ACU football: Special teams play sparks second win - Staff Report, Abilene Reporter News
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Abilene Christian blocked three punts — scoring on two of them — and returned another punt for a touchdown Saturday night as the No. 5 Wildcats romped to a 43-13 Lone Star Conference win over Northeastern State at Doc Wadley Stadium.
The win pushed the Wildcats to 2-0 and 1-0 in the LSC, while the RiverHawks fell to 1-1 and 1-1 a week after upsetting Tarleton State in Stephenville.
After ACU settled for a pair of field goals on its first two drives of the game, Kendrick Johnson got the special teams effort started when he returned a punt 80 yards for a score to give the Wildcats a 13-0 lead with 5:33 left in the first quarter. After ACU’s defense forced a punt on Northeastern’s next possession, Chris Jones blocked a Cody Lenz punt that Nate Bailey picked out of the air and returned 20 yards for a touchdown to make it a 20-0 with 2:51 left in the same quarter.
Late in the first half, with the Wildcats leading 20-6, Jones blocked another punt that Caleb Withrow recovered in the end zone to give the Wildcats a 26-6 lead with 3:48 left before halftime.
Related: Story from ACU Website
Related: Story from NSU Website
Special teams doom NSU in blowout loss - Ben Johnson, Tahlequah Daily Press
If nothing else, Northeastern State teams have prided themselves on special-teams play under head coach Kenny Evans. Saturday night at in front of 6,127 fans at Doc Wadley Stadium, special teams let the RiverHawks down.
Abilene Christian, ranked fourth in the D2football.com poll and fifth in the AFCA D-II coaches' poll, capitalized on shortcomings by the RiverHawks' punting unit, scoring three times with Kendrick Johnson and his Wildcat punt-return squad on the field in a 43-13 victory on Gable Field.
“We were so good and won the game at Tarleton (State) thanks to special teams,” said Evans, whose team had three field goals and a 95-yard kickoff return against the Texans in Week 1. “...And tonight, that units gives up, basically, 28 points. Offensively and defensively, we did some things good, but we gave up to many points on special teams.”
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Sluggish' Javs edge Winborn - George Vondracek, Corpus Christi Caller Times
CORPUS CHRISTI — ADA, Okla. — The good news for Texas A&M-Kingsville is senior tailback Fred Winborn ran wild Saturday night against East Central (Okla.).
The bad news is, as coach Bo Atterberry warned his charges throughout the week, there is plenty of football to be played this season.
And if the Javelinas needed a reminder of that a week following the big over defending NCAA Division II champion Northwest Missouri State, the winless Tigers gave them the nudge.
Largely through defensive play and the legs Winborn, the sixth-ranked Javelinas defeated the Tigers 20-7 at Norris Field, extending East Central’s losing streak to 15 games, the longest in school history.
Of more importance to the 2-0 Javelinas is the uneven play in the Lone Star Conference crossover opener. The Javelinas were penalized 11 times for 109 yards, threw four interceptions and generally were out of sync offensively for a good part of the night.
“With the little amount of practice we had this week with some weather, and you can’t make excuses, but we just came out sluggish,” said junior quarterback Nate Poppell, who still managed to throw for 297 yards and a touchdown. He was sacked five times, however, and was intercepted thrice. “Like coach said we came out like we practiced. There was not a lot of practice and it kind of showed there at the beginning. We didn’t have a great tempo to start but a win’s a win and we’ll take it.”
Related: Texas A&M-Kingsville smothers East Central - McAllen Monitor
Related: Story from ECU Website
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Story from SWO Website
Story from WTAM Website
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Eskridge, Mustangs run past Greyhounds in rout - J. Scott Russell, Times Record News
BLACKWATER DRAW, N.M. — Zack Eskridge didn’t have one of his better games throwing the ball for Midwestern State Saturday night in Greyhound Stadium. So rather than using his arm, the senior quarterback used his legs. Eskridge rushed for 137 yards on 12 carries and the Mustangs benefited from six turnovers as they whipped Eastern New Mexico 44-17 in a Lone Star Conference crossover game.
The 13th-ranked Mustangs are now 2-0 for the season and 1-0 in the LSC. The Greyhounds call to 1-2 and 0-2.
