7/7 Hardin-Simmons (3-0, 0-0 ASC) at McMurry (2-2, 0-0 ASC)
Jesse Burleson Show:
https://youtu.be/uyFvT-1RgeA
Caden Sampson Stuckey Profile:
https://youtu.be/vYvPpkeAewE
Hooyah Podcast with
Harrison Foster:
https://www.podbean.com/ep/pb-9s7d6-1b7b45b
Opening Kickoff
Hardin-Simmons and McMurry will battle for the Wilford Moore Trophy Saturday at 1 p.m. at Wilford Moore Stadium at McMurry. The two teams have played for the trophy since 1998 and the Cowboys have a 24-1 record in the Wilford Moore game. HSU has won 11 straight in the series but the last three games and four of the last five have come down to the final possession. HSU is 3-0 and comes into the game off a 58-0 win over Fort Lauderdale last week. McMurry is 2-2 and had a bye week last week.
The Series
Hardin-Simmons leads the all-time series, 35-4, and owns a 16-3 record at McMurry.
Jesse Burleson is 11-1 against the War Hawks and has won 11 straight meetings. He is 6-0 against former Cowboy quarterback Jordan Neal. While the Cowboys have controlled the series, four of the last five games have been decided by one possession. Last season, McMurry had the ball inside the HSU 40-yard line with a chance to take the lead, but
Caden Sampson-Stuckey recorded a critical sack on fourth down to end the threat. HSU went on to win, 24-19.
Up Next
Hardin-Simmons hosts East Texas Baptist for Homecoming next Saturday at 1 p.m. at Shel-ton Stadium. The game caps a busy week for HSU Athletics as Mychal Carrillo, Will Wagner, Tyler Brunnemann and Rachel Goold will be inducted into the Hardin-Simmons Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday night.
In The Polls
Hardin-Simmons continues its climb in the national rankings and is No. 7 in both the D3football.com Top 25 and the American Football Coaches Association poll. The Cowboys have been ranked for 134 consecutive weeks, including 75 straight weeks in the top 10. HSU owns the nation's third-longest active ranking streak. North Central leads with 230 consecutive weeks, while Saint John's is second at 145. Wheaton ranks fourth at 88.
A Cowboy Win Would
• Be the 532nd victory in school history.
• Be the 12th straight win over McMurry and improve the all-time series record to 36-4.
• Be the 120th win of the
Jesse Burleson era.
• Mark the 12th time in the last 13 seasons that the Cowboys have won their conference opener.
• Extend HSU's October winning streak to 24 games.
Streaks
• HSU has won 23 straight games in October, dating back to Oct. 26, 2019. The last October loss came on a walk-off field goal by Mary Hardin-Baylor.
• The Cowboys are 24-1 in their last 25 conference games.
• HSU has won its conference opener in 12 of the last 13 seasons and enters this week on a three-game conference-opening winning streak.
• HSU has won six straight games at McMurry.
• Opponents have not scored a touchdown on their first possession of the second half in 34 consecutive games. During that stretch, the Cowboys have forced seven turnovers in that situation. The only points allowed on an opponent's opening second-half drive during that span came on a field goal by Chapman earlier this season.
Last Time Out
The Cowboys recorded their first shutout since 2022 with a 58-0 victory over the University of Fort Lauderdale. It was the first win in school history over a team from Florida. HSU rushed for 340 yards, totaled 523 yards of offense and limited Fort Lauderdale to 132 total yards, including just 26 rushing yards.
Ty Thompson,
Harrison Foster and
Pedro Altamirano completed a sweep of the American Southwest Conference Player of the Week awards, earning honors on offense, defense and special teams.
Shutout
The shutout of Fort Lauderdale was the eighth of the Burleson era and the first since a 68-0 victory over Southwestern in 2022. Fort Lauderdale's 26 rushing yards were the fewest allowed by HSU since East Texas Baptist managed only 22 in 2022 and rank as the seventh-fewest surrendered in the Division III era.
50/500
The Cowboys posted the 46th game of the
Jeff Whitehead era with at least 50 points and 500 yards of offense. It marked the 68th time under Whitehead that HSU has eclipsed 500 yards and the 52nd time the Cowboys have scored at least 50 points. In his 16 seasons as offensive coordinator, Whitehead's offenses have averaged 41.7 points and 466.7 yards per game. HSU ranks 12th nationally in total offense at 482.3 yards per game and 18th in scoring at 43.3 points per contest.
Stop The Run First
The Cowboys have been dominant against the run and, for the first time in school history, have allowed fewer than 50 rushing yards in three consecutive games. HSU ranks sixth na-tionally in rushing defense, allowing just 35.3 yards per game. The Cowboys have held nine of their last 10 opponents below 100 rushing yards and are limiting teams to 1.4 yards per carry.
Then Attack The Quarterback
HSU ranks third nationally in tackles for loss at 10.3 per game and sixth in sacks with 12. The Cowboys have generated pressure by committee, with
Kaiden Roden and
Tyett Morris leading the team with two sacks each. Ten different players have recorded at least a half-sack this season.
Establishing The Run
The Cowboys have navigated injuries and changes at running back throughout the early season.
J.T. Washington entered the year as the starter with
Guy Powell as his backup. Washington enjoyed a strong opener against Chapman before suffering a season-ending injury in practice. Powell has battled injuries, opening opportunities for others.
