Box ScoreSeason StatsPhoto GalleryWICHITA FALLS, Texas – In a very physical football game Saturday evening, the West Texas A&M football team came up just short in a 24-17 loss at No. 12 Midwestern State. With the loss, WT fell to 2-3 on the year and 1-2 in Lone Star Conference play, while MSU improved to 6-0 and 4-0 in league play.
With the victory by MSU, the Mustangs take a 3-1 lead in the Highway 287 Challenge. Despite the loss, WT senior
Geremy Alridge-Mitchell had another outstanding running game as he finished with a career-high 40 carries for 189 yards and a touchdown. MSU's Vincent Johnson had 17 carries for 190 yards and two scores.
The Buffs tallied 378 yards of total offense in the game with 202 rushing yards and 176 passing yards. MSU had 271 yards rushing and 453 yards of total offense with 182 yards passing. Penalties proved costly for the Buffs as they committed 15 penalties in the game for 95 yards and a number of false starts and offside miscues at inopportune times.
The loss snapped a two-game winning streak by the Buffs as MSU pulled to within 16-13 in the all-time season series. WT was going for its third-straight win in Wichita Falls. Alridge-Mitchell now has 746 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground this season. His 189 yards Saturday gives him 2,831 for his career as he ranks fifth all-time in school history. His touchdown gives him 60 points for the season and 266 points for his career also ranking him fifth in school history.
In a penalty-plagued first half that saw fumbles by both teams Alridge-Mitchell had 26 carries for 118 yards to lead the Buffs, while Vincent Johnson and Don Jerry each had touchdown rushes for the Mustangs. MSU held a 198-183 lead in total offense in the half, while WT held an 11-8 lead in first downs.
WT sophomore quarterback
Ethan Brinkley was 10 of 16 for 48 yards, while MSU quarterback Quade Coward was 9 of 14 for 123 yards. Junior wide receiver
Chris Gilchrist had five catches for 25 yards for the Buffs, while Brieion Evans and Statron Jones had five catches combined for 86 yards for the Mustangs.
Both teams fumbled away their first possessions in the other team's red zone as the Buffs fumbled on a 2
nd and 13 from their own 13. MSU then fumbled it away from the WT four as junior
Alex Olson recovered for the Buffs.
Following the Midwestern State fumble, the Buffs had to punt as MSU took over at the WT 49 with 13 minutes left in the opening quarter. Coward tossed a 40-yard strike to Jones to the WT nine on the first play and Johnson scored on second and goal from the nine for a 7-0 lead.
The Buffs put together a drive on their next possession as Brinkley connected with senior
Xavier Amey on a 3
rd and 6 from the WT 40 for a first down. Back-to-back rushes by from Alridge-Mitchell put the Buffs in field goal position as junior
Conner Hollabaugh connected from 46 yards for a 7-3 deficit with 8:02 left in the first quarter.
The Mustangs had a long pass to Evans deep into WT territory at the end of the quarter, but was called back due to a penalty as the quarter ended. The second quarter saw numerous penalties as the teams combined for 15 penalties for 105 yards in the half.
The Buffs were running the ball to kill the clock, but a fumble proved costly as MSU's Herb Whitehurst took the fumble back to the WT six. Jerry scored for a 14-3 lead.
It marked the first time since the Wagon Wheel game last season at Eastern New Mexico (Nov. 1, 2014) that WT was held without a touchdown in the first half.
On the first possession of the third quarter for the Mustangs, junior defensive back
Will Toliver picked off the Coward offering and scored from 30 yards out for a 14-10 deficit. It was Toliver's first career interception and first interception return for a touchdown since junior
Davontae Merriweather returned one Sept. 19 versus Tarleton State in the Lone Star Football Festival.
The Mustangs benefited from three crucial offside penalties giving MSU two first downs and offsetting a snap over Coward's head which went back inside the MSU 20. Following the offside penalties, Coward scampered for 17 yards to the WT 21. On a third and goal from the WT 13, Coward tossed to Derek Lockhart in the flat, but Toliver made a touchdown-saving tackle at the three as the Mustangs settled for a field goal attempt from Andy Alkhazshvilly from 20 yards for a 17-10 lead.
On the ensuing WT drive, Alridge-Mitchell ran up the gut for a 31-yard run for a 1
st and 10 at the MSU 16. A screen pass to junior
Terrance Drew setup a 4
th and 1 for the Buffs at the MSU nine. A false start penalty forced WT for the field goal as Hollabaugh missed, but was interfered with moving the ball back to a 4
th and one. WT sent the offense back on the field and the quarterback sneak by Brinkley gave WT a first down. Another false start moved the Buffs back to the 10. Brinkley's pass was intercepted in the end zone by Dominique Williams.
MSU marched down the field and had a first and 10 from the WT 20 when the fourth quarter began. On 3
rd and two the Mustangs were stopped as Olson came up with a tackle and Alkhazshvilly missed the field goal from 27 yards.
WT again went for it on 4
th and 1 from the 50 following the field goal miss and another false start penalty moved the Buffs back forcing them to punt once again. MSU muffed the punt, but was able to recover at its own 15. From there, Johnson ran outside and hurdled a WT tackler running 84 yards for a touchdown and a 24-10 lead.
The Buffs marched down the field late in the contest converting one fourth down and Brinkley found senior
Xavier Amey for a 43-yard catch to the MSU three. Alridge-Mitchell scored from three yards out for a 24-17 score with 1:30 left in the contest.
WT attempted an onside kick and almost came up with it as junior punter
Felipe Parra kicked it on the misdirection instead of Hollabaugh. MSU ran out the clock for the win.
The Buffs return home to host Texas A&M-Commerce next Saturday at 5 p.m. at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.