Although Eskridge did end up the leading rusher, he never made it to the end zone after rushing for two scores in the season opener. Instead he spread it around as five different players scored touchdowns for the Mustangs and two others kicked field goals. Eskridge did end up passing for more yards than he ran for — just barely as he finished the night 15-of-27 for 139 yards.
Head coach Bill Maskill had said before the game that the play of the Eastern New Mexico defensive ends could give the quarterback room to run and it did.
“We could have let him run the ball every snap,” Maskill said. “But we didn’t want him to run it too much. We figured he’d get 10 or 12 carries. We put in a couple of plays so he wouldn’t have to run the ball. I think he’s faster and stronger than he was in the past. He’s long and lanky and hard to bring down.”
Eskridge had plenty of time to throw the ball most of the night, but only completed 15.
“I won’t know until we look at the film, but he had plenty of time except for a play or two where we got beat,” Maskill said. “Zack had time to look left, look right and then look in the middle before getting flushed. That means either the receivers weren’t getting open or he wasn’t finding them.”
Related: Story from ENMU Website
Related: Story from MSU Website
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ASU FOOTBALL: Cotton kings - Nathan Wright, San Angelo Standard Times
DALLAS — The Angelo State University football team got off to a slow start in its first-ever appearance at the Cotton Bowl.
But after a sluggish first quarter, the Rams got on track and eventually defeated Texas A&M-Commerce 31-10 Saturday in the Harvey Martin Classic at the storied venue in Dallas.
With the win, the Rams improved to 2-0 and won their second straight game over the Lions.
However, the game didn’t start well for ASU. In the first quarter, the Rams gained only 56 offensive yards, were penalized five times for 25 yards and turned the ball over twice.
Thanks to a stingy defense that allowed just 100 yards in the first 15 minutes, ASU trailed only 3-0 going into the second quarter. The Lions managed a 22-yard field goal by Ahmed Abo-Mahmood with 10:23 remaining in the first to account for the only points of the opening period.
“We started off very slow,” ASU head coach Dale Carr said. “We shot ourselves in the foot in many regards. The penalties were the obvious ones, but I think we weren’t getting the plays in very well.”
Defense takes Angelo State to victory in Harvey Martin Classic - John Henry, Special to the Star-Telegram
DALLAS -- It would seem only fitting to the sports romantic that the defense play a starring role in a game staged to honor a legend who made his mark anchoring great defenses.
Angelo State transformed Texas A&M-Commerce's offense into a retreating army, beating back the Lions' every opportunity in a 31-10 victory in the Harvey Martin Classic on Saturday at the Cotton Bowl.
A&M-Commerce, Martin's alma mater and playing without star linebacker Cory Whitfield (knee), was at the mercy of the marauding Rams and their Mr. Steady quarterback Josh Neiswander, who after a slow start finally got going. The senior passed for 261 yards and three touchdowns.
"Any time a defense is playing that well, it helps the offense, because you don't feel like you have to press when things aren't going well like in the first half," said Neiswander, who started the ball rolling with an 83-yard touchdown strike down the middle of the field to Dakarai Pecikonis in the second quarter.
Angelo State defeats A&M-Commerce, 31-10 in the Harvey Martin Classic - Daniel Kambel, North Texas e-News
Three touchdown passes by quarterback Josh Neiswander and seven quarterback sacks led visiting Angelo State to a 31-10 victory over Texas A&M University-Commerce on Saturday night in the 2010 Harvey Martin Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
A&M-Commerce (1-1) got on the board first when it marched down the field on its opening drive of the contest. The Lions culminated an 11-play, 78-yard drive with a 22-yard field goal by sophomore Ahmed Abo-Mahmood for the early 3-0 advantage.
Junior Marcus Graham had 20 carries and 76 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Freshman Tevin Godfrey had his first career 100-yard reception game with a four catch, 103-yard effort and senior quarterback Adam Farkes completed 17-for-37 with 201 yards.
Angelo State (2-0) scored the next 24 points, seven of which came on an 83-yard touchdown strike from Neiswander to Dakari Pecikonis and another seven on a 55-yard interception return by Terrance Preston. The two big plays put the visitors ahead 14-3 at the intermission.
Related: Story from TAMC Website
Related: Story from ASU Website
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Central Oklahoma whips Tarleton State, 37-21 - Scott Munn, The Oklahoman
C. Oklahoma 37, Tarleton State 21
Central Oklahoma played its first game in two weeks and looked much improved. The Bronchos whipped Tarleton State of Stephenville, Texas, 37-21 before 3,200 fans at Wantland Stadium in Edmond.
