CANYON, Texas – A 40-yard scamper from West Texas A&M senior Devon Paye sealed a 37-25 win over visiting Tarleton State Saturday evening in the 2016 home opener for the Buffs at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.  With the win, WT improved to 3-1 on the year and 2-0 in Lone Star Conference play, while Tarleton State fell to 1-3 and 1-1 in league play.

In the decisive drive with WT clinging to a 31-25 lead, Ja'Quarius Daniels pulled in a great 25-yard catch to prolong the drive.  Later, Paye caught a 13-yard pass on a 3^rd and two for a first down at the TSU 40.  He then ran for 40-yard score and 37-25 lead with 1:21 left.  

For the game, WT amassed 492 yards of offense with 356 through the air and 136 rushing on 32 carries.  Both teams tallied 21 first downs in the game, while WT went a season-best 11 of 19 on third down and 1 of 4 on fourth.  TSU had just 60 yards rushing, but threw for 368 and totaled 428 for the game.  TSU was 8 of 14 on third down and 0 of 2 on fourth. 

Paye had a career-high 148 yards rushing with a score, while junior quarterback Ethan Brinkley went 28 of 42 for 356 yards and a season-high three touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions.  Daniels had seven catches for 71 yards, while junior Riley Smith recorded his first touchdown as a Buff on two catches for 57 yards and sophomore P.J. Leonce had three catches for 34 yards.

Defensively, the Buffs were led by sophomore Lee Anthony Dawson with ten tackles and nine solo stops, while junior Daelin Young had nine tackles with one sack and one tackle for loss.  WT totaled 83 tackles in the game with two sacks for 12 yards and four tackles for loss for 14, along with two fumble recoveries and one interception. 

Tarleton State was led by Zed Woerner on 26 of 38 passing with one pick and three touchdowns, while TSU had two receivers over 100 yards receiving as Jeff Thomas had a team-high eight catches for 132 yards and Bubba Tandy had five for 125 and two scores.  Azizullah Fifita led the team with nine tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss.

The Buffs methodically moved down the field on their opening drive Brinkley completed five of seven passes on the drive as the Buffs went nine plays for 82 yards for a 7-0 lead on an eight yard pass to junior Eppy Henriques for a 7-0 lead. 

On the ensuing TSU possession, running back Joseph Sadler fumbled as senior Will Toliver forced the fumble and recovered for the first fumble recovery by the Buffs this season.  It was just the second offensive play of the game for the Texans. 

WT took over at the TSU 47 and Brinkley again moved the Buffs down the field as Brinkley hooked up with Leonce for a 14-0 lead with 8:11 left in the first quarter.  On the drive, WT converted two third downs, including the scoring down. 

Young came up with a big sack on Woerner on a 3^rd and six forcing a punt.  WT punted on its next possession and then TSU went for it on 4^th and 1 from the WT 43, but Woerner was stopped by senior LaPear Willrich and Young for the turnover on downs.

Brinkley went up top on the ensuing play, but was picked off by Dominique Martin late in the quarter.  Tarleton State again had a fourth down deep in WT territory and went for it, once again.  This time, senior defensive back Rashawn DuPree tackled Sadler short of the line to gain as the Texans turned it over on downs for the second time. 

The Buffs then marched down to the TSU 32 following a nice pass from Brinkley to senior Junior Pomee in the end zone for a touchdown, but Pomee was called for pass interference nullifying the score.  From there, senior Conner Hollabaugh missed a 49-yard field goal off the right upright. 

Tarleton State had its best drive of the half capped with an acrobatic catch by Del'Michael High on a 26-yard pass from Woerner for a 14-6 score as Willrich blocked his third kick of the season. 

WT took over at its 31 and senior Devon Paye rushed three times for 35 yards, but a big sack from Chase Varnado set the Buffs back to a 3^rd and 20.  Brinkley hooked up with junior Riley Smith for a 12-yard reception and then, following a timeout, went for it on 4^th and 8 for a big completion to Leonce for 24 yard to the TSU 13.  Hollabaugh kicked a 29-yarder for a 17-6 score. 

For the half, WT tallied 280 yards of offense on 57 rushing yards on 19 carries while Brinkley was 16 of 26 with one interception and two touchdowns for 223 yards.  WT tallied 14 first downs in the half to eight for TSU and was 6 of 10 on 3^rd down and 1 of 1 on 4^th, while holding TSU to 2 of 5 on third and 0 of 2 on fourth.

After a couple of punts by both teams, Tarleton State moved down the field and Woerer found Bubba Tandy for a 14-yard score and 17-12 score as TSU went for a two-point conversion but the Woerner pass was intercepted deep in the end zone with 3:49 left in the quarter.

The Buffs had the answer as Paye made a great catch and run for 23 yards on a 3^rd and two and then on 3^rd and 7, Brinkley found Smith for a 45-yard touchdown pass and a 24-12 score with 1:53 left in the quarter.  Following a TSU punt, WT had a nice drive going, but Cody Burtscher, the reigning LSC Defensive Player of the Week, picked off Brinkley at the WT 46 with 10:50 left in the fourth. 

On first and 10 from the WT 33, Sadler fumbled for the second time in the game as senior Carter James finally recovered the ball and scored from 35 yards out for a 31-12 score with just over eight minutes left in the game. 

Tandy caught a 60-yard touchdown pass after a 40-yard kick return for a 31-18 score as TSU went for two again and missed – this time on a batted pass.  After a WT punt, Tarleton State marched down the field once again with long passes and scored on a 2-yard rush from Curtis McGregor for a 31-25 score with 5:04 left.

WT returns to the road next Saturday in the annual Wagon Wheel game scheduled for 8 p.m. (CT) at Eastern New Mexico in the Greyhounds' new on campus stadium.