ABILENE, Texas — It took them 14 tries but McMurry's football team finally retained the Wilford Moore Trophy with a 24-14 win over Hardin-Simmons on Saturday at Wilford Moore Stadium at McMurry. 

HSU had won the previous 13 editions of the game that features Moore's name. Moore is in both school's athletic halls of fame. The loss snapped a 23-game winning streak overall by the Cowboys over McMurry in what is likely the last meeting between the two schools.

The Cowboys are now 5-4 on the year and 3-4 in ASC play. McMurry is 6-2 overall and 5-1 in ASC action. HSU is off next week before closing its season at home against Louisiana College on Nov. 12. HSU will need a win to extend its streak of winning seasons to 20. 

The game started out looking like it would be a shootout between two high powered offenses, but the defenses of both teams settled in and the game turned into a defensive battle.

McMurry scored first going 79 yards in 12 methodical plays. Jake Mullin snuck in from the one to make it 7-0 with 5:15 to play in the first quarter. The Cowboys responded with a 60-yard seven-play drive and Travis Tatsch scored on a 7-yard reverse to tie the game. 

The War Hawks then went 53 yards in nine plays with Mullin hitting Chris Simpson for a 9-yard touchdown pass. HSU was marching right back down the field when Steven Rockwell rushed for eight yards and was being pushed backwards when McMurry stripped the ball and the officials ruled it a fumble.

McMurry went back down and added a 28-yard field goal by Jesse Garcia to make it 17-7. On the next HSU drive the Cowboys were moving again when Corey Jones made a catch inside the McMurry 20 and the ball was knocked loose and the War Hawks recovered. 

Each team's defense locked in after that and no one scored again until the opening drive of the fourth quarter when HSU went 66 yards on nine plays and Steven Rockwell capped it with a tough 30-yard run where he drug defenders the final 15 yards for the score.

HSU appeared to have the momentum but it was short lived as Jeret Smith returned the kickoff to the HSU 34 and a 15-yard sideline interference penalty set McMurry up at the 19 and the War Hawks scored three plays later on a Mullin sneak.

HSU could not move the ball the rest of the way with two three and outs, a fumble and an interception. 

The Cowboys held the top-ranked passing offense in the nation well under its average as the War Hawks had 242 yards, but McMurry ran for an uncharacteristic 201 yards. HSU had just 305 yards of total offense.  

Rockwell had 134 yards and a touchdown for the Cowboys, Corey Jones had eight catches for 117 yards and Zach Stewart was 14-of-29 with three interceptions. Defensively, Jonathan Wilder led the way for HSU with 13 tackles and he also intercepted Mullin two times. Caleb Christian had 12 tackles and Bronson Buzzard added 10. 

Mullin had a pedestrian day throwing the ball going 27-of-43 for 232 yards and a touchdown and two interceptions. It was his ability to avoid pressure with his feet that was the key for McMurry. Mullin scrambled 14 times for 59 yards and two scores. He also was sacked just one time despite constant pressure in the backfield. Justin Johnson had 22 carries for 128 yards.

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