ABILENE, Texas – After owning a 19-17 lead halfway through the second quarter, the Howard Payne University football team gave up 34 unanswered points in a 51-19 loss to McMurry University Saturday night.
HPU would go scoreless in the second half and give up 21 points to McM including a pick six near the goal line late in the fourth quarter.
McM started the game with a turnover on downs and handed the football to Howard Payne near the 50-yard line. HPU would go 49 yards on 5 plays, with the drive ending on a 27 yard pass from Zach Hubbard to Andre Dean in the back corner of the end zone for the 7-0 lead. The next score would come when McM quarterback, Jake Mullin would throw the ball directly into the hands of HPU linebacker, Demetrius Cody at the HPU43. Cody returned it all the way back for the pick six and the 13-0 HPU lead after a blocked extra point.
John Nation of McM would get the ensuing kickoff and return it for 46 yards all the way to the HPU44. One minute later Mullin would complete a 17 yard pass to Shaffer to take the game to 13-7.
After a quick HPU three and out, McM’s Jessie Garcia would tack on a field goal from 36 yards out and take the game to 13-10.
HPU drove the ball to the McM36-yard line and attempt the 53-yard field goal. The whole tempo of the game would change on the next play when Mitchell Bailey’s kick would be blocked by McM’s Dez Baker, recovered by D.J. Baiza and returned all the way back for the touchdown and the 17-13 lead.
The next four drives by either team would stall until HPU put a drive together with 6:22 left in the half and scored on a 15-yard pass from Hubbard to Cody Hambrick for the 19-17 lead.
McM came out on the next drive and score on five Mullin passes for 39 yards to regain the lead for good, 19-23. McM would get one more touchdown after a failed fake punt attempt by HPU and have a 30-19 lead into the half.
In the second half it was all McM as they tacked on three touchdowns for 21 points. The first touchdown was a 16-yard pass from Mullin to Marcus Franklin. The next one would be Austin Brooks running it in from 1-yard out. The last score was an interception return for a touchdown by Michael Johnson to make the final score 51-19.
HPU Punter, Cote Schacherl had a great day with an average of 42.8 yards on eight punts, with a long of 62 and two inside the 20-yard line.
HPU QB Zach Hubbard ended the day with 253 yards on 27-54 passing with two TD’s and two interceptions. McM QB Mullin had 365 yards and four touchdowns.
HPU Wide Reciever, Joshua Wesley had four catches for 90 yards. Hambrick had a touchdown and 38 yards. Walter Pam was HPU’s leading rusher with 47 yards on five carries.
Demetrius Cody led the Jackets with seven tackles and an interception for a touchdown. Joey Lewis ended up with five tackles, two forced fumbles and one sack.
Time of possession ended with HPU 34:35 and McM 25:25. Penalties were HPU with 11 for 73 yards and McM with 10 for 67 yards. McM had 497 yards of total offense, and HPU 253.
The Jackets record is 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the American Southwest Conference. McM is now 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the ASC.
The next game will be on homecoming weekend for HPU at 2:00 p.m. Oct. 9, against Hardin-Simmons at Gordon Wood Stadium in Brownwood.
