PORTALES, N.M. – In a tale of two halves, the West Texas A&M football team started fast, but four turnovers proved costly in a 39-30 loss at Eastern New Mexico Saturday evening in the annual Wagon Wheel Game at the Greyhounds' new Al Whitehead Field at Greyhound Stadium.  WT held a 28-14 lead at halftime, but three miscues in the second half aided ENMU in scoring 25-straight points to erase the deficit late in the third quarter.

WT (3-2, 2-1 LSC) now stands at 16-15 overall in the series and 15-14 in Wagon Wheel games as the Buffs haven't won in Portales/Blackwater Draw since 2012 (0-3).  ENMU improved to 3-2 on the year and 3-1 in Lone Star Conference play. 

The Buffs had 392 yards of offense in the game with 345 yards passing by junior quarterback Ethan Brinkley on 31 of 45 with three touchdowns and one interception, but had a season-low 47 yards rushing on 17 carries.  Senior Devon Paye had 12 rushes for 41 yards and a score, Brinkley passed to 11 different receivers as senior Junior Pomee led the way with six catches for 77 yards and a score.

ENMU had 504 yards of offense in the game with 433 on the ground as Chiv Gallagher had 122 yards rushing and two scores, while Tayshaun Gary added 119 yards and a score. 

WT took the ball after winning the toss and went for it on a 4^th and 8 from the WT 44.  Brinkley was sacked by Samuela Tupou as ENMU took over at the WT 38.  It was just the second time WT had won the toss this season and the first time in two games the Buffs didn't score on their opening drive. 

ENMU took over and running back Kamal Cass rushed for 38 yards and a score on the first Greyhound play for a 7-0 lead with 12:42 left in the opening quarter. 

WT came right back with a great drive after sophomore Cameron Smith returned the kickoff 55 yards to the ENMU 45.  Brinkley converted a third and one and Paye rushed from 13-yards out for a 7-7 score with 10:33 left in the quarter. 

Following an ENMU punt, the Buffs drove 96 yards, marking the longest drive of the season as junior Eppy Henriques caught a 72-yard pass on a 2^nd and 8 from the WT 19 moving the Buffs to the nine.  Brinkley found senior Ja'Quarius Daniels for a leaping three-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone for a 14-7 lead.

The Buffs scored on its next possession after a punt by the Greyhounds beginning the second quarter.  Brinkley found senior Christopher Gilchrist on a great catch down the sideline for 34-yards and senior Junior Pomee scored from 14-yards out on a nice pass from Brinkley for a 21-7 lead. 

Both teams punted on their next possessions, then redshirt freshman Seth Burge came up with a sack and fumble, but the Buffs turned it right back over with an interception.  Right after that, freshman Frank Honang forced a Strand fumble and recovered it with 8:27 left in the quarter. 

WT marched down the field once again for its fourth touchdown of the half as Brinkley found redshirt freshman Trent Canion for a 24-yard pass and a 28-7 lead. 

The Greyhounds came back with their best drive of the half as they converted third and fourth downs on the drive and used a flee-flicker for a 41-yard pass from Strand to Aaron Johnson.  Strand then found Logan O'Brien in the end zone for a touchdown from one yard out with 14 seconds left in the half.  It seemed the flee-flicker and score by ENMU at the end of the half really changed the complexion of the game in the second half.

ENMU took the third quarter kickoff and converted on a third and 10.  From there, Gary rumbled 56 yards to the WT 10.  It was just the second long run by ENMU in the game as Cass didn't return the rest of the game.  The Greyhounds scored on a two yard run by Chip Gallagher for a 28-20 WT lead as the extra-point was blocked. 

WT used a long pass from Brinkley to junior Michael Andrews to sustain the drive and Paye scampered 10 yards for another first down into ENMU territory.  Canion caught a pass and looked to not have completed the catch as the referees rules a fumble which was very questionable as ENMU took over.  Gallagher had two nice runs down to the WT 35.  On a 4^th and 1 from the WT 10, ENMU elected to kick the field goal.  A delay of game penalty moved the ball back to the 15, but a roughing the kicker penalty gave ENMU a first down.  Paul Terry scored from 13-yards out as ENMU went for two try and tie the score.  Gallagher was stopped at the one as the Buffs held a 28-26 lead with 4:05 left in the third.

ENMU had to kick from its 20 due to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.  C. Smith fumbled on the kickoff return as ENMU recovered at the ENMU 48 for the third WT miscue.  Johnson took the reverse for 33 yards to the WT 19 on the ensuing play.  On a 3^rd and goal from the five, Gallagher was stopped at the goal line.  Gallagher scored on the fourth down.  ENMU went for two, but fumbled as WT returned the two-point conversion 98-yards for a safety by sophomore L.A. Dawson for a 32-30 score.  It was the first deficit for the Buffs since a 7-3 score in the first quarter at UT Permian Basin on Sept. 19.  It marked the first PAT returned for a safety since Tae Evans at Angelo State on Sept. 25, 2010.  The safety also snapped a string of 25-straight points by the Greyhounds.

ENMU took over following at WT punt and marked 68 yards in 3:26 – all on the ground as Gary scored from two yards out for a 39-30 ENMU lead with 11:18 left. 

From the 14 second mark in the second half, ENMU outscored WT 32-2 the rest of the game.

The Buffs had a nice catch from Pomee, but he coughed the ball up for the third lost fumble and fourth turnover in the game.  WT finally forced ENMU into a punting situation – the first of the half with 9:25 left. 

Following the punt, the Buffs took over at their own 12. The Buffs marched down field as Pomee had a nice catch on the drive getting inside the 30 with 5:01 left. On a 4^th and 9 from the ENMU 30, Brinkley found Pomee, but he came up just short of the yard to gain turning the ball over on downs. 

The Buffs return home to host Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday at 5 p.m. for Homecoming at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.