Kingsville - Courtesy of two West Texas touchdowns in the final eight minutes of the game, the Javelina football team fell to the Buffaloes 21-14 at home.

Coming on the heels of a massive win on the road at Western Oregon, the loss drops TAMUK to 5-4 overall, with a 4-3 record in Lone Star Conference Play.

"Overall, we got out-executed in the ball game," Head Coach Michael Salinas said. "I don't think we got out-physicaled, I think our guys played hard, we just got out-executed at the end of the day."

The Javelinas collected more total yards, more passing yards, and a better third-down percentage, but missed all four of their field-goal attempts and muffed a punt, which West Texas recovered in the endzone for a touchdown. While that special-teams mishap resulted in the Buffaloes's first points of the game, midway through the third quarter, the Kingsville defense continued to pitch a shutout. The team forced four turnovers, three on downs and an interception in the closing moments of the first half, all in the first three quarters. 

One such turnover on downs came when the Buffaloes failed to covert on a fourth down on TAMUK's 30 yardline. Kingsville took full advantage, putting together a 69-yard, eight-play drive that ended with a Lawrence Starks five-yard touchdown run, the game's first score.

After the muffed punt touchdown with 7:28 left in the third, the Javelinas quickly responded with a score of their own. They took 11 plays and 5:30 off the clock, driving the ball 80 yards into the endzone courtesy of a Jalen Brown two-yard touchdown run to take back the lead.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Buffaloes attempted - and failed - a fake punt on fourth down and 10 deep in their own territory. While TAMUK stopped the play in its tracks, the 35-yard field goal that the turnover set up was missed wide right, keeping Kingsville's lead at one possession. Just a few drives later, a dropped pass on third down gave West Texas the ball back with a chance to tie the game. WTU took hold of that opportunity just three plays later, converting a third-down 59 yards to even up the game at 14 with under eight minutes to play.

They found the endzone again on their next drive in just five plays, taking a 21-14 lead with 3:18 left, a lead they would not surrender.

"It's got to hurt, I think it did hurt our guys," Salinas said. "We had a few guys step up and share a few words at the end of the game, so I know that they care. I know they played hard, we just did not play well enough to win the game"

The Javelinas will be back on the gridiron next Saturday when they travel to face Western Oregon.
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