Freshman running back Josh Birmingham had a second consecutive 100-yard game. The former Luther High standout ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns.
UCO is 1-1. Tarleton State fell to 0-2.
Other top performers
→Dolphin Davis, WR, Tulsa Washington
The UCO sophomore caught three passes for 49 yards. Two catches went for 29- and 10-yard touchdowns. Davis also returned two kicks for 55 yards.
→Creadell Pennon, DB, Altus
The Central Oklahoma sophomore outjumped Saalim Hakim in the end zone and tore the ball away from the Texans receiver with 1 second left in the second quarter. The play preserved the Bronchos' 10-7 lead.
Pennon intercepted a pass with 2:19 left in the game and returned the ball 32 yards to the Tarleton State 20 with UCO leading 31-21. The play led to Birmingham's game-icing TD run.
→Ethan Sharp, QB, Eufaula
Another sophomore in Central Oklahoma's youthful lineup, Sharp was 19 of 24 for 190 yards passing. He threw an interception in the first quarter, but that was his only miscue of the game. Two weeks ago, in the Bronchos' season-opening loss to Pittsburg State (Kan.), Sharp threw four interceptions — in the first half.
Up next
Central Oklahoma makes its first road trip of the season, a Sept. 18 game at Incarnate Word in San Antonio. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Incarnate Word fell to 0-2 Saturday night, losing 38-19 to Southeastern Oklahoma State in Durant. Incarnate Word is in its second year of varsity football. The Cardinals were 5-5 last season.
Related: Story from UCO Website
Related: Story from TSU Website
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Area roundup: SE Okla. roughs up UIW - San Antonio Express News
Incarnate Word lost its debut in the Lone Star Conference, falling 38-19 to Southeastern Oklahoma in Durant, Okla.
Paden Lynch had the best showing of the three UIW quarterbacks used, going 9 of 17 for 113 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Trent Rios had 66 yards on 19 carries, and Jacob Love had five catches for 100 yards. Donald Gies had two touchdown catches.
The Savage Storm took over in the second period on touchdown passes of 81 and 74 yards from Logan Turner to Brandon DeFrance.
Related: Story from SOSU Website
Related: Story from UIW Website
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And from the LSC Website....
No. 5 Abilene Christian 43, Northeastern State 13
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- Abilene Christian University blocked three punts, scoring on two of them, and returned another punt for a touchdown Saturday night as the No. 5 Wildcats posted their second straight victory with a 43-13 Lone Star Conference win over Northeastern State at Doc Wadley Stadium.
The win pushes the Wildcats to 2-0 on the season and 1-0 in the LSC, while the RiverHawks fall to 1-1 and 1-1. ACU will play its first home game of the season next Saturday at 6 p.m. when it hosts East Central in another LSC contest at Shotwell Stadium.
After ACU settled for a pair of field goals on its first two drives of the game, Kendrick Johnson got the special teams parade started when he returned a punt 80 yards for a score to give the Wildcats a 13-0 lead with 5:33 left in the game. After ACU's defense forced a punt on Northeastern's ensuing possession, Chris Jones blocked a punt that Nate Bailey picked out of the air and returned 20 yards for a touchdown to make it a 20-0 with 2:51 left in the first quarter.
Late in the first half with the Wildcats leading 20-6, Jones blocked another punt that Caleb Withrow recovered in the end zone to give the Wildcats a 26-6 lead with 3:48 left in the first half. Northeastern creeped to within two scores on the final play of the first half when Davis found Kendall McKellum for a 37-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to cut ACU's lead at the break to 26-13.
The special teams fireworks continued in the third quarter for the Wildcats as redshirt freshman Thor Woerner blocked another Cody Lenz punt and Bailey recovered again and returned it to the Northeastern 12-yard line. Two plays later, Mitchell Gale found Emery Dudensing from three yards out to give the Wildcats a 33-13 advantage.
Darrell Cantu-Harkless had an 82-yard touchdown run with 4:05 left in the third quarter to make it 40-13 and Morgan Lineberry capped the scoring with a 40-yard field goal with 12:48 left in the contest.
Gale finished the night 18 for 25 for 161 yards and one score, while Cantu-Harkless led the Wildcats with 95 yards on four carries and one score. ACU's defense, meanwhile, limited the RiverHawks to a meager 35 yards of offense in the second half.
