ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' Keaton Trinkle picked off his second Mark Wright pass of the game with :27 to play to seal a 30-29 win for the Cowboy football team over Langston, the No. 23 -ranked NAIA team in the nation, on Saturday afternoon at Shelton Stadium.

HSU led 30-16 and was driving to go up three scores late in the third quarter when DeVon Bailey forced a Kerry Sloan fumble at the Lions 10. Langston drove 90 yards in eight plays and Wright scored on a 2-yard touchdown run.

On the ensuing HSU possession Weston Garner was hit as he threw and Bailey intercepted the pass at the Langston eight and returned it to the 44 to set the Lions up in good field position. The Cowboys came up with a stop on fourth down in the red zone.

HSU then went three-and-out and a 29-yard punt return by Sheldon Augustine set the Lions up again. This time they cashed in with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Wright to Augustine again on fourth down. However, the snap on the PAT was over the head of the holder and HSU held on to a slim 30-29 margin.

The Cowboys picked up one first down but then had to punt and Nico Francino boomed a 58-yarder that pinned LU at their own 15. Wright hit Augustine on a 20-yard pass on fourth down and then on third-and-15 Trinkle came up with the play to seal the deal for the Cowboys.

Jessie Ramos started the game by returning the kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. It was his sixth career touchdown on a kickoff return, which set an American Southwest Conference record. All six touchdowns have come from 90 yards or further. The Lions blocked the PAT and returned it for two points, making it 6-2 :14 into the game.

HSU made it 9-2 later in the first quarter when Francino hit a 32-yard field goal. Kenrick Robertson answered for the Lions with a six-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to tie the game at 9-9 with 8:43 to play in the first half.

HSU then went 63 yards in four plays and Kerry Sloan scored from two yards out. Bryce Johnson began the drive with a 58-yard run. HSU then forced a quick punt and received the ball at the Langston 47 with :52 to play in the half. Weston Garner hit Jimmie Simpson on a 41-yard touchdown pass and the Cowboys led 23-9 at halftime.

Langston took the opening possession of the second half and went 75 yards in six plays. Augustine scored on a 42-yard pass from Wright to make it 23-16. HSU answered with an eight-play 56-yard drive and Sloan scored from 24 yards out to push the lead to 30-16.

Garner had an efficient day for the Cowboys completing 16-of-23 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown. Simpson had seven catches for 79 yards and Sloan had 133 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Wright ran for 80 yards and completed 22-of-45 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Augustine had eight catches for 120 yards and two scores.

Ramos become the school's all-time leader in kickoff return yards. He had 211 yards on five returns in the game and now has 1,786 yards on 64 career returns. Devin Carver held the old record with 1,747 yards on 74 carries.

Matthew Hawkins, Trinkle and Trent Walker all had 10 tackles for the Cowboys. Trinkle had two interceptions and Walker had two tackles for loss, forced and recovered a fumble.

HSU is now 2-1 on the year and will host old rival Trinity for the first time since 2000 next Saturday. Langston fell to 1-3 on the year.

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