Tweet #JavelinaSTRONG

KINGSVILLE, Texas (Football) – The Javelinas stood tall for most of the game and nearly tied the game twice but 2014 Big 12 All-Purpose Player Tyreek Hill return two kickoffs for a touchdown to kill any momentum for the Blue and Gold as Texas A&M University-Kingsville (1-3) fell to the undefeated University of West Alabama (4-0), 31-22, on Saturday evening at Javelina Stadium.
 
"There are only 20 players in the country as fast as Hill," said Wilkinson. "He is a dynamic player that competed in one of the toughest conferences in all of football. Our gameplan was to kick it away from him."
 
The penalties continued to mount for the Hogs as Texas A&M-Kingsville was accessed 14 penalties for 106 yards.
 
"We have to do a better job of limiting our penalties," continued Wilkinson. "We hung around with a tough opponent but we cannot defeat ourselves."
 
One thing that the Javelinas continued to do well under first-year defensive coordinator David Brown II… third down defense. The Hogs limited the Tigers to 3-of-16 on third down conversions.
 
Myles Carr also finished with the first 300-plus passing game for the Javelinas since Carl Bedford did the same versus Tarleton State on Nov. 2, 2013. Carr went 25-of-47 for 342 yards and three touchdowns. Anthony Autry was the recipient of seven passes for 76 yards and a score. Marcus Green caught his first touchdown pass in a Javelina uniform. Defensively, Zemarcus Green led the way with 10 tackles and Lamont Hills came away with his second career interception and first since 2013 in the first quarter.
 
The Javelinas came within two late in the third quarter after Carr found Green and attempted a two-point conversion to tie the game at 15. Early in the fourth, the Hogs could have come within two again after Carr connected with Autry, but a blocked PAT preserved UWA's three-point lead.
 
The defense limited the West Alabama offense to just 16 first-quarter yards and one complete pass, highlighted by Hills' interception with 2:20 left in the opening frame. Brandon Jones added a sack in the first 15 minutes, but the Javelinas went into the second trailing 3-0 after a 39-yard field goal by Garrett Mattix with 10:00 left.
 
The Hogs had a chance to tie on a 41-yard field goal try, but UWA blocked the attempt to preserve its lead with 12:55 remaining in the first half. Prior to the field goal attempt, Myles Carr found Roe Posada in the end zone, but a penalty was called on TAMUK.
 
Great field position allowed the Tigers to score the game's first touchdown, a four yard rush, before Kelechi Amushie blocked the PAT.
 
On the ensuing drive, Carr found Ty Chisum on a 40-yard play to enter UWA territory. Not to be outdone, Carr connected with Jordan Thomas for a 38-yard catch and a touchdown as the Hogs scored on a three-play, 84 yard drive in just 56 seconds to cut its deficit to 9-7 with 6:23 remaining in the first half.
 
Texas A&M-Kingsville attempted an onside kick and De la Garza recovered, but TAMUK was given an offsides penalty.
 
UWA tacked on a field goal to enter the second half with a 12-7 lead. Braedon Robinson and Zemarcus Green each registered four tackles in the first half. Carr went 8-of-16 with 129 yards. Autry had four catches for 41 yards.
 
After a field goal by UWA with 4:24 left in the third, Carr marched the Hogs down the field and into the end zone, finding Green for his first career touchdown, a 12-yard play, to make it a 15-13 ballgame. They failed to convert on a two-point conversion and the electric special teams returning of UWA broke out with Hill returning the kickoff 74 yards for a score (1:33 remaining). Hill was named to the All-Big 12 All-Purpose Player for Oklahoma State last season.
 
In the fourth, Carr took a big hit but found Autry in tight coverage to make it a 22-19 game. It was his third touchdown pass of the game. The PAT was blocked and it was deja vu all over again as Hill returned the kickoff for another touchdown as UWA took a 28-19 lead with 12:12 remaining.
 
Carr took another hit on a 32-yard pass to Greg Pitre and the roughing the passer allowed the Javelinas to have a first and goal from the visitor-7. However, the Hogs were limited to a field goal to cut their deficit to 28-22.
 
With 5:35 remaining and the Tigers lining up to take a 36-yard field goal, a false start moved UWA back to the 24-yard line. The 41-yard attempt was good and with 5:31 left, the Tigers took a 31-22 lead and escaped the first matchup between these two teams since 1978 with a victory.
 
The Javelinas resume Lone Star Conference action next weekend for its first road conference tilt as they leave the Lone Star state. The Hogs head to Eastern New Mexico for a 4 p.m. CT game on Oct. 3. The Greyhounds are 0-2 in LSC play and defeated the Hogs in both meetings last season.
 
For full coverage of Texas A&M-Kingsville football, please follow @JavelinaFB on Twitter and Instagram, like the official Facebook page of Javelina athletics (/JavelinaSports), and subscribe to the JavelinaAthletics YouTube channel.