ALPINE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' football team pitched its second straight shutout to open the season with a 27-0 win over Sul Ross State in the American Southwest Conference opener in Alpine on Saturday evening.

It marked the first time since the final two games of the 1947 season, that the Cowboys had back-to-back shutouts.

HSU had a 13-play, 92-yard drive on its second series of the game as Jonathan Castaneda scored on a 6-yard run to give the Cowboys a 7-0 lead with 8:26 to play in the first quarter.

In the second quarter Jamie Pogue kicked a 34-yard field goal to give HSU a 10-0 lead. The field goal made Pogue the all-time leading scorer by a kicker in HSU history. Pogue added a 20-yard field goal with 6:28 to play in the third quarter.

HSU pushed the lead out to 20-0 on the last play of the third quarter when Kyle Jones found Jayden Coleman for an 8-yard touchdown. Jones put the game away when he hit Kai Brinkerhoff on a 30-yard touchdown with 5:10 to play in the game.

The Cowboys had 483 yards of total offense and held the Lobos to 164 yards. HSU had 29 first downs in the contest and limited Sul Ross State to nine first downs.

Kyle Jones completed 30-of-44 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns. Colton Marshall had 106 yards on 13 carries. HSU had 12 different receivers with catches. Gatlin Martin had seven catches to lead the way and Cale Nanny had five catches for 67 yards and Kai Brinkerhoff had four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

Kelton McGee led the defense with six tackles and Cameron Hanna added five.

HSU returns to Abilene next week to play Belhaven at 1 p.m. on Saturday.  The Cowboys are now 2-0 and 1-0 in league play. Sul Ross State is 0-1 on the year.

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