Cowboys Fall Late

Boxscore

CLINTON, Miss. — Hardin-Simmons’ Alexander Wymore kicked a 45-yard field goal to give the Cowboys a 34-33 lead with 1:29 to play, but Adam Shaffer led Mississippi College down the field for a touchdown to give the Choctaws a 39-34 American Southwest Conference football win on Saturday night at Robinson-Hale Stadium in Clinton, Miss.

The Cowboys put up 535 yards of offense in the game and consistently moved the ball, but three first-half turnovers and two end of half touchdown passes sealed the Cowboys’ fate.

HSU trailed 20-14 with :03 to go in the first half when Shaffer hit T.J. Pride on a 41-yard hail mary to give MC a 27-14 halftime lead. HSU at the half had thrown for more interceptions (3) than they had completions (2).

HSU came right out of the locker room at halftime and made it 27-21 with a 10-play, 82-yard drive capped by a Boyd 4-yard TD run. After a stop, the Cowboys drove again but settled for a Wymore 38-yard field goal to make it 27-24 with 2:34 to play in the third quarter.

Steven Knight capped a 11-play, 67-yard drive with a 1-yard run. Byrd then hit Travis Tatsch on a 38-yard touchdown over the top of the defense to make the score 33-31.

HSU got the stop it needed and drove down to the MC 28 but decided to go for the Wymore field goal on 4-and-2 and the freshman nailed it to set up MC’s winning drive.

Shaffer drove the Choctaws 70 yards in eight plays and MC benefitted from two 15-yard penalties on the drive. Shaffer hit Renard Ellis who tiptoed the end zone for the winning score.

Steven Rockwell started the game off well for the Cowboys as he capped a 77-yard drive with a 11-yard touchdown run that was set-up by a Justice Baker 68-yard reception from Byrd. NC came right back and scored on a Lee McClendon 62-yard pass from Shaffer to make it 7-6 after Brannon Walls missed the first of two extra points in the game.

MC came right back after an interception by the Cowboys and went 27 yards for a score with Pride scoring on a 7-yard pass from Shaffer. Jayce Boyd gave the Cowboys a 14-13 lead with 10:45 to play in the first half with a 38-yard TD run and Qin Mobley made it 20-14 MC with a 1-yard run.

Byrd Completed13-of-14 passes in the second half and he finished 15-for-23 with a touchdown and 270 yards. Steven Rockwell had 116 yards on 16 carries for the Cowboys. Steven Kinght had 123 yards on 26 carries for MC and Shaffer completed 21-of-37 passes for 313 yards and four scores.

HSU is now 1-3 on the year and 0-2 in ASC play. MC is now 3-1 and 2-0 in the ASC. HSU hosts Mary Hardin-Baylor next weekend.

The loss marks the first time the Cowboys have lost three games in a row under Jimmie Keeling and it also marks the first time HSU is 0-2 in league play.


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