Box Score

Season Stats

CANYON, Texas  – The West Texas A&M football team started quickly and downed visiting McMurry 56-21 Saturday afternoon on Homecoming.  It was the tenth straight victory for the Buffs on Homecoming as the team improved to 44-26-2 in Homecoming games.  WT improved to 3-2 on the year and 2-1 in Lone Star Conference play, while McMurry fell to 2-2 and 1-2 in league play.
 
"We talked to our guys all week, do not let these guys (McMurry) be a fourth quarter team," head coach Mike Nesbitt said.  "They are very well coached and they have just 15 scholarships and went on the road and beat a team with 64 scholarships and beat TAMUK last week.  If you play sloppy they will beat you.  We knew we would have to get a three-to-four touchdown lead or we would be sweating it in the fourth quarter."
 
Coming in, the Buffs have outscored the opposition 57-6 in the second half of their two wins.  Today was no different as WT outscored the War Hawks 21-0 in the second stanza for the 56-21 victory.  The 35-21 lead at half marked the first time the Buffs have led at intermission this season.
 
WT junior running back Geremy Alridge-Mitchell rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns in the game as it was his third consecutive game of over 100 yards rushing.  Junior quarterback Preston Rabb continued to improve as he went 25 of 32 for 302 yards and a career-high four passing touchdowns, while rushing for one.  Senior Anthony Johnson had five catches for 130 yards and a touchdown, while senior reigning LSC Offensive Player of the Week, Jeremy Watson, had five catches for 36 yards and two touchdowns. 
 
"Our offensive line made it great for us, being able to see holes and Preston was seeing the field well and his passing opened the running game for us," Alridge-Mitchell said.  "Our 10 blockers did their job on the kick return and I just went."
 
As a team, the Buffs tallied 537 yards in the game with 187 yards rushing and 350 yards passing.  The War Hawks had 74 yards rushing and 436 passing on the day.  McMurry quarterback Matthew McHugh went 29 of 44 for 374 yards and three scores along with an interception, while receiver Jeret Smith had a huge day catching 10 balls for 203 yards and two touchdowns. 
 
"Our offensive line did great today," Rabb said.  "I only got hit once and it was on a flee-flicker on a screwed up play, so I give them a lot of credit for giving me time to pass.  I feel much more comfortable out there as the game is slowing down and getting more comfortable with everything." 
 
Following a McMurry punt on its first possession, the Buffs marched 80 yards on 14 plays as Alridge-Mitchell scored from five yards out for a 7-0 lead with 9:02 left in the first quarter.  During the scoring drive, the Buffs used a nice mix of passes and runs as they converted three key third downs.
 
After a McMurry punt on its second possession, Rabb hooked up Johnson for a great 51-yard catch and then Alridge-Mitchell scored his second touchdown on the ground, this time from 20-yards out for a 14-0 lead with 4:42 left in the quarter.
 
McMurry came right back and used a nine play, 75-yard drive with some nice passes from McHugh to Smith, including a nine-yard pass from McHugh to Smith for a 14-7 score with 1:26 left in the first quarter. 
 
Alridge-Mitchell took the kickoff and went 81 yards down to the McMurry three as he almost returned his second kick of the season.  On the ensuing play, Rabb passed to senior Jeremy Watson for a three-yard touchdown and a 20-7 lead as the point after was blocked by William Simpson. 
 
On the first play of the second quarter, McHugh's pass was intercepted on a 3^rd and 17 by junior Anthony Hayes as he returned it to the McM four.  Rabb hooked up with redshirt freshman Jordan Jones for a four-yard touchdown pass and a 26-7 lead. 
 
The War Hawks marched to the WT 13, but missed 30-yard field goal early in the second quarter keeping the WT lead at 26-7.  On a third and 14 following a sack, Rabb got a big first down on a great screen pass to Alridge-Mitchell for 18 yards and then Rabb hooked up Johnson for a 64-yard touchdown pass and a 33-7 lead with 9:31 left in the half. 
 
McHugh and Smith connected once again on third down as Smith raced 71-yards for a touchdown and a 33-14 score with 7:44 left in the half.  McHugh and Smith have hooked up six times thus far with Smith have 140 yards and two touchdowns.
 
WT junior punter Elliot Moore pinned the War Hawks at their own one yard line on his first punt of the day with 4:39 left in the first half.  Pinning the War Hawks deep paid off as Chris Simpson was tackled in the end zone by junior David Tameilau and junior Alex Tucci for a safety and a 35-14 WT lead with 4:27 left in the half.
 
McMurry engineered a late drive as penalties mounted for both teams, but McHugh found Dexter Garrett with no time left for a seven-yard touchdown pass for a 35-21 score at intermission.  It was McHugh's third touchdown pass of the half.
 
For the half, the Buffs were led by Rabb who was 14 of 18 for 218 yards and three score, while Alridge-Mitchell had six carries for 46 yards and two scores.  Johnson had four catches for 136 yards and a score.  WT had 294 yards of offense in the half on 76 rushing yards and 218 passing yards.
 
The War Hawks were led by McHugh who was 21 of 31 for 291 yards, three scores and one interception.  Smith caught eight balls for 175 yards and two scores.  McM had 338 total yards with 291 passing and 47 rushing.
 
The teams exchanged punts to begin the second half, but the Buffs took their second possession at their own seven and marched inside War Hawk territory and were helped out by two pass interference penalties and then used a seven-yard pass to Watson for a 42-21 score with 4:02 left in the half.  WT went 12 plays and 93 yards over 3:52 in the drive for the longest drive of the season in terms of yards.  It was Rabb's career-best fourth touchdown pass in a game. 
 
Rabb scored on a QB keeper from 11-yards out with 10:43 left in the game for a 49-21 advantage.   Later in the quarter backup quarterback sophomore Jared Cate tossed a pass to junior Word Hudson for a touchdown and a 56-21 lead with 4:10 left.  Cate went 4 for 4 on the drive for 48 yards in his first action of the season.
 
The Buffs close out the two-game home stand next Saturday night at 7 p.m. versus rival Midwestern State at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.