KINGSVILLE, Texas – Texas A&M-Kingsville narrowly fell on Saturday night to Midwestern State, 41-37 as the Mustangs took the game late on a one-yard touchdown rush with just under two minutes remaining.
TAMUK had an opportunity to win the game at the end but was unable to convert on two plays from the 10 yard line as time expired.
"I'm proud of our guys and the way they fought," said head coach
Mike Salinas. "I'm obviously disappointed that we couldn't come out on the other side of this one. That's a really good ball team [Midwestern State] it was a close game, but now our focus is on getting ready for next week."
The loss drops the Javelinas to 7-3 on the season and 5-3 in Lone Star Conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Mustangs started hot, driving 52-yards on 6 plays on their first drive of the game scoring six on a three-yard rush.
The 7-0 lead would not last long though as on the ensuing kickoff
Amos Coleman went flying down the sideline for a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown. The point after attempt would be blocked though, bringing the score to 7-6 at 12:26 in the first quarter.
Midwestern State punched right back driving right back down the field as Philip Shaw would walk into the end zone from three yards out for his second touchdown of the game to extend the lead to 14-6.
TAMUK would counter again with a 6 play 46-yard drive, that ended with quarterback
Jacob Cavazos finding
Jaylin Smith over the top on a 29-yard touchdown pass to bring the Javelinas back within one with 7:22 left in the first quarter.
The Mustangs' defense would step up early in the second quarter, stopping the Javelinas on a fourth and one to take over possession on the MSU 22 yard line. Four plays later, Shaw would punch it in from a few yards out to put MSU up only by 7, as their PAT would be blocked.
The Javelinas would respond once again though on their next possession going, 70 yards on 7 plays, capped off by a two-yard touchdown rush by
Toneil Carter, tying the game at 20 with 7:40 minutes remaining in the first half.
It looked to be more of the same, as MSU drove into the red zone on their next drive, but
Keon Clary would strip the MSU ball carrier seeing the ball go through the endzone for a touchback.
Kingsville would capitalize on the opportunity, driving 80 yards over 5 minutes, ending with
Cavazos finding tight end
Walker Ring on a 26-yard touchdown pass down the sideline as Ring dove clipping the pylon with the ball. The score would come with only 17 seconds left in the half to put TAMUK up 27-20 to close out the half.
TAMUK's would give the Mustangs a way back in however, fumbling on the first play from scrimmage of the second half giving MSU the ball on the Kingsville 32 yard line.
Three plays later the Mustangs would tie the game on a 7-yard touchdown rush.
MSU would strike again on their next possession, as quarterback Dillon Sterling-Cole found Kylan Harrison on a 35-yard touchdown pass. The score put the Mustangs up by seven with 10:54 left in the third quarter.
The Javelinas looked to be heading right back to the end zone as
Christian Anderson broke through the defense racing through the secondary, before being tripped up by the last man standing. The Javs would be forced to settle for a 51-yard
Gilbert Garza field goal bringing the score to 34-30 late in the third quarter.
TAMUK would find the end zone on their next possession as
Cavazos would find
Carter on a 28-yard touchdown pass to give the Javelinas the lead within the first minute of the fourth quarter to put the Javs up 37-34.
Later in the quarter,
Cavazos looked to strike through the air again, looking tight end
Allen Arclies on a 45-yard bomb in the end zone, but the ball would fall just out of the tight end's reach forcing a field goal attempt that would be missed keeping the deficit at three with 7:10 remaining.
Following the missed field goal, the Javelinas tenacious defensive front rushed the Mustang quarterback into rushed passes on the move that included a fourth down stop forcing a turnover on downs with five minutes remaining.
TAMUK only ran just over a minute and a half off the clock going three-and-out, but a 44-yard Luke Shaffer punt would be down at the Mustang one with only 3:28 left on the clock.
MSU was not pinned deep long as on the first play of the drive, running back Peyton Shaw broke off a 42-yard run. Two plays late, Shaw rushed another 39 yards down to the TAMUK 13. The Mustangs punched the ball in two plays later to take the lead with 1:37 left in the game.
Kingsville's comeback attempt was set up well after the ensuing kickoff as the Mustangs kicked the ball out of bounds and were called for a facemask to set the Javelinas up on the fifty-yard line.
The Javs then converted on two third downs and a fourth and one to get to the MSU 29 yard line.
Cavazos was then sacked at the MSU-35 forcing a timeout by TAMUK with 25 seconds remaining leaving the Javelinas with a third and fifteen.
The Javelinas went on to convert on a fourth and eight as
Cavazos found
Anderson while scrambling over the middle for 17-yards down to the 10 yard line with 11 seconds left. TAMUK would take two shots to the endzone, with both sailing out of reach of intended receivers to end the game.
UP NEXT
The Javelinas close out the regular season next Saturday, Nov. 12 as they take on Western Oregon at 7 p.m. in Javelina Stadium.
