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SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Football) – The excitement has built up since the arrival of the new regime in December 2014 but Texas A&M University-Kingsville (0-1) gave the fans wearing blue and gold in Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium a defensive showcase as the Javelinas forced four Cardinal turnovers (three fumbles, one interception) in the first half. The defense limited UIW's single season passing record holder to 160 yards in the air, but the University of the Incarnate Word (1-0) rallied from behind to down TAMUK, 18-16, on Saturday afternoon.
 
The California kids accounted for 14 of TAMUK's 16 points in the 18-16 loss to the University of the Incarnate Word (1-0) on Saturday afternoon. Joe Te'o used his strength to find the end zone in the second and Myles Carr connected with Shawn Vasquez in the third as the Hogs regained the lead, but the legs of Trent Brittain and a bit of luck gave the Cardinals the win. Tied at 16 in the fourth, ZeMarcus Green blocked a PAT, but UIW recovered and rushed for two points to take an 18-16 lead with just over five minutes left in the game.
 
At halftime, the Hogs led 9-3 after a stellar performance on the defensive end under new coordinator David Brown II.
 
With 10:52 remaining in the opening quarter, John General – making his Javelina debut – forced the first of three first-half UIW fumbles and Devonte Williams recovered, giving the Javelinas possession in their own territory.
 
Minutes later, a Joe Crowe sack was followed by a pick by Williams, but the game was scoreless through the first 15:00 minutes of action.
 
Early in the second quarter, General nearly picked off Brittain and UIW settled for a field goal to put the game's first points on the board with 11:37 left to play.
 
The Javelinas answered back with two on a high snap/safety at the 7:43 mark. The offense began to click around the halfway point of the frame, when a Vasquez 11-yard rush was capped off by a 36-yard touchdown pass from Carr to Anthony Autry. Or so it was originally called. After the play was overturned and the ball was spotted at the 1-yard line, Te'o pounded his way into the end zone and Julio De la Garza connected on the point after to give TAMUK a 9-3 lead with 3:39 left to play. The drive was officially 10 plays for 77 yards (3:57).
 
The defense did not slow down as a fumble forced by Peyton Tilley was recovered by General and with just under a minute remaining, Gayln Griffin Jr. forced a fumble of his own and Tilley gave the Blue and Gold a chance to add to their lead.
 
In the first half of the 2015 season, Carr went 6-of-15 for 55 yards, with the longest pass being the 34-yard connection with Autry. He also rushed for 25 yards and Vasquez added 23. Kelechi Amushie and Tilley had four tackles apiece, Braedon Robinson added a tackle for a loss and Trevor Moses picked up his first sack of the season.
 
If you thought the defense was done, you were mistaken as the Javelinas stopped the Cards on the TAMUK-17 on tackles in the backfield by AA Vaaulu and Tre Oliver at the 6:25 marker.
 
However, UIW returned a punt for 66 yards to regain a 10-9 lead with 4:29 remaining.
 
A block by Bo Villarreal allowed Vasquez to fins a hole and rush for nine yards to begin the ensuing drive, and two plays later, Carr connected with Jordan Thomas on a 33-yard beauty to enter the UIW red zone (UIW-20). The Javelinas continued to drive down the field, concluding a six-play, 69-yard drive on a 17-yard completion from Carr to Vasquez to regain the lead, 16-10, with 1:50 left in the third.
 
On 4^th-and-2, Moses stopped UIW on the TAMUK-16 for a turnover on downs.
 
A scramble by Brittain gave the Cardinals a 57-yard-rush to put them in Javelina territory. Brittain found Jordan Hicks to knot the game at 16-all with 5:05 remaining in the game (4 plays, 74 yards) and a blocked PAT by ZeMarcus Green was recovered by UIW's kicker, allowing the Cardinals to take a two-point lead.
 
UIW put the closing stamp on a season-opening win with 2:09 left to play after registering a sack on fourth down.
 
All in all, Carr went 16-of-27 and Thomas finished with 51 receiving yards. Green led the Hogs with nine tackles, Amushie added eight and Miles Kirksey recorded with seven.
 
The Javelinas begin their 2015 home schedule on Sept. 12 when Missouri S&T enters Javelina Stadium at 7 p.m. On Sept. 11, Texas A&M-Kingsville will formally induct its 2015 Mike Shaw Automotive Hall of Fame Class as the 1974 and 1975 football teams, Pat Lewandowski and Tarmo Jallai join the Javelina immortal.
 
For full coverage of Javelina football, please follow @JavelinaFB on Twitter and Instagram, like /JavelinaSports on Facebook and subscribe to the JavelinaAthletics YouTube channel.
 
Notes: Kelechi Amushie, Aundre Long, Greg Pitre and Braedon Robinson were named the captains of game one earlier this morning… the Vasquez touchdown in the third was his first receiving touchdown in a Javelina uniform.