No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville 20, East Central 7
ADA – Fred Winborn ran for 165 yards on 28 carries and scored a touchdown and quarterback Nate Poppell threw for 297 yards and a touchdown as sixth-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville knocked off East Central University 20-7 Saturday night in a Lone Star Conference crossover clash at Norris Field.
Texas A&M-Kingsville (2-0) produced 452 yards of total offense and limited ECU to 87. The Tigers netted minus nine yards on the ground.
The Tigers’ only score came off a Charles Burks 10-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the third quarter.
TAMUK opened the scoring in the second quarter on Poppell’s 24-yard scoring pass to Sherman Batiste to conclude a nine-play, 88-yard drive with 8:38 to go before halftime.
Winborn then responded on the Javelinas’ next possession after an interception as Winborn ran from nine yards out to cap a seven-play, 61-yard series.
All of the Javelinas’ second-half scoring came on a pair of field goals by Christian Brom from 26 yards out with 7:53 to go in the third and a 30-yarder with 14:35 remaining.
Ryan Lincoln and Delashaun Dean each had six receptions for TAMUK (Lincoln for 56 yards and Dean for 36) and Robert Armstrong hauled in four for 85.
ECU quarterback Tyler Vanderzee was 12-of-25 for 96 yards and was picked off twice. Zack Patteson was the Tigers’ top receiver with five for 43 yards.
No. 9 West Texas A&M 77, Southwestern Oklahoma 14
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Ninth-ranked West Texas A&M hit on all cylinders running away from Southwestern Oklahoma State, 77-14, at Fast Lane Stadium in Weatherford, Okla.
The win was WTAMU’s first of the season, as they improve to 1-1 on the year, while SWOSU drops to 0-2.
WT’s offense cranked out 422 yards in total offense, with 379 yards coming in the first half when they registered 56 of their 77 points. Equally impressive was the Buffs’ defensive unit, which registered seven quarterback sacks, four QB hurries, three interceptions (two of which were returned for touchdowns) and allowed just 212 total yards.
The Buffs were up 35-0 before SWOSU scored its first touchdown on a one-yard keeper by quarterback Mike Van Deripe early in the second quarter.
WT’s lead was 56-14 at the break after Curtis Jefferson returned an interception 53 yards for a score with 1:35 to play in the second quarter.
The Buffs added three more scores in the final half and had their highest point total in five years since scoring 90 in a game against New Mexico Highlands in 2005.
Quarterback Taylor Harris completed 13-of-22 passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns. Brittan Golden caught four of his passes for 136 yards and one touchdown of 46 yards.
Van Deripe was SWOSU’s offensive star completing 17-of-34 passes for 150 yards but was intercepted twice and sacked six times.
No. 13 Midwestern State 44, Eastern New Mexico 17
BLACKWATER DRAW — The Eastern New Mexico University football team (1-2) went 46 yards on three plays to take a 7-0 lead on a 10-yard strike from quarterback Wesley Wood, but 13th-ranked Midwestern State (2-0) scored 24 unanswered points en route to a 44-17 win over the Greyhounds, Saturday evening at Greyhound Stadium. The win moved the Mustangs to 11-4 in the series with Eastern and was their ninth straight in the series.
MSU, the Lone Star Conference leader in total offense, outgained Eastern by a 526-357 margin and finished with 372 rushing yards. Wood completed 32 of his 53 passing attempts for the Hounds, including two touchdown passes, but was intercepted five times. Darian Dale led ENMU in receiving with eight grabs for 50 yards. Zack Eskridge passed for 139 yards, with David Little making six catches for 43 yards. Eskridge was also the Mustangs leading ground gainer, with 137 yards, including a 58 yard sprint. Marcus Mathis ran for 94 yards and a touchdown for MSU. Tillman Stevens paced the Hounds with 15 tackles, while Ty Duncan and Jeremy Smith had seven stops each for MSU.
Next up for Midwestern State will be a home game against Southwestern Oklahoma State, next Saturday. Eastern New Mexico University will have an off week, before hosting Lone Star Conference North Division champion, Texas A&M-Commerce for homecoming, on September 25th.
