KINGSVILLE, Texas – Texas A&M-Kingsville closed out the team's non-conference schedule with a 35-14 victory over the visiting Sul Ross State Lobos on Saturday night.
"It's always good when you win," said head coach Michael Salinas. "Two weeks into the season you want to be 2-0… we still have a lot we want to work on and clean up and get better on the details."
The Javelinas' special teams stood out in the second win of the season, blocking two Sul Ross punts that resulted in safeties.
Craig Clemons also put on a show with two spectacular kickoff returns totaling 83 yards. The junior from Corpus Christi recorded 124 total yards and tacked on a receiving touchdown in the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Javs looked like they may run away with the game early as they opened the game by forcing a Lobos three-and-out. Quarterback
Jacob Cavazos then proceeded to march the Javelinas down the field on an eight-play drive that was capped off with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Clemons.
From there though, the offense seemed to falter hampered by various offensive penalties.
TAMUK would get back on the board though with a blocked punt courtesy of
Isaiah Jacobs that went sailing through the back of the end zone for a safety to put the blue and gold up 9-0 to end the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Lobos were threatening in the red zone, but the Javelina defense was able to force a 43-yard field goal that was missed to the left.
However, the Lobos would break through on their next drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback T.J. DeShields to Vincent Luevano in the right corner of the end zone to bring the Lobos within two.
The Lobos were set up with great field positioning on that drive after the Lobos defense forced and recovered a strip sack as Cavazos attempted to extend a play that ended with the Lobos in the red zone.
The Javelinas looked to respond on the following drive, but a fumble in the red zone saw another offensive opportunity slip away.
TAMUK was able to tack on three more points at the end of the half with a 25-yard field goal from
Gilbert Garza following a fifteen-play drive that began with only 1:32 on the clock.
A&M-Kingsville would block another punt for a safety early in the third quarter to put the Javelinas up 14-7 with 10:39 remaining in the quarter.
Three rushing touchdowns by three different Javelina rushers (
Allen Jackson, Christian Anderson, and Roger Hagan) would push the lead to 28 in the fourth before a late Lobo touchdown pass brought the score to its final of 35-14.
WHO LED THE WAY
- Cavazos threw for an impressive 233 yards going 25-37 through the air with one touchdown
- Running back Christian Anderson totaled 109 yards on the ground on 19 attempts averaging 5.7 yards per carry, with one touchdown
- Blake Hoffman, led the way in receiving with three receptions for 50 yards on a night where 11 Javelinas tallied receptions.
- The defense was led by junior defensive end Demarcus Hendricks who recorded 6 tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss
UP NEXT
The Javelinas will now head on the road to Canyon, Texas to face West Texas A&M to open Lone Star Conference play on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.