Cayden Jones has emerged as the team's leading running back with 198 yards.
Tory Brooks has added 73 yards, while freshmen
Jerrion Hall and
Tank Scott continue to impress and climb the depth chart. Veteran
Aidan Rios has also contributed. Quarterbacks have played a major role in the running game as well, with
Ty Thompson leading the team with 221 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Keegan Ables has added 32 yards and a score. As a team, HSU ranks 17th nationally with 251 rushing yards per game. The Cowboys have produced 21 games of 300 or more rushing yards under Burleson, and last week's 340-yard effort ranks as the seventh-best rushing performance of his tenure.
Tough Up Front
One of the biggest preseason questions surrounded an offensive line that replaced four senior starters.
Mike McAfee returned as the lone starter and has anchored the unit at left tackle. Chandler Carter, the backup to two-time All-American
Hayden Philpot a year ago, has stepped seamlessly into a key role.
Nate Rodriguez,
Mason Butchee and
JoJo Reyes are all first-year starters. The depth has been equally impressive.
Micah Willis,
Jaxon Alexander,
Brant Hargrove and
Jamarion Carter all had previous game experience, while freshman
John Ault has moved into the two-deep at left guard. The group has allowed just two sacks for seven total lost yards while helping the Cowboys average 5.5 yards per rushing attempt.
Other Question Answered
Wide receiver was another position group that faced questions entering the season, but the Cowboys have received strong production.
Jairdyn Anderson has emerged as a starter with 16 receptions for 235 yards and two touchdowns. He posted five catches for 98 yards and two scores last week and has recorded at least five receptions in all three games.
Wes Douglas has 147 receiving yards and two touchdowns, both coming in the fourth quarter of HSU's comeback win at UW-La Crosse.
Harison Brockway has added eight catches for 75 yards and a touchdown.
Justin Herman,
Dylan Hardin and
Reggie McNeal provide additional speed and playmaking ability.
Old Heads Lead The Way
The Cowboys feature three fifth-year starters on defense, and they are also the team's top three tacklers.
Kaiden Roden leads the way with 25 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He enters this week just eight tackles shy of 200 for his career, sitting at 192.
Rowdy Rowan has recorded 20 tackles, while
Harrison Foster has added 18 tackles and four pass breakups.
Foster Earns Second Campbell Trophy Honor
Harrison Foster has been named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, awarded by the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame to the nation's top scholar-athlete. Finalists will be announced Oct. 21. Foster previously earned ASC Man of the Year honors and was recognized as an AP All-American, College Sports Communicators Academic All-American, ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete for football and HSU's recipient of the ASC Medal of Honor. The award is given the top scholar-athlete and combines academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. He had a 3.90 GPA in finance and is pursuing an MBA.
Big Leg For Pedro
Pedro Altamirano tied the school record with three field goals in a game against Fort Lauderdale and matched Jamie Pogue's school record for points by a kicker in a single game with 16 after converting all seven PAT attempts. He narrowly missed a 52-yard field goal that would have tied Brian Beddow's school record. The kick had the distance but struck the upright and missed right. Altamirano ranks second nationally with 2.0 field goals per game. He is 6-for-7 on field-goal attempts and a perfect 16-for-16 on PATs. He has also recorded touchbacks on 18 of 25 kickoffs, leading the nation with six touchbacks per game. His 16th career field goal moved him into fifth place on HSU's all-time list, passing Grayson Bearden. He is five field goals shy of the school record of 21, shared by Pogue and Mark Smith. Altamirano is 16-for-19 in his career, and his 84.2 percent conversion rate ranks as the best in school history.
Hardin Excels In the Return Game
Dylan Hardin has excelled as both a kickoff and punt returner. He is averaging 40.6 yards on three kickoff returns and has already returned one for a touchdown. He also ranks 10th nationally in punt returns, averaging 17.6 yards per return.
Field Flipper
Kaden Turner delivered a 57-yard punt against Fort Lauderdale. He has punted only six times this season, leaving him below the NCAA minimum attempts required for national rankings. If he qualified, his 48.7-yard average would lead the nation by more than three yards per punt. Three of his six punts have pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line, while four have traveled at least 50 yards.
About McMurry
McMurry comes into the contest with a 2-2 record and are averaging 30.8 points and allowing 27. The War Hawks have 11 turnovers in the first four games including seven lost fumbles. McMurry has played three different quarterbacks on the year. Carson Roper is 42-of-66 for 602 yards and five touchdowns. Jess Hoel is 41-of-62 for 396 and four TDs. Last year's starter Dylan Plake is 6-for-11 on the year. Corey Layne is the top rusher with 126 yards. Roper has 98 rush yards and two rushing scores. Five different receivers have over 100 yards. Thomas Chandler has 25 catches for 301 yards and four scores. Kason O'Shields has 12 catches for 227 yards and two scores. Bryce Neves leads the defense with 40 tackles, including six for losses. Bernard Cooper has 30 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss. This is McMurry's first year back in the American Southwest Conference after a two-year stint in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
The Dyess Trophy
Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, Hardin-Simmons and McMurry began awarding the Dyess Trophy given to the school that wins the all-sport competition between the two teams. HSU has won all eight of the competitions. Points are awarded for regular season wins and in cross country, track and field and golf, the highest finisher at the ASC Championship gets the points. HSU is currently on a 16-game winnings streak against its crosstown rival.
