Box Score

Season Stats

SAN ANGELO, Texas – Down 35-21 at halftime, the West Texas A&M football team dug deep on the road and outscored Angelo State 37-6 in the second half for a thrilling 58-41 victory Saturday evening.  With the win, the Buffs evened their record at 2-2 and 1-1 in Lone Star Conference play, while Angelo State fell to 2-1 and 1-1 in conference play.
 
The Buffs had a season-high 637 yards of total offense for the game, including 142 yards rushing and 495 yards passing.  WT junior quarterback Preston Rabb was 34 of 49 for a career-high 495 yards and three touchdowns which also was a career-high.  Senior wide receiver Jeremy Watson had 12 catches for a career-high 269 yards and a touchdown, while junior Geremy Alridge-Mitchell had 113 yards on 27 carries and a score. 
 
"During the week, coach said we were going to air it out a little as Angelo State was pretty good at stopping the run," Rabb said.  "All week we prepared to air it out and sling it.  It started out a little slow but we kept to the game plan and it worked out."
 
ASU was led by running back Ryan Byrd with two rushing touchdowns on 92 yards and one receiving score for 19 yards.  Quarterback Kyle Washington was 26 of 42 for 332 yards and two touchdowns, but threw three interceptions.
                                
Angelo State took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter as the Rams turned the field position with two punts inside the 10 yard line as the Rams took over at the WT 47.  Ryan Byrd had four carries for 34 yards on the drive, including scoring from three yards out with 6:24 left in the quarter.
 
After the third three-and-out by the Buffs in the quarter, the Rams marched down the field and used big plays on third down to keep drives alive all quarter as Washington hooked up with Byrd for a 19-yard touchdown pass and a 14-0 lead with 2:01 left in the first quarter.
 
WT converted its first, first down on its ensuing possession as Rabb began to feel more comfortable in the pocket.  Two big passes to junior Dimitri Donald for 27 yards and a 44-yard pass to senior Jeremy Watson set the Buffs up at the ASU 12 as the quarter expired.  Rabb scored from one yard out for a 14-7 score on the first play of the second quarter.
 
ASU pushed the lead back to 14 points as Byrd scored on the ground from 30 yards out as he broke a couple of tackles for his third score of the night with 11:30 left in the half.
 
From there, the Buffs kept chipping away as Rabb used steady passing down the field and a big eight yard reception from redshirt freshman Jordan Jones on third down to keep the drive alive and a nine yard completion to Donald.  Junior Geremy Alridge-Mitchell scored from one yard out for a 21-14 deficit with 6:51 left.
 
ASU had the answer once again for a 28-14 lead as Washington hooked up Chris Omigie for a 13-yard score with 2:49 left.
 
Rabb and the Buffs went 86 yards on the next possession on nine plays in 2:12 as Rabb found Jones for 27 yards and the score to once again close to within seven at 28-21. 
 
On the ensuing kickoff, ASU's Anthony Yancy returned the kick 100 yards for a 35-21 score late in the half and turning the momentum back in favor of the Rams after the Buffs had fought to pull within a score.
 
For the half, Rabb was 15 of 24 for 202 yards and a score.  Alridge-Mitchell had 27 yards on the ground with a score, while Watson led the team with 68 yards receiving.  Washington was 16 of 22 for 181 yards and two scores for the Rams.  Byrd had eight carries for 76 yards and two scores. 
 
WT took the second half kickoff and marched right down the field with a nice run from Alridge-Mitchell and a great pass from Rabb to Watson for a 1^st and 10 at the ASU 19.  WT settled for a field goal attempt as sophomore Connor Hollabaugh connected on a 29-yard field goal for a 35-24 score with 11:59 left in the third.
 
The Buffs stopped ASU on its opening possession of the second half.  After a short gain on first down on the Buffs' ensuing possession, Rabb hooked up with Watson for a 56-yard touchdown pass and a 35-31 score with 10:29 left in the third. 
 
"The past couple of weeks we have been starting slow," Watson said.  "We went into halftime and Coach (Nesbitt) talked to us about keeping to the game plan and we came out and continued to fight and we knew how it felt last week to win and we did whatever it took to win tonight."
 
On a third and 8 from the ASU 28, Washington hooked up with Dakarai Pecikonis for a big gain and the ninth 3^rd down conversion of the game (9 of 12) for the Rams.   Washington then threw a 42-yard pass to Talon Smith to the three.  Blake Smith ran it in for a 41-31 score as the extra point was missed.
 
Rabb again hooked up with Watson for another big gain for 42 yards, followed by a screen pass to Watson for 30 yards at the ASU 3.  Junior running back Gabe Tuata scored his first touchdown as a Buff from two yards out and a 41-38 score with 8:11 left in the third.
 
WT stopped ASU at the WT 37 and forced the Rams to punt.  Junior Alex Tucci blocked the punt and sophomore LaPear Willrich picked up the ball and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown and a 45-41 WT lead with 4:55 left in the third.  It was the first blocked punt returned for a touchdown for the Buffs since Eric Finefeuiaki returned one at Texas A&M-Commerce on Nov. 10, 2012. 
 
"Before the play I told LaPear (Willrich) let's rush the punt and see what happens," Tucci said.  "As I was rushing, they let me go and I put my hands up and it hit me.  I ran a few yards down field and I saw LaPear break a tackle and kept going as it probably was one of the funniest plays I've ever been a part of just to see LaPear's face as his eyes were wide open running with the ball."
 
ASU marched down the field and looked as if it were going to retake the lead, but Washington's pass was picked off by sophomore Rashawn Dupree at the WT seven going the other way.  It was the first turnover of the night and the second interception of Washington this season.  Washington entered the game leading the nation in completion percentage at 85 percent. 
 
The Rams had the ball to start the fourth and moved inside WT territory once again as senior Markus Pierce-Brewster came on a blind side blitz and hit Washington as he was throwing.  The ball went straight up and redshirt freshman Hunter Streuling picked it off for the second INT of the game for the Buffs. 
 
WT took the ball and marched down the field following the pick and into the red zone with just over 10 minutes left.  On 2^nd and 13, Rabb threw his third touchdown pass of the game, this time to senior Anthony Johnson for a 17 yards and a 52-41 score with 10:17 left.  Rabb also went over 400 yards passing in the game for the first time in his career.
 
After a three-and-out by ASU, WT took over and matched down the field using a ton of clock and attempted a 33-yard field goal with 4:27 left as Hollabaugh converted for a 55-41 lead and milked 4:49 off the clock. 
 
ASU had to go for it on 4^th and 10 from its 28 and Washington was sacked by junior David Tameilau and Tucci at the 20 yard line.  It was the first time Washington and the Rams had been sacked all season.
 
Hollabaugh added a late field goal for a 58-41 victory.
 
The Buffs return home for Homecoming next Saturday at 3 p.m. at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium versus McMurry.