead to 14–0. Whitehead later added a 39-yard field goal to make it 17–3, and by halftime, Nelson led 24–12, their most complete first half of the season.
The second half, however, was chaos in its purest football form. Langston clawed back behind timely defense and special teams plays, while Nelson's defense anchored by Micah Smith's huge fourth-down tackle delivered clutch stops when it mattered most.
As the clock wound down, both teams traded scores and defensive stands in a wild fourth quarter. Missed extra points and blocked kicks set up a finale that had the Homecoming crowd on its feet, shouting "DEFENSE!" with every snap.
Tied at 37 at the end of regulation, the Lions entered overtime hungry. The first OT ended knotted at 44 after a Langston touchdown and response by Holtzclaw and company.
Then came the moment. In double overtime, the Lions leaned on poise and persistence. Judah Holtzclaw engineered a clutch drive capped off by Zach Fuller's heroic finish sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Nelson's defense held firm on the final stand, sealing the 52–50 victory and snapping a 14-game losing streak to Langston in dramatic fashion.
As the lights glowed over Lumpkins and the band played one final "Roar," Nelson walked off victorious celebrating one of the most memorable wins in program history, and the smallest margin of victory ever recorded on Homecoming.
Next Up
- Senior Day
- Saturday, Nov. 15 | 2:00 PM
- Texas College
- Lumpkins Stadium | Waxahachie, TX
Nelson University (formerly SAGU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.