Angelo State 31, Texas A&M-Commerce 10
Three touchdown passes by quarterback Josh Neiswander and seven quarterback sacks led visiting Angelo State to a 31-10 victory over Texas A&M University-Commerce on Saturday night in the 2010 Harvey Martin Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
A&M-Commerce (1-1) got on the board first when it marched down the field on its opening drive of the contest. The Lions culminated an 11-play, 78-yard drive with a 22-yard field goal by sophomore Ahmed Abo-Mahmood for the early 3-0 advantage.
Junior Marcus Graham had 20 carries and 76 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Freshman Tevin Godfrey had his first career 100-yard reception game with a four catch, 103-yard effort and senior quarterback Adam Farkes completed 17-for-37 with 201 yards.
Angelo State (2-0) scored the next 24 points, seven of which came on an 83-yard touchdown strike from Neiswander to Dakari Pecikonis and another seven on a 55-yard interception return by Terrance Preston. The two big plays put the visitors in front 14-3 at the intermission.
Neiswander finished the day 16-for-30 with an interception and 261 yards to go along with three touchdown passes. On the ground, the Rams were led by Nevin Gardiner, who ran nine times for 68 yards.
On the Lions’ first possession of the second half, the Rams nearly had its second interception for a touchdown before a clipping penalty brought the return back. ASU stayed off the scoreboard for just four plays until Neiswander connected with Nate Bayless for a 37-yard touchdown strike to take a 24-3 advantage.
A&M-Commerce answered when junior Marcus Graham ended a six-play, 62-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 14, 24-10. In the drive, Graham picked up 28 of the 62 yards, plus 30 of which came on the first career reception by freshman Carrington Brown.
The Rams closed out the scoring as Neiswander completed his third touchdown pass to start the fourth quarter on a 33-yard pass to V’Keon Lacy for the final margin.
Next, A&M-Commerce will look to bounce back when they take to the road to face No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville at 7 p.m.
Southeastern Oklahoma 38, Incarnate Word 19
DURANT, Okla. - Southeastern Oklahoma State took advantage of three touchdown passes of 60-plus yards en route to a 38-19 win over Incarnate Word (Texas) on Saturday night in a Lone Star Conference crossover contest at Paul Laird Field.
The Savage Storm even their record at 1-1 on the year and will be back on the field Sept. 18 at West Texas A&M, while the Cardinals slip 0-2 on the year and will see action again on Sept. 19 when they host Central Oklahoma.
SE quarterback Logan Turner completed 13-of-21 for 288 yards and three scores, all three of which went for more than 60-yards, including tosses of 81 and 74 to Brandon DeFrance who finished the night with three catches for 168 yards and two scores.
Storm running back Baylen Laury eclipsed the 100-yard plateau, carrying nine times for 152 yards and two TD's.
Trent Rios led UIW on the ground with 66 yards on 19 carries, as seven runners combined for 188 yards.
Central Oklahoma 37, Tarleton State 21
EDMOND, Okla. (Sept. 11) – Ethan Sharp passed for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead Central Oklahoma to a 37-21 Lone Star Conference crossover victory over Tarleton State here Saturday night.
The sophomore quarterback completed 19-of-24 passes for 190 yards, hitting Dolphin Davis with TDs of 10 and 29 yards, and added a two-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter.
The Bronchos evened their record at 1-1 and moved to 1-0 in the overall league standings, while the Texans fell to 0- and 0-2.
UCO never trailed after taking a 3-0 lead on Chris Robbs’ 25-yard field goal in the opening drive of the game and the Bronchos pushed that to 10-0 midway through the second period on Josh Birmingham’s one-yard TD plunge.
Tarleton pulled within 10-7 on a three-yard Evan Robertson scoring run late in the first half, but the Bronchos went up 17-17 early in the third quarter on Sharp’s 29-yard TD toss to Davis.
That duo hooked up again late in the period to answer a Tarleton score and keep UCO’s lead at 10 (24-14), with the Texans again coming back to make it 24-21 on Jerome Regal’s one-yard TD run early in the final period.
The Bronchos pushed their lead back to 10 at 31-21 with 10:05 remaining when Sharp scored on a keeper and UCO put the game away in the final minute on Birmingham’s 25-yard scoring burst.
Birmingham finished with 97 yards on 26 rushes while adding 46 yards on five receptions. UCO finished with 333 yards, while the Texans ended with 295.
The Bronchos go to Incarnate Word next week. Tarleton is at Northwestern (La.).
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