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CANYON, Texas  –  The West Texas A&M football team jumped out to a fast start in the 2015 season-opener Thursday evening at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium, but were unable to hang on as the No. 19 Azusa Pacific Cougars roared back for a 27-24 victory. 
 
The Buffs were led on the ground by senior Geremy Alridge-Mitchell who rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns, while senior quarterback Preston Rabb added 91 yards on the ground as he was 25 of 44 with one interception for 131 yards and a touchdown.  Senior Jarrian Rhone caught a game-high seven balls for 83 yards and a score. 
 
It was truly a tale of two halves for the Buffs as they jumped out to a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter, settling for a 21-10 lead at halftime.  In the first half, WT rushed the ball 14 times for 161 yards and passed for 109 yards.  WT held APU to just 56 yards rushing in the half on 22 carries and 122 passing yards.
 
The Buffs struggled offensively in the second half as the defense was on the field for a majority of the final half.  In the second half, WT rushed the ball for 100 yards and passed for just 22 yards.  APU, on the other hand, heated up rushing for 80 yards and passed for 213 yards. 
 
APU was led by Kurt Scoby who had 22 carries on 78 yards, while Ryan Adams ha 12 carries for 24 yards and a score.  Quarterback Chad Jeffries was 17 of 32 with two interceptions, while passing for 269 yards and throwing two touchdowns.  
 
For the game, WT had 30 rushes for 261 yards, while passing for 131 yards and a total of 392 yards.  APU rushed for 136 on 46 carries and passed for269 for a total of 405.  A big difference in the second half was ball control as APU held the ball for 19:38, while WT had the ball for just 10:22.  APU led in time of possession for the game 36:41 to 23:19. 
 
Following a missed field goal on the Cougars' opening possession by freshman Jacob Hall, the Buffs methodically moved down field with two passes to Rhone and Rabb using his feet for a 21-yard gain.  On a 3^rd and nine from the APU 14, Rabb found Rhone for a score and a 7-0 lead.
 
APU punted on its next possession as WT took over at its own 18.  Rabb again moved the Buffs down field.  A pass interference penalty on APU on a 3^rd and 12 gave WT new life in the drive.  On a 4^th and 1 for WT at its own 40, Alridge-Mitchell busted through the middle for a 60-yard touchdown run and a 14-0 lead. 
 
On the first play of the second quarter, APU quarterback Andrew Elffers caught the Buffs napping and scored on a 42-yard rush, but the play was called back due to an offensive facemask penalty.  Two more penalties followed on the Cougars as they were forced to punt. 
 
WT punted on its possession, but junior Devontae Merriweather picked off the Jeffries pass at the APU 45 on the ensuing drive.  From there, WT marched down field as Rabb connected on another long pass to Rhone and Alridge-Mitchell scored from two yards out for a 21-0 lead. 
 
The Cougars got on the board midway through the second quarter courtesy of a personal foul and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty racking up 30 yards for APU. From there, the Cougars scored on Adams' rush from one yard out for a 21-7 score.  APU added a field goal with 28 seconds left in the half for a 21-10 score.
 
Following a 20-yard punt into a 15 mph wind by Blaine Aguiar, the Buffs took over midway through the third at their own 46.  Rabb used his feet once again for a 16-yard rush on 3^rd and 10 and a pair of runs by junior Eddy Williams set the Buffs up at the 21.  The drive stalled there as junior kicker Conner Hollabaugh made the score 24-10 with a 38-yard field goal with 7:51 left in the quarter. 
 
APU responded with a 13-play, 73-yard drive capping 7:03 as Hall kicked a 21-yard field goal for a 24-13 score heading into the final quarter.  Jeffries used a 30-yard pass to Ethan Zeidler and a 25-yard pass to Scoby for a score cutting the WT lead to 24-20. 
 
Following a WT punt, which APU fumbled but was able to recover, the Cougars used a 10-play, 78-yard drive consuming 5:26 on the clock to take the lead for the first time.  On the drive, APU converted a 3^rd and three on a personal foul penalty on the Buffs for a helmet coming off and then Jeffries tossed a 27-yard strike to Josiah Thropay for the 27-24 lead. 
 
WT had the beginning of a good drive moving to its own 45, but a 5-yard loss and an incomplete pass forced the Buffs to punt with 4:04 left.  Jeffries was intercepted for the second time in the game – this time by junior Tevin Creeks giving WT new life at the APU 40.
WT was unable to move the ball and got in a 4^th and 15 situation as Rabb picked up 12 yards on the scramble turning the ball over on downs.  APU ran out the clock for the win.
 
Defensively, the Buffs were led by sophomore Hunter Streuling who had 8.5 tackles with one pass breakup, including six solo stops.  Creeks added 7.5 tackles with an interception, while Merriweather added 5.5 tackles and an INT.  Seniors John Sheehy and Alex Tucci each had sacks in the contest. 
 
The Buffs will look to rebound as defending national champion Colorado State-Pueblo visits Kimbrough Memorial Stadium Sept. 12 at 5 p.m.