BROWNWOOD, Texas --
Hardin-Simmons scored 42 unanswered points en route to a 56-10
win over Howard Payne in American Southwest Conference football action
on Saturday afternoon at Gordon Wood Stadium in Brownwood.
Howard
Payne used a ball control offense and a couple of miscues on HSU's
special team's units in the first half to control the ball
for 24:03 in the first half, but HSU still led at halftime 14-7.
In the second half, the Cowboys opened up the passing attack and thwarted any upset attempt by the Yellowjackets.
The
Yellowjackets took the opening kickoff and drove it methodically to
their own 48 when HSU forced a punt, but HPU executed a perfect
fake for a 24-yard gain and continued the drive all the way to the
Cowboy three yard line when Jonathan Petty recovered a fumble to stall
the drive that went 13-plays and 60 yards and took 7:58 off the clock.
HSU
then went three and out and HPU again drove the field and this time
scored on a Zach Dove 7-yard run with 13:53 to play in the
half. The drive was extended when the Cowboys' roughed the punter on a
block attempt.
The
Cowboys then kicked it up a notch in rhythm and went 71 yards in seven
plays as Logan Turner hit Trei Lewis for an 8-yard touchdown
pass. HPU then went on another time consuming drive that went 11 plays
and took 5:09 off the clock, but the Cowboys forced a punt.
On
the first play of the next possession Turner found Jimmie Simpson over
the middle he then made a move turned on the accelerator
and went 87 yards to the end zone to make 14-7 with 5:57 to play in the
half.
The
Cowboys took the ball first in the third quarter and went 61 yards in
five plays. Tevin Mitchell capped the drive with a 6-yard
touchdown run and it was setup by a 45-yard catch and run by Corey
Jones.
HSU
forced a quick punt and then went 71 yards in 11 plays as Mitchell
capped the drive with a 1-yard run. HSU forced another punt,
but Simpson fumbled the punt back to HPU and the Jackets moved it to the
HSU 4-yard line, but Undra Hendrix forced a fumble and James Place
recovered it.
On
the first play of the fourth quarter Turner hit Simpson on a 48-yard
touchdown pass to make it 35-7. HSU forced a punt on the
next HPU drive and HSU went 65 yards in 12 plays. Devin Carver eight
straight plays in the drive and Turner capped it with a 10-yard pass
touchdown to Colton Brewer.
After
HPU added a 30-yard field goal, Josh Christian hit Garret Avalos over
the middle and he outraced the defense 71 yards to the
end zone to make the score 49-10.
Jay
Wise capped the scoring for the Cowboys as he intercepted a pass and
went 79 yards up the sideline for a touchdown. It was his
10th career interception which moved him to a tie for fourth all-time at HSU.
The
Cowboys ended the day with 571 yards of total offense on just 58 plays
(9.8 yards per play) and all but nine of those yards came
in the final three quarters of play.
Turner
completed 23-of-32 passes for 393 yards and four touchdowns and
Christian completed his only pass for a 71-yard touchdown,
the first of his career. Simpson caught five passes for 170 yards.
Chad
Laughlin led the Cowboy defense with a career-high 15 tackles. HSU also
forced four turnovers in the game. Jonathan Petty recorded
a sack, an interception and recovered a fumble in the game for HSU.
Thomas Head completed 12-of-21 passes for 180 yards to pace HPU. Josh Eppler had 11 tackles.
HSU
has won three straight and is 3-2 on the year and 2-0 in ASC action.
HPU fell to 0-5 overall and 0-2 in conference and saw its
losing streak reach 12 games. The Cowboys play East Texas Baptist at
1:30 on Saturday as part of homecoming festivities.