Sept. 22, 2007

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ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons knocked away a fourth-down pass as time expired to defeat Louisiana College, 41-34, Saturday afternoon in HSU's American Southwest Conference opener, Saturday afternoon at Shelton Stadium.

The Cowboys appeared to put the game on ice when Quinton Jones scored a touchdown to make the score 41-20 with 6:18 to play. However, Louisiana College scored a pair of quick touchdowns to cut the game to 41-34.

HSU then brought the starting unit back out and the drive stalled with 1:47 to play. LC then drove from their own 20 all the way to the Cowboys' 12-yard line. On third down David Joseph recorded the Cowboys' seventh sack of the game. LC tried a play as time ran out, but Brentdrick Walker knocked it down to preserve the win.

The Cowboys' defense, which struggled in the first two games, had played much better. They picked off three passes and forced a fumble along with the seven sacks. LC scored a couple of times on the Cowboys' third and fourth teamers.

Louisiana College got on the board first with a six-play 90-yard drive. Bobby Rose capped it off with 8:21 to play in the first quarter. HSU responded with a drive of its own that resulted in a ZaVious Robbins 16-yard touchdown reception from Justin Feaster.

Feaster gave the Cowboys a 14-7 lead at the 11:58 mark of the first half with a 6-yard touchdown run. HSU made it 21-7 when Adam Podzemny scored on a 5-yard pass from Feaster with 1:30 to play in the first half. LC then went 63-yards in six plays to scored when Ben McLaughlin hit Justin Johnson on a 29-yard touchdown with :10 to play in the half.

Jones scored on a 5-yard run in the third quarter and Feaster also found Jerrad Grisham on a 19-yard touchdown pass to make it 34-13. McLaughlin scored on a 1-yard run for LC with 3:39 to play in the third quarter.

Jones had his second-straight 100-yard games with 118 yards on 21 carries. He scored two more touchdowns and moved passed the 2,000-yard rushing mark for his career, becoming the fifth Cowboy to pass that mark. He also moved to fourth on the HSU career rushing charts.

Feaster hit 21 of 34 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 67 yards. Ben McLaughlin completed 30-of-45 passes for 443 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. Taylor Huffmann had 14 catches for 166 yards and Justin Johnson had six catches for 134 yards and three touchdowns.

Randy Snyder and Derek Lewis each had two sacks from their end positions. It was the Cowboys first sacks of the year.

HSU is now 1-2 on the year and snapped a three-game losing streak. Louisiana College fell to 1-2 overall and 1-1 in league play. HSU is 1-0 in conference action. The Cowboys will travel to Mississippi College for a 6 p.m. game on Sept. 29.