WICHITA FALLS, Texas – The 2023 regular season has come to a close for the Texas A&M-Kingsville football team, and the Javelinas end the season on a high note, riding into Wichita Falls and coming out with a win over the Mustangs of Midwestern State.
The victory leaves the Javelinas with a 7-3 record on the year and a 5-3 record in the LSC. Meanwhile, the Mustangs fall to 4-6 with a 3-5 record in the LSC, finishing at .400. The win snaps a 12-game losing streak for TAMUK against MSU.
GAME SUMMARY
The Javelinas put together another all-around team performance to grab the victory, as the offense found the endzone three times and special teams knocked through two field goals while the "Junkyard Hogs" added another two turnovers to their total.
Wade Freeman III was 11-for-23 on the day with a touchdown toss for 207 yards while the Javelina running back corps racked up 109 yards of rushing and two touchdowns.
Nate Dantley led the way for the TAMUK receivers, snagging five catches for 128 yards and a touchdown.
The defense continued the turnover-forcing ways it has followed all season, grabbing an interception and recovering a fumble to help set up the Javelina offense.
Ezrah Thibodeaux led the tackling for the Javelina defense with six total tackles while 12 different Hogs got in on the action with multiple tackles.
Amos Coleman III got the turnover party started for the Hogs in the second quarter, ripping the ball straight from a Mustang's hands and into his own and returning the stripped ball 26 yards to the MSU 41 yard line.
Jeff Lavarin added on with an interception midway through the third quarter.
The Javelina special teams got in on the turnover action too as
Demarcus Peters forced a fumble on a kickoff midway through the third.
Blake Jaques pounced on the loose ball to set the Javelina offense up in fantastic field position.
A close battle throughout, the game came down to the final minute after MSU punched in a touchdown with 1:02 remaining to cut the deficit to six. However, the Javelinas did not let victory get away from them as Dantley grabbed the ensuing onside kick to secure the win.
How They Scored
1Q (9:46) – The Javelinas struck first on their second drive of the game. After a promising first drive set up by a 51-yard Coleman III kickoff return came to a halt on a strip sack, the offense took advantage of a pass interference penalty just outside the redzone to punch in a four-yard rushing touchdown by
Christian Anderson after only four plays.
Scoring Play: Christian Anderson 4-yard rush (Bredesen PAT)
Drive: 4 plays, 42 yards, 1:57 TOP
TAMUK 7, MSU 0
1Q (2:30) – After the two teams traded punts, Freeman needed only three plays to help the offense find the endzone again. After two rushes by
CJ Odom, Freeman connected with an open Dantley down the sideline who outran the Mustang defense and took it to the house to extend the Javelina lead.
Scoring Play: Nate Dantley 71-yard pass from Wade Freeman III (Bredesen PAT)
Drive: 3 plays, 76 yards, 1:23 TOP
TAMUK 14, MSU 0
1Q (1:39) – The Mustangs struck back immediately as QB James Cooper Jr. found Kelby Hickerson on a long pass on the second play of the drive to get MSU on the board.
Scoring Play: Kelby Hickerson 76-yard pass from James Cooper Jr. (Vaes PAT)
Drive: 2 plays, 81 yards, 00:46 TOP
TAMUK 14, MSU 7
2Q (10:59) – A miscue on special teams gave MSU the ball on the TAMUK 1-yard line after
Craig Clemons muffed a punt. The Mustangs capitalized immediately, punching it in on a QB sneak to even the game.
Scoring Play: James Cooper Jr. 1-yard rush (Vaes PAT)
Drive: 1 play, 1 yard, 00:15 TOP
TAMUK 14, MSU 14
2Q (2:16) – The two teams traded punts once more before another score found its way onto the board. A fumble forced and recovered by Coleman III set the Javelinas up nicely on the MSU 41. The offense picked up a first down before the drive stalled after a deep shot to Clemons fell incomplete.
Dillon Bredesen came onto the field to knock through his first of two field goals on the night to help the Javelinas regain the lead.
Scoring Play: Dillon Bredesen 40-yard field goal
Drive: 7 plays, 18 yards, 3:33 TOP
TAMUK 17, MSU 14
3Q (11:29) – MSU received the ball coming out of the half, but the Hogs defense held strong to force a three-and-out. Freeman took the reins to lead the offense down the field, including a 23-yard strike to Dantley to put the Javelinas in scoring range, but two incomplete passes on the next set of downs kept the drive from moving any further. Bredesen trotted back on to make his second field goal of the day and extend the lead.
Scoring Play: Dillon Bredesen 42-yard field goal
Drive: 8 plays, 44 yards, 2:30 TOP
TAMUK 20, MSU 14
3Q (8:22) – The Mustangs had a special teams miscue of their own as Peters forced a fumble on the kickoff return following the field goal. The offense took over on prime real estate – the MSU 23 yard line. Two rushes from Odom put the Javelinas inside the 10 before
Roger Hagan capped the drive off following a defensive pass interference call that put TAMUK on the two.
Scoring Play: Roger Hagan 3-yard rush (Bredesen PAT)
Drive: 5 plays, 23 yards, 3:02 TOP
TAMUK 27, MSU 14
4Q (1:02) – The fourth quarter saw stout defense from both teams until MSU put together a last-ditch effort drive to stay in the game. A short punt from the Javelinas gave the ball to the Mustangs on their 49 as Zach Keen came on at QB. A steady stream of passes moved the ball down the field before the Mustangs found the endzone on an 11-yard pass, however, the score was called back on a penalty. MSU would not be denied though, finding the endzone once more four plays later to cut the deficit to six. The Mustangs attempted an onside kick afterward but could not recover.
Scoring Play: Justin White 2-yard pass from Zach Keen (Vaes PAT)
Drive: 8 plays, 51 yards, 2:48 TOP
TAMUK 27, MSU 21
