SILVER CITY, NM – The No. 21 ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville football team opened Lone Star Conference play with a commanding, 30-9 road win over Western New Mexico on Saturday night. 

The Javelina defense put in another solid performance in the win, grounding Division II's leading scorer and passer Devin Larsen and the Mustang offense that averaged over 40-points per game to just single digits. 

The Hogs also added to their nation leading interceptions and turnovers with two interceptions on the night. 

The win sees the nationally ranked Javelinas improve to 3-0 (1-0 LSC) on the year while the Mustangs drop to 1-2 (0-1 LSC) 

Offensively the Javelinas rushed for 142 yards as a team while Jacob Cavazos returned as the starting quarterback following a week one injury, going for two touchdowns and 150 yards passing, while going 11-19 through the air. 

Kicker Gilbert Garza tacked on three total field goals in the win, all coming from 45-yards out or further including a career-long 53-yarder.

TAMUK's win marks the program's fifth-straight over WNMU. 

How It Happened 

The Javelinas started quickly as on the second play from scrimmage, Jacob Cavazos found Nate Dantley on a 64-yard strike through the air for a touchdown to put TAMUK up 7-0. 

Three possessions later, TAMUK found itself in good field position on the Mustang-48 gaining 15-yards before Gilbert Garza drilled a 50-yard field goal to extend the lead to ten with 5:24 left in the first quarter. 

In the second quarter, the Mustangs' Devin Larsen led WNMU on a 14-play, 73-yard drive resulting in a 39-yard field goal to cut the Javelina lead to seven. 

One possession later, following one of Luke Shaffer's four punts downed inside the Mustang-10 in the half, the Javelina defense forced its first turnover of the game as the secondary delivered a massive blow to the Mustang receiver, dislodging the ball as Seven Sanchez made a diving interception to give TAMUK the ball. 

Late in the half the Hogs found their second touchdown of the game on a seven-play, 44-yard drive capped off by a seven-yard option keeper by Cavazos who strolled into the corner of the end zone to put the Hogs up 17-3 with only 28 seconds left in the half. 

On TAMUK's second possession of the third quarter, the offense found its groove once more, driving 80 yards on eight plays as Cavazos found Jaylin Smith on a 26-yard fade to the back corner of the end zone for six as Garza tacked on the point after putting the Blue and Gold up 24-3. 

On the ensuing WNMU drive the Javelinas proved to have perfected the tip drill as a pass caromed off the hands of a would-be Mustang receiver into the hands of Khalen Leonard as TAMUK took over on the Mustang-39. 

Four plays later, Garza notched a new career-long field goal with a 53-yard boot through the uprights as the Hogs led 27-3 with 14:40 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

Larsen and the Mustangs responded with a touchdown on the next possession on a three-play, 65-yard drive, finished with a two-yard touchdown pass following a 63-yard pass that set the Mustangs up on the Javelinas two. 

The next Javelina possession Garza knocked his third field goal of the game through the uprights this time from 45-yards out extending the lead to, 30-9 with 7:34 left in the game. 

While the Mustangs threatened in their last two possessions including having it first-and-goal from the eight-yard line, the Hogs stood tall forcing back-to-back turnovers on downs sealing the 30-9 victory to open conference play. 

Up Next 

The Hogs will have next Saturday off before traveling to Odessa, Texas to face UT Permian Basin on Saturday, Sept. 30.