WICHITA FALLS, Texas – The Buffs of West Texas A&M overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to force overtime against the 16th-ranked MSU Texas before falling 24-23 on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The Buffs finish the 2018 season 6-5 overall and 4-4 in Lone Star Conference Play.
THE BASICS
The Matchup: #16 MSU Texas 24, West Texas A&M 23 (OT)
Records: MSU Texas (8-2, 6-2 LSC), West Texas A&M (6-4, 4-4 LSC)
Venue: Memorial Stadium
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
After a three-and-out on the opening drive of the game for the Buffs, MSU Texas took a 7-0 lead on a 4 play, 60-yard drive capped off with a seven yard pass from Layton Rabb to Jordan Carroll. WT responded with a scoring drive of their to tie it at 7-all. Jakobe Jackson got it started with a career-long 55-yard return on the kickoff to put the Buffs in MSU territory. WT converted on both third downs they faced on the drive including a 10-yard pass from Justin Houghtaling to Payton Gonzales that set up the 19-yard touchdown by Brandon Blair. The Mustangs would add a field goal on their next possession to lead 10-7 at the end of the first quarter.
The only points scored in the second quarter came from the home team on a 1-yard touchdown by Adrian Beales following a WT turnover. The Buffs would have a chance in the final minute to make it a one score heading into half but Michael Shipley's from 43 yards missed to the right.
After a scoreless third quarter where Tobias Harris intercepted his seventh pass of the season, WT would score 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to tie it at 17-all with less than seven minutes remaining. Joseph Barron would pick off MSU's Rabb for his first career interception before returning it to the MSU 21-yard line. Shipley was good from 33 yards four plays later to make it 17-10 with 10:13 remaining in the contest.
WT's defense would come up big on MSU's next possession forcing a punt that was mishandled for a loss of 16 yards putting the visitors in prime field possession. Mitch Hood would find Blair for four yards on fourth-and-3 to extend the drive before connecting with Payton Gonzales for a 14-yard touchdown to tie the game. Both team had chances to take the lead with WT throwing an interception in MSU territory on 4th down while MSU Texas got all the way to the two-yard line on a 53-yard pass on the final play of regulation.
In the first period of overtime, MSU would score first on Vincent Johnson's 3-yard run to make it 24-17. WT responded with a touchdown of their own with Hood connecting with PJ Leonce for 12 yards on third-and-8. With a chance to ruin the Mustangs NCAA Playoff Chances, Hughes went for the win on the extra point but Hood's pass fell incomplete.
Hood, making his first appearance in four weeks, completed 10-of-16 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns and an interception. Blair came close to a second consecutive 100-yard game with 96 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. Payton Gonzales had a team-high four receptions for 46 yards with Leonce having his best game of the season with three receptions for 26 yards and a touchdown.
In the final game of his collegiate career, James Clark had a team-high 12 tackles, five solo and a pass breakup while Chris Thomas recorded 11 of his own. The Humble, Texas native becomes the first freshman to record over 100 tackles in a season since Carter James recorded 125 in 2014.
