ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' football team moved to 8-1 with a 66-30 win over No. 21 East Texas Baptist in American Southwest Conference action at Shelton Stadium.
The Cowboys scored on special teams, on defense and had their way on offense in a game for second place in the ASC.
The game started with an offensive explosion as the Tigers scored on an 84-yard pass from Dru Smith to Richard Johnson on the second play of the game. A 2-point conversion by Johnson made it 8-0. HSU countered with a 54-yard touchdown two plays later when
Ryan Breton hit
Reese Childress.
The Cowboy defense then put the lockdown on the No. 1 offense in the nation for the rest of the first half as the Tigers could only muster 74 yards the rest of the half. In the meantime the Cowboy offense was clicking.
After a stop on fourth down, the Cowboys went 68 yards in eight plays and Breton found Childress again on a 6-yard touchdown pass. The Cowboy defense forced a three-and-out and then the Cowboys went 70 yards in six plays as Breton found
Alex Bell on a 35-yard flip pass and run and the PAT failed to make it 20-8.
HSU forced another punt and the Cowboys then went 50 yards in six plays. The Cowboys capped it off with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Breton to Childress on the first play of the second quarter. On the 2-point conversion 380-pound offensive lineman
Bryant Buzzard hammered through for the conversion and the Cowboys led 28-8.
The Cowboys forced another punt and HSU drove down and
Nico Francino hit a 28-yard field goal to make it 31-8, which was the halftime score.
HSU had the explosion after halftime as
Alex Bell returned his third kickoff of the season for a touchdown this time from 96 yards on the second-half kickoff.
The Cowboys then forced another stop on fourth down and HSU went 88 yards in 14 plays and Breton did the honors himself from three yards out as the cowboys took a 45-8 lead. On the ensuing possession,
Cory Ward jarred the ball loose from Smith on a fourth down attempt and
Matthew Hawkins returned it 55 yards for a touchdown and the Cowboys led 52-8.
The teams then traded five straight scores.
Shaun Williams had two touchdowns for the Cowboys.
HSU outgained the Tigers 566-465 in the game and
Ryan Breton went 22-of-28 for 361 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another. Dru Smith went 27-of-44 for 323 yards and two scores for the Tigers.
Childress had seven catches for 166 yards and three scores and Richard Johnson had 13 catches for 227 yards and a score for the Tigers.
Cory Ward had another huge day. He had 12 tackles, four for losses, a sack and forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. Caleb Taylor had 15 tackles for the Tigers and Ty Parsons added 13.
The Cowboys are 8-1 on the year overall and 4-1 in league play. ETBU fell to 7-2 overall and 3-2 in ASC play. HSU will conclude the regular season next week when it plays crosstown rival McMurry for the Wilford Moore Trophy.
