KINGSVILLE, Texas – Texas A&M-Kingsville fell in its annual Homecoming game on Saturday night, 38-16, to No. 20 Angelo State.
The Rams (4-2, LSC 3-1) were more efficient in capitalizing on their opportunities than the Javelinas (4-2, LSC 2-2), scoring 17 of their 38 points off of four interceptions.
"When you go out and do not play your best against a good team, it is always going to be difficult," said head coach Mike Salinas. "We made some costly mistakes in critical situations... at the end of the day, we have to own it... on the positive side of things, all we did not do well is fixable."
In the game, the Javelinas gained 267 yards of total offense while the Rams posted 305 yards in the game, with 207 coming through the air, while multiple Ram quarterbacks combined for four touchdowns through the air.
The Javelina defense was able to keep their six-game streak with a forced turnover alive via a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter that was recovered by Khalen Leonard.
TAMUK wideout Nate Dantley turned in a strong individual performance with 93 yards receiving off four receptions with a long of 29 yards.
How it happened:
After the first six possessions of the game ended with five three-and-outs and a turnover on downs, the Javelinas broke the deadlock late in the first as Gilbert Garza put TAMUK on the board with a 35-yard field goal to go up 3-0 with 3:18 remaining in the first quarter.
ASU responded with a touchdown on its next possession to take the lead, going 74 yards on nine plays, methodically moving the ball down the field before a 26-yard touchdown pass put the Rams up 7-3 early in the second quarter.
Later in the quarter, Garza drilled a 48-yard field goal to pull the Javelinas within one, but on their next possession, TAMUK turned the ball over as ASU picked off a pass at the TAMUK 30-yard line.
Four plays later, the Rams converted on fourth-and-nine on a broken-down play that ended with a 28-yard touchdown pass that was floated over the Javelina secondary, putting ASU up 14-6, with just over a minute remaining in the first half.
The Rams carried the momentum into the second half, scoring on the first play from scrimmage on a 70-yard catch and run to go up 21-6.
On TAMUK's ensuing drive, the offense was only able to come away with three points again as Garza converted from 42 yards out.
ASU found the end zone again on its next possession, going 51 yards on nine plays to extend its lead to 28-9 on a four-yard rush by the quarterback with 5:53 remaining in the third.
The Rams then got their third interception of the game on the following Javelina possession at the Javelina-21, converting only two plays later to go up 35-9, late in the third quarter.
The Javelinas found the end zone for the first and only time in the game on the ensuing drive, going 52 yards on 10 plays, as Roger Hagan capped the drive off with a one-yard touchdown run off a direct snap.
ASU tacked on three more points via a 24-yard field goal at the 12-minute mark of the fourth quarter after another interception set the offense up in the red zone for the final score of the night, pushing the score to its final 38-16.
Up Next:
The Javelinas will now prepare to hit the road and take on the Greyhounds of Eastern New Mexico on Saturday, Oct. 21.
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